Wednesday, 7 April
10h30 – 11h30
Rebuilding African Tourism
2020 was a year of unprecedented falls in international travel for Africa and worldwide, but the roll-out of vaccines offers hope for recovery and some return to normality. In this session, we will discuss the risks and opportunities in the African region, assessing the areas for faster growth and future gains. The panel will consider factors that could drive more rapid growth in demand, including wider economic trends, as well as drivers of destination market share such as infrastructure and openness, as well as both physical and digital connectivity.
Session powered by Oxford Economics
Moderator:
Dave Goodger, Managing Director: Europe and Middle East for Tourism Economics
Speakers:
Tim Cordon, Area Senior Vice President, Middle East & Africa, Radisson Hotel Group
Francois Conradie, Senior Political Economist, NKC African Economics, South Africa
Yolanda Mlonzi, Senior Analyst: Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google
11h30 – 12h30
Domestic tourism to the rescue
With COVID restrictions largely fluid all over the world, the tourism sector’s reliance on inbound international tourism while the uncertainty prevails will be high. In addition to the economic impact that COVID has had on economies, changing international restrictions mean domestic and regional tourism will be the two areas of focus for tourism stakeholders in the foreseeable future. How do we as a tourism industry work to grow our domestic and regional tourism in this space, especially in destinations that do not have a strong domestic tourism market?
Moderator:
Natalia Rosa, Director: Big Ambitions
Speakers:
Evelyn Mahlaba, SA Tourism’s Regional General Manager for Africa
Sue Garrett, GM Marketing & Product: Flight Centre South Africa
Muthuri Kinyamu, Cofounder: Turnup.Travel | KENYA
12h30 – 13h30
WELLNESS HOUR | Why uncertainty is actually a gift in these uncertain times
In this highly-actionable keynote, award-winning hospitality entrepreneur and speaker Kim Whitaker explains why uncertainty is actually a gift in these uncertain times, and shares her “HOW TO” steps.
- How to identify uncertainty when it shows up
- The physiological response and body/mind connection
- How to move out of fight flight into powerful creativity mode
- Innovation and the state of flow
This talk will give you insights that will help you use your own lived experience to harness your creativity in order to cope with an uncertain future and innovate.
Speaker:
Kim Whitaker, Co-Founder at Khwela Womxn & Ubuntu Beds
13h30 – 14h30
The importance of ethics and sustainability in influencer marketing
As the world gradually opens up to tourism again, questions arise about the lessons we’ve learned and how we can incorporate these into new tourism strategies. A new stage awaits but what will we choose to showcase? Issues like ethical marketing, sustainability and community involvement will undoubtedly play an important role. Travel influencers and content creators are well-positioned to market a destination. Will the industry be seduced by big follower numbers or will a new set of factors be involved when selecting the right influencer to work with? In this session, the panel will discuss trends in destination marketing, how influencers and content creators can help to shape the new tourism landscape and why selecting the right influencer to work with is more important than ever.
Speakers:
Keith Jenkins, CEO: iambassador
Nick Montemaggi, CMO: iambassador
Peter Jordan, Founder: Gen C Traveller
Lebawit Lily, Girma Global Tourism Reporter: Skift
14h30 – 15h30
Digitalisation – A Growth Imperative for Tourism SMEs
A recent report by Vodafone Business asserts that “while all SMEs have been impacted by and face risks due to COVID-19, it is clear that the more digitalised SMEs have identified new business opportunities in the pandemic economy at a higher rate than the less digitalised businesses.” Similarly, the OECD asserts that digitalised SMEs will be key to build back a better economy and society after the crisis. Thus, digitalisation, accelerated by Covid-19, is emerging as a key growth imperative for travel and tourism SMEs. This webinar will unpack the implications of digitalisation for the future growth of SMEs and initiatives to drive their digital adoption.
Moderator:
Septi Bukula, Founder: Seeza Tourism SME Network, South Africa
Speakers:
Samora Nqweniso, Enterprise Development Manager: Tourism KZN
Tshepo Matlou, Head of Marketing and Communications: Jurni
Arthi Tibrewalla, Founder: TripDarwin (India)
15h30 – 16h30
How to use social media and SEO to drive more direct bookings via your establishment’s own website
In a world where marketing has gone digital, nothing matters more than knowing that you are reaching the right people online, and that you are actively guiding them to become potential guests of your establishment. Lizanne du Plessis, Founder and Director of Eco Africa Digital, takes you through a step-by-step guide to clarify why some brands are successful in using social media and SEO to drive more direct bookings via their own websites, and others not.
Speaker:
Lizanne du Plessis, Director and Founder: Eco Africa Digital
16h30 – 17h30
Can Gen Z save the travel industry?
To understand Gen Z is to understand the travel consumer of the 21st century. The ways in which Gen Zconsumers are planning, booking, experiencing and talking about their travel are already having a profound impact on the global travel and tourism industry; introducing new brands, new ideas and shaking up the traditional tourism value chain. The panel will explore why Gen Z is crucial for the travel industry survival.
Moderator:
Peter Jordan, Founder: Gen C Traveller
Speakers:
Phakamile Hlazo, Founder and Managing Director: Zulu Nomad
Lance Nkwe, Corporate Marketing Manager at Flight Centre Travel Group South Africa
Meg Ten Eyck, Editor: EveryQueer magazine
