Company History
1997
Tourvest is established through the incorporation of a number of long established tourism companies and is listed on the JSE.
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02
1998
Aggressively expands through the acquisition of a number of tourism businesses, including Out of Africa and Shakaland.
1999
Acquires American Express Travel and Foreign Exchange franchise rights, and Seekers Travel.
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04
1999
Opens Lesedi Cultural Village in the North West province.
1999
Purchases SAA’s inflight sales business.
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06
2000
Wins ACSA tender for a curio megastore at Johannesburg International and Cape Town International Airports. Purchases a majority share and takes management control of an outlet in Kirstenbosch Gardens.
2001
Tourvest sells controlling stake to Imperial Holdings.
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08
2002
Awarded the tender for the retail rights in SANParks including the Kruger National Park, Addo Elephant National Park and the Tsitsikamma Marine Reserve, creates the Parks Shop.
2003
Created the Pilanesberg Elephant Back Safari company.
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10
2004
Acquires a number of tourist-orientated restaurants as the first step in its planned expansion into this sector of the tourism industry.
2006
Acquires the four star Adderley Hotel in Cape Town as well as an interest in the hotel management company Relais Hotels as the first step in establishing a presence in the accommodation sector of the tourism market.
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12
2006
Expands its operations into East Africa through the acquisition of a majority interest in one of the region’s leading ecotourism businesses, Vintage Africa. At the same time, it is awarded a prime concession for a new luxury permanent tented camp in the Serengeti National Park.
2006
Acquires a controlling interest in a travel management company in Nigeria.
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14
2006
Expands its fledgling property portfolio through the acquisition of the Makalali Game Lodge in Limpopo and Casa do Sol in Hazyview.
2006
Acquires a 60% interest in Ganzee, a leading souvenir store operator in Barbados. This is the first step in the planned international expansion of its destination retail business.
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2007
Acquires four well-known seafront restaurants in Cape Town – La Med, Quay Four, Black Marlin and Bertha’s – in line with its strategy of building up a portfolio of strategically located tourist destination restaurants.
2007
Acquires the overland tours business of the Drifters group to support the expansion of its activities operations.
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2008
Majority shareholding in Tourvest disposed of by Imperial Holdings. The company is bought by a BEE consortium led by Guma Tourism and delists.
2009
Acquires a majority stake in Silver Star Tours, giving the group major exposure to the Indian source market.
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20
2010
Appointed as an agent of Western Union and offers money transfers at most of its foreign exchange bureaus countrywide.
2010
Handles over 70 000 passengers for the FIFA World Cup through a specialist division called TEAM.
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22
2010
Adds the iconic Hildebrand Restaurant in Cape Town to its growing portfolio of restaurants.
2010
Completes a low ecological impact luxury camp, known as Elephant Camp, at its concession in the Victoria Falls National Park.
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24
2010
Consolidates its property portfolio under a single umbrella company called aha.
2011
Adds Thakadu River Camp in the Madikwe Game Reserve, the Chobe Marina Lodge in Botswana and the Bongani Mountain Lodge in Mpumalanga to its property portfolio of managed properties.
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2012
Awarded concession for British Airways inflight sales.
2012
SANParks extends contract to manage retail shops in the Tsitsikama, Addo and Kruger National Parks for a further 10 years.
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28
2012
Launches TravelIT, a sophisticated online corporate travel management solution.
2013
Awarded full management contract for all the properties at the Gondwana Game Reserve near Mossel Bay.
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2013
Strengthens presence in Uganda with acquisition of majority stakes in activity business Adrift and the River Nile island lodge Wild Waters.
2013
Extends sports involvement to UEFA and Olympics and opens TEAM offices in Portugal and Russia. Enters JV with SARU (SA Rugby Travel) and awarded exclusive rights for the IRB Rugby World Cup in the UK to provide complete fan and corporate packages, including tickets.
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32
2013
Awarded full management contract for Kopanong Hotel & Conference Centre.
2013
Opens Kuria Hills, a permanent lodge in the Northern Serengeti.
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34
2013
Awarded tender for KwaZulu-Natal provincial government’s travel management.
2014
Acquires Three Cities Management Group with full management contracts for fourteen properties.
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36
2014
Opens destination retail shop at Mumbai Airport, a first in India.
2014
Buys out minority shareholder in East African operation.
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38
2015
Awarded full management contracts for Ivory Tree Game Lodge, Shepherd’s Tree Game Lodge and River Place Country Estate (now River Place Lodge).
2015
Awarded full management contract for Masa Square Hotel.
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40
2015
Takes full control of Uganda activity business.
2015
Opens first duty free store at Lagos Airport.
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42
2016
Launches the new aha brand.
2016
Awarded full management contract for Imperial Hotel and Urban Hotel Bloemfontein.
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44
1998
Tourvest is Southern Africa’s leading integrated tourism group, operating businesses which range from travel management companies, hotels, lodges and restaurants to craft, curio and jewellery shops and foreign exchange bureaux, under some 60 sector-leading brands, employing more than 5 000 people…
