(EMAILWIRE.COM, April 13, 2010 ) GLENDALE, CA—Dave Herbert, managing director with veteran company African Travel Inc., was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ubuntu Awards Ceremony on April 6, 2010. This ceremony, hosted by South African Tourism to honor its trade partners, was the first annual awards ceremony of its kind and took place at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Mr. Herbert was honored with this award because of his incredible contributions to the tourism in South Africa.
Dave Herbert, a British-born South African who lives in the U.S. and Africa. And confirmed conservationist and environmentalist, has always been a leader in the leave-nothing-behind–but footprints and take-only-photographs school of business. Before coming to America, Dave had created the first overland tour company taking cruise ship passengers from Cape Town to Durban, which was followed by a company focused on European inbound travel to South Africa.
During the late ‘70’s and into the ‘80s, Dave divided his time between building US market share and developing lodges in South Africa, Botswana, and Mozambique. Initially, he converted former hunting camps into wildlife viewing and photography lodges, luring back the wildlife that had gone into hiding. An advocate of giving back to Africa, Dave initiated job training programs for hundreds of unskilled workers, thereby creating a workforce with a vested interest in preserving the natural habitat and the wildlife. Providing local people with the education and opportunity to invest in the tourism around them is the key, he believes, to ensuring the protection of Africa’s ecology and cultures.
The 1990s saw an explosive growth for African Travel Inc., as increasing numbers of discerning travelers began discovering the African continent. That growth continues today with African TravelÂ’s expansion not only as a luxury wildlife safari company, but as a designer of one- of-a-kind experiences such as yoga and spa treatments in the bush, cultural encounters, walking tours and safaris, wine tours, and luxury train trips.
The World Cup 2010 is holding big potential for South Africa as a travel destination. African Travel Inc. is able to book custom FITs to South Africa and they are still holding space at the Orient Express Camps in Botswana at an incredible reduced price during the months of June and July. For more information about African Travel Inc.Â’s travel specials including their once in a lifetime special on a Botswana safari, visit http://www.africantravelinc.com/Specialsindex/specials.html or contact (800) 444-2874. For a video of the actual award ceremony, please visit African Travel Inc.Â’s blogsite at www.africantravelinc.blogspot.com. For any marketing related questions, please contact Heidi Podjavorsek at (800) 444-2874 x115.
