Covid-19 caused seismic shifts in consumer behaviour when it upended lives and livelihoods across the globe through extended lockdowns. While not all changes are proving to be permanent, there are specific trends driving customer-centric innovation within the retail, hotel and hospitality industries that seem here to stay.
Evan Schiff, Portfolio Director of Food, Hospitality and Trade at dmg events says: “With margins tightening across the hospitality market, hotel and restaurant operators should rethink all aspects of their operations in order to identify areas of innovation and improvement that align with latest global consumer trends, so that they can make the necessary changes to drive greater operational efficiency and return on investment.”
Digital Guest Experiences
Although the hospitality industry has been trying for many years to incorporate technology to enhance the customer experience, the pandemic served as a catalyst to accelerate digital transformation and customization.
“When it comes to digital experiences, guests now expect only the very best,” says Schiff. “From frictionless, touchless F&B orders to electronic key room access, technology is beginning to play a starring role across the full timeline of a customer’s experience.”
Shaun Wheeler, General Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel in Sandton says that digitalisation has enabled the Group to address increasing demand from hotel guests for 24/7 access to staff services and information.
“New technology including the Radisson Hotels App, Oaky and online-check in and check-out features/or capabilities offers guests a personalised, interactive and convenient experience, as it simplifies the customer journey from initial booking to any other special requests they may have.”
Saul Mervis of The Grillhouse restaurant adds that many restaurateurs were able to use the forced down time during lockdown to get to grips with the very core of their businesses.
“As a result, antiquated systems of administration have been re-evaluated, and better technology implemented that promote a more personalised customer experience.”
Conscious Consumption
As with technology, the concept of sustainability may not be new, but has regained substantial momentum since the start of the pandemic, with consumers today placing increased focus on creating create a better, healthier world, and seeking to understand if a brand aligns with their personal values.
Research from Mastercard reveals that 58% of adults are more mindful of their impact on the environment, while three in five also expect companies to behave in a more sustainable and eco-friendly way.[1]
“The pandemic has given our industry time to reflect and research,” says Schiff. “It has been reported that today and tomorrow’s travelers are among the most powerful and influential customer ever. No matter the scale of your operation, making sustainability a key aspect of your brand management throughout your value chain is imperative.”
Radisson Blu’s Wheeler adds that more and more hotels are committed to decreasing their impact on the environment, by minimising their environmental footprint in terms of carbon emissions, energy use, water consumption, as well as sustainable consumption and resource management.
“The Radisson Hotel Group is no different, having committed to Net-Zero by 2050 and to decarbonizing our business by setting ambitious emission reduction targets, in line with the SBTi Net-Zero Standard,” he says.
The hotel has installed Aerator water saving taps, eco smart hand showers, LED lighting, and key card light activation systems to save on water and energy consumption.
The Conversation Continues at Africa’s Must-Attend Trade Event
Industry professionals looking for further insight and guidance on global consumer trends driving future recovery and growth of the hospitality industry are invited to attend The Hotel & Hospitality Show, taking place between 19 and 21 May 2022 under the theme of ‘Redefining hospitality – Recovering for Future Growth’.
Hosted by dmg events at the Sandton Convention Centre and co-located with Design Joburg, visitors will unpack the latest trends, market analysis, forecasts and realities over a series of collaborative workshops and panel discussions and benefit from numerous unique networking opportunities with leading buyers and brands from Sub Saharan Africa.
Registration is currently open; for exhibitor and visitor information or to register, please visit: thehotelshowafrica.com
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The Southern African Housekeepers League of Champions will see housekeeping teams racing against the clock to prepare rooms to the highest standards, while the Global Pizza Challenge will watch passionate, independent pizza makers compete for the best gastronomic masterpiece.
About The Hotel & Hospitality Show
The Hotel & Hospitality Show forms part of a dedicated portfolio of events proudly serving the hospitality industry across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. A carefully curated range of products, equipment, services, and design is showcased for restaurant owners, managers, and operators, as well as cafes, bars, hotels, and foodservice operators.
