Monday, December 8, 2008

The world is indeed going through some significant change to shed the excesses of the past, and there are lot of doomsday profits jumping on the bandwagon. The communists are having a field day on their soap boxes ridiculing the global capitalist failures ; well I say hindsight is an exact science! There is no perfect system and the world economy will recover from this temporary setback. People will adapt because they have to; it is as simple as that, but they will certainly not stop smelling the flowers! South Africa is such a great and affordable destination that I have to spread the ''gospel''.


Where else can you have a great Kudu steak and top quality wine for less than $10 each! There is a package for every conceivable budget! All travel professionals will sharpen their pencils during the next 12-18 months. I can guarantee they will offer you better deals! Every market operates on supply and demand, and this oversupply of tourism products will decrease prices significantly. Five star hotels in South Africa are dropping their prices! If you have a burning desire to experience an African Safari it is the time to start planning your trip. Most people outside the industry do not know that it is possible to have a great Safari at 5 star lodges that charge a 1/3 less than the so-called high end establishments. Select your vacation months carefully to get the best deals. Peak season travel is not necessary when visiting South Africa, where you have great weather for 10 months of the year. The period between peak and winters months are best for good deals. The northern Safari regions are even accessible during the colder months of winter - May, June and July. Day time temperatures are quite good!(20 to 25 Deg.C).


The best advise I can give is to do more homework before you travel to a destination; speak to someone who has been there and don't leave it all to the local travel agent. They often do not know a particular market and then find a local expert to prepare a travel package. Guess how many layers of commission you are paying for then? Local experts will put a complete tailored(4*+) package together for as little as $200 -250 per person (including accommodation, transport, taxes, services of a driver and some meals). Your dollar buys a lot more in this emerging market where the currency weakened significantly as a result of the credit crunch fallout!.


The Internet is a great tool for research and there are millions of honest business people advertising their services. Doing a quick credibility check is also easy when finding a South African travel service provider. The best tour operators will give you detailed feedback without expecting anything in return. Only when conditions of sale have been met will they expect a small deposit, which will leave you with months to save for the rest of your vacation. Plan your trip at least 6-12 months in advance. That way you are able to find the best possible deal while putting money away on a monthly basis for your trip.

Happy Travels

Tertius - New Fusion