Business Events Africa October 2020

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Voice of the Business Events Industry in Africa

Vol 40 No 10 October 2020

Conferencing with a difference at‌

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businesseventsafrica.com Business Events Africa has been the voice of the business events industry in southern Africa for the past 40 years. This trusted source of information keeps readers up-to-date with the most relevant news, trends, interviews, destination features, venue showcases and local association news and resources. Business Events Africa is also known for having the most comprehensive directory of venues, service providers, speakers and conference organisers in Africa.

Head Office: Suite 1, Fields Shopping Centre, Old Main Road, Kloof 3610 PO Box 414, Kloof 3640, South Africa Tel: +27 31 764 6977 | Fax: 086 762 1867 Email: contact@contactpub.co.za

Voice of the Business Events Industry in Africa

KEEPING YOU IN THE KNOW | CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH PEOPLE

Business Events Africa: Serving the business events industry for 40 years

CONTENTS

The authority on meetings, exhibitions, special events and incentives management

VOL 40 NO 10 OCTOBER 2020

Sun City Sun City had been open and running uninterupted for 40 years. In March 2020 it closed in an unprecendented manner.

Now, with all the safety protocols in place, it is ready for business once again.

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 MANAGING DIRECTOR: Malcolm King malcolm@contactpub.co.za EDITOR: Irene Costa gomesi@iafrica.com PRODUCTION AND DESIGN EDITOR:

MARKET NEWS 17 Africa Travel Week draws focus on the African Diaspora Traveller.

Features EDITOR’S COMMENT 2 Re-imagining the new world.

NEWS 3 Protea Hotels by Marriott: still South Africa’s ‘Coolest Hotel Brand’ 4 South Africa is open and ready.

5 Safety first for the events industry.

5 SA’s first online food show goes live in November.

COVER STORY | SUN CITY 6 Excitement as Sun City reopens for business.

PERSONALITY PROFILE 10 Adele Hartdegen, CEO of the

Johannesburg Expo Centre and

Dogan Events.

CHEF PROFILE 12 Cheffing is a calling rather than a career for Adrian Vigus-Brown.

VENUE NEWS | REOPENING PROTOCOLS 14 Conferencing at Indaba Hotel during Covid-19.

15 Hilton introduces Hilton EventReady with CleanStay.

VENUE NEWS 16 Radisson Hotel Group launches hybrid solutions.

SUSTAINABILITY 18 The virus is not going anywhere soon.

A LOCAL PERPECTIVE 20 Using incentives to drive business growth.

EVENT GREENING FORUM NEWS 21 Build back better.

ICCA NEWS 22 Re-imagining the future of global events.

AAXO NEWS 24 A time for reset: The event

industry’s Uber moment.

SAACI NEWS 25 The need for a collective conversation.

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 40 No 10 Business Events Africa has 12 issues a year and is published monthly.

publishers of Business Events Africa, is a member of:

SITE NEWS 26 The new normal-really?

EXSA NEWS 28 Captain’s log: EXSA’s Stardate October 2020.

SA EVENTS COUNCIL NEWS 29 The start of our recovery.

REGULARS 29 Index of advertisers.

30 Directory and associations of interest.

THE LAST WORD 32 Reopening of the event industry: what to expect.

Learning | Growth | collaboration

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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EDITOR’S COMMENT

Credit: Hein Liebetrau

Re-imagining the new world The world has certainly changed. This much we can all agree on.

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s I sit in my office, there is something comforting at the moment in this new world, as people refer to our current existence.

It is the fact that for the first time in a long time, we can start to reimagine life as we knew it, with some resemblance to the old world.

Is it me or are you also just tired and want to continue living and enjoying face-to-face interactions, even if it means being in a mask and using copious amounts of sanitiser on a daily basis?

As soon as my kids could go back to school I sent them – why? Sure, online schooling was certainly demanding on us parents, but more so, I didn’t want my kids to be afraid of ‘living’ and interacting with others.

These social skills and the need for human interaction is vital in my opinion.

This is why no matter how many zoom meetings you have or even virtual events and exhibitions you attend – I’m sorry it will never replace the currency of meeting face-to-face.

Sure, I understand there are many people who will be scared for a while to go out to an event or an exhibition,

but I still think majority will want that face-to-face interaction.

Business networking is not the same when you are meeting via a virtual interaction. Sure, the need for this virtual platform will stay but as I said earlier – it will not replace.

Last month, I attended my first networking event since lockdown. EXSA invited its members to a very informal networking event at a coffee shop. It was so wonderful to reconnect with people I knew and make new connections, which is what it is all about. I think there was a sense of relief in some ways and honestly it gave me a taste of some form of normality. I’m so ready to get out to a physical conference, exhibition and event.

Therefore, I have no doubt that the business events sector will thrive again once government increases the numbers allowed to ‘gather’. The current 250 maximum inside and 500 maximum outside is a start for conferencing and events but really is not viable for an exhibition.

The fact that we are seen as ‘gatherings’ seems to be our biggest downfall. What I still don’t understand is how government

can’t comprehend the fact that we are not just ‘gatherings’ but are a highly regulated sector and any conferences, exhibitions, incentives or events that happen, happen in a highly controlled environment; so much more than your local shopping mall.

Another hindrance is the latest international destination list of countries not allowed into our country. Several of the ‘no-go’ destinations on that list are lower risk than some of the countries that have been given the green light.

Some of the ‘no-go’ destinations are from our primary source markets.

Occasionally things just don’t make sense but that is a topic for another time.

In conclusion, our sector is Covid-19 ready and waiting; all we need is the go ahead from government to make it happen!

Irene

Email: gomesi@iafrica.com

MARKET NEWS

Protea Hotels by Marriott: still South Africa’s ‘Coolest Hotel Brand’

For the 10th consecutive year, Protea Hotels by Marriott has been voted as South Africa’s Coolest Hotel Brand in the Sunday Times Generation Next Survey.

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he accolade indicates that the South African-born brand, which has an international footprint and forms part of one of the world’s largest hospitality groups, Marriott International, has remained a firm favourite among young South Africans.

Now in its 14th year, Generation Next polls the opinions of around 6 000 of South Africa’s youth (ages 8 to 22) in urban and peri-urban environments in six provinces. The lifestyle and consumer behaviour questionnaire is boosted by a further 4 000 face-to-face interviews.

“We are delighted to be awarded this coveted accolade, as voted by the next

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generation of travellers in a strategically important market. Our brand has a deep understanding of our ever-changing market and we are invested in creating memorable experiences for all of our guests, across all age brackets. This accolade has shown that Protea Hotels

by Marriott has consistently kept up with the demands of our guests and has stayed relevant for over a decade,” said Volker Heiden, area vice president SubSaharan Africa, Marriott International.

“As we welcome travellers back to our hotels, we are committed to providing them with a safe stay experience through the implementation of elevated cleaning

protocols and the use of advanced cleaning technology,” Mr Heiden said.

These protocols include cleaning and disinfecting protocols are in place to sanitize rooms after guests depart and before the next guests arrive, and there is also an increased frequency of cleaning in the ‘Back of House’, where hotel employees work behind the scenes.

“These improved protocols are just one example of how we are constantly evolving to deliver a highly personalised experience for our guests. We look forward to welcoming our guests and creating unique opportunities for them to create lasting memories,” Mr Heiden concluded.

Business Events Africa October 2020 3

NEWS

South Africa is open and ready South Africa is open and ready to welcome travellers from across the world! The South African President, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, announced on Wednesday, 16 September that cabinet has decided to place the entire country on alert level 1, thus opening up international borders for selected countries from 1 October 2020.

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isa Ntshona, chief executive officer of South African Tourism said, “We are delighted by this announcement. As we prepare to open our regional and international borders on 1 October 2020, we know many travellers have been eager to travel to South Africa to enjoy the wide variety of our leisure activities and to host their business events. We are thrilled that we can finally welcome them back again.”

As South African Tourism, we have always said that the gradual reopening of the tourism sector and tourism-related services is in accordance with South Africa’s Risk-Adjusted Strategy and is driven by the pandemic’s trajectory, and not set dates. Our numbers are on a gradual decline, which makes this the perfect time to start reopening our borders. I would like to thank all partners from here in South Africa and across the world for their unyielding support and continued patience. We look forward to engaging them once again as we work together to package South Africa for various tourists’ needs,” Mr Ntshona said.

Mr Ntshona said that as travellers and business events delegates gear up to

meet South Africa again, they will be amazed as they are reminded by how much variety our country has to offer. He further expressed his excitement at the fact that we will finally get to share all that South Africa has to offer with many visitors from various parts of the world.

Whilst elated about the further easing of restrictions, Mr Ntshona emphasised the importance of safety measures that South Africa has put in place including wearing of masks, washing hands and still maintaining social distancing.

“It is important to highlight that whilst we are happy with the further opening of our tourism sector, we recognise and acknowledge that the Covid-19 pandemic is still with us.

Our industry has put in place globallybenchmarked health and safety protocols to ensure that all travellers and tourism sector employees are safe. “We take everyone’s safety very seriously.

Therefore, we plead with all travellers, both domestic and international, to get used to travelling within the Covid-19 environment and exercising patience as we have new protocols that we must observe and practise,” he added.

4 Business Events Africa October 2020

Details on the opening of international borders will be provided by the Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane soon.

“We are also encouraged by the increase of domestic travel since interprovincial travel was permitted last month. We are convinced that as the summer season is upon us, more and more South Africans will continue to go out and explore. We know that South Africans are looking forward to also sharing their country with visitors from other parts of our continent and the rest of the world. We look forward to sharing our lush-green landscapes, sloping hills, sun soaked coasts, star studded skies, wildlife safaris like no other, vibrant cultures, adventures and wide open spaces,” Mr Ntshona concluded.

South Africa first went into lockdown at midnight on 26 March this year when President Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster. With that all international and business travel halted.

The country has since gradually eased its restrictions, starting with domestic travel, and now with regional and international borders due to open on 1 October. www.businesseventsafrica.com

NEWS

Safety first for the events industry As we enter Alert Level 1 in South Africa, the relaxation of regulations around capacity at events has allowed for a 50 per cent venue capacity capped at 250 pax indoors and 500 outdoors. While not ideal for the reopening of the industry, this adjustment has at least allowed for smaller events to start operating at a more financially viable level.

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s events specialists, our priority is, as always, focused on the safety of our performers, guests and practitioners. In 2020 Covid-19 poses a new and unforeseen risk to our industry.

In June, the SA Events Council developed and published a comprehensive set of Event Reopening Guidelines outlining the steps that we must take to enable the safe re-opening of events. We are working hard to ensure that confidence and trust in our ability to keep our events safe grows quickly. The last thing we want as we begin this process is for there to be events that do not adhere to the guidelines and which pose a risk to attendees and artists and resulting in a back-step in the regulations.

While many venues, corporates and caterers have their own sets of safety practices, we urge all events organisers to communicate and uphold the Event Reopening Guidelines as a foundation standard on every event mounted. If necessary additional venue/corporatespecific protocols can easily be overlaid

to satisfy compliance for all stakeholders, but at no point should the Event Safety Guidelines be compromised. It is up to each and every meeting’s planner, event organiser, promoter or production house to self-regulate using these basic safety protocols in the same way as we have always done for non-Covid-19 related event safety practices.

Our event safety experts have devised what we believe to be the safest way to reopen the events industry. Let us set the benchmark and make sure that the South African events industry continues to deliver the world-class service and safety levels that we are undoubtedly capable of, across the board.