Renamed the Hotel & Hospitality Show for its fifth year and co-located with Design Joburg, this event provides valuable content, equipment, and products to the hospitality and hotel industries. We provide a 360-degree view of the market and the latest industry trends through our content, features, and speakers.
A must-attend event in sub-Saharan Africa, the Hotel & Hospitality show brings together brands and buyers in the hospitality supply chain. The Hotel & Hospitality Show will be held from 19-21 May 2022, at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa.
MasterChef Australia contestant Simon Toohey was a huge hit when he took part in the online Festive Vegan & Plant Powered Show which was held in November 2020 to great success. Now the charmingly urbane and popular chef is back for The Plant Powered Show which takes place at the end of May as both a physical event as well as online.
While Toohey will not be in South Africa to participate in-person at the show, which is being held in the Cape Town International Convention Centre, he will headline the online element of the event which will allow visitors from other parts of South Africa, the African continent and the rest of the world to join in.
Born and raised in Canberra, Australia 33 years ago, Toohey excelled in sports, drawing, photography and woodwork. After graduating, he worked in various cocktail bars and completed a TAFE course in Hospitality Management, graduating with an Advanced Diploma before completing a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism Management from the University of Canberra in 2009.
In 2012 Toohey bought a one-way ticket to the UK where he lived for five years, and it was while working in London as a bar manager that he won the titles of Best Cocktail Menu and Best High-Volume Cocktail Bar at the ‘Tales of the Cocktail Awards’ which was held in New Orleans. In a city where 10 000 bartenders descend for the annual conference, taking home the two coveted prizes in the global competition was recognition worth celebrating. But after four years of late-nights, hard-partying and long hours started taking their toll, Toohey called it quits and made his way to Edinburgh, Scotland, where he embraced his long-held passion for food, enrolling for a Masters in Gastronomy from Queen Margaret University, learning about food sovereignty and sustainability, alongside indigenous farming and medicinal spices.
Returning home in 2017, Toohey settled in Melbourne with girlfriend, and now fiancé, Georgia, and planned his next move in the world of food. That came with his participation in season 11 of MasterChef Australia in which he delighted viewers, both at home and in South Africa, with his vegan creations and use of seasonal vegetables. Placing third, Toohey went on to appear in season 12 – also known as MasterChef Australia: Back to Win – which featured former high-achieving contestants from the past eleven series returning for another chance at the title of MasterChef and a R3 million prize.
Although Toohey didn’t win, he has been incredibly busy since and he hasn’t let the pandemic slow him down at all.
Not only has he been filming a television series, now in its third season, but he has also been working on his first cook book, was selected as global ambassador for Dilmah Tea and 1589 Hotels and has been chosen as the ambassador for Melbourne’s Wine & Cheese Fest.
Then there’s the Sustainable Earth Network, a YouTube channel which he co-founded, that focuses on using whole ingredients and fighting food waste. See https://www.youtube.com/c/SustainableEarthNetwork
Having grown up with a dad who worked for the Cattle Council of Australia, Toohey wants to change the way people think about food and put more of an emphasis on vegetables rather than meat to reduce waste.
“It’s about advertising great food, farmers that get their hands dirty and growing produce that’s important to us; celebrating great vegetables and flavours people have forgotten about.
“If I can change people’s mindset, then we’re doing a good job, and then we can look at minimising food waste,” he says.
As friendly and affable as he is talented, Toohey took time out of his busy schedule – which included moving house – to answer a few questions ahead of The Plant Powered Show.
What have you been up to since we last saw you online for The Festive Vegan & Plant Powered Show in November 2020?
I have been doing a lot since we last chatted. I’m about to start filming the third season of my television series Freshly Picked, which is so awesome. We are proud to be the first and only fully plant-based TV show in Australia, and currently it can be seen in 140 countries around the world, so we are spreading the word. I have also been working on a book, am closely involved with Hemp Foods Australia on something amazing, which will be released at a later date, and I am also about to open a couple of plant-based restaurants in India.
