Our business is Safaris.
And very often a Safari begins with an S.O.S. call that goes something like this:
Please help. We have been dreaming of going on a Safari so we started looking at all our options and then we just disappeared down an internet wormhole. Now we are so confused we don’t know where to start and we can’t figure out know where we want to go! It’s all so overwhelming.
The internet is a marvelous invention. It is also a magnificent source of information overload and many travellers find themselves frustrated by the sheer amount of decisions they are confronted with online.
And that is for a normal, run-of-the-mill vacation.
When you go on safari, all the parameters are instantly expanded:
🧳 It is a long, long way to travel to Africa.
🧳 Great Safaris are not inexpensive.
🧳 You never want to waste time transferring or show up in the wrong location.
🧳 Speaking of precious time, a Safari is not only a weekend away.
🧳 The countries may be very unfamiliar and they are generally in the developing world.
🧳 Having to coordinate travel plans for multiple countries or properties is confusing. And with so many different countries to choose from it is great to have your entire itinerary under one umbrella.
🧳 You want to be safe in the wilderness.
🧳 Every day another handful of Safari properties appear.
🧳 All the extras, inclusions and small print are confusing, frustrating and overwhelming.
So should you use a Travel Designer or do without? Let us break it down for you:
Reasons to Always Use a Travel Designer for a Safari
1. Do-it-yourself travel might not be rocket science or brain surgery exactly
Let’s rather compare it to sewing clothes, brewing coffee, preparing a delicious meal or getting a haircut. You can do it all yourself, but life is usually much lovelier (not to mention more predictable) when you get a professional to do the job.
Booking online can be an adventure (and isn’t that one of the big reasons why we travel after all?) but crowdsourcing the answers to create a complicated itinerary across different countries with endless choices will be extremely time-consuming, not to mention stressful.
Your Travel Designer might be even more relevant today than they were in the days of typewriters and triplicate airline tickets.
2. Google might know a lot but…
Unlike Google, your Travel Designer has been where you are going (or know someone first-hand who has) They will have every answer at their fingertips (and you won’t have to wonder about the validity of the information either)
3. It’s Africa, folks
There will be nuisance and mischief. There might be delays and there is always something new or different. Even when you work on the ground it can be difficult to keep up.
In Africa, logistics lean towards the complicated. This usually means a headache. Let your Travel Designer have it for you while you enjoy your holiday.
4. The elite secret
Why are millennials the fastest-growing segment using Travel Designers?
Because Travel Designers offer value for luxury and specialist travel with time-saving, stress-relieving and problem-solving skills.
5. Your (entirely free) professional matchmaking service
You notice an incredibly inspirational image or video on the television or your social media. It looks like the perfect Safari and you find yourself chasing that dream. An exceptional Travel Designer can decipher your dreams and will learn all about your real travel desires before matching them to what is ideal for you personally.
They will listen to you like their career depends on it. Understanding your personality and your needs and what will delight you is the superpower of a Travel Designer.
Then they will create an itinerary that incorporates the best of experiences and properties to specifically suit you. Making sure that you are set to have the trip of a lifetime with all the extra value and perks someone with a personal relationship with the properties can add.
We work with many repeat clients… because once your Travel Designer really gets to know you every subsequent vacation will simply come down to a telephone call.
6. A Constant Companion
They will be at your (virtual) side throughout your Safari – like a wingman, ready to pivot plans at a moment’s notice… or if anything tries to derail your trip they will get you back on track fast, find your luggage or troubleshoot the unexpected.
The Travel Designer will have the preferred number or contact to get in touch with quickly. They problem solve 24/7 in real-time
7. Travel Designers are Human
No need to reach a customer service centre and get in the queue or our personal favourite: the automated sequence when you have a query or need help. Instead, your Travel Designer is available on speed dial.
Your Travel Designer is personally invested in you. It is a perfectly normal part of our day to find an adorable picture of a client’s new grandbaby or other happy occasion waiting in our inbox every day. Your Travel Designer will be hand-picked for you and then they will be with you before, during and after your trip.