SA’s first online food show goes live in November The Festive Vegan and Plant Powered Show (FVPPS), which takes place in November, is bringing revolutionary changes to the traditional food and trade show exhibition format.

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t will feature a host of international and local chefs – including a finalist from last year's MasterChef Australia and the UK’s leading vegan chef – as well as exciting cooking demonstrations, expert talks, special appearances, entertainment and The Great Big Festive Vegan Banquet.

The six-hour event, set to take place on Saturday, November 28 from 11am to 5pm, will be an online interactive event that visitors won’t have experienced before and is a precursor to next year’s Vegan & Plant Powered Shows (VPPS) which are scheduled to take place in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

This not-to-be-missed one-day visual experience will allow visitors to meet some big name local and international chefs and discover

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products and services in an entertaining, engaging and informative way.

The Festive Vegan & Plant Powered Show (FVPPS) will also play host to a wide range of plant-based food and lifestyle brands which will be featured in a virtual expo area. Visitors to the show will be able to interact with exhibitors and make purchases.

Heidi Warricker, chief executive officer of VPPS and Live Events, said: “We are very excited to be presenting the Festive Vegan & Plant Powered Show. Food is one of the most important parts of the festive holiday season and online visitors will not only be inspired by demonstrations from a variety of chefs but will also be able to purchase amazing products for their own festive occasions.”

For more information go to https:// www.quicket.co.za/events/115058-thefestive-vegan-plant-powered-show#/ VPPS will now take place at the Cape Town Convention Centre from Friday, May 28 to Sunday, May 30, 2021. A Johannesburg event is also scheduled with dates to be announced shortly.

Business Events Africa October 2020 5

COVER STORY | Sun City

Excitement as

Sun City

reopens for business One of the country’s biggest conference and incentive destinations, Sun City Resort, has reopened its doors on 2 September after more than 150 days of closure due to lockdown regulations. Business Events Africa was invited to Sun City to experience the re-opening safety protocols. The excitement and energy levels of the staff was tangible.

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rett Hoppé, general manager of Sun City Resort shared some insights. Clearly passionate about his staff, he said they have come back re-energised.

On the unforeseen closure, he said: “If you had said to me in January that in March we will shut down Sun City - a property which has traded 24/7, 365 days a year for the past 40 years - and not trade for 156 days, I would not have believed it.

Mr Hoppé reflected on that time when he did site checks around the resort and saw the wildlife come out from the bushes and drink from the hotel pools.

One evening they even had a leopard take a night-time stroll through the porte-cochère (covered entrance to a building) of the Soho Hotel, he said.

The reality is that the tourism industry has been decimated by the Covid-19 lockdown.

At this stage, the reopening is partial with initial hotel visitors mainly from the Johannesburg and Pretoria area and the Sun Vacation Club playing catch-up to accommodate member bookings.

Mr Hoppé said challenges which remained were the lack of international inbound flights, seeing that 30 per cent of Sun City’s guests were international; restrictions on conferences - an important source of revenue for Sun City - and ensuring proper compliance with

all Covid-19 protocols.

Sun City has now moved to a virtual hybrid studio of high quality to limit the capacity to 50 people at a time and instead host delegates via Sun Studio, a virtual studio.

“We are not just observing the protocols for the sake of ticking a box, but we will execute the protocols and make sure they are adhered to. Once regulations are lifted we don’t foresee protocols falling away. We will maintain protocols to ensure the continuous safety of our customers.”

Safety protocols have been taken very seriously with Mr Hoppé describing Sun City as a “bio-bubble” where, once inside, staff and guests could be secure in the knowledge they were in a safe space. “We are forever in a changed reality,” he said.

“We have to make sure we are able to service and still apply the protocols.”

From the time one arrives at the gate, pre-screening is done and there are temperature checks, sanitising stations and physical distancing applications at every facility across the site. In the restaurants, food safety is paramount; menus are disposable, cutlery is packaged, and buffets have been replaced with food covered and served in individual portions.

Hotels and facilities at Sun City are being reopened in phases. For current information about what is open, visit the website.

6 Business Events Africa October 2020

Sable Fountain at The Palace of the Lost City.

Mankwe Gametrackers ready to serve.

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COVER STORY | Sun City

All Covid-19 Protocols deployed.

SUN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL 1 Graham Wood: group chief operating officer hospitality at Sun International, made the following statement: The move to level 1 lockdown restrictions is a relief, especially relaxing the curfew, permitting leisure facilities to allow 50 per cent of capacity, and allowing larger gatherings from midnight on 20 September. This means our entertainment and conferencing facilities can begin to operate again.

Our casinos have been trading since July but the news that international borders will be gradually opened from 1 October is encouraging, as this gives greater clarity to the industry. The road ahead will not be easy but we can now plan for the recovery of the hospitality and conferencing segments of our business. This is especially important for our key properties such as The Palace, Sun City, The Table Bay Hotel, The Maslow Sandton, the Wild Coast Sun and The Boardwalk.

Our Covid-19 health and safety protocols are firmly embedded in our operational procedures and we remain committed to ensuring the health and safety of all of our customers and staff.

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Business Events Africa October 2020 7

COVER STORY | Sun City

Conferencing at Sun City goes virtual

As Sun International welcomes guests back to its casinos and hotels, with strict social distancing protocols, the company has also made virtual conferencing available.

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un City Convention Centre’s virtual conferencing takes your current virtual meetings a step further and is the ideal virtual venue to host company events, webinars, and conferences during this trying time.

The virtual conferencing offering will also help rebuild South Africa’s shattered economy, as the meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions and events industry attracts about onemillion delegates a year at business events locally, supporting more than 250,000 jobs directly and indirectly in this subsector, according to the South African National Convention Bureau.

“Although virtual conferencing will not employ this many people, it will use hightech connectivity solutions, break down distance barriers and allow companies to create endless themes that enhance their business objectives,” said Brett Hoppé, general manager of Sun City.

Sun International’s virtual conferencing training or meeting platforms can accommodate small or big sessions of more than 500 delegates, with different links from each presenter or organiser.

Speakers are hosted in the Sun City

Convention Centre Studio, which provides access to a Hi-res LED wall, web presenter and AV equipment such as HD cameras, studio lighting, as well as on-screen effects such as branding, also possible. The streaming platforms, over 100Mbps of bandwidth a day, is set up according to the client’s specifications.

More than 500 remote attendees can access live conferences, meetings and presentations from their phones, computers, tablets or laptops. They participate with questions and comments via a link created for the meeting.

Sun City Convention Centre has made vast streaming platforms available for: • Virtual conferences and summits • Live and virtual hybrid events • Live streaming • Team building • Webinars and training events “We’ve also built this solution to be platform agnostic, so we can offer the streaming on platforms such as, Antenna, powered by AntFarm, Zoom, WebEx, Vimeo, and Facebook, among others,” Mr Hoppé said.

For companies worried about productivity, Sun City provides

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comprehensive analytics by device on demand or post-event. This includes participant viewing time, user registration information, as well as geographical region.

All conference sessions will be recorded and provided to the organiser after the event, allowing them to be posted to websites or the channel of your choice, expanding the audience if required.

“This service is provided with complete adherence to health and safety regulations during Covid-19. This includes contactless temperature monitoring using thermal screening cameras and daily completion of declaration forms for contact tracing,” Mr Hoppé said.

In addition, there are multiple sanitising stations around the studio area, all technical staff wear complete personal protective equipment, and the studio is disinfected before each event, Mr Hoppé concluded.

GROUPS AND EVENTS ENQUIRIES +27 14 557 1000 scenq@suninternational.com

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COVER STORY | Sun City

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Business Events Africa October 2020 9

PERSONALITY PROFILE

The industry will undoubtedly rise again Determined Adele Hartdegen, 34, chief executive officer of the Johannesburg Expo Centre and Dogan Events believes strongly in leadership instead of management, equipping, and supporting my teams for growth and personal development.

“I

would describe myself as a highperformance, goal-driven individual who has been in senior management positions in various industries for the past 12 years,” she said.

The Johannesburg Expo Centre is an iconic landmark in South Africa and remains one of the largest events and exhibition centres on the continent, with more than 150 000 square meters of configurable in- and outdoor space, it is the venue of choice for many organisers.

Dogan events currently own the Rand Show and provide a full-turnkey exhibition organiser service for the show. As the oldest show on the continent, Rand Show is still a force to be reckoned with and continues to be a legacy brand in the business events industry.

Both entities form part of the international GL Events Group, a global leader in the events, exhibition and venue management space.

“I’m humbled and blessed for the opportunity to take over the leadership of these two entities and I’m extremely excited about the future potential of both companies under the global umbrella of the GL events Group,” she said.

Where do you see the business events industry in South Africa at present and where do you see it heading in the future?

There could not be a more difficult time to have to answer this question. This year has been devastating for everyone in the industry and where we had high hopes for 2020 as one of the up years in terms of big events. However, we were all caught off guard with the Covid pandemic. Looking forward, the

industry will undoubtedly rise again. If anything, the pandemic has proven to people that they still desire the face to face interactions in business and live events. It has become clear that as an industry we need to change with the times and start thinking of alternative options such as hybrid events and yearround activities within our events. In a recent webinar, someone mentioned that even though we can download all the music in the world, we still attend live concerts. Our industry should be no different. We need to improve in building a continuous activation with the face-to-face event as the highlight or conclusion of these activations.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Krugersdorp. I completed a Bcom Management degree with UNISA whilst working as a divisional executive in telecoms. I’m currently working through some digital marketing courses as I like to stay up-to-date with all the latest online trends and developments.

Where did you start your career?

In project management in the ICT industry. I headed up fibre installations for ATMs, then moved into energy efficient cooling and monitoring solutions with large rollouts to the mobile operator networks. I spent eight years in the telecommunications industry and was fortunate to grow very quickly. At the age of 22 I was a divisional executive for three divisions, running them as separate entities with operations, warehousing and engineering. During this time I was involved in the design,

10 Business Events Africa October 2020

patenting and deployment of two major innovations still currently in use in the local mobile phone operator network.

At the age of 24 I was promoted to the head of sales and marketing where I managed a network of account managers, internal sales, marketing, tenders as well as an after-sales service.

How long have you been in the sector?

I have been in the sector for six years so.

I originally joined the GL group when it was still GL/Oasys in 2014. I was employed as the head of department for business development to drive high-value projects and the development of new product lines from a growth perspective but also guiding the sales team on opportunities.

I also managed the marketing department within this role. In 2015 I left the group for a short period of 16 months to return to the communications space, this time in the military and electronic warfare field. I headed up the sales and marketing department, selling predominantly into Europe, America, and the Middle East and managing a network of 32 distributors worldwide.

During my time with the company, I was fortunate to be part of the acquisition and integration of a company from Finland and the USA to expand the company footprint. The opportunity presented itself for me to return to GL, this time to head up the marketing department coupled with tenders. I was closely involved with the GL acquisition of the Johannesburg Expo Centre which sparked my interest in venues. After a few months of interviews with the group, I received my appointment into the current role as chief www.businesseventsafrica.com

PERSONALITY PROFILE

executive officer of the Johannesburg Expo Centre. Six months later I was also appointed as the chief executive officer of Dogan Events. Most of my career has been in the engineering field, dealing with extremely complex technology solutions. What I enjoy most about the business events industry is the unlimited creativity and adaptability. It is a perfectly suited role for someone like me who is both creative and business-minded.

What has been the biggest change you’ve seen in this sector?