Can you tell us a bit more about Freshly Picked
It is the best. I get to cook and be cooked for and travel around Australia tasting amazing plant-based foods. The show celebrates the importance of producers, farmers and artists in the culinary world and spreads word of their brilliance. It aims to allow food lovers to experience the possibilities of eating more plants and let those who already do so to inspire and expand their repertoire.
Can you tell us about your YouTube series The Whole Thing?
The Whole Thing will be launching its second and final season over the next few weeks. It’s more a travel and interview style. We have really met some exceptional people, from the only papita growers in Australia, to tofu made on a boat, hemp grown in Tasmania, smoked oat cheese, urban foraging … the list goes on!
Any updates on your book?
This bloody cookbook has changed so many times, that I think I am in the same spot as I was the last time we spoke but with a new set of dishes and a different style. It is going to happen this year … I kind of promise.
Have you seen a shift in eating habits in the last two years?
I really have, although I have seen more of a shift in mindset, which I think is amazing. I have also seen a shift in restaurants and the food they are offering for vegans. It used to drive me nuts when the only thing on the menu that was suitable for plant-based diners was fries. Now there are brilliant restaurants and takeaway shops that are offering amazing vegan dishes that even meat-eaters are enjoying.
Do you think a plant powered lifestyle is becoming more common and more acceptable?
Yes to both those. But ‘more acceptable’ isn’t what I’m looking for. I want people to be damn excited.
What can online visitors expect from you at the Plant Powered Show next month?
A lot of fun, chat and laughter along with some awesome street food dishes and home recipes that are fast, fresh and very easy to make.
When he finds some free time, what does Simon Toohey do to relax?
My partner is a yoga teacher so there is a lot of that in our lives which I love! We also take our puppy Lentil to the beach for a swim and we walk for hours. But I actually love to cook to relax. Not having to write recipes, prepare for a show and having the kitchen without the cameras, I like to go mad and cook up a storm.
A few quick-fire questions:
Red, white or sparkling wine?
Natural whites
Book or Kindle?
Books only.
Movies – drama or comedy?
Definitely drama.
Beach or mountains?
Beach, always.
Favourite season?
Autumn.
Favourite vegetable?
Kohlrabi.
Finally, we asked Toohey to share a simple, yet delicious plant-powered snack with us and he gave us his Shitake Roll with Spiced Mayo and Dill Pickle.
Ingredients
1 classic white roll
20g melted plant-based butter
75g shitake mushrooms
50ml mushroom stock
50ml vegan smoked mayo
5 pickle slices
2g fresh dill
Method
Cut the bread down the middle but not all the way to the end, butter and toast on the grill.
Place the mushrooms in a pan with a little oil and fry. Squirt in 30ml mushroom stock, place a lid on and cook for 30 seconds. Take the bread off the grill, spoon in the mushroom mixture, squeeze on the mayo, add the pickles and dill and enjoy!
In addition to Simon Toohey, other chefs, food personalities and experts taking part in The Plant Powered Show include the Giggling Gourmet Jenny Morris, Jason McNamara (aka Jay Mac), Claire Sharryn Roberto (nutrition and functional foods expert), Jane Nshuti (African food educator), culinary consultant and chef Tamsin Snyman, Mira Weiner (plant-based advocate), Mokgadi Itsweng (food activist and author), Arabella Parkinson (plant-based chef), Phil Mansergh (The Kelp Shack), Loubie Rusch (indigenous foods expert), Owen O’Reilly (mixologist), Michele Mistry (Ayurvedic Nutritionist), Andriette de la Harpe (MasterChef SA semi-finalist), Tarryn De Kock (MasterChef SA semi-finalist), Peter Daniel (health and wellness expert), award-winning food writer Amy Hoppy, Toni Brockhoven (Chairperson, Beauty Without Cruelty) and Dr Yesheen Singh (medical doctor).
The Plant Powered Show will be a three-day live and in-person event as well as an online platform, thus allowing visitors from other provinces and around the globe to attend.
