TripAdvisor 2024 Travelers’ Choice Award – Victoria Falls Safari Club
The Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best title celebrates the highest level of excellence in travel. It’s awarded to those who receive a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the Tripadvisor community over a 12-month period. Out of our 8 million listings, fewer than 1% achieve this milestone.
TripAdvisor
Africa Albida Tourism properties have won accolades from TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website, based on excellent reviews.
- 2011- 2019 – A Certificate of Excellence, reflecting the consistently great reviews earned on TripAdvisor was awarded to Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Victoria Falls Safari Club, Ngoma Safari Lodge, Lokuthula Lodges, MaKuwa-Kuwa Restaurant and The Boma – Dinner & Drum Show.
- 2015 – A Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame, which recognises properties that win a Certificate of Excellence for five consecutive years, was awarded to Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. Victoria Falls Safari Club, Ngoma Safari Lodge, Lokuthula Lodges, MaKuwa-Kuwa Restaurant and The Boma – Dinner & Drum Show each received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.
We Are Africa – Innovation Awards
The We are Africa Innovation Awards celebrate the best in independently minded, brilliantly executed travel ideas at one of Africa’s leading travel shows.
- 2019 – Africa Albida Tourism wins the Engage Africa Award – which recognises community collaboration to build a more united Africa – for the Victoria Falls Recycling project
Corporate Social Responsibility Network Zimbabwe
The CSR Network Zimbabwe aims to is to raise awareness, build capacity, promote and support the development and implementation of good corporate social responsibility practices. The CSR Zimbabwe Network Awards are the country’s premiere sustainability accolades.
- 2018 – Africa Albida Tourism wins the Recycling Champion of the Year Award in the Matabeleland province CSR Network Zimbabwe Awards in recognition of the Victoria Falls Recycling project
- 2017 – Africa Albida Tourism wins the Excellence in Environment – Tourism Sector Appreciation Award in the Zimbabwe National CSR Awards
Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe
The Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe annual awards recognise individuals and businesses’ efforts and achievements in support of travel and tourism in the country.
- 2018 – Africa Albida Tourism wins the Achievement in Marketing Award for Africa’s Living Soul survey, which provides tourism data of the Victoria Falls region
*Please also see individual staff awards below
Green Tourism
International organisation Green Tourism is one of the world’s most credible and effective global sustainability programs in tourism.
- 2016 – Victoria Falls Safari Lodge wins a Silver Award from Green Tourism
Condé Nast Traveler
The Readers Choice Awards reflect the combined opinions of 45,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers rating the cities, islands, and hotels they visited in the past year, and the airlines and cruise ships they traveled with.
- 2013 – Victoria Falls Safari Lodge voted 20th in the Top 25 Resorts and Safari Camps in Africa
- 2012 –Victoria Falls Safari Lodge named in Africa’s Top 22 Safari Lodges
- 2011 – Victoria Falls Safari Lodge named inAfrica’s Top 22 Safari Lodges
- 2006 –Victoria Falls Safari Lodge named on Gold List of the World’s Best Places to Stay
- 2004 – Victoria Falls Safari Lodge named on Gold List of the World’s Best Places to Stay
- 2001 –Victoria Falls Safari Lodge named on reserve list of Worldwide Gold Awards
- 2000 –Victoria Falls Safari Lodge named as one of Africa’sTop 5 Safari Resorts
Association of Zimbabwe Travel Agents
The annual Association of Zimbabwe Travel Agents (AZTA) Awards recognise excellence in
service providers across the travel and tourism industry in Zimbabwe, and are voted by travel
agents.
- 1996 to 2019, 2022 to 2024 (26 consecutive years – there were no awards during Covid in
2020- 21) - Victoria Falls Safari Lodge wins Best Safari Lodge/Best Resort Hotel
- 2013 to 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 – Lokuthula Lodges wins Best Self Catering
- 2023 – Lokuthula Lodges wins Best Bed and Breakfast facility
- 2013, 2014, 2016 – 2019, 2022 – Victoria Falls Safari Club wins Best Boutique Hotel
- 2023 – Victoria Falls Safari Club second runner up in Best Boutique Hotel category
- 2013 – Victoria Falls Safari Club wins Best New Establishment
- 2007, 2018 –Africa Albida Tourism wins Industry Environment Award
RCI – Gold Crown Resort
RCI is the global leader in holiday exchange. The Gold Crown Recognition is the highest award, which is given to 10 per cent of RCI’s resorts. Gold Crown recognizes quality, based upon comment cards received by members who stayed at the resort on exchange.
