Safari Tourism Continues to Grow, Despite Increasing Costs
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., September 12, 2023 – New data indicates that travel to famous safari destinations continues to grow, despite rising trip costs.
The leading US travel insurance marketplace, Squaremouth.com, reveals that policy sales for destinations known for safari tourism more than tripled from 2020 to 2022, and breaks down how that trend is continuing through 2023.
Safari Tourism Sees Another Boost 2023
Travel insurance policy sales for African destinations have increased for the third consecutive year.
- Travel insurance policy sales for popular safari destinations are up 18% this year
- This year’s increase follows a 55% surge in travel to popular safari destinations from 2021 to 2022
- South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania are the most popular safari destinations this year
Safari Travel Getting More Expensive
In addition to an increase in popularity, the price of safari tourism has also steadily increased year over year. A handful of popular safari destinations are among the most expensive destinations, with trip costs surpassing $20,000.
- Botswana averages the highest trip cost this year at $23,577 among safari destinations
- The cost of travel to popular safari destinations has increased 12% since last year
- At over $1,000, safari travelers are paying more for their insurance policies in 2023 compared to the previous 4 years
Yearly Comparison of Trip Costs & Premiums*
| Year | Avg. Premium | Avg. Trip Cost |
| 2023 | $1,006 | $16,361 |
| 2022 | $915 | $14,615 |
| 2021 | $798 | $16,043 |
| 2020 | $840 | $17,172 |
| 2019 | $832 | $15,083 |
2023 Trip Cost and Premium by Destination*
| Destination Name | Avg Premium. | Avg. Trip Cost |
| Botswana | $1,503 | $23,577 |
| Kenya | $966 | $16,452 |
| Mozambique | $578 | $9,451 |
| Namibia | $871 | $13,093 |
| Rwanda | $1,220 | $18,524 |
| South Africa | $927 | $14,961 |
| Tanzania | $1,067 | $17,510 |
| Uganda | $718 | $11,295 |
| Zambia | $1,144 | $17,356 |
| Zimbabwe | $1,260 | $20,936 |
Methodology: Squaremouth analytics compared travel insurance sales metrics for purchases made between January 1 and September 5th from 2019 to 2023. The data focused on popular safari destinations to analyze trends in the safari tourism industry.
Notes to editors
Available Topic Expert: James Clark, is available for comment and interview. jclark@squaremouth.com
About Squaremouth: Squaremouth.com has insured over 3 million travelers. Using Squaremouth’s intuitive quoting and comparison engine, award-winning support team, and verified customer reviews, travelers can save time and money to find the best travel insurance policy for their trip.