5 minute read
POST-EVENT REPORT
SAACI National Congress 2022
RECOMMITTING & REBUILDING
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The SAACI National Congress 2022 was an invaluable opportunity for industry professionals to gather “to make new memories, while old friendships were rekindled, and new friendships forged”. Meetings takes a closer look at what unfolded.
The Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI) held its 35th national congress on 14 to 15 August 2022 at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study. The theme this year was ‘Eventing into the Future’, with the association using the event as an opportunity to create a framework for the industry to move forward – among other objectives. PROMOTING IN-PERSON CONNECTIONS Glenton de Kock, CEO of SAACI, describes the event format as an experiment that paid off. “We know that in-person events are ‘in fashion’. People want to get together and it is critical to organise networking activities for delegates. These can be a combination of formal and ad hoc activities for attendees. With that, entertainment is a very welcomed component, and not just a band. Other entertainers or entertaining activities can effectively form part of the conference programme,” he says. Based on this, the organising committee
Advocate Gesie van Deventer, Mayor of decided to launch the programme with a lunch
Stellenbosch, warmly on the Sunday, followed by welcomed the delegates sessions and going directly to the historic town into the welcome event at Amazink, South Africa’s first township dinner theatre. Glenton explains that this opportunity to connect with people over lunch, and before getting into the talks, set the tone for the rest of the event. Other ways that engagement was prioritised was by having shorter talks of 25 minutes with a Q&A (much like the popular and punchy TED Talks), as well as break-away huddle groups to discuss ‘What clients want?’, an after-lunch ‘screen-free zone’, and an ‘outside activation’ with nature, which included a grounding exercise of walking barefoot on the grass. “Next year, we want to build on this, creating more networking opportunities and more conversation hubs. But, overall, we believe our new formula worked well, and we will just need to build on it and make some refinements for the next event,” adds Glenton.
L-R: Delegates Sunette Kriel and Chantal Langlois (both from The Westin Cape Town) take a selfie
DESTINATION-SPECIFIC EVENTS
Another highlight Glenton notes was the incredible support SAACI received from the destination, Stellenbosch. The town relies heavily on tourism, and during lockdown it had to find a way to help its tourism and hospitality businesses survive. The outcome was a novel campaign, which Jeanneret Momberg, CEO of Visit Stellenbosch, unpacked in her talk ‘Doing things differently’. Glenton adds that SAACI wants future events to be destination-specific.
It has been confirmed that next year’s event will be held in the Eastern Cape, but the exact location is still to be decided.
INSPIRING CONTENT
At the start of the event, Advocate Gesie van Deventer, Mayor of Stellenbosch, and Wrenelle Stander, CEO of Wesgro, introduced the Western Cape and Stellenbosch. This was followed by Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo, chief convention bureau officer for the South Africa National Convention Bureau, who shared insights into the organisation’s bidding programme, and the keynote address ‘Your Future Story’ by Bruce Wade, current president of the Professional Speaking Association of Southern Africa (PSASA), where he encouraged the audience to find ways to do things differently.
Other topics that were presented included how to monetise events (Judy Lain, Prosek), an overview of South Africa’s volatile politics
Message architect Thami Nkadimeng was the MC for the Congress L-R: Lara Van Zyl (SAACI Western Cape), Michelle Booth (freelance conference, incentive and event management professional) and Corne Koch (Wesgro)
L-R: Zukiswa Ntwasa (Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency), Ella Tshishiku (Limpopo Tourism Agency) and Esmare Steinhofel (ICCA)
Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo, chief convention bureau officer for the SANCB, spoke about the SANCB’s bidding programme
L-R: Lindelwa Mthethwa (Minor Hotels), Thandubuhle Mgudiwa (Johannesburg Tourism Company) and Thami Nkadimeng (MC) Rashid Toefy (Western Cape Government Department of Economic Development and Tourism) facilitated the panel discussion
L-R: Monika Luel, Wrenelle Stander and Corne Koch (all from Wesgro) Taubie Mothlabane (CTICC) was also a panellist
and economics (economist Daniel Silke), the power of localisation (Happy Ngidi, Proudly South African), making events more accessible (Professor G Mji, Stellenbosch University and director of the Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies, and Hillary Lane, AfriNEAD) the metaverse and other technological opportunities (Lebo Lekoma, Sea Monster), ‘Purpose in a time of turmoil’ (Dr Debbie Human-Van Eck, Stellenbosch University), sustainability and climate change (Melissa Baird, GDS-Movement and the GDSAcademy), experiential design (Vincent Truter, Orlando.Joburg), and insights into AfrikaBurn (Brian Palmer, AfrikaBurn).
A panel discussion also explored the ‘Changing Landscapes’ that are impacting the business events industry, led by Rashid Toefy (Western Cape Government Department of Economic Development and Tourism) and joined by Bheki Dube (Curiocity), Bheki Twala (Township Events Business Council SA), Taubie Mothlabane (CTICC) and Thandubuhle Mgundlwa (Johannesburg Tourism Company).
SAACI gives special thanks its partners and sponsors: South Africa National Convention Bureau (SANCB), Cape Town & Western Cape Convention Bureau (Wesgro), Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (Stias), Minor Hotels, Hazendal and Magnetic Storm.
The craving to meet in person isn’t exclusive to delegates; only two speakers joined online. Glenton observed that being in the room helped speakers read their audience and feed off their energy and enthusiasm.
The congress finished at 15:00 on Monday, allowing time for wine safaris and additional networking later that day. This also meant that attendees effectively only missed one day of the work week, while still benefiting from a busy and packed programme.
To find out more about the congress, including access to the full programme, speakers and photo gallery, visit saaci.org/ events/annual-national-congress.
Bheki Twala (TEBCO-SA) was one of the panellists for the ‘Changing Landscapes’ discussion
L-R: Jacques Fouche (Be-Moved), Minister Kganyago (CSIR International Convention Centre), Melissa Palmer (B and E Conference Centre), Glenton de Kock (SAACI), Angela Lorimer (Hotel Sky), Kim Robberts (SAACI), Gheeta Payle (Inhouse VTM), Esti Venske (Cape Peninsula University of Technology) and Irene Vallihu (Durban ICC)
