www.businesseventsafrica.com
Voice of the Business Events Industry in Africa
Vol 42 No 7 JULY 2022
Business Events Africa: Serving the business events industry for 42 years
CONTENTS www.businesseventsafrica.com
Voice of the Business Events Industry
VOL 42 NO 7 JULY 2022
About the cover in Africa
Vol 42 No 7 JULY 2022
The authority on meetings, exhibitions, special events and incentives management
The Durban ICC prides itself on being the leading venue for meetings, business events, conferences and exhibitions on the African continent.
Published by the proprietor Contact Publications (Pty) Ltd (Reg No. 1981/011920/07)
HEAD OFFICE POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 414, Kloof 3640, South Africa TEL: +27 31 764 6977 FAX: 086 762 1867
Cover Feature COVER STORY 8 Durban ICC — Africa’s leading convention centre.
On the pages… EDITOR’S COMMENT 4 Anything is possible. NEWS 6 Exhibitions association forges path for future leaders. 7 Sun City Hotel reclaims its name. INDUSTRY INSIGHTS 10 Key takeaways from IMEX Frankfurt. YEAR-END EVENTS 12 Flawless functions await at award-winning Fancourt. NEW ROUTES FEATURE 14 Air Côte d’Ivoire opens new route to South Africa. 15 Qatar Airways and Airlink — enhance connectivity across Southern Africa. 16 South African travellers eye US as another travel restriction drops. SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICA HEALTH 18 Africa’s largest healthcare event gears up for in-person event in 2022. MEET STELLENBOSCH 20 Beyond the boardroom: Stellenbosch reimagines business travel. PERSONALITY PROFILE 22 Devi Paulsen-Abbot — ‘be confident, yet humble’. CHEF’S PROFILE 24 Peter Anderson — ‘don’t stop caring’.
MARKET NEWS 26 Book your spot now for WTM Africa and ILTM Africa 2023. 27 Design Joburg joins with Decorex and 100% Design Africa. 28 Calling all young chefs and bakers. 30 SAITEX explores new trade and investment opportunities. TRENDS 32 Positive trends as outbound travel picks up. F&B MANAGER 34 Rapula Modikwane — ‘I was born to serve’. MARKET NEWS 35 Positive industry turnout for Securex, A-OSH Expo, Facilities Management Expo and Firexpo 2022 trade shows. A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE 36 Meeting travellers’ expectations post Covid-19. VENUE NEWS 38 ANEW Hotels & Resorts celebrates five years.
MANAGING DIRECTOR: Malcolm King malcolm@contactpub.co.za EDITOR: Irene Costa gomesi@iafrica.com SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Vincent Goode vincent@contactpub.co.za DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Jackie Goosen jackie@contactpub.co.za SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Irene Costa +27 (0)82 558 7387 gomesi@iafrica.com PUBLICATION DETAILS: Volume 42 No 7 Business Events Africa has 12 issues a year and is published monthly. Due to Covid-19, the magazine is currently only available in digital format.
Association news EVENT GREENING FORUM 39 What sustainability on a shoestring looks like. SITE 40 Should DMC’s be charging for creating proposals? EXSA 42 Bringing people together again. AAXO 44 Live events are back —and here to stay. SAACI 45 Eventing into the future.
Regulars 46 Directory. MARKET NEWS 48 Bronwen Auret appointed at TGCSA. 48 Index of advertisers and contributors. THE LAST WORD 49 Putting on a show.
publishers of Business Events Africa, is a member of:
Official media partner
Official Journal of the Southern Africa Chapter of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence
Official journal of the Exhibition & Event Association of Southern Africa
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Anything is possible There are so many positive things happening now and the business events industry is bursting with opportunities.
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onsidering this, there are so many good news stories to share. Where do I begin? Let’s start at the beginning with our exceptional cover story. Durban ICC, a jewel in the KwaZulu-Natal business events crown. Having just hosted two successful major events – Africa’s Travel Indaba and the Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour – the Durban International Convention Centre (Durban ICC) is in pole position to reclaim the crown as Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination. Durban ICC has been nominated as Africa’s Leading Meetings and Conference Destination 20 times and has been voted the winner in this category no fewer than 17 times. The state-of-the-art venue has also been nominated the World’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination for the past 10 years. The sector is finally operating at full capacity, thanks to government for dropping all of the remaining Covid-19 restrictions. It is heart-warming that we are able to look forward to events again. The business
events industry calendar is looking tremendous. Personally, I’m really looking forward to the SAACI National Congress in Stellenbosch. It is always a highlight in my calendar. I am looking forward to reconnecting with the industry at this congress. I have a soft spot for Stellenbosch. What’s not to like about this little town? Visit Stellenbosch recently hosted its annual business events conference, Meet Stellenbosch. It is no surprise that Stellenbosch is positioning itself as the business events destination of choice. Look out for the feature in this issue. South Africa has so many spectacular business events destinations, but what makes South Africa unique? In my opinion, it is the people. We have featured some extraordinary individuals in this issue. Quite honestly, our sector has the most hard working, professional and experienced individuals with amazing track records. Even more than this, it is the relationships and partnerships we have managed to establish and grow over the past two years.
Meet Stellenbosch — the Neelsie Cinema.
Anything is possible when it comes to our industry. Even with the challenges we face today, from loadshedding, to the skill drain, to the petrol dilemma, we are able to overcome all of these because we are a winning team. We are Team South Africa!
Irene
Email: gomesi@iafrica.com
Credit: Hein Liebetrau
EDITOR’S COMMENT
PAGE STRAP NEWS
Exhibitions association forges path for future leaders Over the past two years of exhibition and event closures, many professionals previously working in the industry have had no choice but to find alternative employment and/or reinvent themselves, resulting in a substantial loss of highly skilled and experienced talent.
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s the African exhibitions industry embarks on its recovery after a two-year hiatus, it faces the next hurdle: access to skills and talent. The latest estimates published by the UN puts the population of youth in Sub-Saharan Africa at 211 million, a figure expected to increase by more than 89 per cent by 2050. However, whilst South Africans celebrated Youth Day in June, there are bleak youth unemployment rates of 63,9 per cent for those aged 15-24 and 42,1 per cent for those aged 25-34 years being presented. The exhibitions industry plays an extraordinarily large role in the global economy. Before Covid-19, the sector was vibrant and growing, contributing R75-billion to the South African economy annually, with exhibitions contributing R23-billion to tourism through the 1 million exhibition attendees visiting the country annually. The sector also supports thousands of businesses, many of which are
6 Business Events Africa July 2022
SMMEs. In addition, exhibitions generate income for businesses (many SMMEs) by creating a platform to meet potential customers and generate sales across the full spectrum of sectors. Exhibition organisers need to boast the merits of this industry. Encouraging young people into the industry will bring renewed ideas which can certainly be of benefit to the industry. In so doing, we will have to equip them by harnessing the experience of those who remained in the industry and can help support those who are newly entering. According to Devi Paulsen-Abbott chair of the Association of African Exhibition Organisers (AAXO), “As part of our remit for the coming years, AAXO will be implementing a number of initiatives to support talent already in the industry as well as the budding talent looking to embark on a career in exhibitions. This includes our career centre and mentoring partnership programme providing an opportunity to talk to professionals
and to increase network opportunities, to share experiences and to learn about best practice along the way.” The challenges of today’s Africa – especially within the employment space – can be resolved by actively engaging the teeming youth in the sector and there’s no better way to entice young people to consider the many exciting prospects that exhibitions offer, than to offer them an immersive, hands-on experience. University of Johannesburg’s Tracy Daniels, said: “The University of Johannesburg School of Tourism and Hospitality prides itself on grooming the future leaders of the industry by producing graduates that are innovative, work-ready, entrepreneurial and with a sense of civic responsibility. This is achieved through engagement with our industry partners who provide our students with experiential learning opportunities in keeping with career-focused education.” www.businesseventsafrica.com
PAGE STRAP NEWS
Sun City Hotel reclaims its name Sun International’s very first casino and hotel property is reverting to its original name — the Sun City hotel.
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anagement renamed the hotel in 2016, when the popular Sun City resort underwent a R1-billion upgrade. It was called Soho to reflect the buzz and vibe of neighbourhoods of that name in London and in Manhattan, New York. Like those trendy districts, the hotel was zoned ‘always on, never off’. But, changing the name of one of the most iconic hotels in South Africa
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requires acceptance from the public. Graham Wood, Sun International’s Group chief operating officer for hospitality, said: “When we did the upgrade it seemed like an appropriate time to give the hotel an identity of its own, apart from the resort, but the new Soho identity never resonated with customers, and they continued to refer to the ‘Sun City hotel’. While we expected some resistance to the change,
we were surprised by how resolutely people would cling to the original name. In response to our customers, now that we know how affectionately the Sun City brand is embraced by South Africans, we have taken the decision to restore the hotel’s original name.” When the Sun City resort opened on 19 December 1979, it consisted of only the Sun City hotel.
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PAGE STRAP COVER STORY: DURBAN ICC
Durban ICC – Africa’s leading convention centre The Durban International Convention Centre (Durban ICC) prides itself on being the leading venue for meetings, business events, conferences and exhibitions on the African continent.
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owever, this is not their own opinion, but rather the overwhelming feedback received from their clients who have voted it in the top one per cent of Convention Centres worldwide, as well as ‘Africa’s Leading Meetings and Convention Centre’ no fewer than 17 times. The Durban ICC offers the largest flat floor, column-free multi-purpose event space in Africa. Incorporating the Durban ICC Arena and Durban Exhibition Centre, the complex offers 112,000m² of flexible exhibition and meeting space. The Durban ICC is a versatile venue of enormous dimensions, flexible enough to meet any need, no matter how extraordinary. International and national conventions, exhibitions, sporting events, 8 Business Events Africa July 2022
concerts and special occasions of every kind can be accommodated. Flexibility and versatility are key factors in the design of this state-of-the-art, technology-driven Centre. The Centre also offers a range of innovative solutions such as live-streaming events, remotepresentation events, hybrid events, and video-on-demand. Over the years, the Centre has successfully hosted some of the world’s largest and most prestigious events and has been the platform for the discussion of many global issues. Notable examples include the recent 21st International AIDS Conference, which attracted over 20,000 delegates to the City, the United Nations Climate Change Conference — namely, the Conference of the Parties (COP www.businesseventsafrica.com
COVER STORY: DURBAN PAGE STRAP ICC
17-CMP7) and the 5th BRICS Summit in 2013. It has built a reputation as the leading convention facility on the continent and is constantly attracting new international events to Durban. The Durban ICC’s highly experienced and friendly team will ensure that your event is seamlessly executed, giving you complete peace of mind. Providing exceptional customer service remains the heartbeat of the Durban ICC, striving to ensure that every delegate who walks through the five-star facility has a memorable experience. Delegates visiting the Centre can look forward to superb standards of culinary excellence and hospitality. As part of the Durban ICC’s gourmet evolution over the past decades in the industry, they are completely reinventing their culinary offering in order to showcase some of Durban’s authentic African Cuisines. Furthermore, a wide range of new, innovative packages have been designed to meet the unique needs of each target market, at the best possible rates. Demonstrating its commitment to quality, the Durban ICC is five-star graded by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa and maintains its ISO9001, ISO14001 and ISO22000 certifications, www.businesseventsafrica.com
ensuring the highest international standards in Quality Management, Environmental Responsibility, Food Safety and Health and Safety. The DURBAN ICC offers you first-world convenience and a proudly African meetings experience. The Centre is fully Wi-Fi enabled and connectivity is complimentary for its delegates and guests.
Contact details
Address: Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC Complex 45 Bram Fischer Road Durban 4001 Telephone: +27 (0)31 360 1000 Fax: +27 (0)31 360 1005 Email: sales@icc.co.za Website: www.icc.co.za
Durban ICC Fast Facts • Located in Durban, known as South Africa’s entertainment ‘playground’. • Durban International Convention Centre (Durban ICC) is comprised of the Durban ICC Arena and the Durban Exhibition Centre. • Voted ‘Africa’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre’ by the World Travel Awards no fewer than 17 times and continuously strives to deliver excellent service. • Voted ‘Africa’s Best Convention Centre & South Africa’s Best Convention Centre’ 2020 & 2021 by World MICE Awards. • Largest flat floor, column-free, multi-purpose event space in Africa. • Ranked in the world’s Top 15 Convention Centres by the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC). • The Centre is located 30-minutes from the King Shaka International Airport and over 3,600 Hotel rooms are within a 10-minute walk of the Centre.
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PAGE STRAP COVER INDUSTRY STORY: INSIGHTS DURBAN ICC
Key takeaways from IMEX Frankfurt For the first time since May 2019, the IMEX Frankfurt show took place in person at Messe Frankfurt in Germany from 31 May to 2 June 2022. IMEX – in Frankfurt – is the largest trade show in Europe for the meetings and events industry, bringing together global event planners and buyers with significant buying power.
