Zambia Tourism Board- UK office, wins 2008 Best National Tourism Board Award

According to Good Safari Guide Awards, an independent directory of the top safari lodges, hotels and camps in Africa, ZTB, London office, was selected the winner by over 100 Tour Operators, a major award at the 2008 Good Safari Guide Awards.

ZTB chairman will receive the Award at the Awards Ceremony in Durban, South Africa on 9th May 2008 at the Protea Edward Hotel during the Indaba Travel Show.

“You will be aware by now that Zambia Tourism Board, London office, has been selected as the winner of the Best National Tourism Board by over one hundred Tour Operators, a major award at the 2008 Good Safari Guide Awards. The Awards Ceremony will be an excellent publicity opportunity for Zambian tourism through international media organisations covering the event,” said Mr. Henry Hallward of Good Safari Guide Awards team in his message to Mr. Donald Pelekamoyo, Manager of the Zambia Tourism Board in London.

The ZTB, London office, emerged the winner when a selection process by over 100 Journalists and Tour Operators to Africa presented the list of all nominated finalists to a team of independent judges consisting of respected Journalists, senior product managers and directors of top independent Tour Operators in Africa.

The Zambia Tourism Stand at the World Travel Market 2007

in London, United Kingdom.

The independent Awards honour the best in the safari industry and nominations in the 13 categories are accepted only from qualified travel professionals, with a panel of distinguished industry judges making the final tough decision. The judges weighed the nominations to create a finalists’ short-list for each award. There were two awards per category for the winner and runner-up.

The panel of judges consisted of Kate Bergh of Cedarberg Travel, Primrose Stobbs of Abercrombie & Kent, Albee Yeend of Steppes Africa, Marc Gastaud of Akorn, Sandy Wood of Pulse Africa, Tony Clegg-Butt of Travel News East Africa and Jane Durham from Okavango Tours and Safaris.

Zambia High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Anderson K. Chibwa, said the recognition of ZTB as the Best National Tourism Board by over one hundred international Tour Operators, is a firm testimony of the efforts that have been made by the ZTB office in the UK and the tourism industry in Zambia in creating awareness of Zambia as a top tourism destination in Africa.

“This great achievement is as a result of excellent, diverse tourism products and high service levels in Zambia, which have left a mark of distinction among tourists and Tour Operators. Zambia will continue to pursue and exploit opportunities for the promotion of its tourism potential to the rest of the world,” Mr. Chibwa said.

Early this year, Zambia was identified as one of the key holiday destinations in 2008 where tourists will be choosing holidays more thoughtfully and one that has done most to give tourism a good name.

In an article, ‘Holiday hotspots: where to go in 2008’ by Mark Jones of the Telegraph, a reputable broadsheet, it said 2008 will be a landmark for Zambia following plans by Abercrombie & Kent to open not less than seven new camps.

In the mining sector, Zambia was awarded “The International Country Award for Outstanding Achievement for the period 2006 -7.”

The Award was given to Zambia by the International Conference on Mines and Money held in London, for being the most improvement, in terms of attractiveness to mineral investors.

The ZTB, London office, has been active in collaborating with stakeholders in the tourism industry in key markets including Germany and recently undertook a road show covering Cologne, Berlin, Leipzig, Hannover and Frankfurt whose objective was to raise the profile of Zambia to the travel trade in Germany.

The achievements of the ZTB, London office, will give impetus to continued efforts in the promotion of Zambian Tourism in the United Kingdom.