The Eastern Cape nature reserve recognized for its environmental efforts.

World-class game reserves in the Dubai World Africa Services (DWAS) portfolio of conservancy properties scooped a hat-trick of awards during the month of May, carrying off some top honours at the SA Wilderness Foundation Awards, the World Travel African Awards and the World Travel Awards.

As part of its South Africa portfolio, DWAS has a major shareholding in the Shamwari Mantis Collection Game Reserves: the world-renowned Jock Safari Lodge in the Kruger National Park, the 25,000 hectare Shamwari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape province and the 54,000 hectare Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in the Western Cape's scenic Klein Karoo.

These game reserves continue to attract attention for their ongoing commitment to conservation.

At the SA Wilderness Foundation Awards on May 10 this year, both Shamwari and Sanbona were lauded for their dedication to the environment. Eagles Crag and the newly-developed Sarili Lodge at Shamwari landed Green Leaf Environmental Standard Awards for 2009, as did Dwyka Tented Lodge and Gondwana Family Lodge at Sanbona. Rippons Safari Lodge, an eco-lodge at Shamwari, went on to earn a coveted Gold Leaf Award. For a Gold Leaf to be awarded, the lodge had to score more than 95 percent across a range of environmental criteria.

"The awards spotlight companies making a positive contribution to conservation and environmental efficiency in accommodation," explains DWAS managing director Michael Griffin.

The same week, Shamwari was chosen as Africa's Leading Conservation Company and Africa's Leading Safari Lodge 2009 at the World Travel Africa Awards held in Durban.

The reserves have garnered international, as well as local, recognition and acknowledgement for DWAS.

At the annual World Travel Awards held in Dubai earlier in the month, Shamwari scooped the World's Leading Conservation Company Award 2009 for the tenth year in a row.

"We are proud of the fact that Shamwari was the only international business noted for its ongoing commitment to conservation," adds Griffin.

DWAS remains committed to South Africa, highlights Griffin, with holdings that are spread across different provinces but remain true to the company's key sectors of tourism, hospitality and conservation.

In addition to DWAS being the controlling shareholder in the Shamwari Game Reserves, the company also has interests in Singita Lebombo Lodge and Singita Sweni Lodge in the Kruger National Park as well as Nkomazi Wilderness Reserve in Mpumalanga. DWAS is the major investor in Cape Town's iconic Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and Griffin also points to DWAS's role as joint developer and financier of the new One & Only luxury hotel at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

"Our developments focus on enhancing infrastructure, employment, tourism and conservation in South Africa and that is what we will continue to focus on," concludes Griffin