
Wilderness recently announced its recognition at the recent Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, where it received three prestigious awards celebrating its commitment to sustainability, conservation and hospitality.
Wilderness was awarded the Virtuoso Sustainable Leadership Award for Protecting the Planet for its Conservancy Rhino Ranger Programme, based in Namibia’s vast Palmwag Concession in Damaraland. This project continues to drive remarkable conservation success by safeguarding one of the world’s last free-roaming, Critically Endangered black rhino populations. In partnership with Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) Namibia and the “Big 3” community conservancies in the region, the programme has expanded rhino protection by 20% and provides crucial financial and community support, including a share of camp revenue.
“This award is a significant endorsement of our dedication to conservation and our impact ethos around the pillars of Educate, Empower and Protect. We are immensely grateful for the continued support from our esteemed Virtuoso partners and colleagues, which inspires us to further our mission of preserving the world’s wilderness”, noted Simon Stobbs, Chief B2B Sales Officer at Wilderness.
In addition to this honour, the company was named Best Sustainability Community Partner, highlighting its extraordinary efforts in sustainable travel and strong support for travel advisors. The company also earned the title of Best Tour Operator, reinforcing its commitment to excellence within the travel industry.
“Being recognised by Virtuoso highlights our dedication to impactful conservation and responsible tourism. These accolades reflect our collective efforts in protecting vital wildlife and empowering local communities. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our like-minded partners in the Virtuoso community, and look forward to collectively advancing our global conservation goals in the future”, continued Simon.