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f the 9,000 attendees, more than 3,000 were buyers looking to place their upcoming meetings, exhibitions, and incentive programmes. In addition to one-on-one appointments between exhibitors and planners, a series of educational sessions took place, to deliver a better understanding of the post-pandemic landscape for planning and executing events. Century City Conference Centre and Hotels joint chief executive officer’s Gary Taylor and Glyn Koetser attended the show and provided a snapshot of some of the key takeaways from the show as the industry begins to bounce back from the global pandemic.
and wired to connect. We crave interpersonal relationships which can only be achieved when connecting with others in person. Sustainability continues to be a regular topic of discussion and is fast becoming one of the decision-making factors, our Net Zero Carbon Pledge for the events industry is incredibly important. Buyers who we met with were also interested in our commitment to hygiene protocols in terms of sanitising stations,
food service and preparation areas. Two words which come to mind when thinking about events into the future — experience and education! People are looking for new experiences and are happy to travel far and wide if they are gaining new information and knowledge. What is the sentiment of business travel in general? Sentiment is very positive, and the vast majority of business travellers are keen to
Which new trends and topics have you discovered at the show? There was a big shift from quantity to quality, and some of the biggest trends include digitalisation, innovation and sustainability. It was very evident that live in-person meetings are preferred by all and that the meeting and events industry is back on track. Human beings are a social species 10 Business Events Africa July 2022
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INDUSTRY PAGE INSIGHTS STRAP NEWS
About Century City’s Conference Centre and Hotels Century City’s Conference Centre and Hotels stands out as one of the best conference and event venues that Cape Town has to offer. Century City Conference Centre boasts an ideal central location at the heart of Cape Town’s vibrant Century City precinct and is conveniently situated close to all of the Mother City’s key travel services and attractions. Voted as Africa’s most sustainable venue in 2019, Century City Conference Centre is the only conference centre in Cape Town that has been developed as part of a mixed-use development, with the award of a four-star Green Star Certification by the Green Building Council of South Africa. The Conference Centre can accommodate up to 1,900 guests across 20 different, thoughtfully designed spaces boasting bold architecture, strong colours and unique artworks. There are approximately 900 rooms within walking distance of the Conference Centre, including their two hotels: • Century City Hotel Urban Square, and • Century City Hotel Bridgewater.
get back to travelling for business. However, there are still a few who are either concerned for their and their families health while others would like to travel less in order to reduce carbon emissions. However, this is certainly the minority. The general sentiment is that business travel will return to pre-Covid levels by 2024. It’s still early to gauge, however, we expect average length of stay to increase slightly and frequency of trips to decrease, not only due to the increasing rise in the cost of flights, but also due to the advancement in technology which has become useful for smaller one-onone meetings. What is the perception of international business travel to SA? South Africa and – specifically Cape Town – is still very much a desired destination for business travel and events. Perception of the quality of our www.businesseventsafrica.com
hotels, conference facilities, food and value for money is very good, however, we are still painted with the same brush as the rest of the country when it comes to crime. This does pose a challenge for us and, along with SA Tourism, we need to spend time and money promoting ourselves as a safe destination to travel to. We are also very fortunate to have numerous International Airlines flying daily into Cape Town, which provides us with great accessibility from the USA, Europe and the Middle East. A further concern is how to access the country internally, the stability of SAA and now, with the recent liquidation of Comair (British Airways and Kulula), travellers will think twice when planning their respective itineraries What is the perception of SA currently as a safe and viable destination? South Africa should see this is an
opportunity to change the perception by educating source markets on what we have done to mitigate crime over the past few years. Several competitor countries are now facing similar challenges with migrants, racial tensions, xenophobia and violent crime. What is the outlook on business and events tourism? There is a lot of pent-up demand and, based on what we have already experienced so far, during May and June 2022, you would hardly know that there was ever a global pandemic. Almost every buyer, hotel operator or DMC who we spoke to was extremely optimistic about the forecast through to the end of the year. Our challenge, going forward, will be how to fulfil customer expectations, but without compromising safety. South Africa can further stimulate demand by addressing its current political and economic image internationally. Business Events Africa July 2022 11
PAGE STRAP MARKET YEAR-END NEWS EVENTS
Flawless functions await at award-winning Fancourt It’s no easy task to create the ‘event of the year’. But whether you go black tie or dress-up themed, large group or a handful of VIPs, Fancourt has got you covered.
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ancourt is perfectly situated, both from a location and a logistical perspective,” explains Leroy Ferreira, director of sales and marketing at Fancourt. “We have the perfect mix of activities and accommodation to host groups of up to 400 people. Add in our fine cuisine, our expert team of event planners and our history of seamless on-the-day functions, and you’re almost guaranteed an event that becomes the pinnacle of your team’s social calendar.” Accommodation
Travelling from out of town? Expecting your event to extend into the early hours? No problem. The Fancourt Hotel offers 115 rooms and suites that blend modern luxury with classic elegance. Accommodation can be costed into your event pricing. 12 Business Events Africa July 2022
Fancourt takes the stress out of organising your function, ensuring your event is spectacular and flawless down to the smallest detail — whether for four people or 400. Pick a venue… any venue A 10-minute drive from George Airport, Fancourt is ideally situated as South Africa’s Business Playground. With four magnificent venues, each with its own unique character and atmosphere, your event can be designed according to your exact specifications. For crowds… The Ballroom, fitted with modern fixtures and AV equipment, acts as a blank canvas ready to bring your vision to life. Perfect for functions from weddings to
gala dinners, its windows frame spectacular views of the Outeniqua Mountains. For large groups who want to breathe in the crisp coastal air, there are Marquee and Bedouin tent options. There are three amazing outdoor sites around the estate to add that X-factor to your bash. And for intimacy For anyone entertaining a private group, there are two breathtaking options. Situated near the 18th green of the Montagu golf course, the Club Lounge and Clubhouse Terrace provide panoramic views of the estate. If you’re looking for something even more exclusive, The Links is ideal for gourmet luncheons or sunset dinners that are whipped up by our Executive Chef. www.businesseventsafrica.com
YEAR-END MARKET PAGEEVENTS STRAP NEWS
Travelling from out of town? Large group events
From large corporate events to private weddings, each venue can be customised to your exact specifications. Our on-site team handles all planning, decorating and catering. We will also assist you to source additional services, such as DJ’s, bands, comedians, speakers, or whatever else you need to elevate your function above the norm.
Small, private functions
With a small party, the world is truly your oyster at Fancourt. Add an air of gravitas to VIP client functions, private groups and special occasions with a specially curated menu, wine pairings and low-key entertainment coupled with some of the best golf your group will ever experience.
On-point entertainment At Fancourt, entertainment is not restricted to the DJ and dancefloor at the function. There is something for every personality, with birdwatching, bike trails and fishing, for those seeking solitude. The social butterflies can use the Leisure Centre to take in a movie, hang out by the pool or grab a game of tennis. Not forgetting The Spa at Fancourt where both large groups and small parties can get ready for the evening event with a range of holistic skin and body treatments. They also have the option to luxuriate in the Roman Bath, Jacuzzi, and tepidarium. Get more than you bargained for
Situated along the scenic Garden Route, Fancourt guests have access to a smorgasbord of attractions to keep them entertained during the day. The selection of beaches, restaurants, sights, and activities perfectly complements the estate’s leisure and relaxation offering. The Fancourt effect When Fancourt hosts you and your guests, flexibility and choice combine to create a completely holistic experience. Why deliver an event when you can get a Fancourt event that delivers so much more?
Year-end festivities are looming on the horizon Make the most of South Africa’s Business Playground. Chat to the events team at Fancourt today for an unforgettable team or client function. Contact 044 804 0020 or groupreservations@fancourt.co.za www.businesseventsafrica.com
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PAGE ROUTES NEW STRAP FEATURE
Air Côte d’Ivoire opens new route to South Africa Air Côte d’Ivoire launched the quickest route between Johannesburg and Abidjan, in Côte d’Ivoire, in June.
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he Johannesburg-Abidjan via Kinshasa route launched on 29 June 2022 and will be the fastest route between South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire offered by any airline in Africa. The airline introduced four flights per week between Johannesburg and Abidjan. Bookings opened on 1 June 2022. Air Côte d’Ivoire’s vision is to be the leading airline in West and Central Africa. The new route also offers ease of access to 16 West and Central African countries: Congo, Gabon, Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger, Liberia, Benin, Senegal, Cameroon, Togo, DRC, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau. Côte d’Ivoire is seen as a strategic partner for South Africa — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed nine cooperation agreements last year with his Ivorian counterpart, Alassane Ouattara. During the Ivorian-South Africa economic forum in December 2021, President Ramaphosa said that the West African nation is an attractive investment and trade destination for South African companies, and that African countries can fully reap the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) if they work together. “Côte d’Ivoire is a strategic trading 14 Business Events Africa July 2022
partner for South Africa, and there is tremendous potential to further increase trade in value-added products between our two countries. Having greater and direct access to each other’s markets is a catalyst for investment,” President Ramaphosa said at the forum, held at the Sofitel Hotel in Abidjan. Côte d’Ivoire’s GDP, in 2021, stood at $70.99-billion and statistics from the African Development Bank shows that the country’s GDP could grow by 6.5 per cent in 2022, with the transport, construction, agriculture and petroleum sectors expected to drive much of that growth. Côte d’Ivoire will host the 2023 IntraAfrican Trade Fair (IATF2023), the continent’s key event for trade, which actualises the vision of the AfCFTA. The organisers of the fair, the African Export-Import Bank, in collaboration with the African Union and the AfCFTA Secretariat, are expecting deals to well exceed the $36-billion in business deals signed at last year’s event. Air Côte d’Ivoire chief executive officer, Laurent Loukou, believes the new route between Abidjan and Johannesburg will be key to opening up opportunities
for investment and improving bilateral trade between the two countries. “Of course, the timing of the new route has been strategic as we lead up to IATF2023. Africa is gearing up to become a strong economic bloc and Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa have a massive role to play in that growth. Intra-Africa trade is key to unlocking industrial opportunities for many African countries, including between Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa,” he said. “We believe in the future of Africa just as we believe in the future of our airline. We are making bold new plans for our future and that includes this new route to connect South Africa with Côte d'Ivoire. Africa is open for business and we want to make it easier for business to happen.” “Côte d’Ivoire is one of the fastestgrowing economies in Africa and offers great investment opportunities in West Africa. It makes sense to do business with us. Air Côte d’Ivoire wants to be part of this economic growth in our country. “We are excited about this opportunity to drive new business between Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa. The possibilities for cooperation and business are endless,” Mr Loukou concluded. www.businesseventsafrica.com
NEW ROUTES PAGE FEATURE STRAP
Qatar-Airlink: Rodger Foster, chief executive of Airlink and His Excellency Akbar al Baker Qatar Airways’ group chief executive.
Qatar Airways and Airlink — enhance connectivity across Southern Africa Qatar Airways further demonstrates commitment to South Africa where it operates 35 weekly flights to three gateways from the World’s Best Airport, Hamad International Airport Doha, Qatar – Qatar Airways and Airlink have signed a comprehensive codeshare agreement to offer travellers more choices, enhanced services and greater connectivity between 45 destinations in 13 countries across southern Africa and the rest of the world.
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his new codeshare agreement means travellers may enjoy the simplicity of purchasing connecting flights on both airlines using a single reservation with seamless ticketing, check-in, boarding and baggage-check experience, during the entire journey. The partnership will enable customers to book attractive offers from southern Africa to popular destinations in the U.S. such as New York and Dallas, cities in Europe such www.businesseventsafrica.com
as London, Copenhagen and Barcelona, and points across Asia like Manila, Jakarta and Cebu. The agreement also increases Qatar Airways’ footprint in southern Africa, with improved access to destinations such as Ggeberha (Port Elizabeth). Hoedspruit, Skukuza, George in South Africa and beyond to Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Qatar Airways’ Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr Akbar al Baker said:
“Expanding our network with Airlink gives our customers more choice of destinations and flights, that we hope will contribute to the rapid recovery of travel, which plays such an important role in southern African economies.” “We have boosted our presence in the African market by adding eight new destinations since the beginning of the pandemic and fostering partnerships such as this dynamic agreement with Airlink which will greatly enhance our offering to our customers and support travel and trade.” Qatar Airways was the only airline to launch new services in southern Africa after the pandemic, beginning operations to Luanda, Harare and Lusaka last year. It resumes operations to Windhoek this month, providing another connection to Airlink’s already extensive regional network via eight gateways in the region. Airlink’s chief executive, Rodger Foster, said: “This development is an endorsement of Airlink’s relevance to providing air access to the entire region through our expansive network of destinations, which when considered in conjunction with Qatar Airways’ global reach, creates unparalleled connectivity opportunities. As southern Africa’s leading airline, Airlink provides comprehensive, safe, and reliable air transportation services, enabling socioeconomic development by connecting people with each other and facilitating trade within the region and beyond.” The new codeshare flights are available for sales and commenced travel on 06 July 2022. Qatar Airways offers direct flights from Doha to Johannesburg 21 times weekly, to Cape Town 10 times weekly and to Durban four times weekly. From South Africa, travellers may connect easily to destinations across six continents via the World’s Best Airport, Hamad International Airport. Passengers are able to book their travel with both airlines, through online travel agencies as well as with local travel agents. Qatar Airways was the only carrier to continue operations to southern Africa during the pandemic and its immediate aftermath, allowing for the movement of goods, medicines and essential travel between the region and the rest of the world. This enabled people to return home to their families, to jobs and assisted with the post-pandemic recovery of our southern Africa trade partners, and the business community. Business Events Africa July 2022 15
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South African travellers eye US as another travel restriction drops With the US lifting the final barrier to entry for travellers – a Covid-19 PCR test a day before travelling to the United States – South Africans are now able to travel more freely to one of their most favoured destinations.
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his is reflected in an increase of about 17,5 per cent in flight searches to the US from South Africa, which global travel search site Cheapflights.co.za recorded on Sunday after the announcement was made, compared to the same day in the previous week. Flights to New York, especially, saw a notable spike in searches by about 30 per cent. Additional flight search data analysed by Cheapflights.co.za revealed that the US is the second most-searchedfor destination by South Africans wanting to travel abroad this winter — with the UK taking first spot. New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta and Orlando seized the top-five favourites for South African travellers. “The snowball effect of the 16 Business Events Africa July 2022
incremental relaxation of Covid travel restrictions is paving the way for international travel, and South Africans are hungry to explore the world again,” said Laure Bornet, general manager, KAYAK EMEA, that manages Cheapflights.co.za. “And now, with the US dropping this final barrier to entry, we foresee that more and more searches could convert into travels.” US-based United Airlines is vying for a route between Washington and Cape Town, to complement its already active New York-Cape Town route. Fellow airline Delta Airlines was already awarded a US-Cape Town service in April this year, to complete its triangular Atlanta-Johannesburg route. “This speaks directly to what our data is telling us,” Ms Bornet said. “The travel
interest between the two countries is on the rise, and airlines are taking note. United and Delta are the only two American airlines currently offering non-stop flights between the US and South Africa, so competition will be high to secure bookings for the higher demand in seats.” Another reason for the growing attractiveness of the US for South African travellers might be that it saw the lowest average increase in flight fares, compared to 2019. Fares saw an increase of only one per cent on average, compared to about nine per cent increase in fares to the UK. “With the price of fuel and cost of living increasing exponentially for South Africans, price is high on the list of decision-influencing factors,” Ms Bornet added. www.businesseventsafrica.com
SAACI NATIONAL CONGRESS Dates: 14 – 15 August 2022
Venue: STIAS, Stellenbosch
FIVE reasons you HAVE to make it to the SAACI Congress this year!