The Plant Powered Show – Cape Town International Convention Centre:
Tickets for the online show cost R120 and R250 for the in-person event and are available at https://www.quicket.co.za/events/167603-the-plant-powered-show
Social media links:
NOTES FOR EDITORS
About Live Events
Live Events is an award-winning events organiser that takes a hands-on approach to creating high-value, sustainable, large-scale consumer special interest events. It has executed market-leading B2B & B2C events spanning some 27 years. For more information visit www.liveevents.africa
Leading transport event tackles the key challenges of inter-Africa trade expansion
In 2021, the Port of Maputo achieved a new handling record of 22.2 million tons, representing 21% year-on-year growth compared to the previous year’s handling volume of 18.3 million tons.
A reflection of a post-Covid market recovery, Mozambique’s Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC) CEO Osório Lucas says this growth can also be attributed to a more efficient usage of several of the port’s rehabilitated berths, as well as an expanded ferro slab footprint and dedicated rail siding.
“Investment in automation solutions within the port were carried out throughout last year, as part of a strategic expansion plan prepared by the MPDC to address the bottlenecks within the Maputo Corridor and therefore improve the efficiency of cross-border cargo flow in Sub-Saharan Africa,” says Lucas.
Work carried out included the completion and activation of the Vessel Arrival Notification (VAN) system and the Rail Arrival Notification (RAN) system, the automation of all port weighbridges and the promotion and establishment of the integration between Customs, Single Electronic Window systems and port systems.
The Port of Maputo holds a key position within the Maputo Development Corridor, a transportation corridor or roads, rail and port connecting landlocked regions of Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga with sea trade routes.
Lucas adds that the recent upgrades and investment in port and rail infrastructure port provide huge potential for future growth and play an important role in creating long-term solutions to facilitate cross-border trade through the Corridor.
At this year’s Transport Evolution Mozambique Forum & Showcase hosted by the MPDC and taking place from 11-12 May 2022 at the Port of Maputo, solutions for achieving regional integration through effective trade corridors is one of the key topics to be explored in a collaborative round table discussion led by leading public and private stakeholders in the transport industry.
In its third year, the 2-day trade event returns to an in-person format after a successful digital edition in 2021.
In addition to a showcase of the latest future-proofed transport solutions for optimized port efficiency and sustainable rail and corridor expansion from leading suppliers across the globe, this year’s event includes several regional industry roundtables that offer transport professionals a unique networking opportunity as they tackle topics such as the efficiency around cross border requirements along the Maputo Corridor to facilitate faster trade into the region.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and Mozambique’s Ministry of Industry & Trade will also address a panel discussion on AfCFTA implementation, looking at how effectively South African Development Countries (SADCs) are implementing AfCFTA and exploring the ways in which transport infrastructure can evolve to close the gaps and provide transport solutions that support the expansion of inter-African trade.
“Transport Evolution Mozambique Forum & Showcase is the premier event of its kind, uniting southern African port, rail and road professionals with a collective goal of driving the growth and development of the region’s transport sector,” says Leann Hare, Portfolio Director at dmg events.
Registration for the Transport Evolution Mozambique Forum & Showcase is currently open. For visitor and exhibitor information or to register, please visit: www.transportevolutionmz.com
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Transport Evolution Mozambique Forum & Showcase
Hosted by Maputo Port Development Company, Transport Evolution Mozambique is designed to enable the Southern and Eastern African transport sector to discuss, develop and plan robust corridors to service the region. The event encompasses the entire regions’ transport network from maritime stakeholders, port -, rail – and road authorities, and includes suppliers servicing these authorities.
The event brings together public and private sector entities to identify opportunities for collaboration, investment and infrastructure needs to support growing trade and economies.
The Showcases features suppliers, equipment, and innovative technologies that support the development of the full transport value chain.
Transport Evolution Mozambique Forum & Showcase will be held from 10 – 12 May 2022, at the Port of Maputo, Mozambique.
dmg events
dmg events is a leading organiser of face-to-face events and a publisher of trade magazines.