- 1993 – 2016–Lokuthula Lodges achieve Gold Crown Resort status
Zimbabwe On A Plate Award
Zimbabwe on a Plate which no longer runs, was a competition which encouraged the attainment and maintenance of the highest possible standards in Zimbabwean restaurants. Entrants were reviewed annually by an anonymous team. They were scored and rated using a comprehensive set of criteria.
- 2007- 2010, 2013 – The Boma – Dinner & Drum Show wins Most Imaginative Dining Experience
- 2006 – 2009 – MaKuwa-Kuwa Restaurant wins Zimbabwe’s Best Deluxe Restaurant and Most Imaginative Menu
- 2006 -2009 – The Boma – Dinner & Drum Show wins an Award of Excellence
Environment Africa
Environment Africa is a not for profit organisation with more than 20 years of experience in responding to the needs of our people and our environment. In 2008 Environment Africa applauded Africa Albida Tourism as Zimbabwe’s first tourism Environmental Champion.
- 2008 –Africa Albida Tourism named Environmental Corporate Champion
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority is the country’s tourism governing body responsible for marketing, planning and development, research and the enforcement of standards and services.
- 2007 –The Boma – Dinner & Drum Show wins Best Ethnic Restaurant
Getaway Magazine
- 2006 – South African magazine Getaway names Victoria Falls Safari Lodge in its Top 10 Getaway Places.
Travel + Leisure Magazine
Travel + Leisure’s best hotel experts and their readers, create a list of the top-rated 500 hotels around the globe.
- 2019 – Victoria Falls Safari Lodge named in the Travel + Leisure’s Top 5 Resort Hotels in Africa
- 2005 –Victoria Falls Safari Lodge named in Travel + Leisure’s Top 500 List for Best Hotels in the World
- 2004 –Victoria Falls Safari Lodge named in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards as 20th in the Top 25 properties in Africa and the Middle East
Society For Incentive Travel Excellence Crystal Award
The Crystal Awards Recognition Program honours the top tier of world-class organizations that excel in designing unique and memorable experiences that deliver measurable results for their clients.
- 2000 –Victoria Falls Safari Lodge wins Best Trip Delivery through supplier Green Route
- 1995 –Victoria Falls Safari Lodge wins Best Trip Delivery through supplier Green Route
Green Globe Distinction Award
The Green Globe award, the world’s most prestigious environmental accolade, recognizes projects that excel in leadership and activities fostering stewardship by protecting the environment, managing natural resources and benefiting the community.
- 2000 –Victoria Falls Safari Lodge wins Outstanding Environmental Performance award
Heineken’s Great Bars Of The World
- 1997 –Victoria Falls Safari Lodge’s Buffalo Bar listed in Heineken’s Great Bars of the World
OK! Magazine
- 1997 – British OK magazine names Victoria Falls Safari Lodge as one of their Top 25 Resorts for the Rich and Famous.
Tatler’s Annual Travel Guide
Tatler’s Annual Travel Guide is a selection of the top 101 hotels from around the world.
- 1997 –Victoria Falls Safari Lodge named One of the World’s Ten Best Kept Secrets
Institute Of Architects Of Zimbabwe
- 1994 – The architects who designed Victoria Falls Safari Lodge win the National Architecture Award from the Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe.
Individual Staff Awards
- 2010 – 2019, 2022, 2023 – AAT sales executive Wendy Bourne wins the Association of
Zimbabwe Travel Agents award for the Most Outstanding Voluntary Service to Travel Agents - 2022 – Africa Albida Tourism executive chairman Dave Glynn wins the Association of Zimbabwe Travel Agents’ Special Award in recognition of his creation of Africa’s Eden, a regional tourism association marketing Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and Botswana.
- 2019 – Africa Albida Tourism chief executive Ross Kennedy wins the Outstanding Contribution to Diplomacy Award at the Diplomat of the Year Awards which is given to an individual or organisation who has contributed immensely to the relationship between Zimbabwe and other nations
- 2017 – Africa Albida Tourism finance and operations director Nigel Frost named the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe’s Tourism Personality of the Year Award in the Havergal Marketing Tourism Achievers Awards in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Zimbabwe’s tourism sector.
- 2015 – Africa Albida Tourism chief executive Ross Kennedy named the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe’s Tourism Personality of the Year Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Zimbabwe’s tourism sector.
- 2014 – AAT chief executive Ross Kennedy awarded the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe’s Hospitality Award, presented each year to a person who has given unstinting service to the industry and its people over a long period of time.
- 2014 – Victoria Falls Safari Lodge resort general manager Jonathan Hudson named the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce’s Manager of the Year 2013
- 2010 – 2019, 2022 – AAT sales executive Wendy Bourne wins the Association of Zimbabwe Travel Agents award for the Most Outstanding Voluntary Service to Travel Agents