Africa Travel WeekTravelling in a group has always been appealing. It was a way of meeting new people while saving money on travel in some instances. This has all changed since the pandemic hit us. With emphasis on safe behaviour patterns, group travel could almost become attainable. How can we pivot our travel/tourism businesses and adapt to these new safety regulations to continue encouraging group travel?
THE SPEAKERS
Kelly Jackson
Managing Director for The Travel Corporation
Kelly is a travel and tourism expert with over 20 years of experience. She is passionate about various sectors of the travel industry such as sales, marketing, building successful brands & relationships. She is an ‘all-rounder’ who can adapt to any position or situation with the right support and guidance. She loves taking on new challenges and tasks, and is not afraid of learning new skills or hard work. After leading Contiki Holidays South Africa as General Manager for 10 years, Kelly was offered the opportunity to broaden her experience within the organisation and take on a new challenge as Head of Sales.
Brian Young
Managing Director, EMEA, G Adventures
With innovation at the forefront of G Adventures, Young’s own entrepreneurial background as the founder of On Holiday Group and Holiday Taxis has equipped him to lead his team of over 80 office staff, continuing to challenge the industry, set trends and cement G Adventures the leader in adventure travel. Passionate about travel changing the lives of people in the destinations travellers visit, Brian has visited a number of G Adventures community tourism projects, including the Salaam Balaak Trust city tour in Delhi and the Hagi Homestay in Japan, where he saw first hand the impact travel can have on local people.
Yolanda Woeke
Vice President: Sales & Marketing, Dragonfly Africa
For Yolanda travel in Africa is a passion, whether it be Gorilla trekking in Rwanda or sighting the Big Five – Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo – on safari, and she can easily be spotted by her trademark smile, red lipstick and Dragonfly scarves. Yolanda has a Hotel Management Diploma and started her career in the hospitality industry. She worked on the operational side of hotels within Africa and Europe, ran the banqueting department at Sun City and moved into sales & marketing with the opening of the Spier Hotel in the Cape winelands.
THE MODERATOR
Gugu Sithole
Founder of Glamping Adventures
Gugu Sithole is a tourism entrepreneur who founded Glamping Adventures; a company that offers bespoke roving group glamping (glamorous camping) retreats around South Africa. The adventures are suitable for solo travelers, social groups, corporate retreats and team building. Gugu founded Glamping Adventures after a long and exciting career in corporate events, marketing and branding. She is passionate about South Africa and is on a quest to discover the hidden gems that South Africa has to offer. Her passion lies is in the development of rural tourism.
