Firdosh Bulsara, MyEscapades
Firdosh Bulsara is positively purring in anticipation of the bookings he and his TOPAC pack will track as a result of Disney’s Kenyan sales blitz.
The Kenyan Tourist Board, along with a number of tour operators, hosted a night at the movies in Toronto for a special screening of Disney’s blockbuster movie African Cats.
Disney spent 27 months filming in the wilds of the Maasai Mara game reserve to produce the all star cat cast adventure -- featuring 12 cheetahs, 18 lions, 2 million zebras, while some leopards, hippos and antelope served as extras. Although the movie is worth watching in its own right, you couldn’t ask for a better advertisement for an African safari.
Disney is a master at weaving animal tales that have us falling in love with the helpless and hissing at the aggressor. In Cats, there is no shortage of oohs and aahs as we follow the close relationships of a pride of lions and a mother cheetah during the annual migration.
As host, Firdosh reminded the audience that a safari adventure is “not beyond reach in affordability” and said the cost is equivalent to a 2 week Sandals holiday in Jamaica. Although the wildlife is different. And to prove the point, we received a few well priced flyers: Big Five Tours & Expeditions offers 7 day Kenyan Precious Journeys from $3535 (U.S.); www.africainstyle.ca is offering $250 off for bookings before Mary 31st; Tourcan has a series of Super Saver Deals – with prices for a 5 night safari starting at $1430; Goway is also chasing cats with an 8 day Essential Kenya tour for $2,610; the Safari Studio has an elephant load of departures and prices to Kenya; and last but not least, Firdosh’s own MyEscapades.ca is featuring an entry price of $2,517 for an 8 day Nairobi, Maasai Mara, Mt. Kenya adventure.
We should all be so lucky as to have Disney promote our products to the world.