During the COVID situation there seems to have been a rapid turnaround in everyone’s perspective of the need for collaboration. The pandemic seems to have broken down some barriers. The stakeholders now move closer together out of necessity for survival. I hope that this is maintained post-pandemic.

What role does your family play in your life?

I am married to Heinke Hardegen. My family is the foundation from which I have been able to grow my career. The love and support - especially from my husband and my mother - has enabled me to flourish. My husband is my best friend and he keeps me grounded. I am blessed with a strong support structure in my family and extended family.

What would you change in your life if you could when looking back?

I don’t have any regrets; I believe all mistakes are lessons intended for us to grow and expand our capabilities.

During some of the difficult times in my life I wanted the situations to just change immediately. Looking back these are the times that shaped me and made me so much stronger.

Do you have any hobbies?

What is your favourite sport?

Mixed Martial Arts.

Sports woman - Cris Cyborg.

Favourite book right now: The 5am Club written by Robin Sharma.

Film: The Book of Eli. TV programme: Game of Thrones.

How do you relax?

What is your secret to success?

Mostly by exercising and doing outdoor activities.

Work hard, believe in yourself, set goals, and just keep on keeping on. Maintain a healthy work-life balance and never compromise on what you truly believe in.

What has been your biggest challenge in this sector?

The transition from working in a very process-controlled, high-tech engineering space with a multitude of engineers, ISO and SABS certified processes to working in a space where processes sometimes have to take a back seat to enable the delivery.

What is your pet hate?

Things not being in the right place or just dumped in a random place at the office or at home.

What type of holiday would you avoid at all costs?

Any holiday where I would have to share one house with too many other people. I’m very protective of my personal space, especially on holiday.

Who is your favourite sportsman/woman?

What is your favourite book, film, TV programme?

I enjoy taking a weekend away and exploring our beautiful country, any place in the bush or by the ocean. Craft and outdoor markets are my weakness; I’m fascinated about what people can make from simple household items.

What is the most memorable place you have ever been to, and why?

This might sound cliché, but for me, the Eiffel tower in Paris. It is an idyllic place with an amazing atmosphere, and this is where my husband proposed to me.

A few. I’m a very versatile person and often struggle to balance all my interests. I play guitar and practice art. At the same time I enjoy boxing training and being outdoors.

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What do you do for leisure?

What is your favourite food?

Anything with Salmon.

Who is your favourite movie star?

Meryl Streep.

Who is your role model?

I don’t have a role model. Recently I watched a video clip from Matthew McConaughey where he answered this question with, “My role model is me in five years”. This resonated with me as I don’t aspire to be or compare myself with anyone else. I only work towards reaching my full potential.

What advice do you have for anyone starting in this industry and hoping to follow in your footsteps?

Knowledge is power. Fully immerse yourself in the industry, and understand all the little details that make the industry function the way it does. Don’t be scared to ask. The industry is slow to change and dynamic all at the same time. Don’t assume that you know it all; be inquisitive and draw knowledge from your leaders, peers, and subordinates. Never say no to an opportunity, even if in the early stages it presents itself as a challenge.

Business Events Africa October 2020 11

CHEF’S PROFILE

Chef Adrian lives out his culinary calling

Adrian’s awards and achievements include: · SA Chefs Association Presidential Plate Award · SA Chefs Association National Board of Director 2019 · Ambassador Mentor Middle East Africa for WorldChefs Young Chefs · SA Chefs Association Young Chefs Club National Chairman 2013-2018 · Disciple for the Disciples d’Auguste Escoffier South Africa · Associate fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society · IKA Culinary Olympics 2020 Restaurant of Nations – Bronze medal · IKA Culinary Olympics 2020 Chefs Table – Bronze medal · Unilever Chef of the Year 2010 Category 4 winner · Finalist in various culinary competitions

Cheffing is a calling rather than a career for Adrian Vigus-Brown – and as living proof, he has the enthusiasm and the passion for his craft, he’s put in the hours, the hard work, and the practice, and he has achieved an enviable array of achievements and accolades, all within a relatively short period.

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hef Adrian, 30, is executive chef at the glamorous African Pride Melrose Arch, Autograph Collection® Hotel in Johannesburg, which has the March Restaurant, the Library Bar, pool deck, 118 rooms with 24-hour service, as well as five meeting rooms and an auditorium.

He achieved the position of executive chef at age 25, which added more challenges to Adrian’s career than anticipated. “I have been passionate and driven since I first fell in love with the world of food as a child, preferring to be in the kitchen when other kids were playing, and watching food channels on TV rather than the programmes my friends were watching. On a family holiday at age nine, I was found in the hotel kitchen, questioning the executive chef. I knew it was the place I wanted to be. In high school I worked in restaurants and did private catering.

“When I was appointed executive chef, I found I constantly needed to prove myself and my worth in the kitchen as fellow executive chefs often underestimated

or overlooked me. But that helped me hone my skills further – I soon learned to live out the quote by Tony Robbins that, ‘people are rewarded in public for what they have practiced in private for years’.”

Adrian loves his work at African Pride Melrose Arch. “The senior management has faith in me and supports me. They give us creative licence – knowing we will use discipline and responsible management in our meal and menu development. We also have opportunities to take in a load of young trainee chefs every quarter, sharing our knowledge and passion with them and inspiring them on their culinary journeys. This is an environment of growth.”

Hailing from the East Rand, Adrian matriculated and joined the in-service apprenticeship programme at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Sheraton Pretoria, completing his exams at HTA School of Culinary Art and later adding a City & Guild Level 2 IVQ Diploma in Food Preparation and Cooking to his education.

In high school he worked at High Chaparral Steakhouse in Boksburg, at

12 Business Events Africa October 2020

Carnival City, and then Sheraton Pretoria Hotel when his tertiary training started.

Other career moves include Buccament Bay Resort in the Caribbean; DW eleven 13 fine-dining restaurant in Dunkeld, Johannesburg; Royal Mnandi Food Service Solutions in Centurion; Nedbank West Street on the East Rand; Rand Refinery; then joining African Pride Melrose Arch as Senior Sous Chef in April 2014.

He lists some of the lessons he has learned along his career path as: · Seasons change, trends change, but one thing that can never change is your attitude to the profession – that’s when things go wrong. · Being a chef is a calling – it’s being part of a network of likeminded people. · Not everyone has the same skills in the kitchen, but that measure is often based on passion rather than knowledge.

He describes his culinary style as “ever-changing. I’m not set on any one style. I’m classically French trained and am more refined in my style, but, as in all things in life, trends and options www.businesseventsafrica.com

CHEF’S PROFILE

change, and my culinary style does too.”

This also means that his signature dishes are always changing. “At the moment I love slow braising and really rich food.”

Underrated food for him is the part of the animal that isn’t ‘popularly’ shown

on TV – using the animal ‘from nose to tail’ rather than just the best-known cuts and discarding the rest. “This is rare, but it needs to change, and it is a challenge I constantly set for my team.”

Adrian’s favourite food to eat is anything made with passion – except fish or seafood.

Reflecting on the South African culinary industry’s future in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Adrian believes that “the logistics of cheffing, costs, products, locality, seasonality and affordability will change, and chefs will need to do a lot more with a lot less, while keeping the public happy. Also, with so many chefs being unemployed as a result of the pandemic, it is industry’s responsibility to keep a vulnerable and stressed community safe.

We do face major obstacles, and we need to overcome them together and in one piece.”

Nonetheless, there are opportunities for young chefs in South Africa because “everyone needs to eat, and everyone wants better food.” Adrian says opportunities will exist going forward but finding them and achieving success will be much harder than it has been in the past – but it won’t be impossible. “As

What is your signature dish?

Braised beef short rib, parsnip, creamed potato, and charred vegetables, served with Robertson Thunderchild, it is a lovely wine with a lovely story to it.

What trends have you seen in the F&B sector?

I think this is a hard one to answer as before COVID we cannot talk about it, and we are yet to come out of it, no doubt there will be some new trends soon.

What are your goals for the next five years?

I would like to be able to head a signature restaurant with fine food and great wine and drinks, with a general good feeling to it or to be the executive chef in a big hotel.

What has remained constant in this industry?

The fact that people will always want good food and people do not have the time to spend on food like we as chefs do, people will always come to eat good food.

What is your favourite beverage?

Apart from Coke and Iron brew, lol, I love gin and “xo” cognac.

What is your pet hate?

People who buy cheap and try sell for top price, and chefs who drag their feet.

What is your great love?

Good company and people who appreciate one another for their value and skill.

Are you adventurous? If yes, what is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?

Yes indeed, I have sky dived and bridge jumped. I love hiking and exploring (though I do not get much of that in anymore).

In your opinion what are the main challenges facing this industry?

Recovering from the fiscal and social impact of COVID, also trying to revive the industry that has been affected so very badly.

What do you do for leisure?

Spend time with my family and my adopted family (the chefs), just letting

www.businesseventsafrica.com

chefs we must set goals, find mentors, get help when discouraged, and learn to find solutions to our challenges.”

Adrian is a firm believer in volunteering and industry involvement. He has been a keen participant in the World Chefs Tour Against Hunger for several years and is active in SA Chefs Association.

He was recently re-elected to the board of directors of SA Chefs. For his second term heading up the culinary portfolio, he has strategic plans to implement impactful programmes, including mentorship programmes and restoring the SA Chefs competitions to their former prominent status.

In April this year he was appointed to the management team of Chefs with Compassion as national administrator and logistics coordinator. He explains, “There were many good reasons to join Chefs with Compassion. I’m committed to volunteering, and I cannot bear to see food wasted. It would have been unhealthy for me to do nothing or very little during lockdown as I have a normally very busy mind, I am in a position to use my management and culinary skills, and looking at the bigger picture, I am helping people in desperate need. The choice was obvious.”

my hair down. I would like to go on mini adventures and getaways in the near future, I want to balance work and life better, it is something that chefs struggle with but is proving the death of chefs, and I am determined that won’t be me.

What hobbies do you have?

I love DIY so anything in that field and I love watching sport and travelling to different countries.

What advice do you have for those wanting to become an executive chef?

Have a good head about you, people will always be there to show you what is wrong but you can’t let that rule you, you are skilled and talented, let that shine above all. Lead with integrity and be humble in your role.

Teach the young and old and be there for your staff - they need it like you needed it once. Acknowledge success and correct mistakes how you would like to be corrected and more importantly, manage the kitchen as if it were your own business.

Business Events Africa October 2020 13

VENUE NEWS

REOPENING PROTOCOLS

Conferencing at Indaba Hotel during Covid-19 The Indaba Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre, in Fourways Johannesburg, rolled out the red carpet and pulled out all the stops for our first conference guests after lockdown.

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n compliance with all Covid-19 policies, it’s been business unusual over at Indaba Hotel. We’ve shaken up our conferencing offering to accommodate the spirited companies getting back to business!

We’re here to help shift company communication from boring online zoom meetings behind a laptop to connecting again, safely and responsibly.

What’s changed?

Indaba Hotel specialises in personalised conferencing arrangements. To cater to our clients during Covid-19, we maximised the immense open spaces of our prestigious Kgotla Venue and transformed our catering all the while keeping strict sanitation and social distancing measures in place.

Everyone on our team is extensively trained on up-to-date health and safety protocols to ensure that venues, toilets and other guest facilities are routinely and consistently sanitised. Venues are also fully fogged before, and after, any event.

During the conference, open windows and doors allow for the free-flow of air and maximum ventilation wherever possible.

