Jenman Safaris | Into the Australian Market | Competition on the Africa route from Australia

The marketing initiative between Jenman African Safaris, and Above and Beyond Holidays, to deliver Jenman product into the Australian market signals AB Holidays intent to deliver a holistic Africa program – alongside the Indian Ocean Island program currently in place – as well as trying to shift the mentality of Africa as a destination only for the wealthy.

Don’t get me wrong - there is a place for high end product. I have been fortunate enough to experience some amazing five star, if not six star, game and safari experiences across South and East Africa.  Read my blog on Singita Boulders Lodge. It’s just that traditionally – it has been expensive to get to South Africa, let alone East Africa from Australia.

The Australian dollar has always been fairly strong, enabling well packaged high end product to be accessible to Australian travellers, who aren’t super, super rich. But airfares have just been too expensive. And what about those of us who aren’t even super rich, let alone rich.......

For too long, a single airline occasionally two, have plied the route between Sydney and Perth to Johannesburg. Competition on the route has been slow on the ground and nonexistent in the air.

Packages with airfares are marketed from Australia as $3700 includes flights and 3 nights’ accommodation!!

Ummmm.....3 nights ? What do i do for the rest of the time? I am not going all the way to South Africa for 3 nights......and $3700!!!! And that is a special??

In flies V Australia to Melbourne heading for Johannesburg – and Air Austral start flying Sydney direct to Reunion Island targeting a market share of the Mauritius pie. Air Austral have flights to Johannesburg, as well as Mauritius, the Seychelles, Comoros and Mayotte Madagascar – as well as daily connections through to Marseille and Paris, France.

Overnight – there is competition!! Things are happening!!  Air Mauritius decides to come back from Sydney and introduce a new plane on the route. Air Austral plan to deliver to a new Boeing 777-300ER on the route, Sydney to Reunion in February 2011.

In the end the consumers (travellers) are benefitting. Prices for air tickets are way down, cheaper than they have been in a long time. And Africa is overloaded with product – literally. Indaba this year in the lead up to the world cup was low in attendance but not in product!!  We discovered all kinds of great new cruises, game lodges, safari options, deluxe tented camps, eco tours, you name it.......

There has never been a better time to go to Africa from Australia ( going to Africa is always amazing ) –  great deals are to be had all over the place.

For inspiration check out Marius Coetzee Photography blog | To view Jenman African Safaris brochure online | Check out Jenman's new bedouin style camp