AFRICA Albida Tourism (AAT) group has appointed Andy Conn as new group operations manager to oversee the running of the company’s portfolio of properties with effect from March 2015. OWN CORRESPONDENT
The hospitality group runs hotels, lodges and restaurants in Southern Africa’s foremost tourist destinations.
AAT’s portfolio includes Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Resort Condominiums International Gold Crown self-catering Lokuthula Lodges (Victoria Falls), the 20-room Victoria Falls Safari Club and Ngoma Safari Lodge (Chobe, Botswana) and the Victoria Falls Safari Suites.
In a press statement to announce the appointment, AAT said Conn would be based in Victoria Falls.
He returns to Zimbabwe from South Africa, where he had been working as general manager at Mount Grace Country House and Spa, near Johannesburg. Previously he spent five years as general manager at Indigo Bay Resort —Bazaruto Island – Mozambique.
From 1998 to 2006, he was employed as general manager at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.
“There’s been a real sense of coming home, working in an environment where I spent many, many happy years previously. I have a bond with Zimbabwe, and what I consider to be my people,” Conn said.
He expressed hopes to use his skills attained over more than 30 years in the hospitality industry, to further develop both service and delivery across AAT properties.
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Conn, however, said his new role had provided a bit of a soft landing because he had some background knowledge, which was not as familiar as he had expected because there had been so much progress at AAT during his nine year absence. AAT chief executive Ross Kennedy said they were lucky to have recruited Conn for the second time in his career.
“He brings another nine years wide ranging experience, exposure and knowledge from some wonderful properties that he has managed. We look forward to see the benefits of Andy’s great people skills, hospitality ethic and new energy through the group,” Kennedy said.
