Graham Werner is a Commercial Photographer and the Business Development Manager in Queensland and Victoria for Bench Africa. He recently was appointed for the role and while he is still getting around to meeting you all, he looks forward to sharing some of his highlights from his job with Africa Beat.
Graham Werner is someone you need to get to know, and here is why.
What is your job description and what does your role involve?
My role at Bench Africa is the Business Development Manager for QLD and Victoria. I work with our industry partners and consortia to promote travel to Africa, train travel agents to sell Africa and present to consumers on behalf of our agency partnerships.
Which parts of the travel industry do you work with?
I primarily connect with agents, agency owners and consortia partners in Queensland and Victoria.
What do you love most about your job?
I’m obsessed with Africa and love nothing more than sharing that passion with others. The look of wonder on agents’ faces when I talk about wildlife encounters and African destinations absolutely fills my cup.
What are the challenges of your role?
I’m relatively new in the Africa space and realise there is much to learn….but my passion for the continent and the impact of my tour to South Africa several years ago burns bright.
What do you wish the travel industry did more of?
I was going to say ‘I wish the industry would get-together more often’ but with the recent wave of conferences and events (after almost 3 years of isolation) it’s already happening. I recently attended an industry conference and it was incredible to share stories, reconnect and hear from so many industry friends and colleagues.
How can the travel industry work with you?
The industry is still in recovery mode which means that my role is not only about engaging agents and leadership with visitation, product training, webinars etc, but to also reintroduce agents to the amazing continent of Africa, a destination they may not have thought about for a while.
What is your favourite African experience and why?
Being surrounded by a large herd of Kruger elephants (predominantly female) while enjoying the freedom of an open sided, open top safari vehicle. It still gives me goosebumps when I recall this close encounter. Who am I kidding, almost every wildlife sighting I’ve had in Africa is a favourite…. giraffe, lions, hyena, leopard, gazelles, buffalo, hippo etc…inspiring, humbling and exciting….my happy place.
Where is your next African adventure to?
I’m heading to Namibia in March next year and can barely contain my excitement. Experiencing Namibia has been on my wishlist for years.
What are your top tips for travelling to Africa?
My top tips to Africa include:
1. Give yourself plenty of time to get your visa’s sorted, it can be stressful rushing to get the necessary paperwork done.
2. Do a little research on the things that interest you…as an example, if you love your wildlife (like I do), watch a few David Attenborough doco’s and learn about wildlife behaviour prior to travel.
3. If you’re travelling to an area with specific luggage restrictions, do a practice pack before travelling, just so you know what you should and shouldn’t pack.
4. ALWAYS travel with a specialist company you can trust (did I mention Bench Africa has been in Australia for 54 years)
Contact Graham
Email: graham@benchafrica.com.au
Website: https://www.benchafrica.com/
