According to the report, the downward trend is driven by fears around job security, burned-out managers (whose own engagement sits at 22%) and poorly managed tech transitions. A related survey published by Gallup last month shows that AI-induced anxiety is linked to lower engagement and higher burnout.

The antidote? Real, in-person connection might be exactly what an AI-anxious workforce needs.

“It reminds me, in a way, of 2020/2021,” says Mummy Mafojane, GM at FCM South Africa, a travel management company (TMC) that manages travel for large enterprises and multinational companies.

“Teams had suddenly gone remote or hybrid, and getting people together again made a real difference. It was especially important for younger employees, who’d been missing out on the informal mentorship and on-the-job learning that happen when you’re in the same room as more experienced colleagues. AI is a different kind of disruption, but the uncertainty feels familiar. When leaders take the time to explain the developments in person and train their teams properly, many of those fears start to ease.”

Those fears run all the way up organisations. Leaders worry about falling behind competitors who adopt AI faster or investing heavily in tech that doesn’t deliver a return. Not to mention keeping sensitive company and client data secure.

Employees, meanwhile, worry that their jobs may disappear, that their skills and qualifications may become obsolete, that efficiency gains may be used to cut their wages, hours or benefits, or that they simply won’t be able to keep up with the pace of change.

The unease doesn’t stop at the office door, either. Deepfakes and AI-generated content have made it harder to know what’s real, and nearly half the people (48%) surveyed by identity verification company iProov in the US and UK say they now question the authenticity of almost everything they see online.

The conversation has also moved from AI to superintelligence, the point at which AI outperforms human intelligence. In September, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called on AI companies to slow down development, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Elon Musk said they agreed. When the people building the technology start to sound uneasy, it’s hard for anyone else to feel relaxed.

So what can organisations do?

Mafojane believes that for multinationals with teams spread across cities and continents, much of the answer comes down to showing up in person.

Explain the plan face to face. When new tools arrive, a leadership roadshow to regional offices gives people the chance to hear the strategy first-hand, ask the difficult questions and understand where they fit in.

“The first challenge for leaders is to decide where AI fits into their business. In other words, when to invest, where to automate and what to keep human. The second is to build trust and drive buy-in and adoption,” explains Mafojane. “Presenting the strategy in person can make a real difference.”

Remind people of their worth. According to Gallup, employees who feel respected and cared for are less likely to fear that AI will take their job. That message is easier to believe when a leader delivers it in person.

Train together, at a human pace. Change takes time to absorb. In-person workshops let teams learn new tools side by side, ask questions and make mistakes without feeling exposed.

Prioritise travel opportunities. As Mafojane explains, business travel remains a high-value perk that boosts both employee satisfaction and professional growth.

“Not only does business travel help organisations attract and retain talent, but people tend to come back with renewed energy and fresh ideas,” she says. “In this environment, it’s good for morale.”

Check in regularly. Quarterly gatherings for remote and hybrid teams help people reconnect and raise concerns before they grow.

“The most valuable trips we see now have a clear job to do,” says Mafojane. “And they don’t need to be extravagant. A leader visiting a regional office, or a team spending two days learning something new, can make a real difference, as long as you agree up front what success looks like. A good travel management partner keeps that time purposeful and the costs in check, with duty of care covered. It’s a great way to steady the ship.”

Europe’s border rules have shifted again. On 14 September, nine European countries were told they could keep easing the EU’s new biometric border checks, a week after the grace period was meant to end. It follows months of long queues at some of Europe’s busiest airports.

For South African passport holders, the border has never been simple: visa applications, supporting documents and paperwork are part of almost every long-haul trip. What’s new is how quickly the rules are moving, and how easily a traveller can arrive at the airport with last month’s information.

Europe: new checks, patchy enforcement

The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) went live on 12 October 2025, replacing the passport stamp with a digital record of every non-EU short-stay traveller’s entries and exits. On their first visit, travellers register their fingerprints, a facial image and passport details at the border. South Africans are included, even if they already hold a valid Schengen visa.

The rollout has been rocky. According to Airports Council International, waits at some European airports reached up to five hours in July, with Lisbon, Milan, Rome and Krakow amongst the worst affected. Faulty kiosks, staff shortages and issues with biometric registration were blamed.

The emergency rules that let countries pause the checks at busy times were due to end on 6 September. Instead, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Switzerland have been given informal approval to keep using them, with no new deadline set. France says it will do so until the end of the year. The result is a patchwork: the experience at one airport, or in one month, may be quite different from the next.

