1 000 Hills tourist guide named Best Cultural Guide in KZN
The Lilizela Tourist Guides Awards are awarded to registered tourist guides who have gone beyond the call of duty to make a tourist's experience worthwhile.
JEFFERY Buthelezi, centre manager and cultural guide at Durban Green Corridor’s iSithumba Adventure Centre in the Valley of 1 000 Hills, has been named the Lilizela Tourism Awards Best Cultural Guide for the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
The Lilizela Tourist Guides Awards are awarded to registered tourist guides who have gone beyond the call of duty to make a tourist’s experience worthwhile. The awards are not only for guides who are very knowledgeable of South Africa and it’s offerings in their respective fields, but are also professionals and ensure that their tourists have a memorable experience in South Africa.
Unlike the other service excellence awards, the Tourist Guides Awards are nomination-based. Visitors or members of the tourism industry are encouraged to nominate tourist guides who have made their experience in South Africa worthwhile.
Jeffery matriculated in 2006 at Nogunjwa High School, after which he obtained a national higher certificate in tourism guiding through a learnership programme initiated by the Department of Tourism from 2007 to 2008.
In 2010 he joined the Durban Green Corridor as guide and centre manager at iSithumba Adventures, where his passion, enthusiasm and brilliant guiding skills allowed him to showcase his local community in iSithumba with a walking tour of the village, which included a visit to a sangoma, the local tribal leader and the local tavern. He also leads a range of mountain bike trails, hiking trails and environmental education projects around the iSithumba area, a 15-minute drive from Hillcrest.
“I really appreciate the platform that Durban Green Corridor has given me; this has really helped me realise my full potential for being a cultural guide. This award really motivates me to improve more and serve my clients even better. It’s a great honour and brings hope, respect and motivation for guides in the tourism industry, who too often don’t view guiding a professional career,” said Buthelezi
Jeffery will now go on to the national finals for the Lilizela Tourism Awards at a prestigious event to be held at the Sandton Convention Centre on 22 October.
