The Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe (TBCZ) has appointed Winnie Muchanyuka as President, replacing Tich Hwingwiri.

Muchanyuka, current SAA Regional Manager, previously held the position of TBCZ Vice-President for the last three years before the organisation was rebranded into TBCZ in September this year.

“TBCZ would like to congratulate Winnie Muchanyuka for being elected the new president of council. May the new appointment be a source of success for the tourism industry. The council is in great hands. Congratulations,” the council posted on Twitter.

Wilderness Safaris has announced new EXCO appointments, with two internal promotions and one external, ensuring the business is adequately resourced to move forward into the next phase of development and growth.

Tracy Bamber has been appointed Chief Sales Officer, Petru Ebersohn as Chief Human Resources Officer, and Ginny Davids – long-time marketing consultant for Wilderness Safaris – has been employed as Chief Marketing Officer.

Wilderness Safaris’ regional MDs remain the same as before, with Kim Nixon overseeing Botswana, Alexandra Margull Namibia, and Ron Goatley Zimbabwe and Zambia. Francis Antrobus, Chief Technology Officer, will also form part of this team, as well as supporting Wilderness Holdings EXCO.

Together these seven people will make up the new EXCO of Wilderness Safaris. A new Chief Financial Officer will be appointed in due course.

Bamber has been with Wilderness Safaris since 1995, having started her career in the retail travel sector in 1992. She has grown through the ranks in the business and has a wealth of knowledge and experience pertaining to all areas of the company and industry.

Ebersohn has been with Wilderness Safaris for the past five years, working closely with the MDs in lodge operations and also with the tour operating side of the business, demonstrating both her commitment and ability to execute the company’s HR strategy though operationalising people-practices across all regions of operation. She has a BCom Business Management and LLB from the North-West University and an advanced labour law qualification from the University of Pretoria.

Davids grew up and finished her schooling in Zimbabwe, and went on to complete a BA in Psychology and a Postgraduate Degree in Marketing from the University of Cape Town. She brings a wealth of marketing experience to the business.

Jayne Kiragu, well known by visitors to the Sarova Whitesands Resort & Spa in Mombasa, Kenya, has been appointed Lodge Manager at the Sarova-managed Spirit of the Masai Mara in Kenya.

Until November, Kiragu was Front Office Manager at Sarova Whitesands Resort & Spa in Mombasa for a number of years.

Tanzania-based charter airline Coastal Aviation has appointed Anna Westh De Brauwer Director of Sales, effective December 6.

De Brauwer will focus on Coastal Aviation’s commercial department and was part of the airline’s initial team when operations first commenced back in the ’80s.