What hasn’t changed?

Our award-winning conference facilities remain in their gorgeous surrounds. The Kgotla Venue boasts beautiful views over

a bustling dam, where weavers are currently back at work too! They’re building their precision nests in anticipation of the spring season, the Coral trees are all abloom, and we’re enthusiastic to welcome professionals back again.

Paperless screening From the moment you set foot on Indaba’s glorious grounds, we’ve worked to ensure there is minimal touch check-in.

Conveniently located outside the conferencing venue, QR codes provide a comfortable, paperless arrival that facilitates effortless sign-in, plus meets stringent track and trace requirements.

Before entering the building, our friendly staff record the temperature of all delegates and kindly enforce the countrywide legislation that masks be worn at all times. Hand sanitiser is available across the venue for peace of mind too.

Clustered conferencing Given current restrictions on large gatherings in South Africa, we’ve introduced the option of clustered conferencing. While all delegates will enjoy the same seamless and simultaneous presentation thanks to our expert virtual audio and visual teams, businesspeople branch into smaller groups across the venue.

In practice, this means that representatives will remain in one

14 Business Events Africa October 2020

conferencing pool for the day’s convention and use their own distinctly marked set of facilities for dining, coffee breaks, bathroom use and the all-important company address.

Socially distanced desks We’ve minimised contact in all areas of conferencing. Each delegate enjoys their own pared-back desk space which helps regulate social distancing measures and provide a comfortable, easy-to-clean surface.

Individual eating More care than ever before goes into creating and preserving Indaba’s gourmet goodness. At the venue, each delegate receives a specially-packed breakfast with required cutlery and teatime treats to enjoy at the desk.

For lunch, we’ve revolutionised the buffet offering. Eating implements are individually bagged, salads and starters sit in separate, covered dishes, and our staff stand safely behind personal protection equipment to offer any assistance. Floor markers and table arrangements also aid in maintaining space between diners.

The Indaba Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre is committed to providing and maintaining the safest possible conferencing venues. We have put strict health and safety protocols in place to safeguard our clients and staff to mitigate the risk of Covid-19 transmission. www.businesseventsafrica.com

VENUE NEWS

REOPENING PROTOCOLS

Hilton introduces Hilton EventReady with CleanStay For more than 100 years, Hilton hotels around the world have set the stage for the world’s most coveted and important meetings, events and entertainment gatherings – from star-laden award shows and movie sets to energetic political conventions, global conferences and wow-worthy weddings. Today, that tradition continues – even at a safe distance.

T

o address safe group travel practices and evolve today’s event experience, Hilton announced a global, industry-leading cleanliness and customer service program specific to meetings and events. Hilton EventReady with CleanStay is the next phase of the company’s recently launched Hilton CleanStay and was shaped by extensive research and feedback.

“At Hilton, we’ve always believed in the power of in-person connections and take pride in the exceptional experiences our teams create in partnership with event professionals,” said Chris Nassetta, president and chief executive officer of Hilton. “In today’s new normal, we know that people planning and attending events of any size are focused on their health and safety. Hilton EventReady delivers innovative solutions for the entire event experience – from flexibility in planning and physical distancing protocols to transparency in cleanliness policies and inspiring catering options.”

The key tenets of the Hilton EventReady with CleanStay programme include: • Cleanliness Protocols: The programme www.businesseventsafrica.com

expands on the elevated sanitation standards of the recently announced Hilton CleanStay programme, addressing every touch point of the meeting experience. This includes room seals for guest and meeting rooms, sanitising stations in public areas and meeting spaces and EventReady Room Checklist.

• Book-to-Billing Flexibility: Understanding the importance of flexibility, Hilton Teams will work hand-in-hand with customers to align on shared objectives, providing: • Flexible pricing, space options and contract terms; • Responsive offers to meet the needs of customers, like simplified agreements for small meetings; • Hilton EventReady Playbook, which delivers expert guidance and curated resources for solutions, such as Hybrid Meetings that seamlessly combine on-site attendees with those in remote locations, Room Sets and Creative Networking.

• Safe and Socially Responsible Solutions: To responsibly host meetings and events, Hilton Team Members will

partner with their clients to achieve the meeting’s objectives while addressing both health and environmental concerns. This includes presenting creative physical distancing meeting sets and meal service, developing inspiring food & beverage options and sharing environmental impact solutions measured by LightStay, Hilton’s awardwinning corporate responsibility measurement platform.

Each meeting and event experience is backed by Hilton hospitality from dedicated Team Members who aim to over-deliver on client expectations from both the event professional and the attendees.

Business Events Africa October 2020 15

VENUE NEWS

Radisson Hotel Group launches hybrid solutions …we certainly understand the importance of connections and the need to adapt and exercise flexibility…

Radisson Blu Hotel Sandton meeting room.

Radisson Hotel Group is proud to announce the launch of its new Hybrid Solutions incorporating Hybrid Rooms and Hybrid Meetings.

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adisson Hotel Group’s Hybrid Meetings combine the best of meeting in person and virtually, offering a reliable image, sound and video conferencing system, dual screens, wireless presentation clicker, high-speed internet connection, and more. As the world continues to adapt to “new normals” and ongoing travel limitations, meeting and event organizers can now choose to offer virtual participation options and hybrid formats that allow for small local gatherings, while also broadcasting to remote attendees and satellite locations.

Tim Cordon, area senior vice president, Middle East and Africa, Radisson Hotel Group, said: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of our Hybrid Meeting Solutions, which directly addresses some of the meeting and event challenges that the pandemic has created globally.

With the various government-imposed restrictions, travelling to meet in person has become somewhat impossible.

However, as a hotel group with hospitality at its core, we certainly understand the importance of connections and the need to adapt and exercise flexibility, which has led to the creation and introduction of Hybrid Solutions.”

Radisson Hotel Group has partnered with

Zoom, the leader in modern enterprise video communication, to provide a smooth experience for their clients’ virtual and hybrid meetings and events. Specialist in-house event teams will assist clients in delivering a range of events from hybrid multi-site meetings to broadcasting events, ensuring events are efficient, effective, and engaging, with flawless execution and no audio/visual problems.

Hybrid Rooms perfectly combine the facilities of a state-of-the-art office with the comforts of a superior hotel room to create a productive, dedicated, and quiet workspace for the business traveler, leisure guest, and local day-guest alike.

Hybrid Rooms offer easy connectivity to second screen devices, videoconferencing facilities, wireless enabled keyboard, mouse and loudspeaker, printing services, stationery, unlimited coffee and tea, access to on-site wellness facilities, and many other benefits.

Radisson Hotel Group’s Hybrid Solutions are currently available across 50 select hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, to better meet the rapid lifestyle changes of today’s travelers and their evolving expectations when they stay, work and meet in our hotels. The roll-out will continue through 2020 and 2021.

16 Business Events Africa October 2020

Health and safety first: Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol More than ever, Radisson Hotel Group’s highest priorities are the health and safety of its guests and employees. In May, the group partnered with SGS, the world’s leading inspection and certification company, to implement the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol, which ensures the highest hygiene standards and strengthen the Group’s existing rigorous sanitation guidelines. These guidelines include hand sanitizing stations at all entrances, the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and protective screens, enhanced cleaning frequency, and comprehensive staff training.

Tim Cordon, area senior vice president, Middle East & Africa, Radisson Hotel Group.

www.businesseventsafrica.com

MARKET NEWS

Africa Travel Week draws focus on the African Diaspora Traveller

• Africa Travel Week highlights market segment of African Diaspora travellers predicted to be the first to rebound as restrictions ease.

• To foster industry connection, recovery and inclusivity, EQUAL Africa will run alongside World Travel Market (WTM Africa), from 07-09 April 2021 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

“W

e are all things. We enjoy cultural activities; we are luxury travellers; we are adventure travellers; we have accessibility needs; we are members of the LGBTQ+ community; we are baby boomers; we are millennials; and the list goes on and on,” so said Naledi K. Khabo, chief executive officer of Africa Tourism Association and moderator of Africa Travel Week’s (ATW) recent virtual masterclass entitled The African Diaspora Traveller.

With African Diaspora travellers predicted to be one of the first to rebound as travel restrictions ease, ATW is hard at work creating opportunities for the travel and tourism industry to authentically connect to this diverse, yet often-overlooked, market segment.

“Often singularly focused on Black travellers within the US market, the African Diaspora encompasses people from all over the world, with diverse backgrounds, and a vast spectrum of preferences and interests,” said Martin Hiller, content and creative director: Travel, Tourism and Creative Industries.

“Using our global network, we secured a panel of five leading experts to discuss practical ways to make African travel experiences more inclusive for the African Diaspora.” www.businesseventsafrica.com

The virtual masterclass discussion highlighted channels through which operators and marketers can connect to the African Diaspora traveller which has largely been captivated by the world of social media.

“From the discussion we learnt that platforms like Instagram, Facebook and even Twitter, are easier to find images and content that reflects what Black travellers want to see, but there is differentiation across these platforms as well. Instagram and its cohort of influencers trend younger, while Facebook and its group magnetism attract an older crowd,” adds Hiller.

On the masterclass panel was Paula Franklin, co-founder of Franklin Bailey, who explained that travel content should address the fact that not everyone shares the same travel experience.

“Whether they’re male or female, ablebodied or differently-abled, extrovert or introvert, and indeed, Black or any other race – you are going to experience a destination differently,” she explained.

“Throw some colour into your marketing material. Advertise in a few Black-owned media companies. Pay a few Black influencers. It doesn’t actually need to take a lot of effort, just a more considered approach,” she said.

Also on the panel was Mimi Mmabatho Selemela, curator and director at MM CONNECT and designer of the Johannesburg Experience for Travel Noire, who affirmed that working with Blackowned businesses throughout the value chain also matters to some clients and being intentional with travel spend can make a big difference in the long run.

While supporting Black-owned businesses is one way that the African Diaspora can travel with intentionality, she affirmed that it really comes down to delivering on that fundamental aspect of travel – connection.

To foster that message and to encourage diversity within the industry, ATW is gearing up with plans for EQUAL Africa set to run alongside sister show, World Travel Market Africa (WTM Africa), from 07-09 April 2021 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

“EQUAL Africa 2021 will form an important meeting point for global buyers and African travel product exhibitors,” Mr Hiller explained.

“It’s an opportunity to learn about the multitude of niche market sectors as well as furthering important conversations about inclusive and accessible travel into Africa as our industry recovers,” he concluded.

Business Events Africa October 2020 17

SUSTAINABILITY

The virus is not going anywhere soon

By Lorraine Jenks, founder and chief executive officer of Hotelstuff/Greenstuff

History has proven that the tourism sector is more resilient and can rebound stronger and with greater ingenuity than most other sectors. It was one of the most severely hit industries but has shown its diversity in services and its ability to step up and assist in a crisis.

N

ow, as domestic and international travel restrictions are relaxing, we can further prove our ability to adapt to changing conditions, regulations and tourist expectations.

TRENDS WE’VE NOTICED Our team at Hotelstuff/Greenstuff has noticed a surge in activity on our websites and there are indications that the Ministers will open up borders in time for our peak season. Domestic bookings, meantime, are better than expected. We were surprised at the continued use of our directories during the entire lockdown period – probably because buyers had time to research new or alternative products and services.

There are paradigm shifts in lifestyle and general choices. Changes in values; less being more; slowing down;

environmental awareness; community, family, working conditions… major changes in tourism and travel.

A REALITY CHECK The virus is not going anywhere soon.

