Substantial reported essays, arguments, analysis and case studies on the business of African safari. Ideas take a position, show the evidence and hold it.
Other sectors have clear technology categories and integrated platforms. Safari operations still rely on disconnected tools, manual handoffs and workarounds. The problem is not a lack of software — it is a lack of operational context in how that software is chosen and connected.
My father advised me to explore life before returning to safari. I spent years in finance, marketing, IT, production and software engineering. When I came back, I brought a different question with me.
The safari industry operates largely on African land, with African guides, in African ecosystems — but ownership, capital, brand and cultural authority have not always reflected that. This is not a simple story, and it doesn't have a simple ending.
There is a clear line between the administrative work AI can and should automate in safari operations, and the human work it must not. Understanding where that line sits is the most important question for any operator considering AI.
The safari booking journey — from first interest to arrival — involves more handoffs, repeated questions and manual steps than almost any comparable high-value purchase. This is the story of why, and what a better version might look like.
The Operator's Brief
One useful idea about the business of safari, delivered regularly.