8. Connections
Travel Designers work in large networks throughout the industry and at a company like Rothschild Safaris, the relationship they have with properties can stretch back decades.
9. Riding the learning curve
Our Travel Designers are constantly travelling to catch up with the latest developments and check in with old favourites… When it comes to Africa, the learning curve is never-ending.
10. About the $$$
A great Travel Designer works with your budget. They know where you should splurge and where it is safe to save… They also have access to the best prices (even on the internet) and will add value with little surprises and extras along the way.
Savings and hidden savings.
Apart from having a relationship with properties that guarantee a great price, your Travel Designer will also build a plethora of hidden savings into your trip. Wonder why one couple gets an upgrade and it isn’t you? They used a Travel Designer.
Whether you are more concerned about your budget than value… or the value you get for your budget, a Travel Designer will work to save you money and add value (without compromising on properties that are unconcerned with conservation or community upliftment).
11. Peace of mind is priceless.
Your Travel Designer will have vetted every property on your itinerary, not only for service but also for suitability to your specific needs. Logistics and details are taken off your hands.
You will have all the little details in one place. In one itinerary… with the mastermind on speed dial.
Instead of finding yourself disenchanted, why not save research, time, stress and peace of mind, by making your Travel Designer plan for the unexpected?
12. The difference between a Travel Designer and a Travel Agent.
A Travel Agent is a retail agent with generalist knowledge about the world of travel, Travel Designers are specialists who excel at specific types of travel or destinations.
13. A Superhero
Travel Designers are superheroes and when a volcano erupts or you break your leg then they will do everything they can to get you in, get you out, get you where you want to go or reschedule everything.
14. But not just any Superhero
It is important that you find an extraordinary Travel Designer. One who is experienced and willing to spend the time with you and find out exactly what you need. Someone who has an excellent knowledge of your destination is flexible about your dates, timing and budget, and someone who has an incredible response time.
Also, a Travel Designer with whom you feel comfortable.
15. Pret-a-Safari
Travel Designers get the inside info first. When you want to be the first of your family and friends to see the latest ‘it’ destination… then you need a Travel Designer.
16. Behind the Velvet Rope
There is a number of experiences and tours that can only be booked through a Travel Designer. At the higher end companies want to make sure they are well-matched with their customers and only make their experiences available to Travel Designers.
If you expect VIP treatment, lower pricing, special perks and benefits that will enhance the quality of your trip – a Travel Designer is the obvious choice.
17. Inspiration is no Longer Optional
We consider every itinerary a little masterpiece. If you tell us what you need more of in your life we will incorporate experiences to elevate your trip from a journey to a revelation and a rebirth.
A Short Recap of Why you need a Travel Designer
🧳 No more searching for deals daily. Your Travel Designer will be in the know.
🧳 Get what you want without having to coordinate a single step.
🧳 Easing your planning pain,
🧳 Eliminate all the stress including worrying about cost.
🧳 Wondering what you have forgotten? A Travel Designer has seen it all before and will think of things you don’t.
🧳 Advice regarding vaccinations, etiquette, religion, culture, restrictions, extras. And your Travel Designer will keep you up to date about anything that is happening in the country of your destination that might impact your travel.
🧳 There is no FOMO. You won’t miss out on the highlights of a country as your Travel Designer will ensure you see everything on offer.
We constantly discover, research and visit new properties and experiences.
It isn’t fair – but life is often about who you know… and in the Safari industry: we know them. So:
Is it time for you to get to know us?
Little ways great Travel Designers invest in clients.
🐝 Traveling around the world to check up on properties constantly
🐝 Emails including our newsletter
🐝 Gifts to help keep the love for Travel and Safari alive.
Reasons not to use a Travel Designer for your Safari 👇
How can we be so sure?
When our Travel Designers go on Safari they use a Travel Designer
Because their jobs are demanding and busy and they work long days and a Travel Designer will save hours of research and time spent holding telephone lines and writing emails and waiting for replies. They also want it done right!
Images via Velizar Ivanov, Austin Chan, Diego PH, Harshil Gudka, Sergey Pesterev, Joe McDaniel, maxime niyomwungeri, Maklay62 / 973