In the final instalment of the four-part webinar series, Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA) will meet stakeholders in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions (MICE) sub-sector as part of its ongoing programme of engagement and consolidating a plan for the future of the sector in Gauteng. Under advanced lockdown Level 3, President Cyril Ramaphosa on June 17 announced new regulations that will see the gradual reopening of more sectors, with tourism also gearing up for its place in the sun again.
“Lockdown levels prior to this had subdued the sector as care had to be taken to flatten the curve of Covid-19 infections and save lives but we are now ready to resume business in a gradual manner as we de-risk the sector, continue with consolidating our discussions to ensure not only that business can continue, but also to protect our reputation as a world class tourism destination that cares about the lives of people and their livelihoods,” says CEO of GTA, Yoland Kona.
The past three webinars have been met with much support and appreciation in the sector, and featured Gauteng Signature Attractions, Tourism Associations as well as land and air travel carriers to forge a seamless operational experience for the visitor economy. These sessions were also attended by government representatives and international and regional attendees who are keen on the development affecting the
sector in the country and especially the Gauteng City Region as a prime destination.
“By all accounts, we are seeing a greater consolidation of efforts and plans across the board from all stakeholders and even more solidarity in the sector as well, and this series will look at how we can safely de-risk the sector as it will form a good part of our domestic travel market for business,” says an ecstatic Kona.
In the past weeks, associations representing the sector have called on government to allow operations as corporate South Africa also goes back to work and as the apex marketing entity for tourism in the province, we will be engaging them to support each other through the process and guarantee a safe, healthy and risk free environment that accompanies these meetings. Obviously, event venue owners must play their part in
upgrading their operating procedures and abide by regulations issued,” she further explains.
Well known as a party and event destination of choice, Gauteng plays host to many international events and has in the past seen millions of Rands in revenue flowing into the province. The deal pipeline for the sector is quite diverse and doesn’t end at the coal face of the event as there are event planners, security and technology companies, rigging and travel carriers involved to make the event happen. The entire sector therefore
must be aligned in meeting this reopening drive. In many instances, the sector carries a high level of track and trace elements for attendees of events, and venue owners will need to ensure even higher levels of compliance.
The GTA supports a range of events across the industry with marketing support and ensures that brand reputation of the province is maintained by forging close links with the sector and its role players. The webinar will host TBCSA CEO Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, Ms Anne-Marie Storm Buys, Dave Crouch, Dieter Moller and William Price, all of whom have vast knowledge and links with the sector. As lockdown protocols for the sector are still in place, the use of technology for virtual events will also feature prominently as an innovation for the future of the sector.
The engagements are expected to significantly contribute to the body of knowledge in the country on how we can all play our role in beating the pandemic and make the tourism sector the sunshine industry it is known to be.
To see the full series of webinars, please the following links:
YouTube: https://bit.ly/gtaweb3
Podcast: https://bit.ly/gtapod3
The final webinar will focus on the Future Events Circuit post COVID-19 will take place on Tuesday, 30 June at 12h00. Interested people are urged to visit: https://bit.ly/gta30june to register or follow GTA social media platforms and take part in the discussions.
