Transportation to and from the hunt area, why a seperate charge on a package hunt?

[Cliffy]

I was just reading an older thread about the true cost of a hunt and it brought to mind a question
I have mulled over for my 14 yrs of experiences in hunting in Africa. Maybe I got up too early and
I'm not quite awake yet but here goes-
If you have a fixed base of operations (say a farm in South Africa or Namibia that you do all your hunting on)
and you want to market to first time hunters from other countries [USA], why do you list a fee to pick up and
transport them to your facility, especially if you tell them at a show you will meet and greet them
at the airport? Why not add this into the total cost of the "all inclusive" package hunt?
Do you really think they are going to drive themselves to your property? It just smacks of a hidden
cost that pops up by surprise. No hunter from the USA is going to drive himself to your property,
especially if it is a first time or even second or third time hunter. From a marketing stand point it
just doesn't make sense to pop this fee when they have no other way of getting there. It should be included as it is expected to be picked up and transported by road to the hunt. Now if you are talking about an a la carte hunt then things might be different but where you market to first time hunters with a "show special" or "package hunt" then popping the extra fee just puts a bad taste to the whole issue. Just my opinion as a consumer. I have brought over 6 other hunters on first time hunts and 4 of the 6 had the same question when I took them to DSC to find an outfitter for their hunts.
Granted this question has bugged me for a long time. I know there are costs involved for pick up
but really- how else are they going to get there?
OK I'll stand back now and try to catch all the rocks being thrown my - let me have it

 

[owenowen]

Cliffy, i totally agree with you.

If hunters fly to us lets say Kimberley or Bloemfontein we never charge any fee at all . Of course if we have to collect 7 hrs away in JHB we will ask a fee if its a small hunt etc.... but never the less this will be discussed before or just add in the package as u described it.

I just think its rude if a client fly's half way around the world and spends so much on his hunt that this small gas fee is needed...

cheers Owen

 

[James.Grage]

Cliff & Owen

Every one is looking to make packages as reasonable as there are. The competition factor. you know...

A days time to pick up and drop off...is time that has to be accounted for...

At what point do you say it is OK to charge for the pick up and drop off days? 1 hour or 2 hours or more what? If you flew into the bush you would be met at the airplane...That's an option.

This is a part of the safari that i have a budget for...

I look at it this way...you have the choice of flying into the bush or meeting your PH and visiting on your drive into the bush...either way you should expect to have to pay for the services provided.

 

[enysse]

It cuts both ways.

I can see Cliffy's point...it looks like poor marketing. But then again they are telling you how much transportation costs are on the hunt. Then you can compare with someone who puts everything into one package. Some outfitters charge daily fees or reduced daily fees for pick up and drop off....and to me THAT IS A HUGE TURNOFF. I understand...gas,vehicle and time cost money....state how much it costs, I'll decide if I'll pay for it.

Bottom line people are going to compare trophy fees, daily fees and transportation costs.....as it's going to cost some guys business.

 

[willemf]

I like packages with everything included .
That works well for us and the clients are happy at the end of the day .

Each person has different situations and setups so i can't judge other outfitters.

Maybe if someone donated a hunt at SCI he wants to recoup some of his costs ?

 

[Stretch]

I like packages with everything included .
That works well for us and the clients are happy at the end of the day.

As a client I would always gravitate toward a business that packaged everything, with no hidden or extra cost, such as transportation fees. When researching my hunt I passed over outfitters that charged a separate transportation fee.

 

[hawkhunts]

The one's that irritate me are the per person pricing- how can they rationalize charging a per person rate when they have the same expenses (fuel, drivers, maintenance, etc.) whether it is one or ten people traveling.
Another one that that gets me are the observer fees some of these places charge- $250 plus per day for a couple of meals a day and a little booze for my wife is pretty steep. It would be one thing if they are taking tours, but to lay around, relax, and read? Some operators rates are pretty steep for the effort required to entertain an observer.

