PRLog - Jan. 5, 2015 - CHELMSFORD, U.K. -- The UK press reported in late October this year that demand for safari holidays to Africa have dropped by up to 70% following the recent Ebola outbreak. One thing is for sure, no one wants Ebola but is the avoidance of Africa for safari holidays sensible or even necessary?
Bear in Mind, Africa is Vast
For those that live in Europe or the US, for many, our knowledge of the make-up and geography of Africa is very limited. It’s not something that most of us learn about in detail at school and who could blame us for our lack of knowledge? Most of our maps with their Western bias don’t show Africa in her true size. Who could name all of the different countries that make up West Africa, East Africa or North Africa for that matter and who could map out which countries lie next to one another? It’s a test many would fail.
It’s important to know that Africa, as the world’s largest continent is vast and covers 20% of the world’s land space at over 30 million square kilometres. There are 54 countries within Africa and the distance between these countries can be huge. For example Morocco in North Africa is a very long way away from South Africa in the south of the continent (Casablanca in Morocco is around 8000 kilometres (almost 5000 miles) from Cape Town in South Africa), a distance roughly equivalent to the distance between London in England and Beijing in China, so hardly near!
So Where is Affected by Ebola So Far?
So far the countries affected by the latest outbreak of Ebola are Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in the West of Africa. Looking at the latest outbreak people have died as a result of Ebola in six countries: Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, the US and Mali. According to a recent BBC report, there have been over 3000 deaths so far in Liberia, over 2500 deaths in Sierra Leone, over 1500 deaths in Guinea and 8 deaths in Nigeria. These are countries in the West of Africa and the current outbreak has been concentrated in the West of the vast continent of Africa. The occasional health worker arrives back home to discover that they have been infected by Ebola despite all the precautions. Most people would not now cancel proposed holidays to London or the UK where these people are treated.
So, is it Safe to Holiday in Africa?
There are clear health risks to those travelling to parts of West of Africa bearing in mind the current outbreak, but what about the rest of Africa?
Looking at distances, Kenya, a popular safari holiday destination is just over 3300 miles from Guinea in West Africa, quite some distance!
South Africa, another popular safari holiday destination is just over 2500 miles from Guinea in West Africa.
How risky is a holiday to East Africa or Holidays to South Africa?
If you check the current UK government and US government travel advice for holidays to Kenya, there is no mention of Ebola but mentions of other risks such as piracy, kidnapping and terrorism threats. However, Europe and the US are not free themselves from terrorist risks or threats and how safe do you feel at home? That said, there are some clear no-go areas outlined on the UK government travel advice pages when it comes to Kenya. In terms of health risks outlined such as cholera, malaria and dengue fever, but no mention of Ebola.
South Africa certainly doesn’t have the finest reputation as a risk-free holiday destination due to its high crime levels but in terms of health risks, there is no mention on the UK government’s website of Ebola risks.
In short, foreign travel and even travel within your home country has always had some degree of risk. When it comes to foreign holidays, some destinations can of course be riskier than others but it can be important to put things in to perspective and focus on the positives.
Fears of shark attacks when snorkelling through the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean are overcome by the prospect of viewing shoals of brightly coloured fish of every hue ? The same could be said for safari holidays in the East of or South of Africa? Why let that dark corner of doubt spoil the wonder and excitement of seeing a lion for the first time or a hippo taking a dip? Sometimes there is no better reminder that some risks are worth taking than the old adage that ‘There are no guarantees in life except for death and taxes!’ Adventurers always see the world from an optimistic point of view and go anyway.
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Is a Holiday to Africa a Real Health Risk?
January 05, 2015 at 15:04 PM EST
