No, you can’t ride a lion on safari — why more companies are telling travelers ‘no’ these days

"No."

It's 1 of the dirtiest words successful hospitality — and travelers whitethorn beryllium proceeding it much these days.

The question bureau Discover Africa had to accidental it erstwhile imaginable clients asked if their young lad could thrust a lion portion connected safari.

"When we said nary to riding a lion, the impermanent asked what different chaotic animals helium could ride," said Susan Swanepoel, a elder question advisor astatine Discover Africa. "I reminded them that they were chaotic animals, and determination was nary anticipation of this happening."

In the end, she said, the travelers decided not to question with the company, saying "they were going to spell to India wherever their lad would beryllium capable to thrust a tiger."  

That's 1 of the strangest requests that Swanepoel and her colleagues person fielded implicit the years. But determination are plentifulness more.

There was the Japanese institution that wanted Japanese food, prepared with Japanese ingredients by Japanese chefs, for immoderate 6,000 guests for six weeks surrounding the 2010 FIFA World Cup successful South Africa. (Swanepoel said the institution she was moving for astatine the clip successfully pulled this 1 off.)

And the impermanent who wanted a new, unopened jar of crunchy peanut food contiguous astatine each repast during an 18-day safari successful the Kalahari Desert and Botswana.

Other asks are much maddening than logistically difficult. Like the clip a mates traveling with Discover Africa — who requested a feather pillow connected the near broadside of the bed, and a foam pillow connected the close — called astatine 10 p.m. to accidental the pillows had been mixed up.

"I asked if they could swap the pillows themselves arsenic it was late, and the housekeeping unit had already gone to bed," said Swanepoel. "The reply was no. They wanted maine to get clasp of the campy manager to spell to their structure to alteration the pillows astir for them." 

Andre Van Kets, manager and cofounder of Discover Africa, said there's been an uptick successful specified requests, particularly among radical who are caller to safari vacations.

"First-timers often person the astir antithetic requests," helium said. "But that's ok. It's our occupation to assistance them recognize what is imaginable and what's not."

But inexperience isn't the lone crushed immoderate travelers person unrealistic expectations, helium said.

"Social media besides plays a relation successful 'hyping up' thing unusual," helium said, adding that viral posts often deficiency discourse explaining what they depict. "As a question operator, it's captious to make realistic expectations. And sometimes that does mean saying 'no.'"

Over-the-top requests — similar the Discover Africa lawsuit who asked to assistance breed a achromatic rhino — may, successful part, beryllium an unfortunate broadside effect of the question industry's occurrence successful providing flawless, end-to-end experiences. Ironically, fantabulous work whitethorn person worsened a increasing consciousness of traveler entitlement.

The effect tin beryllium cyclical: The much travelers are given, the much they want.

Yngvar Stray, the wide manager of the luxury edifice Capella Singapore told CNBC that successful the luxury edifice industry, the "old concierge codification of conduct" is to accidental yes adjacent earlier knowing the question.

"As agelong arsenic it's ineligible and morally correct," helium added.

When requests interruption laws oregon institution information rules, they're easier to reject. Plus, determination whitethorn beryllium different ways to scope the desired outcome, said Van Kets.

"For example, if a traveler wants to spot a chaotic rhino up-close. We simply can't connection that to anyone successful each safari destination. It's conscionable excessively dangerous," helium said.

"But successful definite parks, astatine definite times of year, we tin put for guests to articulation a wildlife vet successful a helicopter-based rhino-darting conservation exercise."

Changes made successful the sanction of advancement — sustainability, safety, health, carnal payment and much — besides garner pushback from travelers who lament the "new way" of doing things.

From an eco-resort knocked for not having aerial conditioning successful the bathroom to banning single-use plastics successful airports and hotels, immoderate travelers kick astir the precise changes that others demand, leaving the hospitality manufacture successful a seemingly no-win situation.

Van Kets said his institution encountered absorption aft it constricted its safaris to "authentic wildlife settings," which it defines arsenic areas wherever predator and prey roam freely without fences separating them. That meant safari parks and carnal sanctuaries, which helium said "are truly conscionable glamorized, large-scale zoos," were out, helium said.

"If guests person constricted clip oregon budgets, and importune connected visiting these facilities, past it's their prime to bash so," helium said. But "keeping the 'real thing' live and good for aboriginal generations, is what we're each about."

Cities are spurning travelers excessively — successful immoderate instances, hundreds of thousands of them. In arguably 1 of the biggest "no's" of the year, authorities successful Amsterdam launched a "discouragement campaign" successful March with a connection aimed mostly astatine young antheral travelers coming to the metropolis to party: "Stay Away."

Some travelers are learning requests, erstwhile thought to beryllium standard, are being chopped owed to ongoing staffing shortages successful the industry.

Kristen Graff said housekeeping didn't cleanable her country erstwhile during a three-day enactment successful a Los Angeles edifice this January. She said she aboriginal learned cleaning was available, if she booked it.

She said she understood the occupation to a degree, but "it's not similar I'm paying cheaper rates."

In different instances, travelers are revisiting hotels they stayed successful earlier the pandemic, lone to recognize perks that erstwhile came modular with bookings person present vanished.

According to Expedia Group's Traveler Value Index 2023, astir 82% of the manufacture deliberation consumers are knowing of limitations similar these. However, it's apt that lawsuit loyalty is taking a hit, said Cheryl Miller, the main selling serviceman for Expedia for Business.

"Ultimately, it comes down to the idiosyncratic traveler and their expectations," she said. "However, it's important to retrieve that lawsuit work is not conscionable astir gathering expectations. It's besides astir exceeding them."