Highline Tours & Travel
Highline Tours & Travel
In 1993, as a naïve 23 year old, Frikkie had a dream to share the unspoilt beauty and wonder of the continent he grew up in, with the rest of the world. He realised just how little was known of Africa and in particular South Africa through his travels abroad competing in international sports. So, he became determined to change that! After all, it was Ernest Hemingway who once said: ” I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up and was not happy”. And so, Highline Tours was born amidst the political turmoil of a nation dealing with the end of the Apartheid era.
However, he soon realised that his dream might stay only just that. As reality set in, he was faced with his own lack of industry knowledge and inability to find international business. Apart from this there were hardly any tourists travelling to South Africa, due to the political situation back then. Highline Tours was but a tour operator in name only, as he was forced to sell insurance in the evenings to put food on the table.
But, as the winds of change were blowing over South Africa and the country was entering a new era of democracy, international interest in the Rainbow Nation was growing. So, in 1996, through perseverance and a great deal of luck, Highline eventually landed its first contract, which, to this day, still forms a major part of our business!
We were pushed into the deep end of the pool and had to learn to swim fast! In the years that followed, we grew in knowledge and confidence, resulting in strong relationships and partnerships with agents from around the world.
Investing in our staff through training and putting the right systems in place has ensured our longevity and has established us as one of the leading tour operators in Southern and East Africa. Today, we boast with offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nelspruit, Windhoek and the USA In recent years, we also realised the need to integrate vertically, and consequently own and operate a fleet of vehicles as well as a number of strategically located lodges and hotels.
Looking into the future, we realise that the tourism industry is changing at a rapid pace and to stay ahead of the game, adaptability is not only necessary but inevitable. However, we will never lose sight of the fact that this industry is about a shared passion for travel, with relationships and service to our industry partners at the core. It should, therefore, come as no surprise that our team often refers to themselves as a family, and through the years the Highline family has never deviated from the initial dream; to share our beautiful continent with the rest of the world!