Sinenhlanhla Mthembu, Senior Account Manager at FCM, says that fortunately none of her clients have yet missed a connection or had a trip seriously disrupted by the new checks, partly because corporate itineraries already tend to allow extra time. “There is often a preference for more conservative connection times, particularly when the journey involves immigration or a transfer through a major European hub,” she explains.

Closing the awareness gap

 Travel readiness depends heavily on the traveller. Some clients are behind, while others are well ahead: one company whose staff travel regularly to Geneva asked Mthembu to brief  them extensively on what EES means in practice. “There is still a strong preference amongst corporate travel programmes to use their TMC as a trusted source to interpret these changes and translate them into practical travel advice,” she says.

Outside dedicated travel teams, awareness is lower. “Realistically, most corporate clients are not asking proactively before booking,” says Za Nkosi, FCM Operations Manager. Questions tend to come just before departure, when a traveller sees a news report and asks their booker, “Do I need to do anything different at the airport?”, or after something has gone wrong, “when someone’s had a long queue or missed a connection and wants to know why nobody warned them.”

This is where a travel management company earns its place: flagging changes before travellers think to ask, and listing the current entry requirements with each booking. The aim is not to steer travellers away from particular airports, but to build flexibility into the itinerary. “A missed connection can have a knock-on effect on meetings, accommodation and the wider trip schedule,” says Mthembu.

Closer to home

The rules are changing in South Africa too. Since 1 July 2026, everyone entering or leaving the country, residents included, has been required to complete an online traveller declaration through the South African Traveller Management System (SATMS), via the SARS portal, the mobile app or a QR code. SARS encourages travellers to submit it before they reach the airport, although no one will be turned away for not having done so. South Africa has also launched an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for inbound visitors, which matters for companies hosting international colleagues or clients.

In Kenya, a mandatory health insurance requirement for foreign visitors was introduced, then suspended by the High Court while the case is heard. “For a corporate traveller, the practical lesson is that even when a requirement appears settled, its status can change,” says Mthembu.

Make the check routine

“We need to communicate proactively with travellers before departure rather than waiting for them to ask, and treat border processing time as a variable to plan around,” says Nkosi.

Mthembu recommends a simple “before I travel” check for every trip, whether a traveller flies four times a month or once a year. Before confirming, check three things: what documents or authorisations are needed, whether there are health or entry requirements, and whether the itinerary allows enough time for connections and border processing. Length of stay matters too, as some destinations apply different rules depending on the duration or purpose of the visit.

“The key is not to make travel preparation complicated,” she says. “A few minutes spent checking the current requirements before departure can prevent a much bigger problem at check-in, at the border or during the journey.”

That familiarity, however, has been complicated by a regulatory shake-up that caught many businesses off guard. Under South Africa’s National Land Transport Act, which came into effect in September 2025, e-hailing platforms were required to register with the National Public Transport Regulator within 180 days. While some platforms met that deadline, others did not, and in the North West, police have already begun impounding vehicles belonging to unregistered operators.

South Africa’s evolving e-hailing regulatory landscape has raised a question that most businesses haven’t had to ask before: do we actually know what’s happening once an employee gets into that car?

The honest answer, for many SMEs, is no.

“That gap has nothing to do with e-hailing being the wrong choice and everything to do with the fact that the governance hasn’t kept pace with the convenience,” says Herman Heunes, General Manager at Corporate Traveller South Africa.

The good news? Closing the gap is simpler than most businesses think.

The managed travel illusion

E-hailing arrived in South Africa’s corporate travel landscape and immediately made itself indispensable with real-time tracking, digital receipts, cashless payments, and a rating system that creates at least some accountability between driver and passenger. As part of a broader managed travel programme – sitting alongside chauffeur transfers, hotel bookings, and flight management – it’s a powerful tool. Used in isolation, without policy or oversight, it looks and largely feels like a managed solution.

The problem is that looking like managed travel and being managed travel are two different things.

South Africa’s new e-hailing regulations have made a previously invisible assumption very visible, very quickly.

“Visibility is the biggest challenge we see with SMEs and e-hailing,” says Carmen Hidalgo, Customer Success Team Leader at Corporate Traveller South Africa. “If companies don’t know how employees are moving around, they can’t effectively support them when things go wrong. That’s a policy problem. The tools to create that visibility already exist. Most businesses just haven’t connected them to a formal framework yet.”

The myth around SMEs and duty of care

There’s a persistent assumption in the SME market that duty of care is something multinationals worry about. For smaller businesses, the thinking often goes, the informal approach has worked fine so far.