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Do you really want to miss the SAACI post-pandemic reunion? We guarantee there will be some serious FOMO moments if you do! If you’re coming from other provinces, make the trip work for you. See some clients, catch up with long-lost friends and family — make it worth your while!
We all agree that there is now a ‘new normal’… Let us share our experiences, ideas and strategies so that we can all move forward, ‘eventing in to the future’, on the same page!
With over 150 wineries, a town that is just loaded with history and a plethora of world-class restaurants and accommodation — do you really need any more reasons to VISIT STELLENBOSCH?
‘We are Stronger Together’ — it is that simple!
Website: www.saaci.org
Email: ceo@saaci.org
EXSA PAGE SPOTLIGHT NEWS STRAPON AFRICA HEALTH
Africa’s largest healthcare event gears up for in-person event in 2022 With Africa’s economies and health systems beginning to recover from the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, the region’s focus must once again return to meeting the healthcare goals and standards set out in the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals. These include improving maternal care, reducing child mortality rates, and achieving continent-wide UHC coverage.
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imilarly, to achieve the SDG goals to which African nations have committed – especially Goal 3, which envisions UHC, good health and well-being across all ages by 2030 – Africa will have to prioritise the accessibility, quality and resilience of its healthcare systems going forward. Despite bearing 25 per cent of the global disease burden, Africa is served by only two per cent of the world’s healthcare professionals. The solutions to overcoming the continent’s health challenges are multifaceted and include health systems strengthening; committed leadership; human resources (quality and capacity);
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improving quality and incorporating technology into healthcare. Cynthia Makarutse, event organiser for the 11th Annual Africa Health Conference, said that the pursuit of these solutions will drive the conference. “We will bring together healthcare industry influencers and thought leaders from various disciplines to facilitate the advancement of healthcare in the region,” she explained. The event makes a return to in-person gatherings after last year’s fully online offering. The congress will cater to the continent’s healthcare professionals and policymakers who will discuss, debate, and share strategies that are shaping
the future of medicine, whilst also evaluating the latest disruptors driving the transformation of healthcare. Big conference themes this year include localising the supply chain, technology and digital, the evolving role of nurses, innovation in population health, and revamping health systems. The 2022 Congress which will run from 26-28 October at Johannesburg’s Gallagher Convention Centre, and is expected to host over 8,000 people representing 56 countries. CPD-accredited clinical and leadership conference tracks, including quality management; public health; imaging and diagnostics; healthcare management and www.businesseventsafrica.com
SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICA MARKET PAGE HEALTH STRAP NEWS
nursing will enable delegates to earn CPD points for attending. This educational content will provide opportunity for delegates to engage with industry leaders and peers as well as participate in the 450-strong exhibition which promises to showcase the latest in healthcare technology and innovation. “Africa Health 2022 will include a ‘Transformation Zone’ which will see trailblazers who are revolutionising healthcare across the continent share their thoughts on the biggest issues driving industry, and explore strategies for meaningful innovation within the African context. “For the first time, the Africa Health Conference will offer a Product Showcase session which will see select small- and medium-sized health care companies showcase their latest innovative solutions and leading-edge products,” Ms Makarutse said. The strength and calibre of offerings available at this year’s Africa Health Congress is a strong indication of a healthcare industry determined to build
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resilience into Africa’s healthcare systems. The conference programme has been geared towards cultivating sound governance, promoting the adoption of UHC principles, and ensuring that all African people have access to quality healthcare. “The Africa Health Congress will provide an invaluable networking opportunity, whether you’d like to source products, make new investments, gain new knowledge, or strengthen business ties with the healthcare community,” Ms Makarutse said. The event promises to provide a vibrant networking platform upon which to present the latest offerings and innovations. Countries from across the continent will be represented, with the majority representation emanating from subSaharan Africa, including South Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Botswana, and Uganda having the majority representation. The congress attracts senior
policymakers and captains of industry alike as well as healthcare industry professionals from across the region who value the learning, networking, and business, including: • Dealers & Distributors who wish to secure exclusive distribution rights or attract new manufacturers/principals. • Private Hospitals/Clinics Management whose focus is on establishing and growing vendor portfolios towards achieving the best possible health outcomes. • Public Hospitals/Clinics Management who must ensure the delivery of the best possible clinical outcomes by maximising the use of their procurement budget. • Biomedical/Clinical Engineers who have an interest in remaining up to date with the latest advancements in healthcare equipment and influencing future purchases. • Senior/Junior Clinicians who must stay up to date with medical speciality developments and products that impact their role.
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PAGE MARKET MEETSTRAP STELLENBOSCH NEWS
Beyond the boardroom: Stellenbosch reimagines business travel • In a reimagined business travel environment, business adapts to growing demand. • New environments, spaces and experiences unlock creativity for business travellers and lucrative opportunities for communities.
Stellenbosch is positioning itself as the business tourism destination of choice by harnessing new environments, spaces and experiences in a concerted effort to grow demand while adapting to new business models and opening up opportunities for communities to directly benefit from the potential of business travel.
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2019 ICCA (International Congress and Conference Association) Ranking Report stated that the number of international association conferences held in Africa had risen by more than 30 per cent and delegate attendance had increased by 20 per cent over the past decade, making the continent one of the biggest emerging business events marketplaces. As travel recovery continues, business tourism is a significant travel motivator for the domestic market. Visit Stellenbosch hosted a business travel conference on 23 and 24 June under the banner of ‘Meet Stellenbosch,’ bringing 20 Business Events Africa July 2022
together travel and event professionals and tourism stakeholders, representatives from Stellenbosch University, entrepreneurs and hospitality partners. During this two-day conference, a reimaged business travel landscape was discussed. The second day was dedicated to showcasing meeting and conferencing spaces as well as immersive tours to sample the destination’s activities and experiences. “We are positioning Stellenbosch as a business tourism destination of choice,” said Jeanneret Momberg, chief executive officer of Visit Stellenbosch. “Globally, research has shown that second-tier destinations are preferred for business
travel. Stellenbosch fits this bill perfectly, providing the perfect environment for business, leisure and bleisure travel. Stellenbosch was named one of the 100 most loved destinations in the world, showing our recognition on the world stage and is renowned for its scenic beauty, iconic food and wine scene, adventure, culture and heritage experiences.” “The definition of authentic travel is much debated, but let’s accept that it boils down to experiencing a destination like a local. We want to inspire visitors to stay longer, do more and visit us again — and this includes business travellers. There is a huge tourism potential we can unlock in www.businesseventsafrica.com
MEET STELLENBOSCH MARKET PAGE STRAP NEWS
Jeanneret Momberg and Thuli Madonsela.
Inside Neelsie Cinema.
Goodie bags up for grabs.
Stellenbosch to be shared with all our communities — we want to give everyone access to this promising niche market.” “The solution to economic development is trade, not aid,” agreed Nicolette Booyens, socio-economic development specialist. She cited authentic experiences and new spaces for business travellers to travel authentically, even while on business. Experiences such as the Amazink restaurant in Kayamandi, Local is Lekker tour exploring four cultures in one day, dining with the locals, Gembe drumming, exploring Kayamandi on foot, the very popular Stellenbosch wine walks and the Journey of Hope and Healing will immerse visitors into the local communities and bring traveller foot-traffic back. “The biggest reason why SMMEs don’t succeed in South Africa is that they can’t access formal markets,” Ms Booyens said.
“The basic principle of the Stellenbosch Township and Village Experience is to give access,” she said, citing the initiative’s aim to direct tourism income from the formal tourism market towards community-based enterprises, stimulating the development of local trade and employment Keynote speaker Thuli Madonsela, social justice chair at Stellenbosch University, echoed these sentiments when she spoke about ‘bouncing forward’, instead of bouncing back, as not all communities have rebounded like others. “Covid-19 is not the first black swan event and it certainly won’t be the last,” said Madonsela, talking about the effect of the pandemic on the town. “The question becomes: how prepared are we?” The conversation that ensued from Ms Madonsela’s plea to be prepared included
valuable advice from tourism stakeholders as well as business tourism trends that should be on your radar for 2022 and beyond. Martin Hiller, creative and content director: travel, tourism and creative industries RX Africa, shared that savvy MICE destinations will harness 2022 as the year of hybrid experiences. Destinations will need to showcase “new ways to access shared experiences, as today’s hybrid events combine the best of both worlds.” Monique Swart, founder of African Business Travel Association, shared that you can put travellers first and keep tabs on your corporate budgets, as these two concepts are ‘not two opposing forces.’ Ms Swart cited that the needs of business travellers – personalisation, sanitisation, personal connection and sustainability – fit into the authentic travel narrative. If done right, it even creates the potential to connect the business traveller with the community. Peter-John Mitrovich, chief executive officer of Grosvenor Tours agreed, saying that to create and offer beyond-the-norm meeting experiences that inspire, we need to put the stories in the right place and echo them. Whether business travel or leisure travel or a mix of both, “the pulse of a town is what makes you stay,” Mr Mitrovich said. “For travel bookers and business travellers, we have developed a userfriendly website and online tool to facilitate accommodation bookings and programmes curated for your conference or meeting. It’s a one-stop shop to navigate the extensive array of options and capitalise on enjoying our diverse range of experiences,” Ms Momberg concluded.
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PAGE STRAP PROFILE PERSONALITY
Devi Paulsen-Abbot — ‘be confident, yet humble’ Devi Paulsen-Abbott, 47, vice president, DMG Events and recently appointed chair of AAXO is driven to succeed but remains humble in her approach. “Regardless of where I end up, fulfilment and purpose are my missions in life.”
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y 25-year career in media and events includes a tenure at Spintelligent, where I was lucky enough to be part of the executive team who concluded the acquisition of Spintelligent by Clarion Events. Five years after cofounding Hypenica, I drove the sale of its transport and built environment portfolios to dmg events where I now serve as vice president.” Devi is currently serving as the 2022/23 chair of AAXO. Devi is married to Jeremy and has a daughter, Oliva,12, and three fur-kids. “As a result of the pandemic, our industry has been turned on its head and although there were many tragic
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casualties, the disruption has also created space for entrepreneurs in the exhibitions business globally and in Africa.” “I am excited to see the emergence of a number of new and interesting ways in which exhibitions are going to be hosted, skillsets that will arise to fulfil these and the new businesses and offerings that will materialise as a result. As Plato said, “…necessity is the mother of invention…,” Devi said. Where were you born and raised? I grew up and completed high school in Durban and began my tertiary studies in Johannesburg, completing them via UNISA in Cape Town.
What has been the biggest change you’ve seen in this sector? As cliché as it sounds, Covid has been our biggest disrupter. Not only have 2020 and 2021 been physically and financially tough, but managing the emotional toll of witnessing so many industry peers lose jobs, or their businesses has been extremely emotionally taxing. Were you always involved in this sector? I began in publishing and seg-wayed into events quite soon into my career What role does your family play in your life? To say that family is the basis of who I am www.businesseventsafrica.com
PERSONALITY PAGE PROFILE STRAP
would be an understatement. My family doesn’t just consist of blood relatives but includes friendships that have become so close they have become part of my family over the years. This incredible group of people not only support and celebrate the successes but importantly, can be candid when needed, which for me is just as important. What would you change in your life, if you could, when looking back? I don’t think I would want to change anything, to be honest. All the time we put into our lives shapes who we are, and I am pretty comfortable with this, scars and all! Do you have any hobbies? Nothing unusual but I enjoy wine tasting, reading, crossword puzzles, walking trails and art. Do you play any sports? Not really. I enjoy running but can’t say this is my sport. What is your favourite sport and sportsman? Rugby, and Siya Kholisi’s grit and determination is an inspiration. What do you do for leisure? I love to travel. I so appreciate the amazing opportunities I have been afforded over the years, which have allowed me to visit 40 countries, (27 of these in Africa). Travelling has gifted me a number of lessons and skills. For example, being resilient, not sweating the small stuff, staying humble, the importance of planning and time management, taking risks, being curious, flexible and communicating clearly all the time.
meet a client at a coffee shop. I pitched to this person for a good 20 minutes before they told me that they think they are not the person I am meant to be meeting with. They were incredibly patient and polite, but I, of course, was mortified. What is your pet hate? If you asked my tween daughter, she would probably tell you my pet peeve is the volume of her music and the mess in her room. But my biggest pet peeves are Afro-pessimistic people; impatient drivers; when people confuse your and you’re; and wet hand-basins and kitchen sinks. What is the most memorable place you have ever been to, and why? Some of the most memorable places have been in Africa. It is a continent of thousands of languages and tribes steeped with culture and history. There are so many contrasts, paradoxes and challenges which is why I love it — Addis Ababa, Tunis, Marrakesh and the Masai Mara stand out as memorable for me. What type of holiday would you avoid at all costs? Any group type holiday that requires a rigorous schedule to be followed, so you’re unable to stay longer at sites that interest you or leave ones that don’t. If you could be anyone for the day, who would you be and why? I would like to go way back in time to the 1450’s and be Johan Gutenberg, to witness the first printed pages ever being produced with moveable type. Can you imagine the revolution and experience of the first book ever to be printed with movable type?
What is your secret to success? In chaos, there is opportunity: Most of my opportunities have come from moments where I was able to make a difference in a difficult situation and find opportunities from the challenges. Be confident, yet humble: Remain humble, and always accept that you will not always be the one who knows the most.
