andBeyond Presents: Caring for the African Community and the Environment
By Travel Impressions · April 2020
We sat down with Shaun Strydom, Group Sales & Global Concierge Manager at &Beyond, to discuss their Africa tours and how &Beyond is making an impact in African communities.
Q:Tell us a bit about &Beyond and the products and services the company offers.
&Beyond designs personalized high-end tours in 13 countries in Africa, five in Asia and four in South America, offering discerning travelers a rare and exclusive experience of the world.
We own and operate 29 extraordinary lodges and camps in iconic safari, scenic, and island destinations in Africa and South America. This enables us to positively impact more than nine million acres of wildlife land and 1,200 miles of coastline.
Established in 1991, &Beyond strives to leave our world a better place than we found it through our care of the land, wildlife and people, and through the delivery of extraordinary guest experiences. We have established an intimate relationship with some of the world’s last remaining unspoiled natural places and the communities that surround them. In combination with our highly skilled guides and rangers, this allows us to deliver extraordinary guest experiences that feel profoundly meaningful.
Q:In which African countries does &Beyond offer tailormade tours?
- South Africa
- Botswana
- Zimbabwe
- Zambia
- Namibia
- Mozambique
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Rwanda
- Uganda
- Zanzibar
- Seychelles
- Mauritius
Q:What types of tours does &Beyond offer, and which types of travelers does &Beyond cater to?
Type of Tours:
- Romance
- Impact and Participative Journeys
- Adventure
- Family
- Culture
- City
- Privately Guided
- Special Interest
- Wildlife / Safaris
- Photographic
- Wellness
- Small Group Journeys
Type of Travellers:
- Couples / Honeymooners
- Single Travelers
- Adventurers
- Wildlife Enthusiasts
- Generational Travelers
- Culture Lovers
- Speciality Seekers
Q:How is &Beyond making an impact in local African communities?
What lies at the core of &Beyond’s impact achievements is a vision that puts our guests, as well as the land, wildlife and people of Africa, Asia and South America at the very heart of our business.
Simply by traveling with &Beyond on an authentic and customized journey, each guest is supporting our dream to leave this world a better place.
From our greater impact model down to the minute details of our lodge activities, extraordinary guest experiences power our commitment to Care for the Land, Wildlife and People under our custodianship.
Our Vision 2020 was established in 2015 to unite &Beyonders toward our key focus areas of Care for the Land, Wildlife and People. Our subsequent Impact Review documents of 2017, 2018 and 2019 measure and report our progress and learnings against our agreed Vision 2020 goals:
Care of the Land
- Reducing our direct carbon footprint
- Sustainable use of water
- Zero plastic water bottles across our lodge footrpint
Care of the Wildlife
- Protection of endangered species by focusing on at least three endangered species
- Active management of the wildlife population to maintain biodiversity where we have full control of the land
- Supporting wildlife conservation education
Care of the People
- Maximize our localized shared value opportunities through economic benefit
- Maximize our localized shared value opportunities through capacity building
- Maximize our localized shared value opportunities through social service infrastructure
Visit www.andbeyond.com/impact for more information
Q:If you had to recommend just one tour to travelers who truly want to make a positive impact on the destination they’re visiting, which tour would you recommend and why?
We recommend &Beyond’s Phinda Impact Journey - South Africa tour where guests can embark on a journey of discovery with this privately guided, 7-day small group, set-departure journey that aims to highlight conservation and community development activities, which underpin the &Beyond ethos of “leaving the world a better place than we found it.”
- A small group of maximum eight guests, which means plenty of flexibility and exclusivity
- Guided throughout by an &Beyond specialist ranger, with access to renowned conservationists
- Incredible opportunities to get involved with a host of signature adventures, including conservation activities, behind-the-scenes insight on what it takes to be a qualified &Beyond guide, and spending a day immersed in the local community
- Unparalleled wildlife experience of &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, which is host to the Big Five, as well as excellent viewing opportunities of cheetah and the rare black rhino
- Exclusive accommodation at &Beyond Phinda Zuka Lodge, complete with private chef and butler
- Photographic Guide to guide each guest on their photographic journey, along with a canvas of the best photograph sent to each guest after their safari
Q:What makes an &Beyond vacation unique?
Our core ethos of "Care of the Land, Wildlife & People" drives all that we do. When guests travel with us, they make a meaningful contribution to the preservation of our world's cultures and wildlife.
At &Beyond, we are all about tailoring each journey around our guest's specific interests or expectations. Our collection of perfect moments are often exclusive to &Beyond, ensuring a unique adventure.
We are on call 24/7 to assist you throughout your journey. Over 2000 &Beyonders, including guides and ground logistic teams ensures you are in our hands from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave.