New Era

WINDHOEK – Dr Tobie Aupindi, the Managing Director of Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), walked away with the title of Africa’s Tourism Personality for the Year 2010 last Thursday.

Aupindi won the accolade at a glittering Africa and Indian Ocean awards ceremony of the World Travel Awards (WTA) organisation.

The event, held for the first time in Africa at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, saw Aupindi scoop the coveted title following a lengthy nomination and endorsement process.

Aupindi fended off challenges from South African Airways Chief Executive Officer Siza Mzimela, David Coutts-Trotter the CEO of Sun International, Otto Stehlik, the Chairman of the Protea Hotel Group and David Wood, the MD of Southern Sun Hotels, who were also in the running.

President of the WTA, Graham Cooke, said he was pleased that the international travel industry had voted for Aupindi. He said this came in recognition of his achievements and business acumen over the past four years in spearheading the turnaround of the state-owned enterprise NWR.

At the same event, NWR was also voted Namibia’s leading tourism brand.

Cooke said that while the NWR is not yet where it should be, he acknowledged “the mess it was in previously”.

Cooke said that some five years ago NWR could not even make it into Europe’s premier brochure. However, he added: “NWR is now featured prominently and the top tour operators in Europe are happy about the progress made and are indeed supporting the NWR product.”

“The Government sent Aupindi on a very tough mission and he has succeeded. The world travel industry recognises people who are at least making a hard effort to bring positive changes to the lives of many. So, winning these awards represents a significant acknowledgement to Dr Aupindi and to NWR,” said Cooke.

The WTA has been an annual event on the tourism calendar for the past 17 years but this was the first time it was held in Africa, to coincide with the first hosting of the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup on African soil.

The WTA aims to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel, tourism and hospitality industries, and has been touted as the “Oscars of the travel industry”.

It is a celebration of individuals and organisations that have made the greatest contribution to the global tourism and travel industry, and recognises those brands that are driving the industry to greater heights and innovation in travel.

Several hundred distinguished guests, including the tourism industry’s senior professionals, major tourism leaders, high-ranking government representatives, international business leaders and people from the entertainment business attended the event.

In addition, there were extensive regional, national and international broadcasts and print media coverage of the event through partners such as World.Mobi, BBC World News, Breaking Travel News and eTurboNews.

Winners of awards at the Africa and Indian Ocean gala ceremony will now have to compete against the best in the world at the World Travel Awards Grand Finale, which will take place in London (UK) in November, immediately before the World Travel Market.

Aupindi told the press that Africans can only emancipate themselves from poverty if they try to overcome “a colonially influenced present, battle against mediocrity and regain their rightful place on the global stage”.

He further said economic development, economic growth and empowerment of the African people “is no longer negotiable”.

Aupindi paid tribute to the international business personalities and travel executives from all over the world who voted for him as Africa’s personality of the year.

“It’s touching and motivating to me that I am appreciated by people from so far away,” Aupindi said.