What is your favourite city? After Cape Town, for obvious reasons, Juneau, Alaska. It is home to such an incredible array of wildlife including 280 species of birds, brown and black bears, five species of salmon, and whales (primarily humpback and orca). Loved the experience of travelling through the fjords whilst in Alaska en route to Juneau.
What has been the most embarrassing moment in the industry? Whilst away on a trip, I was meant to
What is your favourite book, film, TV programme? Gosh, this so depends on the time, weather and day! Today I would say:
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Book: Shantaram, by Gregory Roberts, a riveting and exciting read that presents the best and worst of Bombay, India. Film: Moonlight — a beautiful story of self-discovery and human connection. TV programme: BBC’s Line of Duty. How do you relax? I am a spa junkie — one of my fav pastimes is to visit a spa (especially if it’s topped off or began with a glass or two of bubbles). What is your favourite food? I love all the ‘an’ food: Italian, Indian, Mexican, South African, North African. etc… Basically, all foods are my favourite. Who is your favourite movie star? Morgan Freeman, I love his versatility. What is the most impulsive thing you have ever done? Deciding on the spur of the moment to paraglide off Signal hill in Cape Town, in February 2022. Who is your role model? My late mother — for her work ethic, adaptability, empathy and generosity. What advice do you have for anyone starting out in this industry and hoping to follow in your footsteps? Progress is better than perfection: The world has changed so much, and exhibitions and events are going to look a little different. This means your prescribed career ambitions may not take the exact path you had envisaged. Be open to this and know that not every job needs to address all your passions. Use every job as an opportunity to learn something new and keep an open mind. Drive your own goals: You don’t have to beat out all your peers to win. Champion other women: As the ‘shine theory’ suggests: when you help another woman rise, we all shine. We are lucky in South Africa to have so many fantastic and inspiring female role-models in our industry, who are incredibly supportive of one another. What is your dream for the future? It’s so cliché, but as you get older your priorities and success measures change. Regardless of where I end up, fulfilment and purpose are my missions in life. Business Events Africa July 2022 23
PAGE STRAP CHEF’S PROFILE
Peter Anderson — ‘don’t stop caring’ Peter Anderson, 52, executive head chef at Lagoon Beach Hotel, Conference Centre and Spa Cape Town, strives to exceed guests’ expectations.
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riginally from Liverpool, England, Peter moved all over the UK as a child. He also lived and went to school in Saudi Arabia. After school, he studied hotel and catering with City and Guilds, at Burton on Trent Catering College. Peter has worked in the hospitality industry for 37 years and has been lucky enough to have travelled and worked not only in South Africa, but also Australia, New Zealand, Dubai and Europe. “I started working in a pub kitchen that my family had taken over when I was 15 before going to college. After college I worked for THF at the Post House Hotel in Heathrow before coming to Cape Town when I was 19,” he said. Before joining Lagoon Beach Hotel, Peter worked at the Mount Nelson, The 24 Business Events Africa July 2022
Marine Hotel and The Alphen Hotel. In terms of personal goals, he said: “This is a difficult question after what the hospitality industry has gone through, and is still going through, since the pandemic. I’d like to see the industry get back to what it was. My main goal is to make the guests happy, that’s something that will never change.” Peter added: “Currently, we are still climbing out of the pandemic hole, but with the war in Europe, food prices and shortages are having a terrible effect financially on both hoteliers and clients. The shortage of qualified and professional staff after losing so many during the lockdown. Within South Africa, we have our own challenges but the amazing thing about the country is the people and their ability to overcome.”
Peter said that he enjoys being a chef because no two days are the same and he gets to work with an amazing group of people. Looking at local food and beverage trends, he said: “Over the years, I’ve seen the rise and fall of nouvelle cuisine and everything in-between. People over the years have become more aware of what they are eating, more health conscious and more aware of dietary needs. There also seems to be a push towards nostalgia, with people wanting the flavours and taste of their youth.” Globally, Peter said: “A more engaged consumer basis and the use of social media. Also, the catering industry is becoming high tech and modernised in the way it operates. Food seems to be going in two ways, a demand for health and ethical alternatives including www.businesseventsafrica.com
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plant-based protein, as well as a push for indulgence and treats, which could have a lot to do with what people have been through and the sacrifices they have made.” His advice to conference and event organisers, is: “Talk to the groups and events department, tell them your group’s likes and dislikes. It makes it so much easier to cater for them. Longer conferences of a week or more, start to crave home-cooked meals or a favourite junk food like a burger, and by liaising with the hotel, we can make this happen.” Peter said that he has far too many funny stories from working in the kitchen. “While writing this, I was asked if I need electricity for the gas oven.” He has never been married. For leisure he said: “I’m a biker (the leather and boots type, not the lycra kind), I walk my dog and also enjoy kayaking.” “I’m also a hypnotherapist, which takes up any other free time, but I do enjoy helping people.” His advice for anyone aspiring to become a chef is: “Don’t stop caring — whether it’s for the food, the guests or just as importantly, the staff.” What is your signature dish? I love pasta and it would be oxtail and ravioli, served with red onion marmalade, oxtail jus and mushroom salad. Perfect for a winter evening with a Shiraz. What trends are emerging in the conference industry about food? I think that for the DCPs, time is becoming more and more important and we are seeing a rise in working lunches, so that clients can get the most out of their time with us. Healthy eating has grown but seems to fade away in the middle of a Cape winter, as most people look for something more comforting What has remained constant in this industry? That’s an interesting question, the only thing I can say is that it’s the people behind the scenes and the hard work that goes into the industry. What is your favourite beverage? Tea (milk, one sugar and I wouldn’t say no to a biscuit). What is your favourite food? Whatever anyone makes for me — what can be better than someone caring enough to cook for you? What is your pet hate? Speed limits. What is your great love? Friends and family. Are you adventurous? If yes, what is the most adventurous thing you have ever done? Yes, I love to travel and have been lucky enough to see and experience a lot of different places and cultures, just with being a chef. As for the most adventurous, I guess its motorbiking through Africa or after my mother reported me missing in Southeast Asia and being hunted by the Thai police and army, but that’s a whole other story. www.businesseventsafrica.com
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PAGE STRAP MARKET NEWS
Book your spot now for WTM Africa and ILTM Africa 2023 RX Africa has launched an early-bird special for exhibitors who want to secure their spot for Africa Travel Week 2023, including headline shows WTM Africa and ILTM Africa.
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oth events will return to the Host City of Cape Town, with WTM Africa being held at the CTICC from 3-5 April 2023 and ILTM Africa from 31 March to 2 April at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. Megan De Jager, portfolio director: travel, tourism and creative industries portfolio at RX Africa, said: “We are excited that South Africa has lifted all remaining Covid restrictions for travel as well as for events and conferences. Now that events are well and truly back, it’s the perfect time to remind exhibitors that there is still time to take advantage of the early-bird special for the 2023 show, which promises to be bigger and better than ever before. “Next year will be a bumper year for travel and tourism to and from Africa, so we want to give the industry time to budget, get ready and enjoy the best return on investment of their attendance at trade shows.” Colour your World The theme of Africa Travel Week 2023
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will be ‘Colour your World’ — a reminder to the travel industry of the benefits that travel and tourism offer in bringing cultures together, expanding people’s horizons, creating jobs, and developing a more inclusive, diverse and – ultimately – better world. But, it goes further than that, according to Ms De Jager. “Different colours have determined tourism marketing in the past few years. Green tourism allows us to protect our precious environment and communities. Pink tourism makes the world a more inclusive place. And we are now also seeing the emergence of orange tourism: a celebration of culture, identity, heritage, and creativity”. Next year’s Africa Travel Week will explore all the different colours in tourism and highlight the importance of each through its various conferences: IBTM Africa, EQUAL Africa and the African Tourism Investment Summit. The African Travel and Tourism Awards returns to award the incredible marketing campaigns that have been developed by – and for – the travel and tourism industry.
Stay connected 365 Africa Travel Week’s www.atwconnect. com, a vibrant digital resource brimming with valuable articles, updates, and expert-led podcast sessions, will also bring resources focused on how you are able to ‘colour your world’ through tourism. Those within the industry may stay up to speed with further updates by regularly checking ATW Connect, signing up to the mailing list, and joining their social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. “It has been a tough couple of years for everyone in the industry, but now that Covid restrictions have been lifted, the future is looking bright,” Ms De Jager concluded. www.businesseventsafrica.com
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Design Joburg joins with Decorex and 100% Design Africa In a bold new move, South Africa’s three top design authorities, Design Joburg, Decorex Africa and 100% Design Africa will be joining forces, combining their reach and relevance to create a seismic shift for the industry in 2023.
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hile remaining distinct in their curated offerings, the exhibitions will work together to leverage their combined resources and networks, to ensure improved ROI for exhibitors, amplified experiences for visitors, and improved opportunities to create partnerships and collaborations that will propel our design community into the future, and onto the global stage. Design Joburg launched in 2017, and quickly became an annual highlight in the design calendar. It has a reputation for galvanising creatives and showcasing the best of local and international interiors, design, fashion, and architecture. Decorex Africa has been at the forefront of decor, design, and lifestyle trends for almost three decades, hosting over 100 events in
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three cities. Now, for the first time, the country’s most pioneering decor and design shows will drive the vanguard of the creative economy as a united force. “Collaboration is key to growth, and by combining our infrastructure and resources, we will amplify our reach and relevance,” said managing director RX Africa, Carol Weaving. “We are delighted that the design events in South Africa are coming together under one organisation as it offers huge opportunity for expansion” said Rob Nathan, director of Media 10. Sandra Barrow, currently Media 10’s event director, will take up a new role as portfolio director at RX Africa where she joins an award-winning, seasoned senior management team comprising Sian
Cullingworth, the business development director and Bielle Bellingham, the creative director. Margie Peters, senior sales manager at Media 10, will be joining RX Africa with Ms Barrow to help expand the creative offerings of this united design front. “We have already entered into strategic planning for 2023, and the way forward will embrace the vision of our progressive team which has successfully spearheaded the reimagination of Decorex Africa, clearly in evidence at the recently concluded and much lauded Cape Town show. The industry has much to look forward to indeed,” Ms Weaving concluded. Decorex Joburg comes to the Sandton Convention Centre from 28-31 July 2022. Get the inside track via decorex.co.za.
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Calling all young chefs and bakers A total of R110,000 is up for grabs in the RCL FOODS Young Chefs and Young Bakers competitions — two competitions that are set to cause a stir among the most talented rising stars in the South African culinary industry. The competitions are brought to the industry in a proud partnership with SA Chefs and the SA Bakers Association.
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uilding on the success of last year’s RCL FOODS Young Chef Competition, this year sees the launch of the Young Baker Competition. The total prize pool makes these two competitions among the biggest to be held in the culinary industry this year, with the top baker walking away with R20,000 and the two winning team members in the Young Chef category winning R15,000 each. Chef Brad Kavanagh, head chef of RCL FOODS, said:
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“Providing an opportunity to compete fulfils a significant need in the industry, and the culinary community has been eagerly anticipating the return of the competition in 2022. By providing a platform for both young chefs and bakers to showcase their talent, we are creating a positive, sustainable impact.” The RCL FOODS Young Chef Competition is aimed at culinary students between 18 and 27 years old, competing in teams of two for a first prize of R30,000, second
prize of R20,000 and third prize of R15,000. The two participants in each team must be enrolled at the same professional institution or in-service programme focusing on Culinary Arts or Professional Cookery. The RCL FOODS Young Bakers Competition is open to individuals who bake breads or baked confectionery as a source of income or are enrolled with a professional institution or an in-service programme focusing on Culinary Arts or a
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Professional Cookery. The young bakers will be competing for the top prize of R20,000, second prize of R15,000 and third prize of R10,000. With regional competitions taking place in Gauteng, KZN, the Western Cape, Limpopo and Free State, the competition is aimed at kickstarting the careers of the most talented and skilled participants from all over the country. How to enter Entry into both competitions could not be easier — simply fill in the registration form and submit a portfolio of evidence relevant to the competition category. Six chef teams and six bakers will be selected by the South African Chefs Association (SA Chefs) to compete in the regional competitions on the basis of these entries. Judges will be looking for innovative usage of stipulated ingredients, portion obedience, textures, balance and colour, perceived taste, appearance and creativity of the dish. The closing date for entries is 31 July 2022. To enter, go to https://rclfoods.com/brand/ food-partners/, fill in the online entry form and submit your portfolio of evidence.
baked confectionary items. Nail-biting hybrid final competition Only the top two teams and top two bakers from each region will make it through to what promises to be a nailbiting final on 13 October. Scheduled to take place at the RCL FOODS kitchen in Durban, the final competition is a hybrid challenge consisting of both predetermined elements and a mystery basket component. In the Young Chef competition, competitors will submit a restaurant main course and innovation dessert course prior to the competition, which they will cook on 13 October along with a mystery basket starter. In the Young Bakers Competition, the competitors will submit recipes and photographs for two types of breads and two types of baked confectionary, which they will cook on the day, along the mystery basket element of six cupcakes and a flavoured buttercream. “This combination will truly test the skills of the competitors, giving them the opportunity to put their best foot forward in the presentation of their pre-determined elements, and testing their ability to apply
their creativity and talents under the pressurised conditions of a mystery basket challenge,” says Chef Adrian Vigus Brown, Competitions Director of SA Chefs. Innovating with RCL FOODS Contestants will be able to use several much-loved brands from RCL FOODS, a leading South African food manufacturer. In both the regional and national competitions, participants will be challenged to make use of these exceptional ingredients in creative applications. Says Kavanagh, “The RCL FOODS basket includes PIEMAN’s pies, NOLA mayonnaise, Selati sugar, Supreme flour, Yum Yum peanut butter, Ouma rusks, Marvello spreads and Meadowland dairy cream alternatives — all staples in professional kitchens throughout the country. Their uses and applications are unlimited in the foodservice environment and learning to work creatively with these ingredients is an important aspect of enabling young chefs to develop their practical knowledge and skills. We look forward to seeing what the young chefs and bakers produce.”
Regional competitions in five provinces Regional competitions – taking the form of a mystery basket challenge – will take place during August and September. In the Young Chef competition, the teams will be required to prepare a restaurant main course and dessert, while in the Young Baker competition, the individual competitors will be showing off their skills by preparing a baked bread and two www.businesseventsafrica.com
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SAITEX explores new trade and investment opportunities Celebrating its 28th year of defining trade opportunities within Africa, leading multi-sector trade show SAITEX opened its doors to public and private stakeholders from across the globe at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg in June 2022.
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o-located with F&B show Africa’s Big 7 and the Halaal International Trade Expo, the event boasted a packed threeday workshop programme dedicated to the revival of the African economy that included an impressive lineup of local and international speakers. It’s a good time to be a township entrepreneur Of great public interest was a 30 Business Events Africa July 2022
stakeholder engagement session focused on rebuilding Gauteng townships as a catalyst for growth, through funding mechanisms such as the Township Economy Partnership Fund (TEPF). The TEPF is a partnership between the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED), Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP) and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), which supports SMMEs in the township economy of Gauteng in
sectors that include (but are not limited to) manufacturing, the taxi economy, ICT, Backyard Real Estate upgrading and retail. The session was moderated by Jesse Weinberg, executive head: SME customer segment, at FNB South Africa, and speakers included Saki Zamxaka, chief executive officer at GEP and Sonja Loggenberg, head of partnership programmes at the IDC. Ms Loggenberg said that while the IDC www.businesseventsafrica.com
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is well known for large projects such as Sasol, it has been involved in small business from the very beginning, granting its first loan, a £600-loan to kick-start Ouma Rusks, and has invested R10-billion within townships over the last 15 years, comprising around 300 transactions. “We have adopted a strategy based on the recently passed Township Economic Development Bill, to ensure that we look at existing businesses within townships, and assist in giving access to markets, providing a network, partnering with other development finance institutions to assist with infrastructure, so that we can help these businesses to grow.” Mr Zamxaka highlighted the funding gap as the biggest need for entrepreneurs within the township economy. “For entrepreneurs who are here at SAITEX signing deals, they will need financing to fulfil these contracts, and we are here and available to make that financing happen,” he said. The fund is made up of R450-million in funds from IDC and GEP collectively, but Mr Zamxaka said that they have their sights set on the R1-billion mark, adding: “You can’t scale up without www.businesseventsafrica.com
funds, and you can’t help businesses to grow without funds.” Ms Loggenberg confirmed that while this is the first fund of its nature, the IDC is targeting another three similar funds in three different provinces in the next financial year. “It is critical that we roll out the Township Economy Partnership Fund in Gauteng quickly, showing restraint, good due diligence and good sense, so that when we engage with other provinces, we can provide them with a solid track record, so that those funds become attractive to commercial investors,” she said. Ample investment opportunities in Southern Africa Several attractive investment opportunities in South Africa’s North West province were outlined in the keynote address by Keneetswe Mosenogi, North West MEC, North West Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism. Ms Mosenogi said that the success of Madikwe Private Game Reserve and Pilanesberg National Park serve as an example of the potential that lies in protected areas and the opportunities
that exist for rural communities, in terms of employment and participation. In his ministerial keynote address, the Honourable Rajeshkumar Indukant Modi from the Ministry of Industry & Commerce in Zimbabwe, said that the country is geographically positioned to connect the whole southern region of Africa, and that it is Zimbabwe’s mission to mobilise private capital to lead the Sub Saharan economy by 2030. “Let us unite in our purpose, challenge our potential and work together, hand-in-hand towards our common destination. Through hard, honest work, there is no limit to what Africa can achieve,” he concluded. Wrapping up SAITEX on 21 June, Evan Schiff, portfolio director of food, hospitality and trade of dmg events, said that the show had more than lived up to the expectations of exhibitors, visitors and organisers. “We are delighted at the outcome of SAITEX 2022 – our first in-person event in two years – which enabled tangible international and local trade relationships and provided a meaningful platform for the private sector to showcase innovations, solutions and services for the African market.” Business Events Africa July 2022 31
PAGE STRAP TRENDS
Positive trends as outbound travel picks up Opening of international borders, relaxation of travel restrictions, resumption of international flights, widespread vaccination and reopening of in-campus classes by overseas universities are the major contributors to the increase in outbound traffic from South Africa this year. Locations like Australia, Canada and Schengen regions are witnessing positive trends in application volumes for outbound travel in the year so far. By Hariprasad Viswanathan, Head – Sub Saharan Africa at VFS Global.
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ome of the key visa application trends VFS Global, the world's largest visa outsourcing and technology service specialist for governments and their diplomatic missions worldwide, has observed this year in South Africa are as follows: • Application volumes from January to April 2022 have neared the total application count for the year 2021. • Application volumes in the January to April 2022 period are nearly six times more in comparison to the same period last year. ** Volumes in 2021 were significantly less as many international borders were closed with pandemic-induced travel restrictions along with the nationwide lockdown. 32 Business Events Africa July 2022
VFS Global services 18 governments in South Africa through the application Centres across 11 locations. With most countries accepting visa applications up to 90 days (three months) before the date of travel, applicants need to apply for their visas way in advance, especially during this period when outbound travel demand is increasing. According to the revised Schengen visa Code, effective 2 February 2020, you can apply for a Schengen visa up to six months before your date of travel. Elaborating on this important point of applying in advance to beat the peak, Hariprasad Viswanathan, head – Sub Saharan Africa at VFS Global, said: “When planning your travels, people always book www.businesseventsafrica.com
PAGE TRENDS STRAP
flights and hotels in advance. We advise applicants to do the same for visas. Seeing the surge in demand for outbound travel this year, and with limited appointment slots available, we encourage our applicants to apply for their visas as early as possible. Be sure to carry all the requisite documentation, including a printout of the checklist, to submit along with the duly filled application form.” A checklist of the documentation required for visa applications for each country served by VFS Global is available on our website: www. vfsglobal.com. Just like applying for a visa in advance, it is recommended that applicants must check their passport’s validity before planning an international trip. Many countries require a valid passport six months beyond your return date. Keeping such requirements in mind, VFS Global has listed a series of common queries so that applicants can beat the peak and travel with ease: What are the typical turnaround timelines for visas? Please be advised that the visa processing timelines vary country-wise. For the understanding of our applicants, the respective country specific websites provide the information required to apply for your visa well in advance. We would like to caution applicants that in this period of increased outbound travel demand, visa processing could take longer than anticipated. Hence, we recommend www.businesseventsafrica.com
that applicants must apply early. What is VFS Global’s role in the visa process? VFS Global manages non-judgmental and administrative tasks related to applications for visas, passport and consular, identity and citizen services for governments. This allows diplomatic missions (ie., embassies/ consulates) to effectively manage their time and resources and focus on the critical task of assessing visa applications and making decisions. What is the appointment allotment process at VFS Global? Appointment slots are offered online, based on the volume of demand or forecast, and in conjunction with the Embassy’s own internal capacity planning. Once scheduled, we highly recommend applicants to be at the Centre 15 minutes prior to the appointed time, to avoid missing your slot. We strongly advise all applicants to be careful of touts and fraudulent parties who falsely promise early appointment bookings in exchange for payment. How do I track the status of my application? Once your application is submitted, you can opt for the SMS service, and receive timely updates on your application’s progress, through VFS Global’s online tracking service. The status will be
updated as soon as your passport is ready for collection/delivery. Please note that we cannot track your application during the assessment process within an Embassy or Consulate. Can VFS Global offer me advice and guidance on visa categories and vaccination? No, we do not provide advice or guidance on visa category or any other visa requirement that the applicants may need, nor do we comment on vaccine requirements. All travellers are requested to check the destination/transit country guidelines for the same. Can I expedite the process? Does availing of any of the value-added services guarantee a faster visa outcome? The time taken for visa processing differs with each mission. We recommend you check the turnaround timelines before applying. Opting for any optional, value-added services (such as prime time services or form-filling, or any other service) does not guarantee a quicker or more positive decision by the concerned embassy/consulate. On the other hand, these premium services – like visa at your doorstep – have seen a significant increase this year as more and more applicants seek the ease and convenience which these services offer in their travel planning, at an additional cost. Business Events Africa July 2022 33
PAGE PERSONALITY F&B MANAGER STRAP PROFILE
Rapula Modikwane — ‘I was born to serve’ Rapula Modikwane thought he had taken early retirement until he was called by an old contact, in 2019, who knew his many years of experience in the hotel industry would be an asset to The Maslow Hotel in Sandton.
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e joined the garden oasis hotel as assistant restaurant manager and is now food and beverage manager, having affected a service turnaround, using his experience garnered locally and abroad. Born in Kagiso in Krugersdorp in 1963, Mr Modikwane matriculated and found employment in a Rustenberg factory, as his family had no money to send him to university. In 1985, he went with a friend to Sun City and joined the queues of people looking for employment. “I was one of a few with a matric certificate and was taken aside and quizzed on what my hobbies were, and what I did in my spare time.” Mr Modikwane was hired as a docket runner, in an age before computers. “I collected slips from restaurants and bars and took them to the reception, where they were filed for guests to pay before they checked out.” Showing a keen aptitude for work, Mr Modikwane requested help to study and was chosen, in 1990, to go to the Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management in Austria, where he lived for two and a half years while completing a hotel management diploma with distinction. Upon his return to South Africa, he completed an internship at a hotel within the Sun International group before rejoining The Palace at Sun City as restaurant manager. The hotel had opened the previous year and Mr Modikwane recalls this time as its ‘glory days’. “We served 1,500 covers for breakfast — on a quiet day it would be 700,” he said. Some of the celebrities he served include Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Luciano Pavarotti and Peter Gabriel. The father of two spent almost
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a decade as a lecturer in food and beverage at the Mafikeng Hotel School, completing a national certificate in business management through UNISA during this time. Last year, he studied a project management course through Wits University. Returning to practice what he was preaching to students, Mr Modikwane then worked as resort manager and general manager at several lodges and hotels around the country. When he was retrenched in 2018, he was happy to relax at home with his wife and watch some of his favourite TV shows, which include reality TV shows like The Great British Bake Off, Chopped and Judge Judy. “In 2019, Herman Swart, general manager of The Maslow and my favourite mentor and former manager, called me up to give his team a hand in the hotel’s food and beverage department, and I’ve been there ever since.” Mr Modikwane put his business turnaround skills to work and is happy to report that The Maslow’s food and beverage department is a tightly run ship. “If you visited last year and again now, you will see how much the service has improved, we get good guest reviews. Where we have negative reviews, we deal with them immediately.” The pandemic, combined with social media and television has changed guest’s dining preferences, he said. “When you cater for many guests, you need to anticipate the unknown — the way you handle anything must be hygienic. People changed their diets due to different reasons, for example: almond milk, soya milk or pescatarian dishes – just to name a few – are now in demand.”
Due to Covid-19 affecting business negatively, the hotel introduced some activations to boost revenue, such as romantic date nights, where a butler is on hand to serve guests during their stay. Located in the heart of the Sandton business district, The Maslow was always a popular conferencing destination, and Mr Modikwane said that business had picked up over the past six months with groups from 30 to over 100. During his career at a property outside of the Sun International group, he assisted five front office workers and five community members to be sponsored to study lodge management in Graaff Reinet Hotel School. “Upon completion, service delivery at the lodge improved and, for the first time in 10 years, the lodge made a good profit and received a clean audit report from the AG (Auditor General)”. “I would like to think that I have a passion for helping and uplifting communities around me, and that has yielded positive results. I was born to serve, and I will depart this earth happy,” he concluded. www.businesseventsafrica.com
MARKET PAGE STRAP NEWS
Positive industry turnout for Securex, A-OSH Expo, Facilities Management Expo and Firexpo 2022 trade shows The occupational health and safety, security, facilities management, and fire protection sectors proved once again that face-to-face interaction cannot be beaten, with excellent industry support seen at the recent co-located Securex South Africa, A-OSH Expo, Facilities Management Expo and Firexpo trade shows.
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he exhibitions took place from 31 May to 2 June 2022 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, with the ‘four-industries-one-roof’ offering from Specialised Exhibitions, the largest trade show organiser in Southern Africa, drawing in more than 8,300 visitors over the three-day period, and featured over 200 exhibitors. Mark Anderson, portfolio director at Specialised Exhibitions, said: “It has been a long two years since we’ve been able to hold larger live events and exhibitions in South Africa, so 2022 was a landmark year for these trade shows in many ways. “Not only was it the first year since 2019 that we were able to bring Securex, A-OSH Expo and Facilities Management Expo back to the industry after a two-year hiatus, but we were also able to introduce the very first Firexpo, focusing exclusively on firerelated products and services. “As Africa’s biggest security exhibition, we were extremely proud to celebrate 29 years of Securex this year, with its continued focus on all elements of the security sector, from physical and retail security to access control, vehicle
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and personnel tracking, cybersecurity and more, while A-OSH marked more than a decade of being Africa’s leading occupational health and safety expo. 2022 also commemorated the second year that Facilities Management Expo, the trade show that brings together all aspects of facilities management, has run alongside these two sector stalwarts. “The show floor was buzzing over the three-day period, and it was clear, for both visitors and exhibitors, that the industry was more than ready to re-engage and reconnect on an in-person basis.” While there was a very small drop in visitor numbers comparatively with the 2019 figures, reflecting the same trend already seen this year, both locally and globally, the quality of visitors across the board is still extremely high. “Securex, in particular, attracted a high ratio of purchasing decision-makers and influencers, at 82,9 percent of those attending,” Mr Anderson clarified. The four trade shows also brought in a number of visitors from outside South Africa’s borders, with an excellent turnout from neighbouring African countries in
particular. “Securex drew in many visitors from Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Ghana and Eswatini, as well as Angola, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, and Madagascar. Attendees from further afield hailed from across Europe, the US and more.” Visitors’ reasons for attending highlighted that exhibitions continue to be a powerful sales, marketing, and general business platform. On the Securex side, 71,8 percent of visitors came to the show expressly to source new products and solutions, with 18,8 percent wanting to view technologies showcased by local manufacturers and distributors. Excellent feedback from exhibitors was received across all four shows, Mr Anderson continued. “It’s clear that this type of live event is now more important than ever in terms of building face-to-face connections and relationships, as well as allowing for a first-hand experience of new offerings.” Securex South Africa, A-OSH Expo, Facilities Management Expo and Firexpo will return from 6-8 June 2023 at Gallagher Convention Centre. Business Events Africa July 2022 35
PAGE A LOCAL STRAP PERSPECTIVE
Meeting travellers’ expectations post Covid-19 After a period of intense sensory deprivation and living life through the prism of a laptop screen for two years, people are experiencing a heightened need to renew their contact with the world. As international travel resumes, the hospitality industry is set to shift its mindset and service offerings to meet the changing needs of travellers beyond the Covid-19 pandemic. By Anton Gillis, Kruger Gate Hotel CEO.
