Press Release - Travel Agency

PROFIT-FOR-GOOD BIRMINGHAM COMPANY LAUNCHES ETHICAL TRAVEL AGENCY

A Birmingham company which ploughs all of its profits into charities to conserve wildlife in Africa has launched a ground-breaking travel agency based on ethical tourism around the globe.

Rednal-based HR and management consultancy Naturally Concerned is spreading its wings to launch a travel business based on wildlife and environmental conservation. All net profits go to wild animal conservation in central and southern Africa.

Naturally Concerned was set up in 2008 by personnel and management expert Rob Ball, who previously held senior director positions at GKN and before that at MG Rover. He established the company in memory of his wife Alison who died from brain cancer.

All profits from Naturally Concerned go to Alison’s favourite wildlife charities. She was passionate about animal conservation in Africa and travelled there often.

The new travel company offers all types of holiday and business travel, but specialises in holidays which help animal conservation in Africa, dolphin and whale watching holidays, orang-utan viewing in Borneo and other ethically-based holidays.

Rob Ball said his wife loved being in Africa observing and photographing animals in the wild and she was enthusiastic about helping animals under threat.

“When you lose a spouse it causes you to pause and re-examine your priorities in life. Having spent more than 25 years in the corporate world I decided it was time to use my expertise in a more constructive and thoughtful way. That’s how Naturally Concerned was born. Alison’s passions were travel and animals, so this is a natural progression for the business,” he said.

“Naturally Concerned Travel operates under ethical guidelines based on conservation and concern for the environment. We aim to preserve the environment to which we travel, and ensure that local people are treated fairly and with respect, and benefit from tourist intrusion into their world. We aim to ensure that we have a positive impact on the destinations we visit,” he said.

Naturally Concerned Travel operates as a franchise of Explorer Travel and is ABTA and ATOL protected.

Rob Ball is a former director and head of HR development at MG Rover. He was made redundant when the company collapsed in 2005 and soon after was appointed HR director with GKN Autostructures.

He left there to set up Naturally Concerned following his wife’s death in 2008. Naturally Concerned Travel also promotes travel as an employee benefit for other organisations.

Aged 56, he is president of the Warwickshire Cricket League, president of Bournville Cricket Club and a former committee member at Warwickshire County Cricket Club. He is also a graduate of Common Purpose, the people development charity which encourages managers to become better leaders at work and in society.

His daughter Natalie – a professional actor who trained at Bristol Old Vic – is a co-director in Naturally Concerned.



More information: Rob Ball, tel: 07850 954075