But, ultimately, rather than the size of your travel programme, duty of care is about the fact that when an employee travels for work, whether they’re flying to Johannesburg or getting into an e-hailing vehicle to reach a client meeting across town, their employer has a responsibility to take reasonable steps to keep them safe and to support them if something goes wrong.

“Liability may sit with multiple parties in a ground transport incident, but responsibility cannot be outsourced,” says Heunes. “What we want SMEs to understand is this: building a duty of care framework that properly supports your travellers doesn’t require complexity – it requires clarity. Clear guidelines, approved providers, and a defined process for escalation. That’s achievable for any business, regardless of size, and it changes the experience for your travellers and your risk profile significantly.”

The shift Heunes describes is already visible in how Corporate Traveller’s SME clients are approaching ground transport. “We’re seeing companies move from convenience-led bookings to visibility-led bookings,” he says. “The question used to be ‘how do we get a ride?’ Now it’s ‘how do we manage the journey?’”

That change reflects a growing understanding that e-hailing is no longer simply a transport choice.

“It’s a traveller experience, a business risk, and a duty of care decision, all at once,” Heunes adds.

So, what does that actually look like in practice?

What good looks like

Sensible e-hailing governance for an SME requires a few deliberate decisions, consistently applied.

Start with an approved provider list. Knowing which platforms are operating within the legal framework is a reasonable baseline. That list may evolve, and a good TMC will help you stay current, but having one at all puts you ahead of most SMEs.

Build basic safety guidelines into your travel culture. When using e-hailing, encourage employees to conduct the following safety checks:

• Verify the vehicle registration, make, and model against the app before getting in.
• Confirm the driver matches the photograph.
• Never accept a different vehicle on the driver’s say-so.
• Keep the trip inside the app – if a driver asks you to cancel and pay directly, decline.

Define what visibility means for your business. This doesn’t have to mean real-time GPS monitoring of every employee, but it might mean ensuring that travelling employees share their trip details with a colleague, or that bookings are made through a platform that generates reportable data. The goal is that if something goes wrong, you know where your people are and you have a process for responding.

Create a simple escalation path. Who does an employee call if their driver doesn’t match the app or if they feel unsafe? If the answer is “I suppose they’d call their manager,” that’s a starting point, but it should be written down, communicated, and tested.

Treat e-hailing as part of your travel policy, not an exception to it. “If employees are already using it, it belongs in the policy,” says Hidalgo. “Ignoring it doesn’t reduce the risk – it just means you’re managing it without a framework. The businesses that have taken the time to include ground transport in their travel governance tell us the same thing: it’s one of the easiest wins in the whole travel programme. A few clear decisions, and suddenly you have visibility and accountability where you previously had none.”

The regulatory framework will settle, and the industry will find its footing under the new rules.

But the underlying question – do we actually know what’s happening once an employee gets into that car? – remains.

E-hailing is the right choice for most SMEs. It’s cost-effective and accessible, and when it’s working well, it supports the kind of lean, efficient travel programme that smaller businesses need.

“We know SMEs aren’t interested in replacing it with something more expensive and more complicated. The goal is to make sure the governance is as good as the convenience,” comments Heunes.

That’s a realistic ambition, and for SMEs that haven’t started yet, the distance between where they are and where they need to be is shorter than they think.

“Good travel governance doesn’t need to be complicated,” says Hidalgo. “It just needs to exist.”

Airlink’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) content is now live on Aeronology, the single-screen travel platform that lets advisors search, book and service flights from multiple airlines without switching portals. Branded Airlink Direct Connect, the integration gives travel advisors full booking and servicing control for the regional carrier’s flights in one place for the first time.

For travel advisors, this means a direct solution to the fragmentation in regional African travel, where processing a flight change or refund has often depended entirely on the original booking portal. As the airline sitting at the centre of this network, Airlink’s integration into Aeronology solves a critical bottleneck for the trade.

Joao Regal, Senior Distribution Manager at Airlink, says: “NDC lets us present our full fare and ancillary offering properly, but that content is only as valuable as the ease with which the trade can actually sell and service it. For a network like ours, where itineraries change and need servicing, that matters just as much as the initial booking.”

“Airlink is fundamental to how this region moves,” adds Rian Bornman, Managing Director Africa at Aeronology. “Having it live in the same environment as GDS and LCC content removes one of the biggest remaining sources of friction. Advisors get their time back, and they spend it on clients instead of fighting technology.”