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iving vicariously through online experiences during the pandemic has led to a more focused approach to travellers’ bucket and wish lists, and the search for unique and personalised experiences. Destinations that were ‘visited’ online are now a reality once again, and tourism operators must be ready to capitalise on the increasing appetite of people to fulfil their lockdown dreams. In South Africa, 36 Business Events Africa July 2022
we are currently reaping the rewards of a number of well-produced and interactive live online safaris and game drives that kept people’s imaginations alive during the toughest periods of the pandemic. South Africa is a truly unique destination, but in the new world order, we cannot sit on our laurels as we are forced to compete for the attention of the increasingly sophisticated and hyperaware traveller of 2022 and beyond.
Hotels and other tourism operators must now think out of the box and find a way to stand out from the crowd, switching up service offerings at the same time as providing comfort and safety and all the amenities that guests have come to expect. In particular, the younger travellers made up of Millennials and Gen-Zs are looking for brands with a conscience, companies that demonstrate corporate www.businesseventsafrica.com
A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE PAGE STRAP
and social responsibility, and brands who genuinely embrace environmentally responsible practices. Theirs is not a ‘use and dispose of’ generation, but one that lives in a state of mindfulness, connected to and aware of their impact on the planet. This translates into responsible tourism, offsetting carbon footprints, and choosing service providers who can meet these criteria. Whichever way they do it, travel is back on the agenda and, with it, the desire to meet the needs of all types of travellers. As part of this collective refocusing, we recently announced the ‘deflagging’ of the four-star Kruger Gate Hotel from the international hotel group, Marriott, and from operating under its local Protea Hotel brand. This decision will enable the hotel to better respond to guests’ changing expectations, putting management and staff at the heart of operations. Reestablishing the hotel as an independent property www.businesseventsafrica.com
will make it more agile, giving it full control over spending and budget priorities, including allowing for greater levels of local procurement, which will ultimately benefit the surrounding communities and local economy. Standing on 100 hectares of land, on the doorstep of the world-renowned Kruger National Park, the Kruger Gate Hotel currently offers 145 guest rooms. In recognition of the changing demands of travellers to manage their own time and space, we have some exciting upgrades in our pipeline which will no doubt further enhance our very unique offering. The client mix of the hotel, which enjoys consistently high occupancy levels year-round, now includes many more digital nomads — people taking advantage of the opportunities that remote work offers while enjoying a ‘work-cation’. The additional flexibility that self-catering facilities represent is part of the Kruger Gate Hotel’s adaptation to the ‘new normal’ and of the new, independent thinking. As part of our upgrade plan, we intend to build additional self-catering homes that will be purposely built to blend into our natural surroundings. With relaxed Covid-19 protocols in many countries and no more protocols in place in others (including announcements made just recently, here in South Africa), there is the expectation of a higher demand for experiential holidays which provide the opportunity to connect with nature. At the same time, exceptional culinary and dining experiences are important to guests who are looking for extra-sensory stimulation — or perhaps the ultimate in relaxation by a pool or in the spa. The Kruger Gate Hotel offers all this and more. The exceptionally high international operating standards of Marriott are a legacy from which the Kruger Gate Hotel will always benefit, but deflagging now allows for a greater level of personal service from a staff complement that will feel the shift to a greater sense of family. Being mindful of every aspect of our operation is at the heart of our philosophy, including meeting the needs of guests, employees, and the community. We are extremely excited to meet the future head-on and to create a new experience for our guests. Like many other businesses and sectors, we have been forced to relook at what we offer and change or add
to our services in order to meet the needs of tourists who the pandemic has fundamentally and irrevocably changed. Providing value-for-money and oncein-a-lifetime, unforgettable experiences is what we have always strived to do. However, more than ever before, we are sensitive to what the world has gone through, what our industry has gone through and, more locally, what our own people suffered during these past two years. But, with challenges come opportunities, and at the Kruger Gate Hotel, we have taken the many lessons that living through the pandemic taught us, on board, and are committed to implementing changes and improvements that acknowledge new travel trends and that will benefit guests, management and staff alike.
Who is Anton Gillis? Anton is an experienced executive who prides himself on his relentless pursuit of service excellence whilst executing a profitable standards strategy. He has a proven track record of managing complex business models. His diverse management experience has allowed him to gain key insight into both the hospitality and private healthcare sectors. His non-negotiable stance towards respect for human dignity has allowed him to build a unique team of resources and networks to call upon. Business Events Africa July 2022 37
PAGE VENUE STRAP NEWS
ANEW Hotels & Resorts celebrates five years ANEW Hotels & Resorts has celebrated significant milestones over the past few months. And now, they are celebrating the brand’s fifth birthday.
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s a family-run business, established in 1952, the ANEW brand was launched in 2017 and has become a market force in South Africa’s hospitality industry. From owning and managing only three properties three years ago, the group has grown to operate 15 hotels by May 2022 — an impressive increase. ANEW Resort Vulintaba Newcastle is the newest property managed by the group. Other properties added in recent years include ANEW Hotel Ocean Reef, ANEW Resort Hunter’s Rest, ANEW Hotel Centurion, ANEW Hotel Roodepoort, ANEW Hotel Parktonian and ANEW Hotel Green Point. ANEW’s success lies in the commitment of its employees to their HITEC values, which include Honour, Integrity, Teamwork, Excellence, and Courage. Staff and patrons commended Clinton Armour, chief executive officer of the hotel group, praised his team for
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delivering world-class service to guests. He says that the growth of ANEW would not have been possible without a dedicated staff. “Our success is a direct result of the dedication of our team at ANEW Hotels & Resorts. Their commitment and support have helped us grow and expand.” He continued: “As we move forward, we intend to expand the hotel group and become the first choice for travellers. We want to express our gratitude to our loyal guests for choosing ANEW Hotels & Resorts for their travel needs.” The celebration of ANEW’s fifth anniversary is an exciting occasion, said Alan Campbell, director of sales and marketing. “We’re looking forward to new challenges and new properties as we move into our sixth year. The past five years have been nothing short of amazing. Our staff and clients are responsible for our success and we are so genuinely grateful.”
A spirit of perseverance ANEW Hotels & Resorts received Africa’s Travel Indaba’s 2022 Inspiration Award in May this year. The award recognised an individual or organisation that has inspired the community by overcoming adversity to rise and shine over the past two years. Testament to ANEW’s perseverance during the pandemic, the hotel group employed only a few staffers at each property in KwaZulu-Natal, including a general manager, a chef, and a maintenance worker. During this period, the small staff count contributed to the hotel’s character. Accountants cleaned hotel rooms, waiters made beds, and receptionists handled room service. ”We are looking forward to strengthening the brand in the years to come and will continue to serve our guests with excellence,” said Kevin Burley, operations director of ANEW Hotels & Resorts. www.businesseventsafrica.com
EVENT GREENING PAGEFORUM STRAP
What sustainability on a shoestring looks like A persistent perception is that making an event more sustainable is an expensive exercise. And yet the cost may be compared to the length of a piece of string — ranging from almost nothing to a small fortune. (In this way it’s much like most event planning decisions.)
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o prove this point, the Event Greening Forum non-profit has put together a list of event greening steps you are able to take that are both effective strategies at minimising your carbon footprint and which carry no – or very limited – additional costs to what you are already spending. Here they are: 1. Write your own sustainability statement Also referred to as an environmental policy, this document outlines what is important to your business in terms of environmental sustainability and social responsibility, and how you will support these values. Writing a sustainability statement has no cost, and is a critical first step to getting clear on what sustainability challenges you are willing to take on, and how. 2. Choose wisely When choosing a venue, suppliers and service providers, don’t only look at their price and offering. Ask them if they have their own sustainability statement and what they are doing to live up to it. If you already have a preferred option in mind, you may still ask this question, as well as what they are able to do to support your greening goals. 3. Plug into a good waste management system If you want to minimise your event’s waste-tolandfill, find a venue that has a waste management system that separates waste onsite and diverts all recyclables to a recycling depot. You may then back into this with relative ease and strong results. 4. Ask your caterers to green their menu From your first conversation, ask your caterers or food vendors how they may help to serve up a www.businesseventsafrica.com
carbon-lite menu. This includes using ingredients that are: • Locally grown (less food miles) • Seasonal (limited storage) • Plant-based (low carbon footprint) • Organic (no harmful pesticides) Of course, not everything served will meet all these requirements. Some ingredients must be imported, and some meat and dairy will (likely) be needed on the menu, for example. But if you maximise these types of ingredients and minimise the alternatives where possible, your event’s carbon footprint will be noticeably reduced. 5. Print reusable banners This tip will save you money. However, it sounds deceptively simple, but it may be tricky to print branding that you will reuse year-on-year. For example, sponsor logos and your look-and-feel may change. Try to be smart about it and, for example, have separate banners for the sponsors or other elements that could change, don’t print any dates and keep most of the branding very simple and generic. Remember that old banners are able to be upcycled when they are no longer needed. 6. Communicate your greening efforts Lastly, remember to tell (and keep telling) your attendees, sponsors and partners about your greening efforts. This helps to raise awareness about the need to go green, while also promoting your event in a positive way. Important note: Don’t exaggerate your achievements. Greenwashing may hurt your brand. For more on greenwashing and how to avoid it, check out our article in the May issue of Business Events Africa.
Save the date! The Event Greening Forum will be holding a ‘Back to Basics of Event Greening’ training webinar on 21 July. It will serve as both an introduction to event greening as well as a refresher for those who are feeling rusty. Sign up to our newsletter for more details about this and other events we are hosting. Simply go to eventgreening.co.za, click on ‘Contact us’ and follow the link to subscribe.
About About the the EGF EGF
The Event Greening Forum (EGF) is a The Event Greening Forum is a non-profit organisation that(EGF) promotes non-profit organisation promotes sustainability within the that business events sustainability business events sector. It doeswithin this bythe hosting educational sector. does this byand hosting educational sessionsItfor industry lobbying sessions for industry and to lobbying government in an effort implement government in an effort to sustainability principles intoimplement the daily sustainability the daily operations of principles the eventsinto industry. operations of the events industry. The EGF was established through The EGF was established through dedication and support of eight industry dedication support of eight industry associationsand who are recognised as associations who areThe recognised as founding members. founding founding members. The founding members are key industry associations members are key industry associations working together to promote South working together to promote South Africa as a destination for various types Africa as a destination for various types of events. of events.
Want to know more? Want tolike know more? If you would to know more about
If you greening, would likevisit to know more about event event greening, visit wwweventgreening.co.za where you can www.eventgreening.co.za where browse the free resources, sign upyou to the can browse the free resources, monthly newsletter, or contact sign themup to the monthly directly with newsletter, any queries.or contact them directly with any queries. Contact: Contact: Lynn Mcleod Lynn T: 082Mcleod 891 5883 T: 891 5883 E: 082 lynn@eventgreening.co.za E: lynn@eventgreening.co.za
Business Events Africa July 2022 39
PAGENEWS SITE STRAP
Should DMC’s be charging for creating proposals? The events sector of the hospitality has an ongoing struggle with trying to define ‘what is fair’ to charge a client when quoting for a piece of business. By Tes Proos, Site Africa president.
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estination Management Companies (DMCs), globally, often come across scenarios whereby they find their resources and intellectual property (IP) literally being copied by clients. Some examples include clients who use their services to receive quotes and ideas, then take the same quotes and ideas to a competitor and ask for a cheaper quote. In other cases, the client themselves, go directly to the suppliers and book everything directly. This is clearly an absolute waste of resources and daylight robbery
when it comes to a DMC and their supplier’s intellectual property. How does one prevent this? On 27 June 2022, a healthy discussion was moderated by Padraic Gilligan, chief marketing officer of SITE Global, with highly experienced panellists including Mike Waller, chief executive officer of award-winning DMC Dragonfly Africa; Aoife Delaney, immediate past president of SITE Global as well as Lorenzo Pignatti, chief executive officer of Terra Events Italy. Padraic explored between the three organisations as to how they quote and where do they draw the line.
Several interesting case studies were discussed and some pertinent points emerged including the following: • DMC fees may vary from client to client and may well vary depending on the regional origin as well as business sector of the client. • Some would quote nett rates and add a management fee. • Some would mark up line items and quote a management fee. • More clients are using large
Building back Exhibitions and Events together! The founding Associations of the SA Events Council have consistently provided essential information and support on event safety, business relief and venue capacity. Ensure you are ready for business by engaging with your association today.