We aim to positively impact the African economy and community by providing platforms for public and private sector professionals to connect and forge strong relationships that will drive the future of the African continent.
dmg events has a portfolio of 80 events managed across 11 offices worldwide. The team organises 14 events in Africa, bringing together more than 30,000 professionals from the Construction, Infrastructure, Coatings, Mining, Transport, Food & Beverage, Trade and Hospitality sectors.
The latest Government Gazette is an important milestone in our road to recovery. After months of lobbying, 50% venue capacity is light at the end of the tunnel. But the new proposed regulations come with their challenges, particularly the vaccination mandate on events. We have the opportunity to submit our suggestions to ensure that our industry can get back to the business at 100% capacity. Please read the gazette and send your suggestions to admin@aaxo.co.za before 30 March 2022. Please click on the link to get a copy of the gazette: Amended-Government-Gazette-on-the-Draft-Health-Regulations-published-for-public-comments-46045-15-March-2022
Johannesburg, Gauteng – Exactly two years after the declaration of a State of Disaster effectively brought the South African events and exhibitions industries to a standstill, and under the shadow of its extension; the SA Events Council’s Road to Recovery Webinar sparked robust debate around the way forward for this devastated sector.
Mediated by Projeni Pather, Chair of the Association of African Exhibition Organisers, representatives of the various event types came together to discuss the industry’s challenges and the path to recovery.
Panellists, Tes Proos (President the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence), Glenton De Kock (Chair of the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry), Justin Hawes (Treasurer of the Event Greening Forum), Justin Van Wyk (South African Live Performance Association), Ellen Oosthuizen, (Chair of the Professional Conference Organisers’ Alliance Network), Kevan Jones (Executive Director of the Southern African Communications Industries’ Association), Tiisetso Tau, (Managing Director of Synergy Business Events), Charles Wilson, (Chief Executive Officer at Gallagher Convention Centre) and Raylene Johnson (Chair of the SA Events Council), brought forward topics of concern and dealt with questions from the virtual attendees as they came in. Gavin Burgess of Technology Partners generously sponsored this important webinar.
As capacity restrictions start to relax, international travel resumes, and the fourth wave of the pandemic subsides in South Africa, events are opening up across the broader industry. While confidence is building due to the uptick in bookings, it is not quite as simple as picking up where we left off! The long-term effects of the pandemic and its subsequent devastation will take years to repair, and the industry will never be quite the same again.
Despite the fundamental differences across the various Venues, Services, Live Events, Conference and Exhibition Organisers, Incentive Travel and Destination Management companies attending the webinar, common threads emerged across the different discussions.
Capacity Restrictions
It is still not economically viable to run at even 50% capacity for some types of events. When audience capacities include support staff like catering, security, front-of-house and performers, it becomes impossible to generate sufficient turnover to pay all involved with adequate profit to stay afloat. However, we are slowing gaining ground and the latest regulations are another step forward.
Health and Safety Protocols
Although clear-cut protocols exist for events, they are interpreted differently between municipalities, and their application varies between organisations and events, making touring or multi-city events very difficult. Implementing protocols that are subsequently disregarded or inadequately enforced on show day, is simply a waste of effort and budget. It is equally counter-intuitive to put audiences and staff at risk by circumventing measures meant to keep them safe.
Skills Gaps and Staffing
Wide-spread furloughs and company closures resulted in many events–sector professionals and semi-skilled staff moving to the Middle East or elsewhere, to work. Of those who remain, some are eager to get back to work, while others are reluctant to relinquish the new careers they have forged. The resultant skills gaps across our industry will take months of training to resolve and even then, will not be anywhere close to the skills levels at which we previously operated.
For those further up the supply chain, the loss of trusted suppliers has set back their ability to plan and provide events of the same calibre as before.
Infrastructure
We have had to sacrifice valuable infrastructure both individually and as an industry (the sale of the TicketPro Dome). The events sector is classified as high-risk, so it isn’t easy to obtain loans to rebuy assets or refinance premises. How do we recapitalise the industry?
