SAACI NEWS

Keep moving forward — one quarter down, three to go

The second quarter of the year began with jam-packed meetings, events and trade exhibitions calendar, across the country. The coming months will provide some data on how we are progressing as an industry and where we may need some work.

By Glenton De Kock, chief executive officer of SAACI.

With corporates still continuing to work from home – at least part of the week – how do we attract attendees, in a changed environment? We are still seeing limited corporate travel and a real slow uptake from government travel, in certain parts of the country.

We need to find an approach that is effective, in order to encourage attendance at events.

This change in approach is against a backdrop of continued high-priced pressure and inflation.

As an industry, the three incredibly interdependent segments of our industry, the organiser, the venue and — truth be told – multiple suppliers, have thus far found a way to attract acceptable growth in areas of increased floor space, increase in attendees and continued improvement in program content for meetings and trade shows during this past quarter. On reflection, our industry has ensured that we drive impact for clients and continue to contribute to the many needs that we face daily as citizens, and shaping the conversations of the here and now.

As the ‘silent’ workers, we may not always receive the required recognition, but we remain the core that makes many an industry move forward.

Ultimately, it’s the calibre of our relationships that will influence how we progress for the remaining months of 2023, and ensure that we mitigate any chance of the cookie crumbling.