We cannot live in lockdown much longer. It is proving disastrous for the millions of people who work in travel and tourism. We must simply accept it, learn to live with it and design new ways of doing things so that we can survive and thrive in the new “abnormal”.

South Africans have done what was asked of them with determination and courage and the tourism sector even more so.

Guidelines and protocols for opening up the hospitality sector are becoming globally standardised, providing consistency to destinations. Hospitality

18 Business Events Africa October 2020

providers are already 90 per cent compliant - expertly equipped - with most facilities like controlled entry and exit points, strict cleaning regimes, centrally linked communication systems, spacious conference and meeting rooms, sanitised kitchens and well-ordered waste management already well established.

Tourism is one of the most important economic industries in South Africa – a fact not fully acknowledged by government. Covid-19 has devastated the sector and meant job losses to tens of thousands. We forget the huge diversity of other sectors in the value chain such as car hire, manufacturing, construction, transport and hundreds of products and services. Opening up tourism is critical to saving the industry and livelihoods. Opening up safely with global, standardised protocols will save lives. www.businesseventsafrica.com

SUSTAINABILITY

Rather than go through the hospitality “opening up” standards and protocols here, you will be rewarded with excellent, comprehensive examples if you Google something like “Post Covid-19 Hotel Safety Protocols” or simply look for major hotel chain websites and check out their guidelines.

Here in South Africa, we have our own world-class examples. The Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) has developed a Covid-19 Protocols Safety App which has given us issuing rights for the World Travel Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Safety Stamp of Approval.

We also have the CoronaSmart Safety Standards developed by Greg McManus and even some local manufacturers and suppliers of goods and services to the industry have product-specific guidelines for use by hotels.

Our Hotelstuff.co.za website has a new niche category for Covid-19 related products. Have a look for items like “no touch” locks, state-of-the-art sanitisers, PPEs and more. The directory is non-profit, no commission charged and free to use.

Adhering to these strict guidelines will give tourists confidence to travel safely again; confidence that their hosts have considered all possible pandemic hazards.

As we prepare and adapt to the new “abnormal” travellers are also increasingly aware of environmental challenges and the potential disruption of climate change. Here too, visitors need assurance that the host country, tourism organisers and hospitality managers are prepared and able to adapt to unprecedented events. Covid-19 is a dress rehearsal for what is to come.

We are at risk of neglecting the advances made in sustainability before Covid-19. As we make health and safety improvements in the wake of the pandemic, so too www.businesseventsafrica.com

must we prioritise environmental and sustainability protections. The two are intrinsically connected.

Some aspects of environmental problems have improved, particularly pollution, albeit only until industry recovers. However, plastic pollution has, unsurprisingly, spiralled out of control.

Prior to Covid-19 people were beginning to avoid single-use plastics and recycling was reasonably successful. Disturbingly the pandemic has increased our reliance on single-use items such as medical equipment, protective clothing like masks, gloves and gowns, increased use of disposable wipes and liquid soap in plastic containers, takeout food packaging and home delivery of basic goods.

As lockdown took effect to slow the spread of the disease, the global demand of petroleum collapsed. Consequently oil prices plummeted making the manufacture of virgin plastics from fossil fuels less expensive than recycling.

Added to this, recyclers’ profit margins were decreasing, street collectors could not operate and Samaritans who would casually pick up litter, are afraid to touch contaminated items.

Our streets, beaches and oceans have been hit by a tidal wave of Covid-19 waste.

Recently over 125 health experts from 18 countries, including virologists, epidemiologists, emergency room doctors and public health officials signed onto a statement emphasising that many plastic items are reusable with basic hygiene practices. Hopefully it will become common practice, for example, for customers to have food delivered in returnable Tupperware or Tiffin tins, masks and PPE clothing to be washed.

Has the good work of environmentalists, consumers and manufacturers working

towards reducing plastic waste been undone? Will we trade off saving the environment for saving lives? The choice is ours. The danger is that our reliance on plastic has increased. We need a universal policy from all role players to find alternatives and solutions – a rethink to perhaps look at carefully cultivated, indigenous raw materials like jute, hemp, bamboo and rubber as job creation in developing countries.

There is increasing movement towards a circular economy where plastics and other materials are continually recycled and re-used as long as the philosophy does not create a belief that the continued use of plastic - and manufacture of replacement virgin plastic - is acceptable.

Covid-19 has proved that people can buckle down and follow the advice of scientists in a crisis. The mobilisation of citizens to work towards the war effort after WWII and the compliance of people around the world to fight a pandemic prove that, with a common global cause, we can do the same to fight plastic waste and climate changeto protect our environment and fragile ecosystems for the sake of our children.

Workshop information Lorraine Jenks will soon be running another workshop to share thoughts and experiences to help us meet and exceed maximum protocol requirements. For more information on the workshops please email: info@hotelstuff.co.za or go to the website: www.lorrainejenks.com or call 082 900 0929.

Business Events Africa October 2020 19

A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE

Using incentives to drive business growth If sales are the engine of your business, sales incentives are the high-octane fuel needed to drive performance. This is an ever-popular, tried-and-true tool used to energise sales teams to sell more by qualifying for and winning great prizes.

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ncentive is a noun that describes an object or experience that can be earned by meeting certain criteria. The mechanic is quite simply being rewarded for hitting specific targets says Claire Storm, co-founder and director for Airshot, an innovative digital toolkit that boosts communication and collaboration across business value chains.

With years of experience in the incentives industry, Claire believes that without a data-driven, structured approach to incentives – and plenty of internal buy-in – companies will find themselves wheel spinning. “A sales incentive programme without the right blueprint could cost you a bundle of time and effort and leave you with lack-lustre returns. Worse yet, you won’t get the revenue results you want from your employees,” Ms Storm said.

“When it comes to running incentives, many companies have formed bad habits.

I have seen too many businesses put their entire incentive budget and plough all their creative juices into promoting the campaign rather than into the detail that will push their sales teams further. All too often, it’s about creating a poster of a magnificent beach, adding some colourful cocktails, dropping a speed boat onto the water and use a catchy campaign name – without focusing on what actually needs to be achieved.”

Four tried and tested ways to actively improve your incentive campaigns While the creative process has its place because every incentive does need a carrot, the work does not end with a flashy design. Ms Storm suggested considering these fundamental rules for your next incentive:

1. Transparency Don’t hide the results in a secret vault for all eternity! The announcement of the

winners should never be a huge shock or surprise. Using regular leaderboards, the results will drive the desired behaviour change and ensure that your sales force keeps working towards the win!

Transparency also opens you up for healthy internal competition where your sales teams will begin to rally each other – I don’t need to win, as long as I beat Bob – giving you an unstoppable team that is fully engaged with the goal.

2. Performance PLUS Participation When you are drawing up the mechanics of the competition, include measurements based on performance as well as participation. Performance is the integer that defines success so be clear on your goals up front whether its growth percentage, number of sales or profit improvement. The more focused your revenue goal, the easier it is for your sales team to understand and achieve it.

Participation is just as important. Be sure the goal is clearly communicated and mention it over and over in a way that drives two-way engagement. Make it compulsory to respond to surveys, submit photographs, re-arrange an office or store front. This is not about making unnecessary work, it will encourage buy-in and put your sales team into a positive headspace that says: “Game on!”

3. Target GROWTH across the board Incentives must always create growth.

Although the criteria and mechanics may well be constructed into more user-friendly objectives, the end result of everyone’s efforts must always equal growth. Your end game is to shift the behaviour and performance of every single player – not just the top five performers who are likely to win anyway.

20 Business Events Africa October 2020

4. The Size of the Prize Great prizes rock but they can also be so polarising. Weirdly, even a big-ticket prize can be off-putting if it doesn’t hit the right note with your audience! There is huge merit in creating smaller, more frequent rewards. These can equal the playing field and ensure a higher level of active participation. Plus it gives you an to opportunity to create incentives within an incentive in order to push the ‘bottom’ players along.

“Incentives that work focus on clearly defined goals that change behaviour to drive sales growth. Starting with the end in put will put your sales people in the driver seat and help you fuel record performance,” Ms Storm concluded.

Who is Claire Storm?

Claire Storm’s journey in marketing began with the Institute of Marketing Management in 1999, where she completed a three-year Marketing Diploma. Her career started at Unilever with the role of brand management. She then decided to take her first bold step into the life of self-employment in 2007 and opened her own business AgentC. It was a combination of the experience in sales incentives and corporate comms where the inspiration for Airshot came.

www.businesseventsafrica.com

EVENT GREENING FORUM

Build back better While we consider our recovery post-Covid, Neo Mohlatlole, Event Greening Forum marketing chair asks if this could be an opportunity to reimagine how we can be better than before?

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ou’re probably tired of the positive spin that most of us are scrambling to apply to the fallout of Covid-19. But, human nature being what it is, we seem to need to find the good in every situation.

And that is not a bad thing either.

While we start to rebuild our businesses and our industry, there is an opportunity to look at what wasn’t working before and what we can do better. Incorporating better sustainability into your business is a no-brainer.

The three ‘pillars’ of sustainability are the economic, social and environmental outcomes of your actions. A business that is losing money is not sustainable, but neither is one where the needs of your staff, clients and host community are being overlooked. Or where precious environmental resources are compromised (such as clean air and water, food, and so forth). All three pillars need to be supported and balanced against each other; you cannot be sustainable if one or more are disregarded.

The economic consequences of our decisions are always easy to track on balance sheets. The social and environmental outcomes are not so black and white – but this doesn’t make

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them any less real or worth pursuing.

So how can you build back better?

There are countless ways to do this, and all will depend on your business and its unique needs and opportunities.

However, as a starting point you could consider the following: • Draft a sustainability statement for your business. What is important to you, what goals can you set from this and how can you then achieve these? Share this document and your commitment publicly.

• Find the right partners, so that you can build a supply chain of businesses that share your values and who will support you in achieving your goals.

• Ask for it. When you send out an RFP or request a quote, ask what that business is doing to provide a more sustainable offering.

• Offer it. Look for ways that you can be more sustainable. Let your clients know about these opportunities – whether paid-for or as added value.

Remember to think about the three pillars for each of these points.

About the EGF The Event Greening Forum (EGF) is a non-profit organisation that promotes sustainability within the business events sector. It does this by hosting educational sessions for industry and lobbying government in an effort to implement sustainability principles into the daily operations of the events industry.

The EGF was established through dedication and support of eight industry associations who are recognised as founding members. The founding members are key industry associations working together to promote South Africa as a destination for various types of events.

Want to know more?

If you would like to know more about event greening, visit wwweventgreening.co.za where you can browse the free resources, sign up to the monthly newsletter, or contact them directly with any queries.

Contact: Lynn Mcleod T: 082 891 5883 E: lynn@eventgreening.co.za

Business Events Africa October 2020 21

ICCA CONGRESS NEWS

Re-imagining the future of global events

The ICCA Congress is unquestionably a highlight in the global event industry calendar. It is a wellestablished, growing, truly international event that cannot be missed.

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t binds the global event community and is a genuinely diverse international platform for the exchange of knowledge, ideas and business opportunities. This year, the ICCA Congress is being transformed into a global hybrid experience, like no other, with a groundbreaking six-week programme and seven regional hubs.

Lindiwe Rakharebe, the Africa Board representative on the ICCA Board, shared some insights on the 59th ICCA Congress.

Why was this new format for the ICCA Congress created?

