One of the more shocking things that I noticed at the convention (other than lack of people)was certain prices.

I was handed a brochure for a certain safari operator in Tanzania. I paid $56,000 basic fee when I hunted with them in 06. Now the same hunt is $74,000!

Have all hunts gone up like this. I was shocked.

Somebody is either going to be happy with the price and pay it, or look elsewhere or not go. I would be in the latter two categories.

My understanding is that the Tanzanian government has significantly raised the concession fees since you hunted there. The government can't be faulted for charging all the market will bear, but I believe they have overestimated the market and will suffer a net reduction in revenues due to the increases. This may or may not have been true prior to the "global economic crisis" or whatever today's newspapers are calling it, but it is certainly true now.

Tanzania is generally in competition with Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana for its type of hunters; and to a lesser extent with South Africa and Namibia. Mozambique, if it can develop the infrastructure, could be a Tanzania competitor.

It will be interesting to see if "upper tier" hunters that have been going places like Tanzania will "downgrade" to less expensive destinations, will suck it up and continue going to Tanzania, or will simply stay home or do something else (New Zealand? South America?) in response to increased Tanzanian prices.

Amen, I have to say I was not suprised though. in my oppinion hunting has gone up much faster than inflation and many percent higher than thier expenses have.

I know governments change prices on the operators like in Tanzania. However look at the issues with Zimbabwe. Many of the Zim outfitters have thier fuel and food brought in from other countries via railway. This must surely have raised their expenses greatly yet Zim sill has the best prices in Africa for Dangerous game. Have thier prices gone up? Yes but not to the extent of other countries. I have a price sheet from Zim in 1997 and this particular company charges $400 more, per day, for a Buffalo, Ellie hunt than it did 11 years ago when the Zim dollar was 8000 to one!! vs a trillion to one or whatever it is right now.

I suppose it is the supply and demand, the rich have the money to pay the rediculous prices and unfortunately for us of lesser means, there are enough of them to keep the safari companies booked up.

A booking agent that I use, at the convention sold a 4x4 full bag hunt in Tanzania that he said would be worth close to $500K. Im sure this unnamed company is one of the ones that just scrapes out a meger profit, as has been stated on this fourm many times in defense of prices,.......of course this has always been by the ones who are either booking agents or own the companies.......

It is an obvious fact, HUNTING IS NOT GOING TO GET CHEAPER!! If you want to do it and can do it dont put it off, it will always be more expensive next time and the next and the next..

They won't get that price except from a grade A sucker. Any rational person is gonna tell them, "Look, I know you printed this before the SHTF economically AND I know that your costs (save concession fees) will decline as food and fuel and everything else deflates in price over the next 6 months." I think this is ESPECIALLY the case with the guys who have the money to pay these prices....they didn't get rich by being stupid.

Guys,

Here's my experience from the SCI show. People that really wanted a safari bought one. Not one person ask me about a "DEAL".

Mark

fellow hunters just wait until July then all these
70,000 hunts will be half priced. Anyone who thinks the hunting industry will not get hammered is smoking something. Its already started by the worst numbers at the show in years. I spoke to several PH's and booking agents, one word SLOW

All this talk of a slowed economy and lack of money is not represented with my experience at both these shows. We sold ALL our quota in Zambia except for 3 buff and booked alot of SA plains game. If you are going to book your going to book. These folks who are hunting are booking so they can get their desired animals and time and location, verses leftovers. Yes there are always leftovers from every company at years end. Yes there is always a deal or two out there. But with all that said, if there is an economic downturn it was not felt by me at either Reno or DSC.

Many deals were there to be had, but certainly not for those that didn't bother to ask.

And that includes deals on Tanzanian safaris (although to a much lesser extent than safaris in other countries I could name - Tanzania is more "recession-resistant" in my experience).

And that also includes safaris for the 2010 and even the 2011 seasons.

quote:

Originally posted by jeff h:
fellow hunters just wait until July then all these 70,000 hunts will be half priced.

My guess is these hunts will probably be adverting at closer to $60K at near the end of the season. They may get that, they may not...particularly this year. However, I agree with the comment above that Tanzania is a bit more "recession proof" since people with the money to drop $100K+ on a full bag 21 day safari are generally a bit more "recession proof" themselves. Every year, prices are high at the beginning of the season and every year the hunts are blown out at the end of it. It'll be interesting if they are actually able to blow them out at the end of the season this year though or if things will go unsold.

Still, I would not want to be fighting it out as an outfitter at the middle of this season hoping to sell all my plains game hunts in Namibia. Tough competition this season in that realm. Granted, some hunters may downgrade to save a few bucks and cancel that buff hunt to go for plains game so that could be a partial savior for the plains game outfitters. Most likely, the real high dollar hunts and real low dollar hunts will do OK (but not necessarily great) this year. BUT..."Premium" plains game and middle of the road buff hunts will be selling for bargain basement prices in a few months. Mark my words...someone will post an offer for a slightly sub $7000 buff hunt in Zim at the end of this season.

JMHO

My plains game hunt was $5500 two years ago. I don't know what it is now. I hunted in South Africa