www.all Africa.com A Nambian veteran conservationist has been nominated for the prestigious Paul Morrison Guide Award for the world's top tour guide of 2006.

"Personally, it is very satisfying to share experiences with guides from all over the world," said Dr Hu Berry, who became a freelance tour guide after retiring from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism in 2002.

Berry (66) said some of the tourists he has guided have come back to Namibia for a second time.

It is a good feeling when people appreciate the experiences he shares with them, he says.

"When you retire, you feel that you become useless to society," he told The Namibian from Swakopmund, where he is living, yesterday.

He ascribes his success as tour guide to the extensive experience he gained during his 33 years with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.

During this period, he was Chief Biologist at the Etosha Ecological Institute and later Chief Warden of Etosha National Park and biologist of the Namib-Naukluft Park.

He also worked as head of the internationally renowned Desert Research Institute at Gobabeb.

Berry also represen-ted the Ministry of Environment and Tourism at the Namibian Academy for Tourism and Hospitality (Nath), presenting theoretical and practical field courses for prospective tour guides.

Using this opportunity to add to his own qualifications, he is certified by Nath as a Specialist Namibian Guide in the Etosha and Namib Desert areas, as well as in the fields of Fauna, Ornithology and Ecology.

He is convinced that this background significantly influenced his nomination for the award.

The nomination was made by the British-based 'Wanderlust' publication after surveys based on evaluations submitted by overseas travel agents.

The agents recorded the comments they received from tourists who had travelled to various countries around the world.