9 Days Kenya Ultimate Safari Odyssey with Kibera Holiday Safaris
Speakers
1. SHINING UP OUR INDUSTRY ● BACKPACKER & ADVENTURE CONFERENCE 2007●THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL S peakers After graduating from Rhodes University in 1985, with a degree in Physical Education & German and doing his 2 years obligatory stint in the army, Steve cycle toured extensively with his wife, Di, across the U.S.A and thereafter across Europe with their 6-month old son in tow. He returned to South Africa in 1992 and set up Day Trippers, a small cycle touring company, operating from home and beginning with an old VW combi and 6 bicycles. The business has steadily grown over the years into one of the leading adventure touring companies in the Western Cape with 7 busses, 5 custom made bicycle trailers and over 200 bicycles in their fleet. Notoriously laid-back Steve is at the helm (with his wife, the proverbial muscle behind the man). His promise is “We don’t just get you high… we raise your consciousness!” Gary started his career at Wits University before joining Manchester United in 1977 and less than a year later he became their number one goalkeeper, playing 373 competitive matches and winning 2 FA cup medals. He played for England from 1978 to 1986, winning 17 U-21 caps, 2 B caps and 2 full caps, and was part of the 1986 world cup squad that made the quarter finals in Mexico. After retiring from professional football at the young age of 28, he returned to South Africa to play for Kaizer Chiefs for 2 years during which time the team won 5 trophies. Gary currently works at Supersport where he continues his passion for football by anchoring all the soccer shows. He has a BSc in Physics and an MBA from Henley in Oxford and was one of South Africa’s soccer ambassadors for the world cup bid. Steven Thomas Gary Bailey Uno de Waal Uno de Waal is a social media consultant, geek, entrepreneur, electo-listening person. Since an early age Uno has been involved with the internet in some way and it has finally born fruits with his current passion – social networking, new media and innovative uses of the web. His expertise is in seeing how business can leverage the internet using social media and other networking effects that have been made possible around the new direction the internet has taken (generally termed Wen2.0). While studying a BA (Value and Policy studies) at Stellenbosch University Uno became interested in the way that social networks connect people and their similar interests. He moved on to delve himself in the world of Web2.0 applications and has become one of the most respected youth opinions in the South African blogosphere on topics around the relevance of Web2.0 to business and other aspects of the internet. He is also a keen mountain biker and drinks his coffee black with one sugar. His blog, resume and other interesting bits about him on www.unodewaal.com Cape Town Printing courtesy of 14-15 June 2007
2. SHINING UP OUR INDUSTRY ● BACKPACKER & ADVENTURE CONFERENCE 2007●THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL S peakers Cany Bugler Pat Collier Toni Shina Lee’s partner and childhood friend, is also passionate about the environment, sustainable and ethical tourism. Toni is also very committed to uplifting the underprivileged and is a keen fundraiser. Moola Magic is her bright idea and also one of the conference conveners. Pat Collier has two passions in her life – her family and her work ! She and husband, Eric, moved to Cape Town in 1998 when Eric accepted the position of Senior Lecturer at the Cape Town Hotel School. Their sons, no surprise, are both in hotels in England. Pat, a THETA accredited assessor for the Tourism Grading Council, was excited to join the pilot team to formulate minimum requirements and criteria for the Backpacker & Hostelling sector. “The Backpack, Cape Town was the first to be awarded 4 stars and this year – like “Nothando,” Plett – achieved a 5 star grading! Pat arrived in S.Africa in 1971 after gaining extensive experience in 5 star hotels in England. She joined the Southern Sun “Elangeni” intending to enjoy a 6 month working holiday. Influenced by the charisma of Sol Kerzner, she accepted the position of C.R.O. Manager for Southern Sun. Until 1980 she was also closely involved in the introduction of S.A’s first package holidays and the opening of several Southern Sun hotels, the last being Sun City. Pat, a THETA accredited Assessor & Trainer and has her own Hospitality Management consultancy covering in-house training and quality assurance reports. “I don’t view this as a job, it is a way of life and there is nothing more rewarding than being part of this “people pleasing people business” Cany Bugler has been in the tourism industry since 1988. With a strong prior background in the administration sector, she started up and managed her own company, Which Way Adventures, a specialist adventure tour operating business, offering river rafting and overland safaris. After the sale of the company, Cany took up a contract in Kenya to assist with the development of two overland adventure companies (2 years), as well as being contracted to handle the international marketing for a South Africa based, adventure company, WildLife Adventures, which she fulfilled for 4 years. Having started a quad biking operation in 2001, which operated fairly low key up to her return to South Africa, in 2003, Cany and her husband, Anton, pursued their new company Tri Active Events Management, a national tour operator and events management company with a wide portfolio of services in the MICE market as well as services for the leisure traveller – tours, excursions, adventure activities. Their new tented lodge, conference and adventure centre situated in the Elgin Valley has just been launched and is already very busy with team building, conferencing and social events. Cape Town Printing courtesy of 14-15 June 2007