The reality that has unfolded earlier in 2020 means that it most definitely cannot be business as usual and that a new format had to be found! ICCA’s leadership realised that bold action would be needed to address the current volatile and ever-changing situation. To reach as wide an audience as possible with first class, exciting content and networking opportunities and to be respectful to the organisers of the 59th ICCA Congress it

was decided to pursue a courageous new direction and format and uncover new and exciting ways to foster quality education and networking.

First, we knew it was going to be different – and we wholeheartedly embraced the need for change!

We knew that we were going to have to start from scratch – thoroughly examining our current state to best understand what do we keep; what do we lose; and how do we proceed into an uncertain future? So, the ICCA Board made the decision to partner with experts in event design, ICCA member Maritz Global Events and their Design Studio Team to take us through the design process – or in our case re-design process, utilising design thinking and design principles. This methodology helped us deconstruct our traditional congress and think differently about key elements, keeping the attendee journey in an atmosphere of uncertainty at the forefront, while remaining laser focused on quality education and networking – hallmarks of ICCA.

22 Business Events Africa October 2020

What is different in this year’s format?

This new format provides an example of how our client audiences could organise events, in both a restricted but also opportunity rich future, and provide guidance to ICCA Members and all in the supply chain, dealing with the new realities. ICCA agreed with our gracious hosts in Kaohsiung to continue to plan for the face-to-face congress which is scheduled for 1-3 November this year.

Excitingly this will only be one part of a 6-week Global Hybrid Multi-Hub Congress Experience that includes a varied mix of digital, (where possible) live face-to-face, live online and on-demand programming. The congress experience will culminate in the face-to-face congress in Kaohsiung which will also be linked to regional face-to-face hubs and connect with virtual audiences around the globe. During the whole six-week period we will stimulate as much interaction as possible to provide meaningful, relevant and exciting new experiences. www.businesseventsafrica.com

ICCA CONGRESS NEWS

What makes the registration flexible & risk-free?

We aim to be as flexible as possible. All participants will be able to choose between attending in person in Kaohsiung, in one of the regional hubs or attend and engage digitally. Delegates can sign up now and downgrade/ upgrade their registration category at a later stage.

Congress Theme: Transforming Global Events Together As part of our interactive Congress ‘Road to Kaohsiung’ programme, we’re inviting the entire global ICCA community to connect with each other and explore new ideas, formats and technologies with us. We are creating an opportunity for ICCA Members to join the dialogue about the sector trends, hear stories from industry colleagues about how we’ve had to adapt to our current realities, explore topics pertinent to you and contribute to solutions as we move forward toward recovery. Together we’ll create the “Kaohsiung Protocol”, a framework identifying major trends and key strategies which will enable the international meetings industry to thrive, now and into the future.

What is the Kaohsiung Protocol?

The Kaohsiung Protocol is a framework to examine the macro and micro trends most relevant for the future of rotating global live events and then the relevant strategies for us as destinations, venues, transportation entities, meeting management and support firms and most importantly, our event owners (international associations, corporations and agencies) to deploy and consider aligned to these trends. We see the 2020 process as establishing a benchmark to then update as we continue to change and evolve due to Covid-19 or other, newer trends in succeeding years.

What is ICCA trying to achieve by creating the Kaohsiung Protocol?

1. Continue in our role as a thought leader in the industry, providing our members with impactful, relevant information for you to act on to improve your business prospects.

2. Expand our engagement with event owners. Understanding their needs and www.businesseventsafrica.com

motivations will enhance our members’ ability to partner effectively.

3. Create enduring research around trends and strategies that can be benchmarked as our industry continues to evolve.

What are the Regional Hubs?

One of our key early principles was to attract and engage all of our members and stakeholders. That and the rapidly changing regional environment for face-to-face meetings lead us to the hub-and-spoke concept. Kaohsiung is our “main stage”. Regional hubs, for those able or willing to travel and connect live in all of our main regions, while offering a fully digital opportunity for those not comfortable or able to travel or meet face-to-face. This was based on the concept of giving our attendees the flexibility and autonomy to choose their manner of participation. It instills feelings of safety and security during the event journey– all new key words in today’s environment while providing a truly global experience. Regional hubs locations are: • Cape Town, South Africa • Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia • Luxembourg, Luxemburg • Malaga, Spain • Riyadh, Saudi Arabia • North America (virtual hub) • Latin America (virtual hub)

• 22 October: ICCA Congress Broadcast (for registered participants only) • 1-3 November: Congress Programme Kaohsiung/Regional Hubs/Virtual (for registered participants only)

What are the networking opportunities for delegates?

The congress offers several networking opportunities for delegates to engage and build strong business relationships. You can network among sector peers during the topic weeks, face-to-face on site in Kaohsiung or at any of the regional hubs, and also by using the directory in the portal that allows you to reach out to and connect with other congress participants.

The congress portal also features a community section with a Discussion Forum and the informal chat area Shoutbox. The Shoutbox works like a chat on social media. At online events you can casually get to know your fellow delegates and say hello to everyone. The Discussion Forum is where the real treasure lies, with topics highlighted where you can offer your insights and where the speakers can answer any outstanding questions from the audience during live broadcasts.

More information can be found on the event website: https://events. iccaworld.org/congress2020/

What can delegates expect from the Congress Programme?

As you would expect from ICCA, there will be ample opportunity to engage and network with speakers and all other participants. The programme is designed to bring latest trends and knowledge to our members from within and outside the industry. Delegates can look forward to over 80 hours of content including global, regional and on-demand. The groundbreaking programme will unfold over a 6-week period. All presentations will be recorded and available afterwards, on-demand, until the end of the year: • 28 September - 16 October: Threeweek programme (every weekday 14:00-15:00 CEST, for registered participants only) • 28 September - 2 October – Storytelling Week • 5 - 9 October – Crowd-Sourced Topic Week • 12 - 16 October – Kaohsiung Protocol Strategy Week

Lindiwe Rakharebe is on the ICCA Board.

Business Events Africa October 2020 23

AAXO NEWS

A time for reset: The event industry’s Uber moment

By Chanelle Hingston, group director: Power and Energy Africa, Clarion Events Africa

Who would have thought that 2020 would be a year of such upheaval and chaos for so many industries?

A

s lockdown levels slowly start to ease up there are more and more glimmers of hope for the event industry which has been so greatly impacted by this global pandemic. But it has not been all doom and gloom, as amongst all of this upheaval and chaos, it also created the space for much learning and opportunities for innovation. This could be the disruption that was much needed in our industry. Our Uber moment.

Like many of us, we have been navigating our way in understanding how to deliver value to our customers through digital platforms. In my opinion,

nothing compares to the face-to-face connection. The magic happens when people gather. There is an energy about it.

Relationships are formed and a sense of purpose is uncovered and shared.

While I do not see digital events replacing a live experience, there is plenty of opportunity for them to enhance live events and play a vital role.

Technology and digital offerings need to be incorporated into our events going forward and not be an after-thought.

Of course, now there is also no doubt of the power of digital, and the impact it is having on reshaping our industry. It has driven much needed innovation which has been accelerated by Covid-19. We now have the chance and the impetus to develop a range of products and offers to complement our brands at a time when our customers want solutions and options. Staying close to market and understanding our customers’ needs

will ensure that we are providing them with solutions that best suit their needs to accelerate them along their road to recovery. There is no better time to get closer to our customers to ensure that we are providing true value.

Content is also becoming increasingly prevalent as a driver for engagement.

Therefore, it is so important to understand the market and ensure that we are providing relevant and real insights into the industry we serve.

Events and meetings will recover, but it will not quite be the same. And I do not think this is necessarily a bad thing.

As we emerge from this period of chaos and the dust starts to settle, we need to ensure that we position and rebuild our businesses for the future. We have the potential to survive– and to thrive.

It is time for new technologies and startups to emerge and to help reshape the industry. A time for reset.

SAACI NEWS

The need for a collective conversation

By Glenton de Kock, chief executive officer of SAACI

The call by the Minister of Tourism for comment and input to the Tourism Recovery Plan offers an important juncture to unlock the huge potential that tourism offers to the future economy. Critical is the role that the business events sector plays in attracting visitors to destinations and cities.

S

AACI is clear and confident that the business events and exhibition industry offers the answers the government has asked for as part of the Recovery Plan Post Covid-19. Business events is one of South Africa’s great ongoing success stories. It is an exciting, confident and dynamic sector. It is a sector that welcomes local and international delegates that come to experience the best of South Africa and leave inspired by the country’s unrivalled heritage, epic landscapes, exciting city life, and a unique cultural offer that is the envy of the world.

The past six months have demonstrated that there are challenges ahead.

International competition is fierce and will only become more so as nations compete for a greater share of growing markets from Asia and India. At home, the sector

must innovate in order to overcome productivity challenges, seek investment to improve infrastructure, be more closely integrated into regional and local enterprise planning processes, acquire a stronger voice in government, and look to develop the next generation of skilled hospitality and event professionals.

We believe now, more than ever, wider consultation within our membership base and our partners at the SA Events Council, our industry insight will present a better understanding into how the sector can unlock future growth. But this is not all.

We are in discussions to present a series of insightful national and regional roundtables across the country, funding permitting, and a comprehensive survey in order to ascertain the collective insight of the future view

of the business events sector.

Our recovery and growth needs to be built on solid foundations, but it is also clear that whatever ambitions the sector has for growth, they cannot be fully realised without the support of the government in order to fix long-standing structural issues.

With this support, we are confident that the business events sector will grow and innovate into a more productive, resilient and sustainable sector that will allow more delegates from home and abroad to enjoy more of South Africa’s unique cultural offer, and unlock greater prosperity for every nation and region across the south of Africa in the process.

We look forward to a successful outcome and future of business events.

Let’s keep on collaborating!

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.

www.businesseventsafrica.com

Visit our online community: www.saaci.org www.saacicongress.org www.saaci-academy.org

+27(0)11 880 5883 info@saaci.org

Business Events AfricaLearning October 2020 25 | Growth | collaboration

SITE NEWS

The new normal -really?

By Tes Proos, president of Site Africa

Managing change has been a hot topic for many years, across many circumstances – be it business or personal. So, how are we doing under the circumstances?

F

rankly, we are zoomed out and most of us have never worked harder for less money. Lay-offs, furloughs and companies closing down are the order of the day. It’s mayhem. So what now?

According to Michael Jackson, professional speaker on change, there is no ‘new normal’ just as there is no normal. “In our lifetimes we have lived what we might better term in an ‘abnormal’ manner; inasmuch as change has been rapidly and constantly occurring. Change today is now coming at us even faster than ever before, and is now a virtually constant scenario.

Humans don’t handle change very well and therefore crave normality.

“And nor do we need to ‘pivot’, as we rather need be both ‘conscious’ and ‘awake’ to this new order of things. It has been claimed that global markets will take five years to climb back to precorona levels – and that means 2025! For now, a brand new year, 2021, is around the corner, and is coming whether you are ready for it or not. 2021 will take no prisoners; sweeping in change before it at a never before seen pace. It doesn’t care about you, your family or your business. It’s just coming. You’re either ready, or you’re not,” he concluded.

Rethink everything The point is that there are no clear answers in our murky crystal balls. One 26 Business Events Africa October 2020

www.businesseventsafrica.com

SITE NEWS

of the true phrases that has emerged from this global mess, is that we have to rethink everything. We are all sick of phrases including “the new normal”, “unprecedented” and “pivot” – yet these are all reality and we somehow have to deal with it. What does “normal” mean, lately and into the future?

