People at the heart of tourism: Andrew Camp on leadership and collaboration
Andrew Camp, Head of Sales at Sun International, is passionate about fostering collaboration and empowering people within the tourism industry. From his early career in recruitment to leading international sales, Andrew has built strong industry relationships and believes in servant leadership. He plays an active role in uniting sales teams, supporting professional growth, and eliminating barriers to entry—most notably through initiatives like the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) to ease visa challenges for Chinese travellers. A proud SATSA member, Andrew encourages industry players to work together for a stronger, more unified tourism sector.
At the start of the recession in 2008, and after spending seven years in London working in the recruitment sector, Andrew Camp decided to return home to South Africa. “I missed home – I missed my friends and family,” he reflects.
Andrew stayed in recruitment until 2011, when he was appointed as the International Sales Manager at Thompsons Africa (a well-known destination management company in Durban). “I’ve always been hungry to hunt for new business, acquire new clients, and grow market share. That’s a real passion of mine,” he says.
“The role entailed looking after the Middle East, India, and Far East markets, which I thought would be interesting, so I applied.” It was here that Andrew fell in love with the tourism industry. “Travelling between these markets, I met many people in the industry and have built relationships with them,” he reminisces.
His work took him to North America as the company expanded its portfolio. “I think that’s where I flourished,” Andrew points out. He certainly left an impression because that’s where he caught the attention of his now-wife. “She also works in the industry; we met at a trade show in Toronto, Canada.”
Coincidentally, they were both from South Africa. Ruth Bassett lived in Johannesburg then, while Andrew stayed in Durban. For two years, they were in a long-distance relationship, but eventually, Andrew realised something had to give. “I started looking for work in Jo’burg, and the Sun International Group Manager of International Sales and Marketing at the time contacted me looking for her replacement,” he shares. “She was emigrating to New Zealand and said I should apply for the role. So, I did.”
Andrew took up the ‘golden’ opportunity in March 2018. “I moved up to Jo’burg, and have been with Sun International ever since.”
In January this year, he was appointed the Head of Sales to lead the strategic integration, management, and delivery of a new sales portfolio and teams (including the International; National; Sports, Events & Entertainment; and Sales Administration functions).
A more unified Sun International salesforce
There have been many more memorable milestones and achievements throughout Andrew’s career in tourism, including when his teams have exceeded their sales targets. However, he emphasises that nurturing existing relationships and growing people is more rewarding than smashing targets.
“The people-related achievements are probably my favourite – watching them grow into better individuals professionally and personally,” he says.
“I believe in servant leadership: helping people on their journey by offering upskilling, coaching and guidance wherever I can,” he adds.
The number one thing that excites him about the new role is facilitating collaboration between the different teams. “They were very separate entities and worked mostly in silos. When you integrate teams, they learn new perspectives, which is an important skill if you hope to grow.”
And it’s already paying off. “The team is much more unified now,” Andrew says.
In the next couple of months, he hopes to pivot the focus to individual growth. “This will enhance their skills development and help them appreciate each other’s roles more, giving them a better understanding of the bigger picture and how every department contributes to the whole,” Andrew explains.
Eliminating barriers to entry and empowering people
Andrew wants to unblock obstacles for the broader tourism industry, too. “I sit on the Sales Thought Leadership Forum, which comprises 20 large brands around South Africa, a couple from East Africa, and some from offshore in one of the Indian Ocean Islands,” he says. “We meet monthly to discuss challenges and ideas concerning trade shows that are coming up and who’ll be responsible for what.”
He explains that it’s a great platform to integrate with partners and even competitors – all the decision-makers that collectively make up the industry. “You can get a view of where everyone’s businesses are, what works and what doesn’t, where to collaborate, and much more.”
As a member of the TOMSA board, Andrew also works closely with industry associations and global governments. SATSA’s CEO, David Frost, approached him to head up the task team responsible for gathering feedback from Chinese travel agents and operators to understand what was happening with visa access between the two countries. The feedback has contributed to the implementation of the new Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS)," he points out.
The TTOS aims to alleviate and unblock the visa challenges for Chinese tourists and business travellers. “It’s really great to know that I’ve had some part to play in that,” he adds.
Sun International works very closely with South African Tourism, SATSA, SAACI, TBCSA, and FEDHASA to align with local and global standards. He encourages SATSA members to reach out, share ideas, and explore ways to work together, reinforcing the industry’s collective strength.
