Responsible travel marketing results: Safari With Us
Ethical marketing strategy and implementation
Total Bookings: +44.59%
Increase in total bookings within 6 months of working together
Direct bookings: +64.71%
Growth in direct bookings during the same 6-month period
Online bookings: 3x
Online bookings tripled with less reliance on third-party channels
Safari With Us is a responsible wildlife tour operator in Johannesburg, South Africa. This responsible travel marketing case study shows what happened after partnering with Ethical Brand Marketing. Within six months, total bookings rose by 44.59%, direct bookings grew by 64.71%, and online bookings tripled.
Source: booking data supplied monthly by Safari With Us; increases calculated by Ethical Brand Marketing from that data.
What it takes to market a nature-led travel brand with integrity
Safari With Us founder Andre Retief launched his wildlife tour operation nine months before we began working together.
Despite deep industry experience, bookings were falling short and the brand lacked a clear position in a crowded market. The core challenge wasn’t visibility, it was trust. Travelers choosing wildlife experiences increasingly want proof that a brand shares their values, not just their interest in animals.
The first strategic decision was to stop competing on volume and start leading with integrity. That meant removing animal interaction tours entirely, earning a verified listing as an ethical tour operator with the Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH), and rebuilding all messaging around Safari With Us’s genuine conservation values.
From that foundation, every other element, SEO, content, social media, and website copy, had something real to say.
What we worked on together
Area | What was delivered |
|---|---|
Marketing strategy | Full ethical marketing strategy and brand positioning |
Brand repositioning | Messaging realigned around conservation values and CACH certification |
SEO | On-page optimisation to increase organic and direct bookings |
Content creation | Website copy, social media content, and ongoing content direction |
Photography | Original wildlife and experience photography taken during a 3-week field visit |
Before and after — what changed
Before | After |
|---|---|
Broad positioning in a crowded market | Clear identity as a verified ethical wildlife operator |
Animal interaction tours on offer | Removed entirely; replaced with conservation-led experiences |
Low direct booking rate | Direct bookings up 64.71% |
Reliance on third-party channels | Online bookings tripled |
Generic travel photography | Authentic field photography showing real experiences |
What Andre says
“Jessica is great to work with. She is one of those rare gems who makes a substantial difference. She communicates well, gets the job done, has good ideas, thinks outside the box. She is an asset to any company or client she works with. We will definitely continue with Jessica in the future.” ~ Andre Retief, founder, Safari With Us