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The US$ is the principal foreign exchange of trade. Try doing ANY sort of international business and see how far you get in A$ or virtually any other sort of currency.

Of course the outfitter whom has for example a buffalo costing A$1500 does not charge A$1500 trophy fee (or US$1,163)

. They are not in it to go bankrupt and need a profit margin. Also the cost of the buffalo at that rate might be in the expectation that the owner receives A$15x40 buffalo. If the outfitter can not pay the owners $60,000 in trophy fee cost ALONE (plus possibly a cut of daily rates as well) then they probably would get the boot and another outfitter moves in. That fee probably only buys you access and absolutely nothing else.

A pretty standard buffalo trophy fee is around US$2000. If the outfitter is charging less he is trying to make his profit on volume meaning more buffalo are being shot out of the herd each year and probably lesser qualities. It ain't rocket science and is the same setup as Africa.

On top of this they have wages (no 'blackamatics' here), vehicles, repairs and maintenance, food and booze, taxes, equipment to finance, FUEL (the fuel bills in a remote location are huge, sometimes just to run a generator), plus admin costs of running an office with paperwork, postage, telephones, selling costs in attending OS conventions etc. All this comes at a price and outfitters selling budget hunts do not survive.

I know one outfitter got the boot off prime Arnhemland country last year by the traditional owners. I believe they are thinking they can run their own safaris.

Its a competitive business.

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Back to currencies. If you do not offer your prices in US$ you will not be in business for long as the average US client DEMANDS US$ prices, simple as that.

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I've finished my diatribe !

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John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

Edited by NitroX (29/12/04 04:44 PM)

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