THE Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) announced the winners of its inaugural Tourism Investment Awards at a gala dinner on October 1. The awards evening formed part of the first Hica conference organised by the TBCSA.

TBCSA ceo, Mmatšatši Marobe, said the awards aimed to recognise and reward companies and individuals who had made an extraordinary contribution to lifting the profile of the tourism industry through promoting growth, investment, innovation and excellence, across all tourism sectors.
 
Lebo Malepa of Lebo's Backpackers and Bicycle Tours in Soweto was the winner in the two categories of project excellence and innovation, while the lifetime achiever award went to Hans Enderle of the City Lodge Group. Other contenders for excellence and innovation were Didimala Game Lodge near Hammanskraal north of Tshwane and Dive Expert Tours in the Eastern Cape. Other nominees for lifetime achievement were Anton Thompson of Thompson Tours; Adrian Gardner of Mantis Collection and Glenn Van Heerden, previously of Avis Southern Africa.