Lead times
The ongoing uncertainty around whether events can go ahead, at what capacities, and under which regulations, has resulted in rapidly contracting lead-times. When clients hold off on confirmation until the last minute, for fear of cancellation, the knock-on effect puts enormous pressure on the Organisers, Venues and Suppliers who are left to fulfil the brief with minimal planning and less build time.
Pricing and affordability
Affordability is exacerbated by staff who, in light of the skills gap, demand higher salaries or even increases, and clients who are unable to provide budgets in line with pre-pandemic expenditure. We are earning less and paying more than we did in 2019. How do we bridge this gap?
SOLUTIONS
Participants were automatically transferred to breakaway discussions to discuss segment-specific concerns, exchange ideas and brainstorm potential solutions before returning to the main room to share their insights with the floor.
As an industry that “sells an experience”, the inability to properly fulfil the objective, whether due to insufficient time, overly constrained budgets, skills shortages or safety lapses, translates to a lost client. So these are vital areas for us to rectify.
Extending our Influence
Perhaps the most critical obstacle we face is the prevailing uncertainty around events. The government urgently needs to provide a clearly-defined plan for our industry to open up effectively and implement support mechanisms to protect people’s livelihoods. We also need the banking sector to make low-cost funding packages available for the reinvestment our sector requires to restart.
During lockdown, the SA Events Council established various engagement platforms with governmental and financial entities and opened channels of communication. Our work does not end here; we must continue to occupy an area within a variety of government spaces, to maintain awareness and extend the influence of our sector.
Flexibility and Capacity Building
In the interim, however, we need to remain flexible and rebuild organisational capacity to accommodate our clients as they struggle with commitment and budget. We need to be adaptable around financial constraints and negotiate a way forward with our clients, suppliers, and partners to ensure that “the show goes on”.
Health and Safety regulations are Key.
As long as stakeholders interpret the Health and Safety regulations to suit their own commercial agendas, we cannot move forward. Health and Safety regulations around communicable diseases are here to stay, and unless we work together to resume event-related activities responsibly and safely, we are damaging our own credibility. We will continue to work towards enforcing a standard set of regulations consistently across all segments of our Industry.
Focus on Skills Building
In the absence of many of the experienced event professionals we knew and trusted, piloting staff contracts on an “as and when basis” and employing interns with a view to full-time employment, is one way to move forward. Our focus should be on retaining, attracting and developing talent within the industry. Bringing new people into the industry is a very positive step, and while it will necessitate time spent on training, we will have a pool of reasonably skilled people again after a transition period. How quickly and to what levels we can upskill them, depends entirely on their level of commitment and our collective efforts!
Collaboration and communication
Not only have events suffered the stigma of being labelled as dangerous super-spreaders, but the announcement of the Omicron variant relegated South Africa to “red lists” worldwide. We have suffered reputational damage to both our industry and country. Now we must take control of our own narrative, let people know that we are safely open for business and give clarity on travel requirements. We need to rely on each other, assist one another, share our resources and collaborate towards a common goal, using our “collective IQ” to come up with innovative solutions. We cannot leave it up to a couple of entities to market South Africa as a safe destination with world-class locations and facilities. Every single one of us can echo the messaging, and between us, we also have access to a vast international network that can raise their voices with us.
We are now in a trial-and-error phase of operation with the opportunity to resume successfully, but to achieve this; we need to pull together with a shared vision and a clear, united voice as we travel the long and rocky road to recovery.
Onwards and upwards, as always!
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ISSUED ON BEHALF OF SA EVENTS COUNCIL
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Robyn D’Alessandro
Cell: +27 (0) 67 684 3376
Email: hello@saeventscouncil.org
Website: www.saeventscouncil.org
The global IFES family has been united in an unprecedented outpouring of support for those suffering as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Behind the scenes, individual member-driven initiatives have been collecting funds and pooling resources to deliver much-needed supplies to those affected and to transport and house people displaced by the conflict.
