African price wars!

That was @$295 a day, I have never quoted any of hunt that low, I did my old client a favour remember 33 000 acres cost money
That hunt was around R85 k last year and last year I would have quoted him higher, not $7k
I refuse to play the exchange rate game I believe it was 2006 or 7 I had put together very cheap packages as the R was trading at on 10 to the $
By April it had dropped to R6.50

Never again, but each to his own. As I have said many times throughout

Jaco Strauss said:

........ remember 33 000 acres cost money
................

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"Ownership has it's privileges" and with that, comes the costs.
(an important detail not to be over looked for sure.)

BRICKBURN said:

"Ownership has it's privileges" and with that, comes the costs.
(an important detail not to be over looked for sure.)

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Very true the best way to be competitive in this industry is to own as little as possible.

Jaco Strauss said:

It's simple really:
Where a double booth in Dallas cost R40 000 + last year
It cost close to R80 000 this year.
Where a $150 hotel room was R1500 last year this year it was R2250

That's more money spent. More expensive. Roughly 40% over the broad spectrum.

It all adds up bietjie bietjie maak Baie......
Translation: a little little makes allot,

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Jaco that same argument says that a $30,000 hunt at 11:1 brought in R550,000 last year, and is bringing in R800,000 this year at 16:1

To be fair in your analysis, shouldn't you account for it both ways?

And although that accounting you post says your cost is up dramaticly... The difference in income from just one decent hunt should more than wipe it out... Leaving pure profit on all the subsequent hunts!

Bargaining that it will seems like a safe bet.
Not in my world.

Jaco Strauss said:

Bargaining that it will seems like a safe bet.
Not in my world.

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Fair enough Jaco, maybe you'll report back at the end of the season and pick up the discussion then?

I think the title of this discussion should be "South African Price wars"
There is always a interest for quality products, look at Holland & Holland or Rigby they selling like never before, it's the same with hunting in prime destinations in Africa.

Mbizi Safaris said:

I think the title of this discussion should be "South African Price wars"
There is always a interest for quality products, look at Holland & Holland or Rigby they selling like never before, it's the same with hunting in prime destinations in Africa.

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Is South Africa not a prime hunting destination? Last I checked it was the biggest hunting destination in Africa.

I can't blame Jaco for his line of thinking. The old saying once bitten twice shy applies. Still ActionBob is good with his math, as am I.

Karoo Wild said:

Is South Africa not a prime hunting destination? Last I checked it was the biggest hunting destination in Africa.

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Well Vic, that makes it the biggest hunting destination in the world !
South Africa also has increased its game numbers by well over 1000% from the 1900's

So with unprecedented animals and a record number of outfitters I think the industry is going to go through a purging process.

As @Jaco Strauss says so many suit case outfitters with no overheads are jumping out the wood work .

Makes life interesting. If things get bad we can always hook up at the Jansenville pub an chat about our sheep

Karoo Wild said:

Is South Africa not a prime hunting destination? Last I checked it was the biggest hunting destination in Africa.

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Major yes, prime? Wal Mart is a very big shopping destination, but I've never heard it refured to as prime.

I think as far as what is the best place to go in Africa is a matter of perspective and a bit of a different argument.

Leopards Valley Safaris said:

Well Vic, that makes it the biggest hunting destination in the world !
South Africa also has increased its game numbers by well over 1000% from the 1900's

So with unprecedented animals and a record number of outfitters I think the industry is going to go through a purging process.

As @Jaco Strauss says so many suit case outfitters with no overheads are jumping out the wood work .

Makes life interesting. If things get bad we can always hook up at the Jansenville pub an chat about our sheep

Click to expand...

Dave

Let's do that anyway, been awhile since we chatted about sheep

ActionBob said:

Major yes, prime? Wal Mart is a very big shopping destination, but I've never heard it refured to as prime.

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There's no need to be rude. No hunter who's ever hunted with me has ever given me the impression that hunting in SA was anything but a great experience.

I loved SA but I haven't got to hunt any other African countries yet. I think each country brings its own unique style and flare to the experience. Hell I wish I could hunt them all!

@Karoo Wild he can't help it.,,,,. I was called a thief in a slightly different way because of my pricing, just shrugg it of .

When all is said and done we might be the only hunting destination left.....

Maybe that's the problem? Referred to SA as the Walmart of hunting..... I totally disagree, there are operations that could be referred to as the latter.....
1500 animals a season, I get it....

They are often based on volume, and often extremely well priced and very prominent on the donation side.

I work for my money, call me a thief I still work on the willing buyer willing seller principal, our clients, don't feel like small fishies in a big pond and have a great experience,

You always get what you pay for there is always a sacrifice whether we like to acknowledge it or not.

Our $ pricing remains relatively stable, has no 20 - 40 % fluctuations up or down year on year (regardless of the exchange rate) and we do realistic buisiness, with realistic product quality backed by experience, I reckon that's prime, I feel there are a couple prime destinations on this site ( now remember region dictates price as well.)

I firmly believe SA is a prime hunting destination, in terms of plains game and a good destination for dangerous game with prime locations.


My best

@Jaco Strauss , from what I observed from what people have said here, you are one of the best. And just given your reputation I would expect your prices to be above the average. My opinion would be to make the sales pitch on quality, not price.

brushmore said:

@Jaco Strauss , from what I observed from what people have said here, you are one of the best. And just given your reputation I would expect your prices to be above the average. My opinion would be to make the sales pitch on quality, not price.

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Brushmore thanks for saying that.... I don't think so, I try to make every hunter happy and do the best I can by never giving up, getting negative and personal attention to small detail.
We all try hard.
We need to understand, and I believe this was missed every time I said it, it was not me having an issue of this one selling at that and i need to compete with it.....

That was never the issue, some made it that as it was a convenient platform to take me on from, I mentioned and put on the forum that which came out of the hunting industry (the overwhelming majority of the industry) not a select few.
Also that which was mentioned to me at the expos, by prospective safari clients old and new.

I do not care what Joe soap does, instead of telling them what I'm not I tell them what I am, with no reference to any other outfitter.

my best always

I have read this thread and I just plain disagree with the economics. The dollar has strengthened so much that gobs of money is being made when your business is done in Rand. Most of the big money in this world is made on the currency trade. The oil price is 1/3 of what it was two years ago. Those two factors alone will make up for lots of lost business due to the economy taking a dive. Speaking of the economy taking a dive I thought the low gas prices in the US was going to make Americans RICH!
Funny we never hear about these outfitters making money when times are good.
Regards,
Philip

You always here if me Phillip, bargaining on a weakened Rand is not a safe bet, no matter what you might believe.
You only make that mistake once, believe me.
But each to his own I'm staying right where I am...
My best always