It has been inspiring to hear how many companies have battened down the hatches and huddled together with their teams, looking for solutions. Similarly, it has been amazing how many of them came up with solutions on cost saving.

Varying degrees of stress One of the biggest cost factors is office space. Until six months ago, working from home was frowned upon by owners and managers, yet now it is the norm with massive cost saving factors attached. Not just for employers, but employees too.

Consider people who no longer have to sit in traffic for an average of three hours per day, increasing productive hours, sleep time and reducing stress.

Of course, in some cases having to work from home increases stress, depending on the home environment. That is another important factor that employers have to consider when making that call.

Hard-hit industry It is not an easy journey and we literally have to learn as we go. It has been an uphill battle to get governments across the globe to understand the vast economic impact of our industry.

We have been hit the hardest at all levels, from large corporations to hotel groups, game lodges and boutique guest houses, not to mention our suppliers, including audio-visual, entertainment, transport, guides, tourist attractions, restaurants, pubs and their suppliers.

Collaboration is now more important than ever – from private sector engaging with public sector – not just nationally but across borders. African borders are slowly but surely reopening but do we have an alignment of Covid-19 protocols between governments? This will be key to ensure smooth sailing and avoid conflict.

Borders may be open but generally, people are not traveling and they are not flocking to meeting venues. It is critical to reinstate customer confidence. Airlines and airports may have protocols in place but if they do not match the receiving

destinations, it creates potential for havoc with clients possibly being quarantined, whether they have the virus or not.

Most travel insurance companies will not cover the expense of an unplanned fourteen day quarantine; hence clients do not want to risk the expense and losing two weeks of unpaid leave.

Make a plan - together Our global policy makers need to have a round table meeting as a matter of urgency, compare notes and come up with travel solutions that can help restart economies and restore our dignities. They can only do this with the guidance of private sector and we, as private sector, need to get our heads together and help our governments come up with a plan. We are all better together and we need to make it happen – soon.

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...

Contact

Email: info@sitesouthernafrica.com www.sitesouthernafrica.com www.siteglobal.com

EXSA NEWS

Captain’s log:

EXSA’s Stardate October 2020 With our industry underway at warp seven for 187+ days, we are now entering orbit around a Level 1 lockdown, which has never been charted.

By Gill Gibbs, chairperson of EXSA

P

resident Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced the country’s drop to Covid-19 Alert Level 1.

However, we remain in a priority one situation and united in this battle.

It has been almost seven months since our industry community experienced the devastating news of the numerous cancellations of exhibitions and events that were scheduled for 2020.

Make no mistake, we are still in the marathon, battle scarred and weary, with a shift in focus now on what the next steps look like and what we can do as a united community to contribute towards achieving the much-needed outcomes.

The combined efforts over the past six months by the 13 associations that represented the SA Events Council and of which EXSA is a founding association member, resulted in securing the SAEC representation with the desired ‘’seat at the table’’ with policy makers and stakeholders such as the Department of Tourism and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture (DSAC), whereby we presented our industry sector; the Reopening Guidelines for Organisers and

Event Planners to hold events that are strictly managed under Covid-19 safety protocols and the financial plight of our Industry as a result of the forced closure.

Our primary objectives included: a) a Covid-19 prevention strategy, implementation and phased approach execution for our sector. The Reopening Guidelines are currently being reviewed by the policy makers, the Department of Health and the National Crisis Command Centre. b) the desired ‘green light’, phased approach for the MICE and Business Events sector and; c) presenting the plight of our Industry as a direct result of the devastating financial losses.

We have been heard.

Alert Level 1 means that in our sector exhibition and events can open, provided that the number of people attending does not exceed 50 per cent of the normal capacity of a venue, up to a maximum of 250 people for indoor gatherings and 500 people for outdoor gatherings.

Indeed, we are still classified as

28 Business Events Africa October 2020

gatherings – our combined efforts will continue by way of substantiating our sector to the policy makers and stakeholders and establishing an appropriate category insofar as our Industry activities are concerned. Eyes are on us and we must prepare and plan in order to take up the mantle.

What are the next steps?

There is so much to be done and it starts with instilling and building confidence and morale. The industry needs each of us to play our part and to participate in our recovery.

Reflecting on EXSA 2020 to date: Disasters have occurred across history, with businesses and industries decimated as a result. We are in a human crisis and crisis management is all of our jobs.

Thank you to our members and the greater industry community for trusting us to represent each of you – we are heading into the home strait and the start our recovery and we look forward to getting there with you.

www.businesseventsafrica.com

SA EVENTS COUNCIL

The start of our recovery

By Gill Gibbs, EXSA chairperson and South Africa Events Council board member

Covid-19 is a human crisis that has meant a business unusual mind shift.

M

any businesses and organisations have faced disasters in the past and Covid-19 has certainly brought its fair share across multi-industries, globally.

It is in times such as these, that crisis management is everyone’s job.

Before we start to build the economy and initiate the recovery plan, we must focus on rebuilding morale and confidence – the very building blocks and foundation for our recovery. And this means focusing on people.

This is a call to action for all leaders, whereby all employees, executive management teams and the workforce are looking to for guidance and direction. They need to feel that they can place their trust in the same.

Being visible, listening and supportive, empathetic and effective in communication is critical for leaders; instilling calm, control and a pragmatic approach to the tasks and objectives at hand. And in this way, we start the building blocks for a recovery.

As we move into Alert Level 1 lockdown

measures, we are heading into this brand new world and with this comes the call for purpose. Here our unique and distinct South African way of mobilising and adapting to all situations will be key to our survival. This, as well as, flexibility and taking an adaptive operational approach.

Most significantly, Covid-19 has taught us not to take anything for granted, with a stark reminder of the importance and relevance of human connection. We need to future-proof, initiate solid contingency plans, pivoting and innovating in the interests of preparedness for future potential crises.

It is in times of crisis that an effective communications strategy is essential for all businesses and organisations, with a strong internal communications function to provide strength, resilience and longevity.

As we start assigning essential tasks to our teams that align with the new challenges and parameters that we all face, we will provide the desired and necessary stability, accountability and responsibility - the essential

attributes that contribute towards meeting objectives and deliverables - that will build the adaptive routine and disciplines for the future.

Through this process, the team will have contributed to the end goal of the business or organisation, evoking and igniting the critically needed sense of purpose and driving growth and development in the new world.

It is to be a journey of rediscovery, creating value and meaning, in a world where people, businesses and organisations will be required to work together and collaborate and thus, build essential strong foundations for the future.

e: hello@saeventscouncil.org

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

October 2020 Vol 40 No 10 ADVERTISER

PAGE

EMAIL

WEBSITE

AAXO

24

aaxo@aaxo.co.za

www.aaxo.co.za

Event Greening Forum

21

info@eventgreening.co.za

www.eventgreening.co.za

EXSA

28

exsa@exsa.co.za

www.exsa.co.za

MJunxion

2

yolande@mjunxion.co.za

www.mjunxion.co.za

SAACI

29

info@saaci.org

www.saaci.org

SA Events Council

25

hello@saeventscouncil.org

www.saeventscouncil.org

SITE

26

info@sitesouthernafrica.com

www.sitesouthernafrica.com

Sun City

6

scenq@suninternational.com

www.suninternational.com/sun-city/

www.businesseventsafrica.com

Business Events Africa October 2020 29

DIRECTORY

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 PaulsenAbbott, dmg events e: devipaulsen@dmgevents.com Treasurer: Mark Anderson, Specialised Exhibitions e: marka@specialised.com Board of directors: Carol Weaving, Reed Exhibitions e: carol.weaving@reedexpoafrica.co.za Chanelle Hingston, Clarion Events Africa e: chanelle.hingston@clarionevents.com Phetogo Kubheka, Synergy Business Events e: phetogo@synergybe.co.za Suzette Scheepers, Messe Muenchen South Africa e: suzette.scheepers@mm-sa.com

Vice chairperson: Gabi Babinsky, Brandex t: +27 (0)64 655 3323 e: gabi@brandexpro.co.za

Vice-chairperson: Jaques Fouche Formative e: jaques@formative.co.za c: +27 (0)60 993 7542

Networking: Melissa Palmer B&E Conference Centre e: melissa@becbc.co.za c: +27 (0)82 437 7600

Treasurer: Moses Nefale, Scan Display t: +27 (0)79 882 8616 e: moses@scandisplay.co.za

Treasurer: Glenn van Eck, Magnetic Storm e: glenn@magnetic.co.za c: +27 (0)82 800 2616

Networking: Wanda Fourie Eastern Sun Events e: registration@easternsun.co.za

Past chairperson: Doug Rix, DK Designs t: +27 (0)82 579 7071 e: dougrix@wol.co.za Association manager: Lee-Ann Alder t: +27 (0)82 550 0349 e: info@exsa.co.za Board members Kerry-Lee Bester, Brilliant Branding t: +27 (0)72 265 6600 e: kerry@brilliant-branding.co.za Mike Mira, Efam Distributors t: +27 (0)83 445 2261 e: mike@efam.co.za Presley Mokotedi, Garona Communications t: +27 (0)81 578 4455 e: presley@garonacom.co.za Chad Botha, Inspire Furniture Rentals t: +27 (0)76 644 0271 e: info@inspirefurniture.co.za Sibusiso Mchwabe, Marketing Well t: +27 (0)83 477 5536 e: sibusiso@marketingwell.co.za Gary van der Watt, Resource Design t: +27 (0)76 339 5320 e: gary@resourcedesign.co.za INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS & CONVENTION ASSOCIATION

EVENT GREENING FORUM

ICCA African Chapter 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: Greg McManus, Heritage Environmental Management Services Vice-chairperson: Morwesi Ramonyai, Borena Energy Treasurer: Justin Hawes, Scan Display Secretariat: Lynn McLeod e: lynn@eventgreening.co.za Marketing: Pippa Naudé e: pippa@eventgreening.co.za EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

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 SOUTHERN AFRICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE CONFERENCE INDUSTRY

Learning | Growth | collaboration EXSA OFFICE www.exsa.co.za Chairperson: Gill Gibbs, BluCube t: +27 (0)83 260 8035 e: gill@blu3.co.za

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairperson: Kim Roberts Mise-en-place Solutions e: info@mise-en-placesolutions.com t: +27 (0)82 652 2008

30 Business Events Africa October 2020

Public officer: Denise Kemp, Eastern Sun Events e: denise@esternsun.co.za c: +27 (0)82 654 9755 Chief executive officer: Glenton De Kock e: ceo@saaci.org c: +27 (0)82 575 7565 Membership services consultant: Alshanthé Smith t: +27 (0)11 880 5883 e: members@saaci.org

Branch coordinator: Hayley Pretorius e: ec.za@saaci.org c: +27 (0)79 507 3607 c: +27 (0)62 758 7933 JOHANNESBURG Branch chairperson: John Arvanitakis, Chat’r Xperience t: +27 (0)83 415 2774 e: john@chatr.co.za

DIRECTORS

Branch vice-chairperson: Lorin Bowen, Lorin Bowen Business Events t: +27 (0)82 433 8687 e: lorin@lorinbowen.co.za

EC chairperson: Andrew Stewart PeriExpo e: andrew@periexpo.co.za c: +27 (0)82 578 5987

Branch treasurer: Chris de Lancey, Multi-Media t: +27 (0)82 854 2230 e: chris@multi-media.co.za

KZN chairperson: Tracey Delport The Hospitality Experience e: tracey@thehospitality experience.co.za c: +27 (0)83 293 5190

