WHAT HAS HURT

• Watching the disbelief and pain as our industry shrank to nothing overnight.
• Feeling the enormous financial pressure our Members faced as their costs and responsibilities remain unchanged with radically reduced tourism revenue.
• The negotiating and haggling over deposits, payments, postponements and cancellations... and on it goes.
• The fear, losses and radical shift many of us have experienced in both a personal and business capacity.
• Seeing how threatened and vulnerable our wild spaces are when no park and concession fees are paid.
• The devastating impact on African based businesses together with already impoverished and marginalised communities who have no government support.

WHAT WE ARE THANKFUL FOR

• Our extraordinary Classic Portfolio Members: in the past year, only 2 have moved on (Gibb's Farm and Machaba Safaris) while the remaining 15 have been rock solid in their commitment to Classics and the future of tourism in Africa.

• My team of 19 amazing women who have supported each other and our Members through a year of radical change.
• New business opportunities: from launching Marataba Conservation Camps and working with the investors to launch Coot Club, to a new management consultancy role at HBD Principe and taking on numerous projects for other Members.
• Being able to connect with exceptional industry colleagues around the world via Zoom has radically changed how we interact. I have so enjoyed the regular catch-up session we have with other product owners as we share ideas on best practice going forward.
• And finally, online school which gave me the opportunity to take a 16 week working road trip around South Africa with my girls (aged 10 and 11, this was a very special time).

HOW WE ARE EMERGING

• While we will create a direct (B2C) narrative around our Portfolio, we neither have the capacity nor the desire to manage bookings and become a tour operator. We remain committed to our strategy of working closely with our key travel trade partners through our TOP500 campaign.