When planning for a holiday, safari tour, group tour or accommodation you may come across the term “per person sharing.” This phrase is commonly used by hotels, lodges, safari companies, travel agents and tour operators when displaying the cost of a trip or an accommodation package. For many travelers, especially those booking a safari for the first time the meaning of per person sharing can be confusing.
So what does per person sharing actually mean? In simple terms per person means that the quoted price is charged to each person when two or more people share the same room, tent or accommodation unit. Instead of paying for the entire room as one individual, the total cost of the accommodation is divided equally between the people sharing it.
For example if a safari lodge advertises a rate of $300 per person sharing per night, two people staying together in one room would each pay $300. The total cost for the room would therefore be $600 per night. Understanding this meaning is important as it helps you accurately calculate the cost of your holiday and avoid misunderstandings when booking accommodations or tours.
What Does Per Person Sharing Mean?
The term per person sharing is used in the travel industry to describe a pricing arrangement where two people occupyand share one accommodation unit. The price displayed is the amount that each individual pays rather than the total price for the room. For instance imagine that you are planning for a three night safari and a lodge charges $150 per person sharing per night. If you are travelling with a partner and sharing one room then each one of you pays $150 per night. This phrase is very common in African Safari destinations such as Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa where accommodation is often priced according to occupamcy.
How Does Per Person Sharing Work?
To fully understand the meaning of per person sharing its importantt o understand how accommodation rates are structured. For instance a safari camp advertises the following rates that is Per person sharing at $250 per night and single occupancy at $350 per night. This means that if two people are sharing the same room will each pay $250 making it a total of $500 per night. However if it is a single occupancy then the individual will have to pay a rate of $350 for the night. This difference occurs because acccommodation providers calculate their prices based omn the number of people occupying the room or tent. When two people share an accommodation the rate is hared between them equally. However, whhen one person is occupying the room, the accommodation provider might charge a higher rate som that they can compensate for the unused space and fix operation costs.
Why Do Safari Companies Use Per Person Sharing
Well the meaning of a per person sharing usually becomes relevant when you are booking an African safari. Safari lodges and camps usually have a very duifferent type of accommodation such as hotel rooms, tents, villas, safari suites and family units which are mostly designed for two people. As a result safari companies commonly advertise their prices on a per persin sharing basis. For example if a 5 days safari package costs $1,500 per person sharing. This could mean that two people traveling together and sharing the sam accommodation will each pay $1,500 for the entire safari. The package might include accommodation, mealstransport, park fees, game drives and other accommodation services such as professional safari guide. However, the exact inclusions is dependednt on the tour operator, so traveler should always review the package details carefully.
Who Can Share A Room?
In most cases per person sharing applies to travellres that are comfortable staying in the same accommodation unit. This commonly include couples, travel companions, friends, colleagues, family members or memebers of an organized group tours. For instance, two friends travelling to Masai Mara can book a safari on a per person sharing basis and stay in the same tent. This is the same case for couples visiting Amboseli can share a lodge room and each pay the advertised sharing rate. However, it is adviseable for travellers to confirm the property’s occupancy rules. Some accommodations might have specific arrangements for children, families of three or more.
Conclusion
Understanding the meaning of per person sharing can make planning your next holiday much easier. In simple terms, it means the quoted price is charged to each person when they share accommodation with another traveller. usually in the same room, cottage, tent and suite. The term is widely used in the hotel, safari industries and torism particularly when advertising accommodation and holiday packages. Prior to booking always ensure that you have confirm how many people the rate is based on, whether single occupancy attracts additonal charges and exactly what is included in the quoted price.
