The FCO might have coined the term “know before you go,” but Acacia Adventure Holidays has “Got Africa Covered” with their new website. The updated portal allows travellers to make online bookings, however the list of virtual widgets doesn’t end there.

According to the tour operator, many people have become camping converts in the recession - cash strapped adventurers ditching five-star lodges for a tent-tastic holiday in Africa. The new website is ideal for the first time explorer, as the “Acacia Traveller” section covers everything from how to pack and what to wear (e.g. Did you know for instance, that a Sarong doubles as a skirt, beach towel, pillow and picnic rug?), to visa regulations and climate charts - handy information that will enable travellers to pinpoint the best time to book a safari.Offering more than a simple list of trips, Africa addicts who just can’t get enough of the continent, will also be able to sift through a list of destination specific itineraries in the tour operator’s “Acacia Africa” section. Dedicated to 18 countries, true explorers can let their imagination run wild and hand pick locations from over 150 trips, including overland tours, small group safaris, voluntours and adventures.

“Acacia Life” adds a more interactive element to the website. Built around travellers’ insights, the new section will include case studies relevant to life on the road, photos (inclusive of regular photography competitions), podcasts and destination features, plus Acacia team and passenger profiles. This last widget is perhaps the most interesting, as there are still stereotypes out there when it comes to rough and ready travel - something the tour operator is hoping to challenge.

Kate Plummer, Marketing & Product Co-ordinator at Acacia Adventure Holidays, comments: “If offered the opportunity of camping out under the stars in Egypt’s exotic white desert or lying back on a sleeping bag surrounded by the dramatic rock formations of Namibia’s Spitzkoppe, we’re guessing most five-star travellers would become camping converts overnight. By forgoing luxury and pitching a tent out in the wilds adventurers often see a whole new side to Africa, as it brings them closer to the destination. There’s a real explorer feel to our itineraries, and with our passengers contributing to the site visually, through pictures and via podcasts, everyone will be able to see a little bit of Mary Kingsley or David Livingstone in themselves.”

Being able to “do more for Africa” has also never been simpler, Acacia Adventure Holidays listing their updated responsible tourism policy on the portal, along with the various charitable organisations they support; and for those who are still contemplating their next African adventure the tour operator’s new online brochure is even accessible from the home page or at: http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/acacia_adventure_holidays/Acacia-Adventure-Holidays-2009-Sterling/2008111901/.

Interactive maps (soon to include videos and snaps from the tour operator’s adventurers) and FAQ’s offer further insight - and if travellers want to quiz the Acacia team they can click through to Skype or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Acacia-Adventure-Holidays/10768937199) direct from the website.
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