We snuck our coffee cup to enjoy the sunrise on the beach in Durban. It is more important than ever to take care of the small moments. After almost three months of closed borders and total "lockdown" here in South Africa, we are starting to open up very little. Time has been used to reflect.

Elin & Graham - Durban - Blog

Everything turned on its head

The corona pandemic changed our daily lives overnight. South Africa closed the borders for all travel indefinitely. We got a curfew and it was quiet around us. Very quiet. Without giving us time to think, the working day was suddenly about cancellations, refunds and offsets of travel plans. It is hard to stop suddenly when it goes for a hundred.

Easter is high season for us, and many of our guests had packed their suitcase when the travel ban came. Others were traveling in Africa and had to go home as soon as possible. During this time, we have met with great patience from our guests. Many have chosen to postpone their travel plans rather than cancel. We really appreciate that.

What does this mean for Get Africa?

We have a solid and experienced team that we do not want to lose. At the same time, South Africa does not have a good scheme for unemployment benefits in line with Norway. Our biggest concern has therefore been how long we can manage to pay everyone. In addition, we have many freelance guides and drivers who are completely without income and who we also feel responsible for helping. We have cut wages, but kept them all.

We want to be sure that we are ready in the starting block when everything opens again. We keep the pillars we believe in and use the time to renew ourselves. Among other things, we are introducing a completely new booking system that will enable us to provide prices and offers even faster. Then we can concentrate more on conveying knowledge about the destination and answering our customers properly.

Time has been widely used to think: What is good about what we have? What do we want to keep? What do we now want to take the opportunity to do differently? How can we be better in the future?

No doubt there have been many mixed feelings over the past week. The discussions have been quite loud at times, there have been frustrations and tears. The three months that have passed feel like three years. Although we are far from the finish line, I feel we have clearly the steepest slopes. It may sound strange, but I'm actually glad we got a chance to reset before we quit again.

Do people want to travel again?

Yes absolutely! We have already had new confirmations for travel next year and several phone calls from guests saying they would have traveled by the hour if they were allowed. Most recently today, there was a message from an 85-year-old guest who has traveled with us many times. He has already booked a flight to Cape Town in December.

A trip to Africa is often planned a long time in advance. We are therefore used to start planning well in advance of departure date.

After almost three months of closed borders and total "lockdown" here in South Africa, we are starting to open up very little. A resilient President Ramaphosa along with a good medical expert team enabled us to take care of the biggest wave of infected. Perhaps it is precisely that in Africa we are more accustomed to crises that allowed us to respond extra quickly. Among other things, we already had temperature gauges at all airports, long before the corona pandemic struck.

Everything is being arranged now to make tourists feel safe that South Africa is a destination that can open its borders as early as September. The systems here are in place and we are ready.

Elin - corona

Elin with mouthwash in front of the seafront in Durban.

The road ahead and travel trends

Ever since its inception in 1999, we have had some principles that we have adhered to; we want to be personal, add up to individual tailoring and we know the destinations and products we recommend.

I think many of the reasons one had to book a trip to Africa before Covid-19 will be the "new normal" for much of the world travel: tailor-made travel, small, intimate lodges and hotels a little out of the ordinary, longer planning and traveling through safe travel companies who know the conditions.

A tailor made Africa trip has never been cheap. A real safari experience costs more than a "regular" charter trip to Spain or a big city weekend in Europe. I think the traveler is going to spend more money on one unique journey rather than spreading the holiday budget on several short trips throughout the year.

Get Africa has always preferred intimate lodges, small guesthouses and boutique hotels where one does not meet bus class with others. Most safari lodges we use take from 6 to 30 guests. We choose safari destinations with fewer safari cars and where there is plenty of space in the car. Precisely because we want the experience to be unique and tailored to your needs and interests.

I think many will also be more skeptical about quick and affordable bookings "online". Travel companies like ourselves offer personal follow-up and have updated knowledge of the travel destinations. It is important to succeed and I think people will appreciate it in the future as well.

First trip

On Monday, June 1st, the community reopened a bit here in South Africa. Now, for example, we are allowed to go down to the beach. We expect to be allowed to travel within our province in July, so it is moving forward.

As soon as we are allowed to drive out of Durban, I and my family are heading to some Zululand favorites. First to the Thonga Beach Lodge which is located on the border with Mozambique. A paradise with endless beaches. Then we go on safari at Amakhosi, our favorite lodge. Finally, we must head to Three Tree Hill Lodge, an intimate lodge nestled on the mighty Drakensberg Mountains.