Responsible Tourism Awards: The final stretch

Ahead of the Namibia Tourism Expo that takes place next week from 18 to 21 May, excitement is mounting to find out which Namibian tourism establishment will walk away as the winner of the Responsible Tourism Award.
Only three finalists have remained in the accommodation establishments category and they are Gondwana’s Etosha Safari Camp, Nkasa Lupala Tented Lodge and Wolwedans Boulders Camp.
Wolwedans Boulders Camp is situated in the environmentally sensitive pro-Namib desert. This exclusive camp consists of just four luxury tents with en suite facilities that can accommodate a maximum of eight guests.
The camp, which overlooks a vast plain punctuated by inselbergen (island mountains), forms part of the Wolwedans Collection – a portfolio of safari camps – in the NamibRand Nature Reserve, one of the largest private nature reserves in Africa.
It was planned and built to limit impact on the environment to the absolute minimum. The tents and the communal area comprising a dining and lounge tent, breakfast deck and swimming pool are on elevated wooden decks. No cement was used to anchor the poles on which the platforms were built. This means that the entire camp can be dismantled and after a short while there will be no evidence whatsoever. Solar panels generate electricity for the entire camp’s lighting requirements, while solar geysers ensure that guests can enjoy a hot shower. To make provision for several days of overcast weather, gas geysers are used as a backup.
The overall winner will be announced at the Namibian Tourism Expo on 19 May. The announcement will be made at the Nedbank Unity Village at 16:00.
The three finalists stand to win prizes in editorial and advertorial coverage as follows: First prize: N$250 000, second prize: N$150 000 and third prize: N$100 000. These prizes include N$100 000 in cash for community upliftment in the areas where the winners operate.
Nedbank Namibia has sponsored N$50 000 for community projects arising from the competition.

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