African Safari Pre-Conceived Notions & Big Cat Lessons - Issue #00020 - Janurary 8, 2011

Life Lessons From Big Cats January 8, 2011 - Issue #00020   There is a very interesting video at this link http://www.wimp.com/bigcats/ regarding two photographers following big cats in the Okavango Delta as their subjects. African Safari Pre-Conceived Notions    The mission of LION DOG AFRICAN SAFARIS is to have our clients experience the best and safest African tour possible. When we successfully accomplish our mission, we end up with happy clients who repeat with us and/or refer our company to acquaintances. It’s a win-win situation. Unfortunately many consumers contact us with pre-conceived notions and plans about touring Africa which may hinder our ability somewhat to fulfill our mission, as follows A) Consumers have pre-determined the time they have chosen to tour Africa. Pre- determining the tour time significantly limits tour options in many instances. I have written an article titled, When To Go To Africa, which goes into some detail outlining the best times to tour Africa based on numerous factors. My suggestion is that consumers read this free article before choosing the time when they plan on visiting Africa. B) Consumers who are misinformed Many consumers contact me overwhelmed and/or confused with misinformation which often has to be dispelled before moving forwards. There are several common sources where misinformation is dispensed. One source of misinformation originates from country tourism marketing campaigns. Some African countries such as South Africa and Kenya have done a terrific job of marketing themselves as the greatest tourist destinations however there are other lesser known destinations in sub-Saharan Africa that offer as good and often much better and safer destinations to tour. The tour industry in North America is rife with pre-packaged tours to destinations all over the world. Our assessment is that many of the pre-packaged tours to Africa are lacking in both substance and value, and that the pre-packaged tour literature tells consumers what  they want to hear rather than on what they need to hear. Strangely enough, another source of misinformation comes from well intentioned acquaintances who have previously visited Africa. If someone has only been to Kenya for instance, they will likely think that Kenya is great, but compared to what? However, had they had visited both Kenya and Tanzania, they might actually be able to inform you that Tanzania is actually better by comparison. Another good example of misinformation from acquaintances involves the popular trek up Mount Kilimanjaro. Some acquaintances may have chosen to have bottled water, portable toilets, hyperbaric gamow bags, oxygen tanks etc, carried up the mountain, over and above the basic necessities; and these acquaintances might have you believe that it is essential you have the same items yourself for your trek. Although all these items are available for all treks, there is no hard evidence to suggest that additional money spent on this extra equipment and supplies increases the safety, enjoyment or success of summiting the mountain. The biggest source of misinformation and misrepresentation is found on the internet. There are literally thousands of websites devoted to touring Africa however there are very few ways of distinguishing the legitimate from the illegitimate businesses. Even amongst legitimate businesses, there can be huge differences in the tour settings, the service, and all the other variables that make or break a tour. Most companies do not aspire to make customer satisfaction their number one priority as we do. My first bit of advice for clients is to trust only the information obtained from reliable expert/specialist sources who are looking out for your best interests, such as what is found on LION DOG AFRICAN SAFARIS'S website, from our free guidebooks, and from our knowledgeable staff. My second bit of advice is to obtain references from your sources. Requesting and following up on references should require very little effort yet it is probably the most important measure consumers can take to make sure they are in good capable hands. A huge red flag should go up when references are not available or favorable. C) Prospects with unrealistic cost expectations Some prospects are under the false impression that because Africa is largely third world status, that tours for Africa should be dirt cheap. The fact of the matter is that tours are priced similar to what a similar North America tour would cost which is remarkable considering the duration; the setting; the quality of guides, food, transportation, accommodation; and the logistics in putting a quality African tour together. Some tour companies to Africa do overcharge for their services when comparing apples to apples.  Please refer to our website for standard industry costs of the budget, mid-range, and luxury levels to determine if quotes are in line with the norm. With a little effort on both our parts, we trust that we will steer you straight about touring Africa and that we will accomplish our stated mission for you and yours. Your satisfaction and our reputation depends on it.   View full newsletter Click Here Do you want to receive a weekly full edition of our newsletter: Click Here     LION DOG AFRICAN SAFARIS 1-888-50AFRICA 1-888-502-3742 8AM-8PM EST Lion Dog African Safaris provides quality Private-Custom Tours, either Escorted or Independent, at very competitive pricing. Visit our website for details on planning your dream African Safari www.liondogafricansafaris.com Call us for a free Africa Safari consultation: 1-888-50AFRICA