THE PANDEMIC VS SAFARI CONSERVATION

WITH THE PANDEMIC CONTINUING TO OBSTRUCT THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY, SAFARI AND CONSERVATION TOURISM ARE BEING HIT HARD. HOW ARE AFRICA’S RURAL COMMUNITIES COPING?

- SARAH BARRELL

When travel came to a halt in March 2020, SafariBookings, a marketplace for African tours, began a monthly survey of several hundred operators. In November, this revealed most operators had faced a drop in business of more than 75%. And with winter lockdowns in place across Europe, the outlook remains grim.

The government’s decision to continue to advise against travel to much of the African continent last summer, despite most countries having fewer coronavirus cases than those in Europe, was seen by many as nonsensical. “Safaris are outdoor holidays, based in remote camps in places that generally have very low infection rates,” says Chris McIntyre, managing director of operator Expert Africa. “Insurance companies now have policies covering the virus and it’s becoming increasingly common for authorities to require a negative coronavirus PCR test before travelling.”

For an industry valued at £9bn globally, plummeting bookings have far-reaching impacts. In addition to the rangers and big-game conservation programmes relying on income from the sector, there are countless workers and wildlife projects that survive thanks to tourism.