No stranger to accolades: Tourism visionary Beks Ndlovu cements legacy with Regenerative Travel Impact award
Mbulelo Mpofu, [email protected]
TOURISM expert Bekezela “Beks” Ndlovu is no stranger to accolades with his illustrious career seeing him garner more than five awards and his recent nomination for a shot at one of the upcoming Regenerative Travel Impact Awards cements his legacy.
These honours are a celebration of persons and initiatives that have a positive influence on the lives of others, our communities, and the entire world. Regenerative Travel are on a quest to find the world’s most energising change-makers who are committed to overcoming the greatest obstacles and igniting the flame of good deeds, both within and outside the travel industry.
Born in Hwange and raised in Plumtree, his journey to being a professional safari guide began 28 years ago after the completion of his Advanced Level studies at Plumtree High School.
“I worked for two organisations including the safari giant Wilderness Safaris for 6 years, guiding, managing and involved in operations and marketing. I started off with his own company in 2001 as a Private Guide offering bespoke safaris throughout Africa. My guiding and tourism experiences span into Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda giving him pan African Exposure to Tourism and Conservation,” said Beks matter-of-factly.
Beks is thrilled with the nomination.
“I have always sought to have an impact on not only the continent of Africa but the planet. It gives me great joy to be recognised and standing together with all the deserving short listed individuals. Success comes from knowing your identity and consequently your purpose. Listening, learning and putting yourself out there taking risks means you are setting yourself for growth.”
In 2006, Beks established four tourism businesses under the marketing umbrella of African Bush Camps with his first camp Somalisa in one of Zimbabwe’s legendary Parks, Hwange. His second camp took him to Botswana where he developed four camps within two different businesses.
Today, he has expanded the Zimbabwe operations to include a total of 18 camps through two businesses and has established a strong and well-recognised reservations and marketing brand in the tour operating business of African Bush Camps (ABC) along with the African Bush Camp Foundation (ABCF).
As the current CEO of the ABC group, a company employing over 600 employees in Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, Beks ranks among true tourism stalwarts. Through his ABC Foundation, Beks has impacted and educated about one thousand children which includes high school and tertiary scholarships that come from vulnerable situations.
His strengths are in sales and marketing and project identification, development and management, having done so for the ABC Group. Negotiating for leases and operating rights with Government and local communities has been a big contribution to the growth of ABC.
A major focus of Bek’s career has been ensuring that Conservation is an integral part of his business and “Giving Back Philosophy.” As a result, he has set up non-profit organisations that work closely with Conservation Groups, Authorities and local communities in a bid to protect Africa’s wildlife resources.
Beks is not only safari game drives and animals. He developed an interest in photography as a hobby and as a result, is responsible for some of the creative art and photography of African Bush Camps. Travel remains a big interest to parts of Africa and overseas and enjoys experiencing the world with his family of 5. Project design and interior Décor are some of his core interests that he is able to incorporate into his work.
@MbuleloMpofu