After 27 years of leadership, well-known industry figure Martin Botha has announced his retirement as COO of Tourvest subsidiary Sense of Africa, South Africa, effective September 1.
During his time at the inbound DMC, Botha steered the company through periods of immense growth and transformation, leading with vision and resilience during challenging times that included the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tourvest Destination Management CEO Martin Wiest described Botha as the backbone of Sense of Africa, South Africa.
“His leadership, loyalty and commitment to excellence have shaped the business into what it is today. He has inspired teams, nurtured talent and navigated some of the most challenging periods in our industry with calm confidence. While we will miss his steady presence, we wish him nothing but happiness and new adventures as he embarks on a well-deserved retirement.”
Botha’s career at Tourvest began in finance at Welcome Tours and Safaris in 1998.
“Thankfully, Martin Wiest and Peta Panos saw potential in me and allowed me to flee the coop and explore the whole gamut of roles, thrills and spills in a DMC. I thank my lucky stars that I landed up in tourism, working for a great company, in a country that is any traveller’s dream destination, and to have always been surrounded and supported by friends and colleagues who constitute our teams of travel professionals,” said Botha.
Suzanne Benadie steps in as Managing Executive
From September 1, Suzanne Benadie will step in as Managing Executive of Sense of Africa, South Africa with 35 years of experience across the length and breadth of the tourism sector.
Benadie joined Tourvest in 2011 and progressed to head of business development, contracting and key source markets for Tourvest Destination Management.
“I am honoured to now lead as Managing Executive, guiding our team into an exciting and complex future,” said Benadie.
“Suzanne brings deep experience, strong industry knowledge, and a passion for people and product to this role. With our strong internal skills pool, we are confident that Suzanne will lead the business into an exciting new era,” said Wiest.
Masa Yamawaki appointed new GM: Sales
Meanwhile, Masa Yamawaki – current Market Manager for Australia, New Zealand, Asia and North America – will step into the role of GM: Sales for the business.
“Masa’s international market expertise, strong client relationships, and passion for delivering exceptional service makes him the perfect fit to lead our sales efforts and drive future growth,” Wiest said.
Yamawaki began his tourism career in 2006, gaining extensive experience across consulting, contracting and sales, and joined Tourvest Destination Management in 2016.
“I’ve worked across diverse international markets, and this exposure has given me valuable insights into global travel trends and client expectations. I’m passionate about creating meaningful travel experiences that showcase Southern Africa as a world-class destination and drive growth for our business,” Yamawaki said.
