The Explorer Club consolidating operations

Image Source: The Explorer Club

MICE market

Most significantly, for the specialist MICE market, the now well-known brand of "Twiice Victoria Falls" has been dropped and will simply be encapsulated as the ground-handling division of TECA. "Some agents may have mistaken Twiice as a traditional DMC and competitor," said McCormick. "This has never been the role or objective of Twiice which was set up almost four years ago with the primary purpose of supporting the agency network as a key resource provider and ground partner with unmatched local knowledge and range of products."

He said that "ethics and trust" were at the core of how the ground handling unit operated and that agents with international MICE clients would "benefit enormously" from forging an alliance with The Explorer Club Africa.

"Magical creativity and almost 30 years experience of the severe demands of the MICE markets in our iconic destination are at our heartbeat and etched in our soul. When this is bolted on to ownership of our range of key property and adventure products, then it is obvious that a partnership with us would give agents a massive competitive edge in bidding for blue-chip global incentive and meetings programmes. We are their power strategic partners, not competitors, and have almost 300 people on the ground."

Several other products have also been incorporated under The Explorer Club Africa flagship and the group now consists of:

• The River Club (5-star luxury safari lodge; 10 private suites)
• The David Livingstone Safari Lodge & Spa (TDLSL&S) (77 room 4-star-plus luxury hotel)
• The Victoria Falls Waterfront (series of 3-star chalets, pools, restaurant)
• The Elephant Cafe (an upmarket "taste of the wilds" restaurant and elephant interaction at the edge of the Zambezi River)
• The Kalai Restaurant (fine dining restaurant)
• The Boma Restaurant (on-property at TDLSL&S)
• Peppino's Pizza Bar (overlooking a magical stretch of the Zambezi River)
• Safari par Excellence (adventure activity specialists for 26 years)
• The Victoria Falls Conference Centre (modern meeting facilities for up to 280, on-property at TDLSL&S and adjoining a safari-style Bedouin tent facility overlooking a wildlife waterhole)
• The Lady Livingstone, 144-seat luxury cruise boat moored at TDLSL&S.
• The Explorer Club Ground Handling Division (formerly Twiice, creating and delivering MICE programmes in partnership with the global agency network).

Establishing TECA group as Zambia's adventure travel operator

The restructuring firmly establishes The Explorer Club Africa group as Zambia's adventure travel operator with a unique product portfolio along the banks of the Zambezi River near Livingstone.

Longest-standing group member, Safari par Excellence, pioneered adventure activities in the area and its portfolio consists of Zambezi Elephant Trails, permanent tents and camping for the backpackers' and young adventurers' markets, white water rafting, upper Zambezi canoeing, 4 x 4 safari drives, upper Zambezi raft float, MV Makumbi and MV Mambushi cruise boats, jet boats and a fleet of coaches, mini-buses and 4 x 4 safari vehicles.