This year's SATSA Conference, themed “This Is Us”, created a powerful space for vulnerability, storytelling and shared experiences. The event fostered a sense of camaraderie while focusing on the industry's recovery and the importance of collective healing.
SATSA Chairperson Oupa Pilane captured the industry's dedication: "In this room, we are joined by more than 280 men and women who spend their lives making South Africa beautiful in the eyes of all the tourists who visit our country – working day and night despite all the continuous challenges we face."
SATSA CEO David Frost set the tone in his opening address, emphasising the power of storytelling and encouraging attendees to share their experiences of resilience and growth. "In a world saturated with readily available information, we often mistake it for knowledge and wisdom. True wisdom comes from shared experiences and narratives," he said, encouraging attendees to "get up and tell their stories and be vulnerable".
This resonated throughout the conference. Gillian Saunders, Independent Tourism and Hospitality Consultant, captured the industry's spirit during challenging times: "We fought in the trenches together. We didn't win all the battles but we won some. Everyone went the extra mile. We were 'us'. People wanted to contribute to something bigger than themselves."
Attendees highlighted the interconnectedness of the tourism ecosystem. Robbie Brozin's visionary work on urban upliftment in Johannesburg illustrated the profound links between tourism, social change and economic growth. Brozin emphasised the urgency of action:
"This is a ‘we, the people’ moment. This is the last chance we have. If we don't sort out Joburg again, over the next years, who's going to fix it?" He also highlighted often-overlooked contributors: "We've got to make the invisible, visible. The only people holding Joburg together are the invisible people that have been doing it for 30, 40 years."
Need for collaboration
Minister of Tourism Patricia De Lille echoed the need for collaboration, announcing that tourism's contribution to GDP in the first quarter of 2024 surpassed mining, transport and agriculture combined. She emphasised continued public-private collaboration, particularly for the 2025 G20 Summit.
The conference showcased SATSA's tourism incubator programme. Akash Singh, Sigma CEO, expressed gratitude: "Thank you SATSA for being a catalyst. We have connectivity to opportunities for linkages. We want to create jobs and change the economy. There will be no tourism if the economy isn't good."
Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo, COO of City Lodge Hotel Group, added: "We are incredibly proud of our association with the SATSA incubator programme and the impactful work of companies like Sigma International. I hope the rest of our colleagues in our sector will realise the value-add proposition on offer!"
New SATSA Vice-Chair Rachel Nxele emphasised authentic community engagement: "We're trying to engage in authentic conversations. Communities want to be heard, seen and to be responsive and we try to embrace that experience in all the areas in which we're working."
‘Passion and commitments’
Adrian Gardiner, Executive Chairman of The Mantis Collection, praised the conference’s new format: "The passion and commitments that were shown by all the participants and the informality of the presentations was truly impressive." Director of Mantis Collection Paul Gardiner added: "The key take-away for me was to see how our industry is playing such an important role in building our staggering economy. We're becoming the standout sector – that shining light."
The SATSA conference not only celebrated the resilience of South Africa's tourism industry but also laid the groundwork for its continued growth and success. Ultimately, it was the people – the dedicated professionals, visionaries and community members – who made this conference a resounding success, reflecting the true spirit of South African tourism and its capacity for renewal.
