Business Events Africa - Vol 40 No 10

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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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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.

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Voice of the Business Events Industry in Africa

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

CONTENTS

VOL

40 NO 10

OCTOBER 2020

The authority on meetings,

exhibitions, special events and

incentives management

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

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.

MARKET NEWS

17 Africa Travel Week draws focus on

the African Diaspora Traveller.

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.

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.

publishers of Business Events Africa, is a member of:

Learning | Growth | collaboration

Official media partner

Official Journal of the Southern

Africa Chapter of the Society for

Incentive Travel Excellence

EDITOR: Irene Costa

gomesi@iafrica.com

PRODUCTION AND DESIGN EDITOR:

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.

Official journal of the

Exhibition & Event Association

of Southern Africa


EDITOR’S COMMENT

Re-imagining

the new world

The world has certainly changed. This much we can all agree on.

A

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

Credit: Hein Liebetrau

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.

The 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

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 Sub-

Saharan 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.

www.businesseventsafrica.com 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.

Sisa 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.

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.

4 Business Events Africa October 2020


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.

As 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.

It 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

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.


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.

Brett 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.

Sable Fountain at The Palace of the Lost City.

Mankwe Gametrackers ready to serve.




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.



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.

Sun 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

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





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,

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



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?

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.

What is your favourite sport?

Mixed Martial Arts.

Who is your favourite

sportsman/woman?

Sports woman - Cris Cyborg.

What do you do for leisure?

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 your secret to

success?

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 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.

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.

What is your favourite book,

film, TV programme?

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?

Mostly by exercising and doing outdoor

activities.

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.


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.

Chef 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

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



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

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.”

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

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.


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.

In 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

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.



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.

To 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

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.


VENUE NEWS

Radisson Hotel Group

launches hybrid solutions

…we certainly

understand the

importance of

connections and the

need to adapt and

exercise flexibility…

Radisson Hotel Group is proud to announce the launch of its new

Hybrid Solutions incorporating Hybrid Rooms and Hybrid Meetings.

Radisson 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

Radisson Blu Hotel Sandton meeting room.

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.

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.



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).

“

We 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.”

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.


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.

Now, 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

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.



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

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.


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.

Incentive 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.

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.



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?

You’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

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


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.

It 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.

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.



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

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)

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

• 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/

Lindiwe Rakharebe is on the ICCA Board.


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?

As 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.

SAACI 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.

Visit our online community: +27(0)11 880 5883

www.saaci.org

info@saaci.org


www.saacicongress.org

www.saaci-academy.org

Business Events Africa Learning October | Growth 2020 | collaboration 25

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?

Frankly, 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



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

President 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

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.



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.

Many 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/


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 Paulsen-

Abbott, 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

EVENT GREENING FORUM

179 Jan Smuts Ave, Parktown North,

Private Bag X7000, Parklands 2121

t: +27 (0)11 447 4777

e: info@eventgreening.co.za

www.eventgreening.co.za

Chairperson: 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

EXSA OFFICE

www.exsa.co.za

Chairperson: Gill Gibbs, BluCube

t: +27 (0)83 260 8035

e: gill@blu3.co.za

Vice chairperson: Gabi Babinsky,

Brandex

t: +27 (0)64 655 3323

e: gabi@brandexpro.co.za

Treasurer: Moses Nefale, Scan Display

t: +27 (0)79 882 8616

e: moses@scandisplay.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

ICCA African Chapter

Chairperson: Taubie Motlhabane, Cape

Town International Convention Centre

t: +27 (0)21 410 5000

e: Taubiem@cticc.co.za

Deputy chairperson: Jacinta Nzioka,

Kenya National Convention Bureau

t: +254 722464221

e: jacinta@kncb.go.ke

Secretariat: Esmaré Steinhöfel

ICCA Africa Regional director

c: +27 (0)84 056 5544

e: esmare.s@iccaworld.org.

www.iccaworld.com/dbs/africanchapter

www.iccaworld.org

SOUTHERN AFRICAN

ASSOCIATION FOR THE

CONFERENCE INDUSTRY

Learning | Growth | collaboration

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chairperson: Kim Roberts

Mise-en-place Solutions

e: info@mise-en-placesolutions.com

t: +27 (0)82 652 2008

Vice-chairperson: Jaques Fouche

Formative

e: jaques@formative.co.za

c: +27 (0)60 993 7542

Treasurer: Glenn van Eck,

Magnetic Storm

e: glenn@magnetic.co.za

c: +27 (0)82 800 2616

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

DIRECTORS

EC chairperson: Andrew Stewart

PeriExpo

e: andrew@periexpo.co.za

c: +27 (0)82 578 5987

KZN chairperson:

Tracey Delport

The Hospitality Experience

e: tracey@thehospitality

experience.co.za

c: +27 (0)83 293 5190

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

Tshwane chairperson: Leon Pheiffer

EPH Productions

e: leon@ephproductions.co.za

c: + 27 (0)82 924 9046

Co-opted youth: Minister Kganyago

CSIR

e: MKganyago@csir.co.za

c: +27 (0)79 513 8708

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

Networking: Melissa Palmer

B&E Conference Centre

e: melissa@becbc.co.za

c: +27 (0)82 437 7600

Networking: Wanda Fourie

Eastern Sun Events

e: registration@easternsun.co.za

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

Branch vice-chairperson: Lorin

Bowen, Lorin Bowen Business

Events

t: +27 (0)82 433 8687

e: lorin@lorinbowen.co.za

Branch treasurer: Chris de Lancey,

Multi-Media

t: +27 (0)82 854 2230

e: chris@multi-media.co.za

COMMITTEE:

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

Rendani Khorommbi, Joburg

Tourism

t: +27 (0)82 773 2999

e: rendanik@joburgtourism.com

Branch coordinator:

Angelique Smith

c: +27 (0)60 970 7653

e: Jhb.za@saaci.org

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


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



DIRECTORY

KWAZULU-NATAL

Branch chairperson:

Irene Vallihu, Durban International

Convention Centre

c: +27 (0)79 692 4604

e: irenev@icc.co.za


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

Tarannum Banatwalla, Jellyfish

Catering & Event Management

c: +27 (0)83 254 9462

e: tarannum@jellyfishcatering.co.za

Kim Jackson, Greyville Convention

Centre

c: +27 (0)82 378 2264

e: kimj@goldcircle.co.za

Mabuyi Mosia, Ikhono

Communications

c: +27 (0)71 117 7509

e: mabuyi@ikhono.co.za

Denver Manickum, I-cube

Alternative Advertising

c: +27 (0)83 482 8525

e: denver@icube.co.za

Kavitha Dhawnath, Gearhouse SA

c: +27 (0)83 607 2006

e: kavitha.dhawnath@gearhouse.

co.za

Wiseman Mnguni, Mboniseni Events

and Project Management)

c: +27 (0)78 220 2162

e: mboniseni.events@gmail.com

Sandile Dlamini, Anzomode

c: +27 (0)79 104 5510

e: sandile@anzomode.co.za

Branch coordinator: Kerry

Potgieter

c: +27 (0)84 777 3452

e: kzn.za@saaci.org

WESTERN CAPE

Branch chairperson:

Angela Lorimer

c: +27 (0)21 410 5000

e: angelajacobson862@yahoo.co.za

Branch vice-chairperson: Alex

Wrottesley

c: +27 (0)21 430 2060

e: alex@intoafrica.co.za

Branch treasurer: Thiru Naidoo

t: +27 (0)21 487 8600

e: thiru@wesgro.co.za

COMMITTEE:

Ansu Colditz

c: +27 (0)82 457 8071

e: ansuc@millenniumtravel.co.za

Esti Venske

t: +27 (0)21 460 3518

e: estivenske@gmail.com

Zimkitha Bavuma

c: +27 (0)72 172 5746

e: zim@live.co.za

Esmare Steinhofel

c: +27 (0)84 056 5544

e: esmare.s@iccaworld.org

Andrew Gibson

t: +27 (0)860 111 625

e: Andrew@magnetic.co.za

Bianca van Niekerk

t: +27 (0)21 410 5000

e: biancav@cticc.co.za

Stefan Huggett

c: +27 (0)83 740 8897

e: stefanh@spier.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

President: Tes Proos

c: +27 (0) 84 682 7676

e: tes@crystalevents.co.za

International board member:

Daryl Keywood

c: +27 (0)82 904 4967

e: daryl@walthers.co.za

Treasurer: Peter-John Mitrovich

c: +27 (0)82 318 1889

e: peter-john.mitrovich@

grosvenortours.com

Board member at large: Rick Taylor

East Africa (Rwanda): Chris Munyao

North Africa: George Fawzi

North Africa support: Brad Glen

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

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

Mike Lord, Event Safety Council

interim chair

Sibusiso Mncwabe, EXSA board

member; EXSA KZN Forum Chair;

SAACI KZN committee member and

treasurer

Chad Botha, EXSA board member

Doug Rix, EXSA board member

Gill Gibbs, EXSA chairperson

Taubie Motlhabane, ICCA Africa

chapter chair

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

Septi Bukula, SITE member

Sharif Baker, TPSA chairperson;