40 Business Events Africa July 2022
hello@saeventscouncil.org
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PAGE SITE STRAP NEWS
international hotel groups such as Marriott and Radisson and book accommodation directly, therefore in some cases DMC’s cannot charge management fees on accommodation – provided that the client does all contracting, rooming lists and other accommodation related services directly with the hotel. • Discuss the pricing model with the client from the outset. • The panel generally agreed that flexibility on pricing models is essential. • ‘One size fits all’ will never be practical, as service requirements vary. On the topic of large corporates demanding 30/60/90-day postevent payments, it was agreed that it is a practice which should not be allowed — but to what extent are we exposing our companies to playing bank to large corporations? Lorenzo Pignatti of TerraEvents in Italy made an important point that, DMCs should not be selected on their payment terms, but rather on their creativity and ability to deliver a world-class programme. In addition, we need to adapt to a changing industry and be exceptionally careful with regards to contracting. Mike Waller of Dragonfly described an interesting analogy in that DMC management fees also act like an insurance policy. What if something does go wrong, for instance, flights delayed
due to weather? This immediately adds to the DMC workload, yet additional management fees are not commanded. Service delivery and peace of mind that all situations can and will be handled should be part of justifying management fees. Then there is the matter of value vs time. Putting together a suggestion on paper within two hours might seem easy, but how much time and effort has been put into supplier relationships and previous experience to deliver that RFP on time and on point? How to handle clients that keep circling back with quote amendments and seeking new ideas and not confirming? The best way forward
with this is drawing up a letter of intent prior to providing a detailed proposal that might involve a great deal of technical skills, design and so on. As with a site inspection, the DMC can then credit the work back to the client when the programme confirms — as accommodation and other operators often do. It is a highly complex topic, and the plan is to regroup towards September 2022 to continue discussions. You can watch the webinar here: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/4s MiUMpw6u1EXK7CqcZ16y1bDsd2FrT VknNPpR-mGGY0_ tm4fgKMxKrxJHbA5net. QwpxyjjZGUfqvDqG
What we’re all about: motivational experiences Why we do it? Business results! Site is the only global network of travel and event professionals committed to motivational experiences that deliver business results. Site provides insights and connections that inspire the utilisation of this powerful tool across diverse industries, regions and cultures. Site serves as a source of knowledge and best practices where members can make personal connections that sustain professional growth. Only one organisation sits at the critical intersection between those who seek the benefits of motivational tools and those who can provide these extraordinary experiences. That organisation is Site...
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Contact
Email: info@sitesouthernafrica.com www.sitesouthernafrica.com www.siteglobal.com
Business Events Africa July 2022 41
EXSA PAGE NEWS STRAP
Bringing people together again The events and exhibitions industry has seen a positive turnaround in the last few months with the reopening of activities, although not at full capacity. It has been good to see business gradually increase.
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n 22 June 2022, EXSA welcomed the announcement by the Minister of Health annulling all remaining Covid-19 restrictions, including restrictions on business events and gatherings. Glad that a significant number of businesses were able to stay afloat during the most challenging time in the history of our sector. Catching up with GL events South Africa, EXSA were left in admiration of the strides they took in ensuring business continuity over the past two years. Like many others, GL events South Africa had to adapt to the new way of doing business, diversifying their offering to suit the then-market, forming collaborations and partnerships with other businesses within the industry. The industry can almost be certain that forward-thinking, innovative ideas and constant identifying of 42 Business Events Africa July 2022
opportunities for collaboration is going to be key in reigniting our sector and the broader economy. GL events South Africa also mentioned how they have also started re-engaging some of their team members who were laid off during the pandemic, which speaks to their sustainability commitment ‘think people’ which encourages them to create sustainable employment opportunities, thereby contributing meaningfully towards the local economy. And, while other parts of the world saw the easing of restrictions before South Africa, GL events South Africa, being part of the international GL events Group, had the opportunity to participate in major international projects that the Group was involved in during the pandemic. This included seconding some of their infrastructure to support the Group’s capacity in successfully
delivering solutions around the world. Ishmael Atanasi, chief executive officer of the Live division in GL events South Africa, said: “GL events South Africa supports the full resumption of activities within the sector and looks forward to creating enough capacity to deliver successful exhibitions and events. The world as we knew it has changed so much in the last two years and so have we. The industry’s resilience during the pandemic has been proof of how agile the events and exhibition space is.” “The outlook for the last two quarters of the year shows a positive move in activity, and we are eagerly anticipating the full recovery and growth of our sector,” Mr Atanasi added. He concluded: “This certainly feels like a new beginning for the events and exhibition industry, may we all fully embrace it.” www.businesseventsafrica.com
PAGE EXSA STRAP NEWS
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Business Events Africa July 2022 43
PAGE STRAP AAXO NEWS
Live events are back — and here to stay The nervous energy, the smell of the raw concrete floor, the hustle and bustle, the noise of build-up, the big smiles of long-lost industry friends all symbolise the excitement of the return of live events after what has felt like a lifetime. By Sandra Barrow, AAXO board member and portfolio director: design, décor & retail – RX Africa.
T
he absolute thrill of running your first live event post Covid is something that I truly believe you will not forget. The landscape has forced the industry to change, to adapt and survive, if you will, but, I believe, for the better. Industries are talking more to each other, collocating, partnering, helping each other in ways that would never have come about before. We have had to do some serious soul searching and deep diving into the heart of our exhibitions, asking tough but relevant questions,
which has turned the industry on its head. As hard a road as this has been to walk, we have learnt a lot, taught ourselves new skills and showcased these at our exhibitions. The world has become a smaller place, knowledge is even closer to our fingertips, but we have had to use this wisely and showcase it to our visitors in a manner that will still appeal to all senses. Our visitors are ready to be out and about, to be present, to learn and engage; they are hungry for content, but
they are far savvier, which we will need to cater to. Live events are back and ready to stay, to grow, and over the last two years have proven that they are a necessary marketing tool for brands… sometimes being missed is not a bad thing. All in all, the passion for the live event industry is so evident, and with fire burning in our souls to bring back the best live events we can, the industry is only but going to grow from strength to strength.
Let’s grow the exhibition industry by investing in our young professionals.
44 Business Events Africa July 2022
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SAACI PAGE STRAP NEWS
Eventing into the future The business events industry continues to seek clarity as we make our way through the pandemic, into the unknown, while we live, work, and deliver for our clients. By Glenton de Kock, chief executive officer of SAACI.
T
he business events industry continues to seek clarity, as we make our way through the pandemic – into the unknown –while we live, work and deliver for our clients. In recognising the abundance of change that the business events and exhibitions industry has experienced due to the immense impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the drive behind the theme for the SAACI Annual National Congress this year is: ‘Eventing into the Future’. The business events industry will discuss how we need to shape the future, and address issues that directly impact us. The potential impact on the broader community, through business events, is a core focus as we work towards the growth of our industry’s capability, through professional development, networking,
resources, mentorship and our annual awards programme, championing industry leadership and innovation. We encourage the industry to register and reconnect with its members, colleagues and event organisers at the event. The congress will also offer networking and experience-sharing opportunities for industry professionals. For those working in the industry and for students graduating from event management courses, this year’s theme aims to drive personal growth with a view of finding mental harmony, as we build memories for clients. As SAACI (The Southern African Association for the Conference Industry), the largest association representing the interests of the business events trade and professionals celebrates 35 years in
operation, we urge industry members to join us at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Stellenbosch, Sunday 14 August 2022 to Monday, 15 August 2022 for this year’s SAACI National Congress. There is no way that a discussion on the future of the business events industry in South Africa can go ahead without the industry members’ input. So, please don’t delay, and register at www.saaci.org, indicating your availability to attend the congress. We look forward to welcoming you!
THE ASSOCIATION FOR CONFERENCE INDUSTRY LEADERS
CONNECT SAACI unites , supports and educates the business
events industry in southern Africa by creating sustainable environment for business growth
THRIVE Join SAACI and enjoy access to an inspiring network of industry professionals, while giving your business the professional status it needs to attract the attention of business leaders. GROW Become the business events professional you’ve always wanted to be. Access the SAACI Academy and enter a world of inspiration, connections and world-class skills development.
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Visit our online community: www.saaci.org www.saacicongress.org www.saaci-academy.org
+27(0)11 880 5883 info@saaci.org
Business Business Events Events Africa Africa October July 2022 2020 45 Learning | Growth | collaboration
DIRECTORY
SOUTHERN AFRICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE CONFERENCE INDUSTRY
EXCO AND HEAD OFFICE Chairperson: Kim Roberts e: info@mise-en-placesolutions.com c: +27 (0)82 652 2008 Vice-chairperson: Minister Kganyango e: mkganyago@csir.co.za c: +27 (0)79 513 8708 Treasurer: Jaques Fouche e: jaques@be-moved.co.za c: +27 (0)60 993 7542 Public officer: Alistair Stead e: alastair@scandisplay.africa c: +27 (0)73 236 6618 Chief executive officer: Glenton De Kock e: ceo@saaci.org c: +27 (0)82 575 7565 Membership services consultant: Alshanthé Smith t: +27 (0)71 299 0601 e: members@saaci.org BOARD MEMBERS Chairperson: Kim Roberts e: info@mise-en-placesolutions.com t: +27 (0)82 652 2008 Vice-chairperson: Minister Kganyango e: mkganyago@csir.co.za c: +27 (0)79 513 8708 Treasurer: Jaques Fouche e: jaques@be-moved.co.za c: +27 (0)60 993 7542 Public officer: Alistair Stead e: alastair@scandisplay.africa c: +27 (0)73 236 6618 Eastern Cape Chairperson: Melissa Palmer e: melissa@becbc.co.za t: +27 (0)82 437 7600 +27 (0)41 404 2431 KwaZulu-Natal Chairperson: Irene Vallihu c: +27 (0)79 692 4604 e: irenev@icc.co.za Gauteng Chairperson: Neil Nagooroo c: +27 (0)82 929 5241 e: neil@nxlevel.co.za Western Cape Chairperson: Angela Lorimer c: +27 (0)74 550 1000 e: angelajacobson862@yahoo.co.za Coopted Youth Ambassador: Minister Kganyango e: mkganyago@csir.co.za c: +27 (0)79 513 8708 Coopted Learning Ambassador: Esti Venske e: venskee@cput.ac.za c: +27 (0)83 482 9276
EASTERN CAPE Chairperson: Melissa Palmer e: melissa@becbc.co.za t: +27 (0)82 437 7600 +27 (0)41 404 2431 Vice-chairperson: Claire Kivedo e: claire@overallevents.co.za c: +27 (0)82 4641 504 COMMITTEE: David Limbert e: david@magnetic.co.za c: +27 (0)82 9064 198 Gill Dickie e: gilld@bidvestcarrental.co.za c: +27 (0)79 527 7619 Wanda Fourie e: registration@easternsun.co.za c: +27 (0)72 608 1641 Claire Kivedo e: claire@overallevents.co.za c: +27 (0)82 464 1504 GAUTENG Chairperson: Neil Nagooroo c: +27 (0)82 929 5241 e: neil@nxlevel.co.za Vice Chairperson: Mary Mahlangu c: +27 (0) 81 574 9493 e: mary@flockplatform.com COMMITTEE: Rendani Khorommbi Joburg Tourism t: +27 (0)11 883 3525 c: +27 (0)82 773 2999 e: rendanik@joburgtourism.com Zaida Enver Pure Grit Events and Exhibitions Management t: +27 (0)82 555 1049 e: zaida@puregrit.co.za KWAZULU-NATAL Chairperson: Irene Vallihu c: +27 (0)79 692 4604 e: irenev@icc.co.za Vice-chairperson: Gill Slaughter c: +27 (0)83 269 0279 e: gills@turnersconferences.co.za Treasurer: Sibusiso Mncwabe c: +27 (0)83 477 5536 e: sibusiso@marketingwell.co.za
Vice-chairperson: Alex Wrottesley c: +27 (0)21 430 2060 e: alex@intoafrica.co.za COMMITTEE: Ansu Colditz c: +27 (0)82 457 8071 e: ansuc@millenniumtravel.co.za Esti Venske t: +27 (0)21 460 3518 e: estivenske@gmail.com Zimkitha Bavuma c: +27 (0)72 172 5746 e: zim@live.co.za Esmare Steinhofel c: +27 (0)84 056 5544 e: esmare.s@iccaworld.org Andrew Gibson t: +27 (0)860 111 625 e: Andrew@magnetic.co.za e: andrew.msct@gmail.com Gheeta Payle t: +27 (0)86 123 7890 e: gheeta.payle@inhousevtm.com Lara van Zyl Paragon Africa t: +27 (0)82 223 4684 e: lvanzyl@paragong.com
EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
EXSA OFFICE www.exsa.co.za EXSA Association Manager Lee-Ann Alder t: +27 (0)82 550 0349 e: info@exsa.co.za EXSA Chairperson and KZN forum head: Sibusiso Mchwabe (KZN) Marketing Well t: +27 (0)83 477 5536 e: sibusiso@marketingwell.co.za EXSA Deputy chairperson, Head of WC forum: Jacqui Nel (EC) Exhibition Freighting G.S.M. t: +27 (0)21 552 7248 e: jacquinel@ef-gsm.co.za Deputy head KZN forum: Sandile Dlamini Anzamode t: +27 (0)79 104 5510 e: sandile@anzomode.co.za Deputy Head WC forum: Liam Beattie Hott 3D t: +27 (0)76 577 0989 e: liam@hott.co.za Immediate past Chairperson: Doug Rix DK Designs t: +27 (0)82 579 7071 e: dougrix@wol.co.za Directors: Kerry-Lee Bester Brilliant Branding t: +27 (0)72 265 6600 e: kerry@brilliant-branding.co.za Beert Kuiken Octanorm t: +27 (0)82 387 5324 e: beert.kuiken@octanorm.co.za
