"There’s a big debate about luxury and authenticity going on at the moment. The million-dollar question is how best to offer a genuinely comfortable experience, without compromising the sense of place that makes a Zambian safari special”, says Tim Henshall of Kamageo, spokesman for the Zambia Marketing Group.
While some Zambian safari companies have decided to invest in high-profile design concepts a notable example being Time + Tide, which hired leading architects Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens to create Chinzombo in South Luangwa National Park and King Lewanika Lodge in Liuwa Plain others have opted to work on their hospitality skills.
Inevitably, staff training takes time and mistakes can happen along the way. “We once had a young trainee offer a guest ice and lemon with their red wine!” says Anke Cowan of Kafunta Safaris in South Luangwa.