COMMITTEE:

JHB chairperson: Lorin Bowen Lorin Bowen Business Events e: lorin@lorinbowen.co.za c: + 27 (0)82 433 8687 WC acting chairperson: Angela Lorimer, Century City Conference Centre e: angela.l@ccconferencecentre.co.za t: +27 (0)21 809 1101

Aidan Koen, Ogada Group t: +27 (0)82 561 3188 e: aidan@ogada.co.za Carmen Rudd, Synergy Business Events t: +27 (0)82 707 3977 e: carmen@synergybe.co.za Emma Kumalo, Potters Hand Activations t: +27 (0)84 250 6850 e: emma@pottershand.co.za Leigh Anne Luis, Upatone t: +27 (0)82 409 3680 e: leighanne@upatone.co.za

Tshwane chairperson: Leon Pheiffer EPH Productions e: leon@ephproductions.co.za c: + 27 (0)82 924 9046

Rendani Khorommbi, Joburg Tourism t: +27 (0)82 773 2999 e: rendanik@joburgtourism.com

Co-opted youth: Minister Kganyago CSIR e: MKganyago@csir.co.za c: +27 (0)79 513 8708

Branch coordinator: Angelique Smith c: +27 (0)60 970 7653 e: Jhb.za@saaci.org

Venue rep: Michelle Bingham Sandton Convention Centre e: Michelle.Bingham@tsogosun.com c: +27 (0)82 339 0342 EASTERN CAPE Branch chairperson: Andrew Stewart, PeriExpo e: andrew@periexpo.co.za c: +27 (0)82 578 5987 Branch vice-chairperson: David Limbert, Magnetic Storm e: david@magnetic.co.za c: +27 (0)82 9064 198 Branch treasurer: Alistair Stead, Scan Display e: alastair@scandisplay.africa c: +27 (0)73 236 6618 COMMITTEE: Learning: Caroline Morgan EXBO e: caro@exbo.co.za c: +27 (0)82 553 6185 Communication: Gill Dickie Bidvest Car Rental e: gilld@bidvestcarrental.co.za c: +27 (0)79 527 7619

TSHWANE Branch chairperson: Leon Pheiffer EPH & Monte de Dios e: leon@ephproductions.co.za; e: leon@montededios.co.za c: +27 (0)82 924 9046 Branch vice-chairperson: Corné Engelbrecht, Savetcon e: corne@savetcon.co.za c: +27 (0)82 925 9241 Branch treasurer: Refilwe Nchebisang, CSIR ICC t: +27 (0)12 841 3770 e: rnchebisang@csir.co.za COMMITTEE: Melanie Pretorius, At Zone Hospitality Consulting c: +27 (0)82 410 1202 e: melanie.pretorius@mweb.co.za Herkie du Preez, Event Wizards c: +27 (0)82 839 3489 e: herkie@eventwizards.co.za Branch coordinator: Heather Heskes, SAACI c: +27 (0)76 321 6111 e: tsh.za@saaci.org

www.businesseventsafrica.com

DIRECTORY KWAZULU-NATAL Branch chairperson: Irene Vallihu, Durban International Convention Centre c: +27 (0)79 692 4604 e: irenev@icc.co.za Branch vice-chairperson: Gill Slaughter, Turners Conferences c: +27 (0)31 368 8000 e: gills@turnersconferences.co.za Branch treasurer: Sibusiso Mncwabe, Marketing Well c: +27 (0)83 477 5536 e: sibusiso@marketingwell.co.za COMMITTEE: Tracey Delport, The Hospitality Experience c:+27 (0)83 293 5190 e: tracey@thehospitalityexperience. 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

Gheeta Payle t: +27 (0)861237890 e: gheeta.payle@inhousevtm.com Branch coordinator: Lara Van Zyl c: +27 (0)822234684 e: wc.za@saaci.org SOCIETY FOR INCENTIVE TRAVEL EXCELLENCE

Treasurer: Peter-John Mitrovich c: +27 (0)82 318 1889 e: peter-john.mitrovich@ grosvenortours.com

Kavitha Dhawnath, Gearhouse SA c: +27 (0)83 607 2006 e: kavitha.dhawnath@gearhouse. co.za

Board member at large: Rick Taylor

Wiseman Mnguni, Mboniseni Events and Project Management) c: +27 (0)78 220 2162 e: mboniseni.events@gmail.com

North Africa support: Brad Glen

East Africa (Rwanda): Chris Munyao North Africa: George Fawzi Young Leadership: Clinton Els Secretariat & Events: Gauteng: Clare Neall c: +27 76 898 0420 e: clare@eventstuff.co.za Western Cape: Mariaan Burger c: +27 (0)82 557 8041 e: info@sitesouthernafrica.com

SA EVENTS COUNCIL

WESTERN CAPE Branch chairperson: Angela Lorimer c: +27 (0)21 410 5000 e: angelajacobson862@yahoo.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

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Esmare Steinhofel, ICCA Africa, regional director Ellen Oosthuizen, PCO Alliance network chair Charlotte Kemp, PSASA deputy president Kim Roberts, SAACI national chair Kevan Jones, SACIA executive director Justin van Wyk, SALPA chair Sharif Baker, TPSA chairperson; SACIA board member

Denver Manickum, I-cube Alternative Advertising c: +27 (0)83 482 8525 e: denver@icube.co.za

Ansu Colditz c: +27 (0)82 457 8071 e: ansuc@millenniumtravel.co.za

Gill Gibbs, EXSA chairperson

Septi Bukula, SITE member

International board member: Daryl Keywood c: +27 (0)82 904 4967 e: daryl@walthers.co.za

COMMITTEE:

Chad Botha, EXSA board member

Taubie Motlhabane, ICCA Africa chapter chair

Mabuyi Mosia, Ikhono Communications c: +27 (0)71 117 7509 e: mabuyi@ikhono.co.za

Branch treasurer: Thiru Naidoo t: +27 (0)21 487 8600 e: thiru@wesgro.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

Stefan Huggett c: +27 (0)83 740 8897 e: stefanh@spier.co.za

President: Tes Proos c: +27 (0) 84 682 7676 e: tes@crystalevents.co.za

Branch vice-chairperson: Alex Wrottesley c: +27 (0)21 430 2060 e: alex@intoafrica.co.za

Sibusiso Mncwabe, EXSA board member; EXSA KZN Forum Chair; SAACI KZN committee member and treasurer Doug Rix, EXSA board member

Kim Jackson, Greyville Convention Centre c: +27 (0)82 378 2264 e: kimj@goldcircle.co.za

Branch coordinator: Kerry Potgieter c: +27 (0)84 777 3452 e: kzn.za@saaci.org

e: saboa@saboa.co.za www.saboa.co.za

Bianca van Niekerk t: +27 (0)21 410 5000 e: biancav@cticc.co.za

Tarannum Banatwalla, Jellyfish Catering & Event Management c: +27 (0)83 254 9462 e: tarannum@jellyfishcatering.co.za

Sandile Dlamini, Anzomode c: +27 (0)79 104 5510 e: sandile@anzomode.co.za

Mike Lord, Event Safety Council interim chair

e: hello@saeventscouncil.org Chairperson: Tes Proos, SITE president Vice-chairperson: Glenton de Kock, SAACI chief executive officer Interim treasurer: Glenn van Eck, CEPA chair Spokesperson: Projeni Pather, AAXO chair Members Carol Weaving, AAXO board member Tiisetso Tau, AAXO member Corne Koch, Best Cities Global Alliance chair Justin Hawes, Event Greening Forum treasurer

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

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 October 2020 31

THE LAST WORD

Reopening of the event industry: what to expect The hard lockdown forced many businesses and event managers to transform their business model and embrace technology by offering planned events online, in a bid to stay afloat.

E

ight months later, as the eventing industry is starting to reopen following an easing of lockdown restrictions, there is a glimpse of a new normal on the horizon.

Mike Lysko, the chief executive officer and founder of Flock Eventing Platform, said: “Online events offered businesses and event managers a welcome solution during lockdown. As a result, many businesses have recognised that there are several benefits to virtual events and digital event technologies.”

Many of these technologies and digital event solutions are now integrated into events and he predicts that many organisations will not return to the “old way of doing things”.

Mr Lysko considered some of the changes businesses and event managers can expect in the run up towards a pre-lockdown events industry.

1. Event managers will have to adapt to cater for smaller physical events and provide virtual event integration.

Venue operators will need to implement infrastructural changes to support the online broadcasting of events. In other words, venues will need to offer a seamless integration with to compliment clients’ use of virtual event platforms.

This will most likely become a strong consideration for businesses looking to host physical events and hybrid events.

2. Event apps will become essential.

Managing an event through an app provides business and event managers with effective and efficient control whether they host hybrid, physical or online events. Apps make it easy to track every aspect of an event from administration to execution; it increases visibility for event sponsors and provides demonstrable ROI based on the data collected.

Additionally, businesses can have a single branded app for all their events where data is stored for attendees to

access as and when needed. Event apps also provide attendees with a better experience because they can get all the event information they require at their fingertips. In doing so, it cuts down administration tasks and delegates can simply view or download the information from the app, when they need it.

3. Event venues will be limited to a small number of physical attendees.

Even with lockdown restrictions easing, the Corona virus has made businesses and people acutely aware of the dangers of being in close proximity to one another. This is likely to lead to smaller physical event gatherings as delegates choose to attend the event online.

4. Health, safety and data security measures will increase.

Corona virus cases, the health risks remain. The need to screen delegates and the collection of health information of the delegates attending an event will remain high priority on arrival at venues.

This will lead to two notable changes to the industry: • Additional data security measures will need to be taken to protect the information attendees share.

• More people will want the option of attending an event virtually if they have health concerns, prefer to limit their travel, or do not want to share health information with third parties.

Events have always been a way for people to connect, share information and learn more about a company, product, service or person. Online events and event technology offers attendees more control over their environment and health.

5. Artificial Intelligent (AI) technology provides a personalised experience.

Event managers and corporates will use this smart technology to personalise each attendee’s experience. Companies will use the data they collect to provide

32 Business Events Africa October 2020

more value and to show attendees more of what they are likely to be interested in and less of what they aren’t.

6. Virtual reality (VR) and 3D experiences will grow in popularity and sophistication.

Future physical events will increasingly incorporate augmented and virtual reality elements to engage and enthral attendees.

Bulky headsets will be replaced with sleek, comfortable glasses for in-person experiences, and those attending events via their desktops will be able to enjoy an experience akin to Sim City - enabling them to attend events, shop at exhibitions, network with other attendees, and more – thanks to VR and 3D technology.

These are just a few of the changes the Flock Event Platform founder believes will emerge in the industry. He emphasises that the events landscape is unlikely to return to how it was pre-lockdown and many businesses may further change their business model to incorporate what they have learnt during the pandemic to create a more robust business.

“Many people in the industry have changed their approach to events due to the disruption caused by Covid-19 and the hard lockdown.

“This is not necessarily a bad thing because industry disruptions have made way for improvements, changes and a willingness to embrace technology.

“We see excitement around the reopening of the industry and a renewed eagerness to do things differently, which will have a positive impact on the event industry as a whole,” Mr Lysko concluded.

Who is Mike Lysko?

Mike Lysko, chief executive officer and founder of Flock Platform has been leading the South African-based event tech company since 2013. With a strong interest in tech, and background in managing events, the Flock Eventing Platform and Mobile Event Apps are created out of solid knowledge and experience in the events industry.

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