COMMITTEE: Tarannum Banatwalla c: +27 (0)83 254 9462 e: tarannum@jellyfishcatering.co.za Mabuyi Mosia c: +27 (0)71 117 7509 e: mabuyi@ikhono.co.za Kavitha Dhawnath c: +27 (0)83 607 200 e: kavitha.dhawnath@gearhouse.co.za Wiseman Mnguni c: +27 (0)78 220 2162 e: mboniseni.events@gmail.com Sandile Dlamini c: +27 (0)79 104 5510 e: sandile@anzomode.co.za WESTERN CAPE Chairperson: Angela Lorimer c: +27 (0)74 550 1000 e: angelajacobson862@yahoo.co.za e: salesmanager@ lagoonbeachhotel.co.za
46 Business Events Africa July 2022
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DIRECTORY
SOCIETY FOR INCENTIVE TRAVEL EXCELLENCE
President: Tes Proos c: +27 (0) 84 682 7676 e: tes@crystalevents.co.za Treasurer: Peter-John Mitrovich c: +27 (0)82 318 1889 e: peter-john.mitrovich@grosvenortours. com Sustainability: Daryl Keywood Southern Africa Development: Brad Glen East Africa Development: Chris Munyao Young Leader Programme: Peter Mwanja Africa Convention Bureaus: Rick Taylor North Africa Development: George Fawzi Board member at large: Rick Taylor East Africa (Rwanda): Chris Munyao North Africa: George Fawzi North Africa support: Brad Glen Secretariat & Events: Mariaan Burger c: +27 (0)82 557 8041 e: info@siteafrica.africa
SA EVENTS COUNCIL
ASSOCIATION OF AFRICAN EXHIBITION ORGANISERS
46 Waterford Office Park, Waterford Drive, Fourways, Johannesburg t: +27 (0)11 465 8955 e: aaxo@aaxo.co.za Association coordinator: Molebegeng Masote e: mole@aaxo.co.za Chairperson: Projeni Pather, Exposure Marketing e: projeni@exposuremarketing.co.za Vice-chairperson: Devi Paulsen-Abbott, Dmg Events e: devipaulsen@dmgevents.com Venue Committee Chairperson: Charles Wilson, Gallagher Convention Centre e: charlesw@Gallagher.co.za Treasurer: Mark Anderson, Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery e: marka@specialised.com Board of directors: Adele Hartdegen, Dogan Exhibitions & Events e: adele@expocentre.co.za Chanelle Hingston, Clarion Events Africa e: chanelle.hingston@clarionevents.com Tiisetso Tau, Synergy Business Events e: ttau@synergybe.co.za
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS & CONVENTION ASSOCIATION e: hello@saeventscouncil.org Chairperson: Raylene Johnson, CEO: TEBCO-SA Vice-chairperson: — – Interim treasurer: Glenn van Eck, Chairperson: CEPA Spokesperson: Projeni Pather, Chairperson: AAXO Members: Kevan Jones, Executive Director SACIA Sharif Baker, Chairperson TPSA Tes Proos, SITE President Justin Hawes, Managing Director: Scan Display & Event Greening Forum Treasurer Sibusiso Mncwabe, Chairperson EXSA Justin van Wyk, Chairperson SALPA Mike Lord, Chairperson ESC Arthur Goldstuck, PSASA Exco Member Esmare Steinhofel, Chairperson: ICCA Africa Chapter Advisory Members: Prof Nellie Swart, Associate Professor: Tourism Management Corne Koch, Head: Convention Bureau (WESGRO) Tiisetso Tau, AAXO member Daryl Keywood, SITE Member Bheki Twala, TEBCO-SA Executive Kim Roberts, SAACI Representative Western Cape Robyn D’Alessandro, PR/Social media, Vivo Visual Voice CC
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ICCA African Chapter Chairperson: Taubie Motlhabane Cape Town International Convention Centre t: +27 (0)21 410 5000 e: Taubiem@cticc.co.za Deputy chairperson: Jacinta Nzioka Kenya National Convention Bureau t: +254 722464221 e: jacinta@kncb.go.ke Secretariat: Esmaré Steinhöfel ICCA Africa Regional director c: +27 (0)84 056 5544 e: esmare.s@iccaworld.org www.iccaworld.com/dbs/africanchapter www.iccaworld.org
EVENT GREENING FORUM
179 Jan Smuts Ave, Parktown North, Private Bag X7000, Parklands 2121 t: +27 (0)11 447 4777 e: info@eventgreening.co.za www.eventgreening.co.za Chairperson: Morwesi Ramonyai, Borena Energy Vice-chairperson: John Avanitakis, Chat’r Xperience Treasurer: Justin Hawes, Scan Display Secretariat: Lynn McLeod e: lynn@eventgreening.co.za
OTHER ASSOCIATIONS OF INTEREST ABTA – African Business Travel Association Box 2594, Pinegowrie, 2123 t: +27 (0)11 888 8178 c: +27 (0)83 679 2110 e: monique@abta.co.za www.abta.co.za Founder: Monique Swart ASATA – Association of Southern African Travel Agents PO Box 650539, Benmore, 2010 t: +27 (0)11 293 0560/61 e: barbara@asata.co.za e: general@asata.co.za Office manager: Barbara Viljoen Council of Event Professionals Africa M16 Ticketpro Dome Cnr. Northumberland & Olievenhout Roads, Northriding Executive Director: Kevan Jones kevan@sacia.org.za t: +27 (0)11 083 6418 c: +27 (0)82 555 5556 Chairperson: Glenn van Eck Magnetic Storm c: +27 (0)82 800 2616 e: glenn@magnetic.co.za FEDHASA National Office – Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa PO Box 3853, The Reeds, 0157 c: +27 (0)82 552 9862 e: ceo@fedhasa.co.za www.fedhasa.co.za Chief executive: Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa PSASA – Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa t: +27 (0)11 462 9465 c: +27 (0)83 458 6114 e: admin@psasouthernafrica.co.za www.psasouthernafrica.co.za SABOA – Southern African Bus Operators Association Postnet Suite 393, Private Bag X033, Rivonia 2128 t: +27 (0)11 511 7641 e: saboa@saboa.co.za www.saboa.co.za
SACIA – Southern African Communications Industries Association M16 Ticketpro Dome Cnr. Northumberland & Olievenhout Roads, Northriding t: +27 (0)11 083 6418 c: +27 (0)82 555 5556 e: kevan@sacia.org.za Executive director: Kevan Jones SATI – South African Translators’ Institute Executive director: Marion Boers t: +27 (0)11 803 2681 e: office@translators.org.za www.translators.org.za SATSA – Southern Africa Tourism Services Association Box 900, Ferndale 2160 t: +27 (0)11 886 9996 e: pa@satsa.co.za www.satsa.com SKAL International South Africa Secretary: Anne Lamb t: +27 (0)21 434 7023 c: +27 (0)82 708 1836 e: anne@yebo.co.za www.skalsouthafrica.org STA – Sandton Tourism Association t: +27 (0)83 558 5445 e: secretariat@sandtontourism.com www.sandtontourism.com TBCSA – Tourism Business Council of South Africa Box 11655, Centurion 0046 t: +27 (0)12 664 0120 e: comms@tbcsa.travel www.tbcsa.travel www.tomsa.co.za Member relations manager: Boitumelo Moleleki TGCSA – Tourism Grading Council of South Africa Private Bag X10012, Sandton 2146 t: +27 (0)11 895 3000 f: +27 (0)11 895 3001 e: enquiries@tourismgrading.co.za TINSA – Interpreters/Translators Network of Southern Africa e: info@interpreter.org.za t/f: +27 (0)11 485 2511 c: +27 (0)83 249 0010 www.interpreter.org.za TPSA – Technical Production Services Association M16 Ticketpro Dome Cnr. Northumberland & Olievenhout Roads, Northriding t: +27 (0)11 083 6418 c: +27 (0)82 555 5556 e: kevan@sacia.org.za www.tpsa.co.za Executive director: Kevan Jones TTA – Tshwane Tourism Association Box 395, Pretoria 0001 t: +27 (0)12 841 4212 e: secretary@tshwanetourism.com www.tshwanetourism.com Chairperson: Bronwen Cadle de Ponte Secretary: Sithembile Nzimande Membership coordinator: Liz Oosthuysen e: membership@tshwanetourism.com
Business Events Africa July 2022 47
PAGE STRAP MARKET NEWS
Bronwen Auret appointed at TGCSA It is with great pleasure that South African Tourism (SA Tourism) announces the appointment of Bronwen Auret as the organisation’s new chief quality assurance officer, heading up the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa. Ms Auret assumed her new role with effect from 1 July 2022.
S
he is a seasoned business leader who has held executive and senior management positions in tourism, cinema and advertising. Until recently, she was South African Tourism’s general manager, responsible for brand and marketing, a position she had held since February 2018, overseeing the organisation’s brand and marketing efforts. Ms Auret has in-depth knowledge and experience in innovation strategies, brand management, marketing operations and digital marketing. South African Tourism’s acting chief executive officer, Mzilikazi Khumalo, said that he is delighted that a professional of Ms Auret’s calibre and expertise is taking up this role. “As the sector recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, quality assurance and visitor experience have become even more important for travellers. So, I am thrilled to have Bronwen at the helm of the Tourism
Grading Council of South Africa and leading our efforts to ensure that visitors experience the best products that destination South Africa has to offer. I am confident that Bronwen will be successful in her new role,” Mr Khumalo said. In her role as the chief quality assurance officer, she will be responsible for ensuring that destination South Africa has quality assured graded establishments, promoting capacity building and supporting the development of industry participants as well as enhancing the competency and integrity of the grading assessors. “The pandemic has highlighted just how important the tourism sector is for South Africa. We have an opportunity to inspire the tourism value chain and drive the prosperity of our sector through sustainable business, people and service. It is an honour to serve as the chief quality assurance officer for SA Tourism,” Ms Auret said.
Index of advertisers and contributors ADVERTISER AAXO Durban ICC Event Greening Forum EXSA Fancourt
PAGE 44 FC,IFC,8-9 39 42-43 5,12-13
WEBSITE
aaxo@aaxo.co.za
www.aaxo.co.za
sales@icc.co.za
www.icc.co.za
info@eventgreening.co.za
www.eventgreening.co.za
exsa@exsa.co.za
www.exsa.co.za
groupreservations@fancourt.co.za
fancourt.com
Mjunxtion
4
yolande@mjunxtion.co.za
www.mjunxtion.co.za
Premier Hotels
25
info@premierhotels.com
www.premierhotels.com
SA Events Council
40
hello@saeventscouncil.org
www.saeventscouncil.org
SAACI
17,45
info@saaci.org
www.saaci.org
Site Africa
40-41
info@sitesouthernafrica.com
siteglobal.com/chapter/site-africa
48 Business Events Africa July 2022
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THE PAGE LAST WORD STRAP
Putting on a show With the return of live in-person events, Gabi Babinszky, managing director of BRX Group shares his perspective, as a supplier, on the current state of the industry.
I
t is no secret that the events and exhibitions industry was severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, the post-Covid era has brought with it many changes to the industry and how we all do business. These changes have been both positive and negative for suppliers and organisers alike. During the height of the pandemic, many suppliers found themselves between a rock and a hard place, with their livelihoods hanging precariously in the balance because there were almost no in-person events taking place for such an extended period. Simply put, there was not enough of the pie to go around, which saw many suppliers leaving the industry in pursuit of other income-generating projects. Ultimately, this has resulted in a major portion of suppliers having to find alternative means to ensure their survival. With the rate that in-person events are returning, it has resulted in organisers finding it increasingly difficult to source the right suppliers and level of expertise to support them with their events and exhibitions. On the other hand, some suppliers are finding it easier to sell their services because they are able to offer a better price due to less competition, in some cases. One of the most significant changes I have seen is the increased demand for transparency on pricing. While the industry is opening up, client budgets are still very tight, and, at this point in time, we are having to deliver exceptional value for their spend.
An evolving industry The exhibition industry is constantly changing and evolving. With the rapid growth of technology and the advent of innovations, I believe we may expect to see a lot more changes in the future. Exhibitions are a necessary part of any company’s marketing strategy. They help to create brand awareness and generate interest in products. The challenge here is that exhibitions have traditionally been difficult to put on as they require a lot of time and money, but with new technologies, it has become easier for companies to put on
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exhibitions with much less cost and effort. And, with the right venue, the sky is the limit. With so many options for events and exhibitions spaces, what key areas should you focus on? #1 - Event spaces with a unique experience Some event spaces are designed with a specific experience in mind. For example, they might have an immersive atmosphere, or they might be an ideal space to host a conference. The goal of these event spaces is to provide attendees with something memorable and unique.
offer a chance for businesses to collect customer feedback in real-time and generate new ideas from these interactions. With the return of so many shows this year, it is clear from the in-person attendance and participation that there is an appetite like never before for these types of organised events. It is now up to the events industry to ensure that we maintain the current momentum and provide valuable and impactful experiences for our clients, organisers and attendees.
#2 - Flexible event spaces Many organisers want to provide attendees with the flexibility to choose the type of experience they want at their event space. This means having multiple types of spaces available for rent and hosting events in different locations throughout the year, allowing organisers to offer more variety in their content. #3 - Technologically fit The exhibition industry is in a state of flux. The growth of digital technology, spurred by demand, has led to the emergence of new exhibition formats, which are sometimes cheaper and more efficient. As a result, the traditional methods of exhibiting are being challenged and may soon be rendered obsolete. Many venues are realising this and ensuring they are able to support these formats. Exhibitions are an effective business tool Exhibitions are one of the best ways for companies to showcase their products or services to an audience. With the rise of social media and the internet, some people are questioning whether exhibitions are still relevant. However, exhibitions remain a powerful marketing tool for companies and entrepreneurs. Exhibitions provide an opportunity for businesses to interact with their customers on a more personal level than what is possible through digital channels. They also
Who is Gabi Babinszky? He is the managing director at BRX Group, a leading South African supplier of audio-visual solutions. He is also the creative and influential director, leading diverse teams in the delivery of award-winning projects for global, industry-leading organisations. He achieved rapid career progression by exceeding client and employer expectations, developing an allencompassing knowledge of successful project delivery and effective strategies to increase and exceed annual turnover targets. Focused on applying this wealth of knowledge and experience in the delivery of ground-breaking events for a globally recognised and forward-thinking company. He is also a board member of EXSA (Exhibition and Events Association of South Africa).
Business Events Africa July 2022 49
DIGITAL
DIRECTORY
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BUSINESS EVENTS DIRECTORY
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