GLAMPING Adventures chief executive Gugu Sithole is off to France following her bold win.
Gugu was named as esteemed Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award and Bold Future Award winner at a chic reception held last week in Bryanston.
She runs a tourism based company that is set to introduce a concept of ‘collaborative tourism’ as the sector prepares to operate in the ‘new normal,’ as a result of the pandemic.
Addressing invited guests she said ‘tourism is everyone’s business and should be treated as such’.
“Covid-19 impacted on the tourism sector in a huge way, with negative losses recorded across board. As the sector fights for survival, we are also taking this period to champion for what we call collaborative tourism. This is something that leverages tourism and economic partners in the SADC region,” she was quoted.
The company has already forged a working relationship with a Botswana based travel operator, The Gabs Experience – Travel and Tours and will adopt a strategy in countries such as Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Glamping Adventures popularises glamping in South Africa and has toured picturesque destinations such as the Drakensberg, Mpumalanga, Hartbeespoort, Parys, Clarens Kruger Transfrontier Park with travellers from Southern Africa and source markets such as Australia, the USA and Europe.
Launched in 1972, the Bold Woman Award is the first and longest-running international award of its kind, and this year is the 50th year of paying tribute to audacious businesswomen.
It’s an award that not only commends the work of fearless female business leaders, but also seeks to change the way that business is done – calling for higher ethical standards, transformational practices, and wider inclusion through the overarching Bold by Veuve Clicquot programme.
Selected from a pool of 250 visionary South African businesswomen, both Gugu and Londy the ‘captain’ now join the ranks of an illustrious list of 410 winners in 27 countries worldwide.
“The Bold Woman Award continues to pay tribute to a woman whose tenacity and creativity led to entrepreneurial success – Veuve Clicquot’s very own bold woman, Madame Clicquot.
Her story is one of audacity, and entrepreneurial spirit – in 1805, widowed at the age of 27 years old, she went on to revolutionise an entire industry. An exceptional achievement in a time when women couldn’t open their own bank account, let alone independently own or run businesses,” says Jean-Marc Gallot, CEO of Veuve Clicquot.
“It’s in her spirit that we work to identify and elevate these women’s journeys, emboldening successive generations of females to lead with audacity. As such, this is so much more than an accolade for their contribution, it’s an engine for revolution,” says Gallot.
Chic guests that included former Miss SA and entrepreneur Basetsana Kumalo, her sibling Johanna, and other key business-women, were serenaded by an Orchestra from Katlehong, conducted by the imposing Ofentse Pitse.
Gugu will be joined on the trip by another winner Captain Londy Ngcobo (Mapholoba- clan name) the founder of Global Maritime Youth and Director of Womaritime Experts.
Image Supplied (Bon Voyage, Gugu Sithole –blue dress and ‘captain’ Londy Ngcobo- yellow dress- sandwiched by judges at the awards reception held at The Forum, Bryanston, last Thursday evening).