Torsten Heinz, Managing Director at Czarnowski GmbH, Germany, has been collecting ready foods, baby food, water, single-use bed linen, blankets, sleeping bags, camp beds, and basic medicines at the Czarnowski warehouse in Hilden for delivery to Przemyl at the snowy Polish-Ukrainian border.
Eric Grossmann, Owner of Z3 Live Communication in Switzerland was able to connect Torsten with Sarah-Johanna Hamera, also of Z3 Live Communication
who is co-ordinating assistance and storage facilities on the ground in Przemyl. She has been able to advise first-hand on day-to-day requirements.
At the same time, Sebastian Bernat, CEO of Sound and Lights Service in Poland has been putting his company vehicles to good use, bringing refugees from the border and assisting families with accommodation in temporary hostels, hotels, and with private families able to host.
Each of his vehicles is driving around 1400 km a day, so IFES members have been contributing round-trips and fuel donations to assist with this initiative. Torsten and Sebastian have subsequently joined forces to maximise their efforts.
Lucasz Jerzmanowski, Chairman at Smart Design Expo in Poland, is transporting displaced mothers and children from the border and buying food and clothes. He has opened his own home to a Ukrainian refugee family.
On a daily basis, the stories just keep rolling in. It seems that anyone close enough to offer hands-on assistance is doing so, and everyone further afield is supporting these initiatives financially.
The IFES board is humbled by our members’ humanitarian demonstration. A vast IFES help-network now stretches from Asia-Pacific to Africa, Canada, the Middle East, the US and across Europe, where members are rallying to support those in the thick of the action, either financially or in person.
“Of course, we are a collection of planners and project managers by trade, so co-ordination of effort is something that comes naturally, but this absolute generosity of spirit is something one does not often encounter. We celebrate this trait of the IFES community and salute the efforts that are being made by selfless people around the world to assist in this time of crisis” says IFES President Justin Hawes. “What our people are doing is amazing. IFES stands not only for international collaboration but international fellowship as well. I’m a proud IFES member!”
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About IFES:
The International Federation of Exhibition & Event Services (IFES) is the worldwide trade association dedicated to the specific needs of exposition designers and providers of tradeshow and events services. Over 200 companies representing more than 40 countries are proud members of the network. The purpose of IFES is to promote the commercial, professional and socio-political interests of its members on an international level as well as generating and promoting a business and knowledge exchange platform for its members who are active in the international market.
The IFES mission is to create partner unity and to generate a stronger understanding about exhibition and event marketing on a world scale through networking and sharing knowledge.
For more information about the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services, go to www.ifesnet.org
Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has supported the decision to scrap the PCR tests for people visiting the country.
Tonight, SA President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that all travellers entering South Africa will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours.
All unvaccinated travellers entering the country who want to be vaccinated will be offered a vaccination.
“As we are all looking forward to a brighter year for the South African tourism sector recovery, these revised regulations are most welcome. These revisions will immediately address some challenges that travellers and the tourism industry have expressed and will make South Africa more accessible and attractive. Doing away with the requirement of a PCR test for all arrivals reduces the added cost and administrative burden to travelling,” Minister Sisulu said.
Increasing the numbers of people attending outdoor indoor events is a major boost for leisure travel and the Business Events industry. We look forward to South Africa hosting many more physical meetings and conferences that can be held at a larger scale,” continued Sisulu.
This comes at an opportune time, as our plans are well underway to host Africa’s Travel Indaba in May, one of our signature trade shows, after a two-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“South African borders are open and we are ready to welcome regional and international visitors. Our globally-benchmarked norms and standards are in place to ensure the safety of all citizens and visitors alike,” Minister Sisulu said.
“Now is a great time to travel for business and leisure, come and explore our beautiful country, we stand ready to welcome travellers near and far,” concluded Minister Sisulu.
Minister Sisulu also expressed her delight as sporting codes, music festivals and other major conferences are now permitted, meaning more tourist in the country.
Issued by Ministry of Tourism
Steve Motale on 0837840719
MLO Mpumzi Zuzile on 0725509019
Tourism House
Sunnyside, Pretoria, 0001