International Hunting in Times of Covid-19
Since the alarms went off regarding Covid 19 in March, many industries have suffered its consequences, and hunting, was not going to be the exception. In Spain, for instance, the inaccuracy of the information provided by local authorities and the lack of mobility between regions are hampering the development of an activity which generates €6,500 million.
Above that, the effects of the pandemic on international hunting have been absolutely devastating. The lockdowns imposed in different parts of the world, the economic uncertainty, the travel ban enforced by many countries, and of course, the fear of becoming sick in a foreign country with limited access to medical resources, are some of the reason which explain the standstill of the industry during the last months.
Furthermore, since the pandemic became part of our lives, some of the most relevant conventions had to be cancelled for obvious reasons. When in February, Barcelona (Spain) decided to cancel the Mobile World Congress just a few days before the event was meant to take place, although this resulted in the destruction of 14,000 jobs and revenues worth €500 million, everything indicated that the same would happen with Cinegetica, Spain’s hunting convention, which in 2019 received 40,000 visitors according to official sources, hence being one of the most significant hunting shows in Europe. Time proved that it was the right decision, as other important European conventions such as The Game Fair in United Kingdom, IWA y Jagd & Hund in Germany, Die Hohe Jagd & Fischerei in Austria and Salon de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage in France, opted to follow the example and postpone their corresponding events.
In America, SCI, which in 2021 would celebrate its 50th convention in Las Vegas, made the difficult decision to cancel its event. Dallas Safari Club and Wild Sheep Foundation (Sheep Show) also decided to cancel its annual in-person convention. However, in a brave intention to adapt to the current circumstances they opted for a virtual show, where exhibitors will make available a wide variety of hunts and products, as well as being able to arrange conference calls with potential clients. Certainly, a very innovative measure that only time will tell if it is here to stay. Other relevant conventions such as Grand Slam Club Ovis (GSCO) and Houston Safari Club Foundation (HSCF), although having to reschedule several times, are still in the spirit of going ahead with their corresponding events.
This circumstance, once again, proves the importance that an international hunting agent really has. In a world where the quality standards that we are used to in western countries, differ so much from what we will find in some of the remotest places on Earth, makes the need of relying on a hunting agent almost essential.
In a globalized world with such an infinite variety of hunts available, anyone can venture to book a hunt on the internet, and if it’s a cheap deal, much better -at least for the Spanish people- (and believe me, I am Spanish). It tends to be a common error from human beings, to believe what we want to believe, without balancing the benefits and drawbacks that could define the difference between having a successful or a resounding failure hunt.
But fortunately, not everything is internet and cheap deals. It is also possible to book a hunt directly with the outfitter. When it comes to experienced hunters who have travelled the world, with no language barriers and plenty of time, who perfectly knows the ins and outs of how do things work wherever they intend to hunt, there is no reason to think that there should be a problem. In fact, for many hunters, being able to arrange every aspect of the hunt directly with their outfitter, is also an important part of the experience and enjoyment. On the contrary, those hunters aiming for an adventure abroad for the first time -and not necessarily the very first time- must be cautious. Considering the fact that booking a hunt did already imply a certain level of risk before the world drifted into a chaotic situation, now, it might be even more challenging. Along with the economic cost that most international hunts involve -including the affordable ones-, there is also an extraordinary amount of effort put into these type of adventures in terms of time, flights, transfers, and airports, but beyond that and more importantly, every international hunt implies the strongest hope around the idea of accomplishing a successful experience that we might have been dreaming about for years. Therefore, again, it is vitally important to rely on a hunting agent that you can trust.
The continuous changes that we are experiencing in this turbulent world daily, is causing a huge uncertainty about whether we will be able to travel or not in the short run. Consequently, having access to updated and reliable information has become essential. What will happen with my deposit if I am not allowed to leave my country or what if I become sick with Covid 19 a few days before traveling? What if I am not allowed to enter the country where I booked a hunt? These are just a few questions that all of us will think about from now onwards when booking an international hunt.
At Camino Real Hunting Consultants, we have not only adapted to the circumstances, but we have been working with some of the most reputed international outfitters for the last 16 years. Partners who have been involved in the hunting industry for a lifetime, having demonstrated a remarkable professionalism in the good and in the bad times. It is now, more than ever, when we are putting all our efforts in providing confidence to our clients when traveling to the opposite side of the world, as well as being able to quickly react to unexpected last-minute contingencies that could arise.
Wishing you all a happy hunting.
Alvaro Mazon (Junior).