With Airlink Direct Connect live, Aeronology advisors can now:

• Shop, compare, and book Airlink flights seamlessly alongside Global Distribution System (GDS) and Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) content.
• Maintain full post-booking control, including the ability to void, cancel, and manage schedule changes without switching portals.
• Sell and manage ancillary services directly within the same workflow.

Solving the trade’s biggest operational headache

The integration lands against a backdrop the trade has already named as its core operational problem. A recent survey by ASATA, the Association of Southern African Travel Agents and Advisors, found that 82% of South African travel advisors identify managing multiple platforms as one of their biggest daily challenges.

Pete Egglestone, CEO of Aeronology, notes that this milestone proves the platform’s servicing-first model. “We built this platform because the industry outsourced its engine room and then wondered why servicing became so painful. Airlink is exactly the kind of content that proves our model, a carrier African advisors sell every day, now fully serviceable from tip to tail on the same screen as everything else.” Airlink Direct Connect is available immediately to all Aeronology advisors, including those without prior GDS experience, featuring real-time commission visibility and 24-hour telephone support.

South Africa’s hospitality and tourism industry faces a myriad of challenges.  But there is one battle we should never have to fight: having to persuade the authorities to obey South Africa’s own water laws.

Yet increasingly, that is exactly what communities and businesses are forced to do.

The National Water Act is clear. Section 19 places a duty on those responsible for pollution to take reasonable measures to prevent it from occurring, continuing or recurring.  Section 151 goes further: it is a criminal offence to unlawfully and intentionally or negligently, through an act or omission, pollute or be likely to pollute a water resource.

That word omission is important.  Allowing known sewage infrastructure failures to continue polluting our rivers cannot simply become accepted as another municipal service-delivery problem.  It is simply a criminal offence.

We are told to save water.  Government must do the same.

South Africans are continually reminded that we live in a water-scarce country.  We are urged to conserve every precious drop.  Money is spent on campaigns telling citizens to save water, while reported municipal leaks can continue for weeks, months and sometimes years. 

At the same time, failing sewerage infrastructure is allowed to discharge raw sewage into the very rivers and dams containing the water we are being told to protect.

You cannot ask citizens to save water with one hand while allowing it to be wasted and polluted with the other. 

For South Africa’s inland waterfront tourism industry, the pollution consequences are particularly serious.  Our rivers and dams should be enormous secondary economic assets.  Waterfront hotels, restaurants, resorts, lodges, boat building and boat sales, and recreational facilities have the potential to create thousands more jobs and attract substantial private investment.

When raw sewage enters a dam or river, environmental damage quickly becomes economic damage. Tourism suffers.  Investment is discouraged.  Existing jobs are threatened and potential new jobs are never created.

And the damage compounds.

Sewage carries high nutrient loads, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus.  This nutrient enrichment accelerates eutrophication and creates conditions in which invasive aquatic plants such as water hyacinth and water lettuce can proliferate rapidly.  So the consequences of failing sanitation infrastructure do not end when sewage enters the water.  The resulting nutrient pollution can turn already compromised waterways into masses of invasive vegetation –  degrading ecosystems, further restricting boating and recreation, and making waterfront tourism businesses even more difficult to operate viably.

And then comes another, deeply painful blow: the social-media attacks telling people to stay away and comments like “go there if you like driving your boat in human waste – go for it” and other damaging comments.  For operators already fighting every day to survive on a waterway contaminated through no fault of their own, those words hurt and cause damage – and they cost jobs.

What is often unseen behind those headlines is the extraordinary passion of these river and dam communities.  Locals, businesses and NGOs give countless hours and their own money to report spills, fight invasive plants, engage authorities and pursue legal action.

These river and dam communities choose to be part of the solution – criticism does not clean the water.  They are fighting for waterways they love, businesses they have built and, most importantly, the livelihoods of the people they employ.  So please, support those trying to hold on and make a difference.  If you are angry – and you should be – direct that anger at the authorities allowing sewage to enter our waterways, not at the tourism businesses fighting to survive despite it.  Right now, these dam and river communities need support – far more than they need damaging and very hurtful social media comments.

Instead of expanding, employing more people and contributing to economic growth, waterfront operators are spending extraordinary amounts of time trying to protect the natural resource upon which their businesses depend.  In a country desperate for economic growth and employment, this makes no sense.

Why must NGOs make government obey government’s laws?

Perhaps the greatest irony is that when repeated engagement fails, citizens increasingly have to turn to NGOs and NPOs for help to compel public authorities to do what legislation already requires them to do.

Citizens are effectively having to seek protection from pollution by asking the courts to make organs of state comply with laws created by the state itself.

That should concern every South African.

