World Travel Market Africa Conference

Dr Wiseman Ndlovu

Deputy Director, African Wildlife Economy Institute

Dr Wiseman Ndlovu is a professional business coach, facilitator, and analytical thinker with a passion for agriculture support and sustainability, rural development, institutional economics, agri-business, and entrepreneurship. He holds a PhD in Rural Development from the University of Venda and is the Founder of The WyzeSymba Pty Ltd. Wiseman has vast local and international experience and skills, including support for organic and conventional agriculture, sustainability, business support, entrepreneurship coaching, and institutional effectiveness analysis. He has served in various roles, including as a Research Project Coordinator and Research Technical Expert. At AWEI, as a member of the Management Committee, Wiseman coordinates the institute’s research and operational programmes. His research currently focuses on global value chains for wild meat from Africa’s savannas.

Colin Bell

Co-founder, Natural Selection and Mkambati Matters

You could say Colin made his own luck. Instead of heading into the corporate world after completing an economics degree at Wits University, he took a sharp left turn and landed his first job as a safari guide in Botswana in 1977. In those days, luxury meant a cold beer hauled out of a wet sock tied to the side mirror of his Land Rover. That was as good as it got!. In 1983, Colin co-founded Wilderness Safaris, and went on to co-found Great Plains and Natural Selection Safaris. Somewhere along the way, he also found time to co-author three books on wildlife, conservation, and sustainable tourism: Africa’s Finest, The Last Elephants, and The Last Lions—a theme may be emerging. Over the decades, the companies Colin helped build have grown to operate camps and lodges across nine African countries, employing more than 4,000 people and managing millions of hectares of prime wildlife habitat. Much of this success rests on partnerships with local communities, relationships forged long before “sustainability” became a boardroom buzzword. Back then, there were no templates, no case studies, and certainly no consultants, just a fair amount of trial, error, and persistence. Today, those ventures are widely regarded as among Africa’s leading safari and conservation organisations. One of Colin’s more notable achievements was initiating and signing the first cheque that led to the reintroduction of both black and white rhinos into the Okavango Delta. At the heart of it all is his knack for seeing potential where others saw very little: identifying land that might have been dismissed as marginal or degraded, and recognising its ability to become thriving pristine wilderness. And, in time, finding a better way to keep a beer cold along the way.

Wilfred Chivell

Chief Executive Officer, Marine Dynamics

Wilfred Chivell is a pioneering conservationist and entrepreneur who has transformed marine eco-tourism in South Africa. In 2000, he founded Marine Dynamics Shark and Whale Tours in Gansbaai, creating a globally recognised model for sustainable tourism. Through his leadership, thousands of visitors have experienced the Marine Big 5—whales, sharks, dolphins, seals, and African penguins—while directly funding conservation efforts through the Dyer Island Conservation Trust (DICT). Under Wilfred’s vision, Marine Dynamics has grown into a circular economy where adventure tourism supports marine conservation, job creation, and community empowerment. Wilfred champions “non-consumptive industries” as the future of South Africa, believing that protecting the ocean and caring for people is as important as financial profit. His approach blends adventure, education, and environmental stewardship, cultivating future ocean conservationists and fostering a thriving, socially responsible economy. Driven by a philosophy of care, conservation, and community, Wilfred Chivell continues to inspire a new generation to explore, protect, and value the marine environment.

Miha Logar

Managing Director, Gorilla Highlands Ltd

Miha Logar is the managing director of Gorilla Highlands Ltd, a Rwanda-based tour company that won the 2022 Responsible Tourism Awards. An adventure/cultural tourism expert, Miha is also a part-time lecturer and the founder of the SEE AFRICA BREATHE AFRICA podcast. The last 10+ years of his life have been devoted to promoting the transboundary region shared by Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo; he resides with his children in its unofficial capital, the town of Musanze.

Oscar Mthimkhulu

Managing Executive, Kruger National Park, South African National Parks

Oscar Mthimkhulu is currently the Managing Executive at Kruger National Park for SANParks. He is responsible for (inter alia) managing operations and business processes within the Kruger National Park; developing and overseeing the implementation of policies, strategies, and operational procedures for the Park; leading stakeholder engagement processes; and ensuring sound corporate governance and effective financial management.

Isabel Wolf-Gillespie

Co-founder, Tswehe Wildlife Reserve

Isabel Wolf-Gillespie is a co-founder of Tswehe Wildlife Reserve in south-eastern Botswana, where her work focuses on nature-positive tourism, sustainable development, conservation stewardship, and community engagement within the wildlife economy. She is also a leadership coach and PhD researcher at Stellenbosch University, exploring how leadership values, ethics, morality and the lived experience shape eco-responsible behaviours in tourism and conservation and beyond.

Glynn O'Leary

Chief Executive Officer, Transfrontier Parks Destination (TFPD)

Glynn, co-founder and CEO of Transfrontier Parks Destinations (TFPD), brings a wealth of experience in rural tourism development with a degree in Business Science. TFPD, established in 2006, emerged from Glynn and his partners' encounter with Mier and Khomani San communities owning a deteriorating lodge in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Today, under TFPD's management, !Xaus Lodge has transformed into a community-owned success story, contributing significantly to job creation and micro-enterprise development. In 2009, Glynn led TFPD to manage the Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge, rescuing it from abandonment. With support from the Departments of Tourism and Environment, the lodge has become a Drakensberg mountains bucket-list destination, fostering local economic growth and micro-enterprise development. TFPD, under Glynn's leadership, has expanded to manage two lodges in rural South Africa and a hotel in Eswatini. Their commitment to responsible tourism is evident in multiple local and international awards, and TFPD is proudly the first Fair Trade-certified group company managing community-owned lodges across South Africa. Glynn's vision continues to shape sustainable tourism practices, leaving an indelible mark on the industry.

Nwabisa Mjoli

Project Support Specialist, Abercrombie & Kent East and Southern Africa

I began my journey in sustainable tourism and travel, with over eight years of experience and a passion for driving sustainability transformation and organisational change towards environmental stewardship and operational efficiency. I now serve as a Project Support Specialist, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to support and coordinate the planning, construction and renovation of Abercrombie & Kent’s luxury tourism properties across the East and Southern Africa.