Rising Costs in Botswana
 

In 1995 the earliest year I still have itineraries for the cost per person per night in Zibilianja was $550 or around Sterling 400. In 2007 the cost had risen to $785 or Sterling 400. The 2008 price will be $1335 around Sterling 670.
For those of us who eventually pay in Euros or Sterling, the price rises do not look so bad!
This does not mean that I think the rises are warranted or provide good value for money.

Using the U.S. Consumer Price Index the cost should be about $750 due to inflation; so the cost is only a little over the increase based on U.S. inflation; Botswana inflation may have been higher than U.S.

Posted too soon. That is through 2007 but the increase for 2008 is a big jump!

Given the exchange rates via the unfavourable USD, the supply/demand mismatch for camps in Botswana, the fact that Bots is the safest country in Africa, the unspoit wilderness spaces etc etc., operators are able to charge the rates they think is appropriate (i don't think we can question their business models). People will always travel.

However, i do hope that operators do not need to think that to justify a huge price rise they need to provide us with the spa/silk duvet/8 course dinner experience. We can have all of that at home....how about focusing on the outdoors experience a bit more than the indoor experiences? I am not against the silk duvets etc etc., to each their own (but, the more the emphasis on the indoors, the outdoor experiences are short changed) just my two paise!!!

Hari

Oh! just wait for the #1 ladies detective series movie to hit Hollywood!!!.....

Right now, i don't think most of the movie buff crowd would have read the book, but, they will watch the movie with Jill Scott etc etc., playing the lead role.

Rgds,
Hari