3. SHINING UP OUR INDUSTRY ● BACKPACKER & ADVENTURE CONFERENCE 2007●THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL S peakers Gareth Haysom Robin Thomson Dave Martin Gareth Haysom’s original training was in the hospitality industry and he subsequently went on to advise both government and the private sector. Current active projects focus heavily on emerging businesses, entrepreneurship & sustainability and include work in partnership with the Sustainability Institute, managing research and formulation of initiatives to support Integrated and Sustainable Human Settlements within South Africa as well as a project, in partnership with Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa, focussed on assisting the Tourism Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Charter Council in anticipation of the role out of BBBEE within the tourism industry. Gareth also works as a FTTSA assessor (he played an active role in Spier’s application for FTT status) and is currently completing an MPhil in Sustainable Development with Stellenbosch University, where he presents a module on Sustainability. Robin studied Mechanical Engineering at UCT, and started off his working life underground on the gold mines of South Africa. He progressed to oil and gas exploration from 1989 to 2003, working in many countries from Papua New Guinea in the East to Mauritania in West Africa. He returned to South Africa in 1994 to start The Green Elephant Backpackers , aiming to make it African, memorable and environmentally sustainable. The Green Elephant Backpackers uses solar water heating, grey water toilets, pool water recycling and has solid waste recycling programs. He retired from the oil industry in 2003 to study an MBA at UCT. His Research Report was a Case Study on What Cape Town should do to reach its target of having 10% of houses with solar water heaters by 2010. After his MBA, Robin started Sunpower Solar Water heating. Sunpower promotes, sells and installs solar water heaters. He is a committee member of the newly formed Solar Water Heating Division of Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa (SESSA) Dave was born in Cape Town. While studying at UCT he got involved with SHAWCO (a student-run community development organisation) and was active in the townships around Cape Town for 5 years. He then backpacked from Cape Town through Africa for 18 months until he reached the UK where he worked as an IT consultant for 2 years. After backpacking for another year or so around South America, China and Oz, he returned home to SA and started Bulungula Lodge. Bulungula aims to be a model for using tourism in sustainable rural development. The lodge is eco-friendly and the local community has a 40% share in the business. The lodge (Fair Trade accredited) has also assisted the community in starting and running a dozen small businesses including: horse-riding, guided canoeing, fishing, herbalist forest tours, Woman Power tours (a day in the life of a local woman), a local restaurant, cultural tours, bee-keeping, a vegetable seedling nursery and a vegetable farm to supply the lodge restaurant with fresh veggies. Cape Town Printing courtesy of 14-15 June 2007
4. SHINING UP OUR INDUSTRY ● BACKPACKER & ADVENTURE CONFERENCE 2007●THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL S peakers Di Thomas Lisa Mason Dave Malherbe Di Thomas, along with her husband Steve, is the owner & General Manager of Day Trippers - an alternative tour company, specializing in biking & hiking tours, corporate events and Day Trips for the young and young-at-heart. She has been Tripping since 1992 and is still on a High, loving her job and passionate about her hobby, mountain biking and about the Tourism Community Development Trust, of which she is a founder and to which she devotes the remainder of her spare time. Di is also one of the convenors of this conference. Lisa Mason is a partner in one of the first backpacker lodges in Cape Town, Ashanti Lodge, which opened in 1993. It has since expanded to include 2 more guest houses and a travel centre with no plans on stopping there. Born in the UK but schooled both in South Africa and London, Lisa worked for major international finance houses in London where she gained invaluable experience in commercial and financial matters. Whilst travelling extensively around the world she gained first hand knowledge of the tourism industry which allowed her the opportunity to be a founding member of BSA as well as the Tourism Community Development Trust. This has enabled her to contribute to the development of tourism in South Africa in a more meaningful manner. Lisa is one of the convenors of this conference. Dave has been the chairman of BSA EXCO for a number of years and dedicates a great deal of time, energy and passion to the association. He is also a veteran Springbok surfer, part-owner of Coffee Shack Backpackers and husband of Belinda. Lolla Meyer Lolla Meyer is the BSA National Cooridnator and has been working for BSA full-time since August 2005 and part-time since 2001.Her Job in a nutshell – Lolla does almost EVERYTHING! Main responsibilities: International and Local Trade Show and Conference Coordinator, BSA National Cooridnator, Membership, Moola Magic and Exco duties. She has been working in the tourism industry since 2001 and has backpacked through most of Europe, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Southern Africa! She obtained a BA Language degree at UCT, studied in Germany, France and Switzerland. Before working for BSA she lived and worked in Switzerland running a little hotel in the Alps after her stint as PR and Marketing Assistant at South African Tourism in London. Of all the destinations, South Africa is still her favourite place! Cape Town Printing courtesy of 14-15 June 2007