 

[enysse]

The one's that irritate me are the per person pricing- how can they rationalize charging a per person rate when they have the same expenses (fuel, drivers, maintenance, etc.) whether it is one or ten people traveling.
Another one that that gets me are the observer fees some of these places charge- $250 plus per day for a couple of meals a day and a little booze for my wife is pretty steep. It would be one thing if they are taking tours, but to lay around, relax, and read? Some operators rates are pretty steep for the effort required to entertain an observer.

I'm not going to disagree with you, in tought times, it seems excessive. If my expenses were $250 a day (for a couple of meals and beverages), I'd be broke in no time flat too.

 

[GSTONE]

My hunts were both done by the internet and e-mails, so I was aware of the costs incurred. My PH met me at Johannesburg last year, and we drove a LONG way to the camp. This year I flew to Kimberly, and the trip and costs were much less. They PH is running a business, so I don't mind the fee if I am given options and costs. I feel the costs were reasonable considering the time and distances involved. I agree that I might have been upset if I had not known about the costs, but I did know and I, therefore, agreed by signing with the PH. I was given the TOTAL costs up front...can't be better than that.

 

[Divernhunter]

The hunt I signed up for next year included the picking us up at Port Elizabeth and the 1.5 hour drive to there place. They also did not charge for the first or last day when they return you to the airport. I understand they are close to a major airport and that helps. However I looked at other that were also close and when they charge (especially per person for 2 of us) per person and the first day is one of the hunt days that was a turn off for me. They also have a reasonable non-hunter rate. So I booked a 10 day hunt. That is 10 hunting days and 2 days non-hunting that are not charges. There other rates were good also so they did not just up the prices to get the money back.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

I was just reading an older thread about the true cost of a hunt and it brought to mind a question
I have mulled over for my 14 yrs of experiences in hunting in Africa. Maybe I got up too early and
I'm not quite awake yet but here goes-
If you have a fixed base of operations (say a farm in South Africa or Namibia that you do all your hunting on)
and you want to market to first time hunters from other countries [USA], why do you list a fee to pick up and
transport them to your facility, especially if you tell them at a show you will meet and greet them
at the airport? Why not add this into the total cost of the "all inclusive" package hunt?
Do you really think they are going to drive themselves to your property? It just smacks of a hidden
cost that pops up by surprise. No hunter from the USA is going to drive himself to your property,
especially if it is a first time or even second or third time hunter. From a marketing stand point it
just doesn't make sense to pop this fee when they have no other way of getting there. It should be included as it is expected to be picked up and transported by road to the hunt. Now if you are talking about an a la carte hunt then things might be different but where you market to first time hunters with a "show special" or "package hunt" then popping the extra fee just puts a bad taste to the whole issue. Just my opinion as a consumer. I have brought over 6 other hunters on first time hunts and 4 of the 6 had the same question when I took them to DSC to find an outfitter for their hunts.
Granted this question has bugged me for a long time. I know there are costs involved for pick up
but really- how else are they going to get there?
OK I'll stand back now and try to catch all the rocks being thrown my - let me have it

Cliffy you make a good point I would go as far as to say that most safari operators do include a road transfer, if not look you most probably have a ridicoulusly low daily rate, on a 1x1 of $250 - $300 per day.

Some guys try to recover some costs on this but I maintain that 90% of outfitters would include a road transfer within 5 hours from the airport to the farm especially in SA. (especially those with realistic market related daily rates)

On the other hand we need to remember that on safari's of short length such as 7 day or 10 day hunts including a lion or such that a charter is the most logical choice.... and it could also be included, it should just be stipulated, as time is of great importance and a 9 hour on way roadtrip is just a bit rough.

I say again cheap Wallmart hunts are everywhere but look at the costs and extras, booze, transfers, the little nickle and dime things. The average 1x1 limpopo based outfitter (85 - 90% fall in this) at $400 a day will not charge any road transfers.

One could be put in a situation with a group of 8 - 10 hunters, this can very easily happen, mostly I set up a transfer company at my cost which runs into $1500, IMO a small price to pay especially with a group with some spending potential.

My best.