Resumé: Rear Admiral (JG) Jan Vorster (Ret)

Jan Vorster followed a career as a combat officer in the South African Navy. After an eventful 33 years in the Navy, he decided to take early retirement in the year 2000 at the rank of Rear Admiral (Junior Grade) in order to start a career in tourism.

His naval career was mostly spent at sea, were he was fortunate to have had a series of command appointments. He also had three foreign appointments, spending nine months on board the Argentinean sail training vessel ARA Libertad as an exchange officer (1970), almost two years in Madrid attending a Spanish Naval Staff Course (1985/6) and three years in London as the Defence Adviser to the South African High Commissioner, Her Excellency Ms Cheryl Carolus (1997/9). His tours of duty with the Argentineans and the Spaniards gave him the opportunity to master the Spanish language and gain an intimate knowledge of the Latin way of life. In general his career in the Navy has equipped him well to pursue a career in the field of tourism.

He qualified as a tour guide for the Western Cape in 2001 and extended his qualification to include the Eastern Cape in 2002. He is registered with the Department of Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Reg No WC 0317) and is the Director of FARO Tours. Over the past three years he has organised and guided a considerable number of tours, including VIP tours. He has a Professional Drivers Permit for vehicles up to 16 tons.


REFERENCES

  Great Britain I would like to thank you for all the help you gave us in organising the Hawk 2007 symposium for BAE Systems. Without your advice and hard work co-ordinating all the events over the last year, and particularly the last 3 months, it would have been impossible for us to provide the standard of event that we always aspire to. Organising an international event for over 100 representatives from 12 countries is never going to go as planned every minute of every day for more than a week. However, you always brought a calming influence to any last minute hitches that occurred and to all the delegates that attended it was a flawless week.

Your local knowledge, organisational skills, commentary and advice have been praised by all those who have given us feedback about the conference. Everyone who had the benefit of your expertise in organising their tours was most appreciative and thoroughly enjoyed the insight into South Africa that you provided for them.

It was a great pleasure working with you and I would have no hesitation in recommending Faro Tours, and you personally, to anyone looking to travel to South Africa for a holiday or business convention, large or small, in future.

I wish you the very best of luck in your future endeavours and hope that we will keep in touch.

Yours sincerely
for and on behalf of BAE SYSTEMS (Operations) Limited,




  Great Britain Thank you from all the Royal College of Defence Studies African Tour 2003 for a superb long weekend in Cape Town. We could not have asked for a better guide and mentor, and your commentary has given us an excellent insight into the life and soul of South Africa. We leave with fantastic memories. I hope that the RCDS can count on your services when the next tour returns.


  Netherlands Hartelik dank voor het organisieren van een perfecte tour in jouw prachtige land. Daarnaast het ik ook erg genoten van de goede gesprekken. Tot siens in de Kaap.


  South Africa Goed georganiseerde allesomvattende interessante toer met puik gastehuise. As eerste ondervinding was die blomme 'n fees vir die oog veral by Darling en Langebaan. Interessante uitstappies is gereël onder andere na die graf van Leipoldt en die boesmantekeninge in die Sederberge.
Weskaap se blommeprag saam met FARO Toere en 'n baie bekwame toergids, Jan Vorster, wat baie moeite gedoen het om vir ons die toer uiters aangenaam en leersaam te maak. Hoogtepunte wat ek kan uitlig is die orgidieëskou by Darling, die Sederberge, middagete by C Louis Leipoldt se graf en die boesmantekeninge. Die blommeverskeidenheid was baie mooi en die akkommodasie van die beste.


  USA Superb 3 days. The stunning scenery along with the information you have given us means it has been a holiday we will never forget. With thanks.


  Canada Jan, we have thoroughly enjoyed our time with you - too short! Thanks for the education. We hope to see you again.


  Argentina Thank you for your kind guidance. You are a great tourist guide. We will never forget your assistance. We spent a marvellous day with you.
Lovely experience, enjoyable from beginning to end. Hope we can come back and do the Garden Route too.


  Spain Sudafrica es un magnifico pais, pero lo mas interesante son las personas que lo habitan, porque son fantasticas.
Gran Pais del que me llevo un arco iris de recuerdos positivos. Aupa Sudafrica!
Gracias por haber hecho que nos vacaciones hayan sido estupendos.
Ha sido un placer conoceros a los sudafricanos. Siempre hay motivos para volver a este fantastico pais. Gente encantadora.


  Denmark Vi var 8 gamle venner, der havde sparet sammen til vores livs rejseoplevelse - valget blev Sydafrika v. Jan Vorster - og selvom vi alle har rejst meget og langt, blev det livets rejse. 3 uger, hvor vi boede 13 steder og blev så fyldt med indtryk fra en vildt varierende natur, vegetation, dyr - og specielt udvalgt af Jan: utroligt venlige og så personlige værter på vores logier at vi følte os velkomne som kære venner ALLE steder. Og vi mødte mennesker, vi aldrig glemmer - vores guide og hans "underguide" i Kruger Park, guiden på Robben Island, den tidligere fange Mobise, som var så fuld af tilgivelse - besøget i Sydafrika gav os alle en tro på en smuk fremtid, vi håber at den giver os mulighed for at vende tilbage"

"We were 8 old friends, who had saved for the travelling experience of our life - the choice was South Africa with Jan  Vorster of FARO Tours- and although all of us had travelled much around the world, it really became the trip of our life. 3 weeks, we stayed 13 places and got so many impressions of varying nature, vegetation, animals - and accommodation specially chosen by Jan. The hosts of our lodges were so kind that we felt welcome as old friends EVERYWHERE. We met people that we will never forget - our guide and his "under-guide" in Kruger Park, the guide on Robben Island, prisoner during the Apartheid era, Mobise, so full of forgiveness - the visit to Sourh Africa gave us all faith to future, we hope the future will enable us to return"