SACIA board member

OTHER ASSOCIATIONS

OF INTEREST

ABTA – African Business Travel

Association

Box 2594, Pinegowrie, 2123

t: +27 (0)11 888 8178

c: +27 (0)83 679 2110

e: monique@abta.co.za | www.abta.

co.za

Founder: Monique Swart

ASATA – Association of Southern

African Travel Agents

PO Box 650539, Benmore, 2010

t: +27 (0)11 293 0560/61

e: barbara@asata.co.za

e: general@asata.co.za

Office manager: Barbara Viljoen

Council of Event Professionals Africa

M16 Ticketpro Dome

Cnr. Northumberland & Olievenhout

Roads, Northriding

Executive Director: Kevan Jones

kevan@sacia.org.za

t: +27 (0)11 083 6418

c: +27 (0)82 555 5556

Chairperson: Glenn van Eck

Magnetic Storm

c: +27 (0)82 800 2616

e: glenn@magnetic.co.za

FEDHASA National Office –

Federated Hospitality Association of

Southern Africa

PO Box 3853, The Reeds, 0157

c: +27 (0)82 552 9862

e: ceo@fedhasa.co.za

www.fedhasa.co.za

Chief executive: Tshifhiwa

Tshivhengwa

PSASA – Professional Speakers

Association of Southern Africa

t: +27 (0)11 462 9465

c: +27 (0)83 458 6114

e: admin@psasouthernafrica.co.za

www.psasouthernafrica.co.za

SABOA – Southern African Bus

Operators Association

Postnet Suite 393, Private Bag X033,

Rivonia 2128

t: +27 (0)11 511 7641

e: saboa@saboa.co.za

www.saboa.co.za

SACIA – Southern African

Communications Industries

Association

M16 Ticketpro Dome


Roads, Northriding

t: +27 (0)11 083 6418

c: +27 (0)82 555 5556

e: kevan@sacia.org.za

Executive director: Kevan Jones

SATI – South African Translators’

Institute

Executive director: Marion Boers

t: +27 (0)11 803 2681

e: office@translators.org.za

www.translators.org.za

SATSA – Southern Africa Tourism

Services Association

Box 900, Ferndale 2160

t: +27 (0)11 886 9996

e: pa@satsa.co.za | www.satsa.com

SKAL International South Africa

Secretary: Anne Lamb

t: +27 (0)21 434 7023

c: +27 (0)82 708 1836

e: anne@yebo.co.za

www.skalsouthafrica.org

STA – Sandton Tourism Association

t: +27 (0)83 558 5445

e: secretariat@sandtontourism.com

www.sandtontourism.com

TBCSA – Tourism Business Council of

South Africa

Box 11655, Centurion 0046

t: +27 (0)12 664 0120

e: comms@tbcsa.travel

www.tbcsa.travel

www.tomsa.co.za

Member relations manager:

Boitumelo Moleleki

TGCSA – Tourism Grading Council of

South Africa

Private Bag X10012, Sandton 2146

t: +27 (0)11 895 3000

f: +27 (0)11 895 3001

e: enquiries@tourismgrading.co.za

TINSA – Interpreters/

Translators Network of Southern

Africa

e: info@interpreter.org.za

t/f: +27 (0)11 485 2511

c: +27 (0)83 249 0010

www.interpreter.org.za

TPSA – Technical Production

Services Association

M16 Ticketpro Dome


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


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.

Eight 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

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.



DIGITAL

DIRECTORY

AFRICA’S LEADING

BUSINESS EVENTS

DIRECTORY

2 for

1 offer

The print listings now mirror our

online directory style with basic and

premium listings. In fact, upgrading

a basic listing in print to premium will

include an upgrade to premium on

the website and vice versa. The

same information online is

printed in the print

directory.

Business Events Africa is known for having the most comprehensive directory of venues, service providers, speakers

and conference organisers in Africa. We have been a trusted source of information for more than 37 years, and

now offer this valuable resource online.

The market is tough out there. What makes your business different from any other? For starters, be more accessible

on the internet.

Online searches are now the preferred method of finding information and contact details, so the better your online

presence, the more business you will get.

BENEFITS OF LISTING YOUR BUSINESS:

• By claiming your listing, you can keep your company’s information up to date at your own convenience

• Upgrade your listing online at any time to maximise your brand exposure

• Improve your SEO and online presence

• We provide a targeted audience for your business

• See your stats – know how many people are seeing your listing

• Increase traffic to your website with a link from the directory

For as little as R2 400, you can get the edge over your competitors by

providing indispensable information to your customers on our online directory.

Affordable advertising is just a click away.

Visit www.businesseventsafrica.com/directory

Call +27 (0)31 764 6977 for more information

Business Events Africa - Vol 40 No 10 - October 2020

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

Business Events Africa - Vol 40 No 10 - October 2020

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

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