Wilderness Safaris

Wilderness Safaris
ecotourism operator
Traded as WIL (BSE) [1] [2]
Industry tourism
Founded 1983
Founders Colin Bell, Chris McIntyre
Headquarters Gaborone, Botswana
Key people
 Keith Vincent, CEO
Dave Bennett, Chief Sales Officer [3]
Website www.wilderness-safaris.com

Wilderness Safaris is an ecotourism operator, headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana. [4] It operates camps and mobile safaris across seven countries: Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Seychelles. [5] [6] Known for its ongoing conservation work, the company is helping to conserve at least 40 species that fall within the top three threatened categories of the IUCN Red List. [7]

Through the Wilderness Wildlife Trust, Wilderness Safaris funds more than 50 conservation projects every year and it is also a main sponsor of Children in the Wilderness, a non-profit organisation that facilitates sustainable conservation through leadership development and education of rural children in Africa.[8][9]

History

Wilderness Safaris was founded in Botswana in 1983 by two overland safari guides – Colin Bell and Chris McIntyre. It was the first tour operator of its kind to form a registered company in Botswana, with operations based out of Maun, south of the Okavango Delta.[8]

Ecotourism

The Wilderness Safaris interpretation of ecotourism is structured around the 4Cs, a concept adopted from the Long Run Initiative of Jochen Zeitz: a balance of commerce, conservation, community and culture.[8]

Wilderness Safaris’ philosophy is to minimize their impact on the environment and to proactively contribute to the conservation of threatened species in the areas in which they operate.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Benza, Brian (8 June 2012). "Billionaire family ups stake in Wilderness Safaris". MmegiOnline. Dikgang Publishing Company. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "Wilderness Safaris IPO to hoist Botswana's image". Sunday Standard. 7 March 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  3. ↑ Reinstein, Dorine (30 October 2014). "Wilderness Safaris debuts Desert Dune adventure". Travel Weekly. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  4. ↑ Boyes, Steve (22 January 2013). "No Trophy Hunting in Botswana and Zambia?". voices.nationalgeographic.com. National Geographic. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "Wilderness Safaris to open new camp in Hwange". NewsDay Zimbabwe. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  6. ↑ Ndlovu, Ray (9 July 2014). "Listed Wilderness Safaris to open new camp in Zimbabwe" (Business Day Live). Times Media Group. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  7. ↑ Siting and design of hotels and resorts: principles and case studies for biodiversity conservation. IUCN. 2012. pp. 28–30. ISBN 2831714710. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 Kanani, Rahim (3 June 2014). "Wilderness Safaris And 30 Years Of Ecotourism In Africa". Forbes. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  9. ↑ Honey, Martha (2008). Ecotourism and Sustainable Development, Second Edition: Who Owns Paradise?. Island Press. p. 81. ISBN 1597268577. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  10. ↑ Berendien Lubbe (2003). Tourism Management in Southern Africa. Pearson South Africa. p. 98. ISBN 1868911861.
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