We do not need more legislation. We already have legislation. We need implementation.

Failed sewer pump stations, leaking pipelines and overloaded wastewater treatment works require competent technical management, preventative maintenance and rapid intervention.

But when authorities know infrastructure is failing and pollution continues unabated, an engineering problem becomes a governance and accountability problem.  South Africans understand that ageing infrastructure cannot be rebuilt overnight. What we cannot accept is chronic sewage pollution and water wastage becoming normalised.

Government does not need another campaign telling South Africans that water is precious.

We know it is.

Now demonstrate that you know it too.

Fix the infrastructure.  Stop the pollution.  Enforce the law – regardless of whether the polluter is a private company, an individual or an organ of state.

Protect our waterways. Protect our tourism industry. Protect the jobs they create.

South Africans should not need NGOs and courts to force authorities to obey their own laws.

Authorities, please walk the talk.

According to Mummy Mafojane, General Manager of FCM South Africa, the experience economy has officially arrived in corporate travel, carried in on the back of the ‘unique stay’ hotel, a category traditionally belonging to the leisure traveller. Think converted train stations, buses and police stations. Restored heritage estates and reimagined industrial warehouses. Places that prove travel is supposed to make us feel more alive, whether you’re there for a conference or a honeymoon.

“As business travel evolves, companies are starting to ask a different question,” explains Mafojane. “Not just how do we get our people there and back efficiently, but what do we want the experience to actually feel like?”

Environment as a business input

Research by Yonsei University’s Department of Interior Architecture and Built Environment confirms that an individual’s surroundings significantly influence their capacity to think creatively and generate new ideas. Put simply: where you put people shapes how they produce.

It is a finding that sits somewhat uncomfortably alongside the phenomenon of ‘creeping neutrality’. A study analysing over 7,000 objects from the UK’s Science Museum collection found that colours in everyday items have been steadily neutralised since the 1800s, with desaturated greys, blacks and muted tones now dominating consumer products, including traditional corporate workspaces and accommodation.

In response, Mafojane emphasises that the experience economy is drawing attention to the potential of incorporating creative, elevated spaces into travel programmes, and the very real impact they can have on the mood and productivity of travelling employees.

“As research reminds us, environment is not just ambience. It is employee wellbeing, and a measurable input that directly influences your team’s mindset,” she says.

Making the distinctive possible

The conversation about the value of unique stays finds its clearest expression in the meetings and events space, where the choice of venue shapes the tone and outcome of an entire programme.

Lance Nkwe, Business Leader South Africa at FCM Meetings and Events, puts it plainly:

“When we design a meeting or incentive programme for a larger multi-national company, one of the first things we ask is: what do you want people to remember? Because the venue and the stay are not the backdrop to the event. They are part of the event.”

Nkwe has seen firsthand how a carefully curated property (one with history, character, and a genuine sense of place) can shift a group’s energy within hours of arrival. “Conversations that would never happen in a conventional meeting room happen naturally in a space that feels genuinely different,” he says.

The implications extend well beyond delegate comfort. A leadership retreat held in a restored heritage property or a treehouse beneath the stars creates a context for candour and collaboration that a conventional boardroom simply cannot replicate. A team incentive programme anchored by a truly unique stay becomes a shared reference point that people talk about long after the agenda has been forgotten.

This is clearly seen in a new seasonal tented camp developed by Chiefs Tented Camps near Victoria Falls targeting the growing safari incentives market in Southern Africa. Victoria Falls has increasingly expanded beyond leisure travel into incentive programmes, group tourism and multi-destination safari itineraries linked to Botswana and Zambia.

For businesses considering new MICE opportunities, Nkwe sees a significant untapped opportunity: “South Africa is sitting on an extraordinary inventory of world-class, unique properties that most travel managers have never seriously considered. Big or small, there are plenty of ideas to explore.”

Duty of care

Distinctive, of course, cannot mean gimmicky or reckless. For Mafojane, the conversation about unique stays must remain inseparable from the fundamentals of sound travel management.

“Travel has always been about moving people efficiently, but unique stays, when selected for the right trip and the right team, become an extension of your culture. They signal how you value your people,” she says. At the same time, she is clear that creativity cannot come at the cost of compliance. “Policy, duty of care, and cost governance do not disappear because the building used to be a prison. The job of a good TMC is to make the distinctive possible without compromising the fundamentals.”

It is a balance worth striking. The unique stay, used thoughtfully, is not novelty for novelty’s sake. The category that makes genuine sense in a corporate context is what Mafojane and Nkwe both describe as purposeful distinctiveness: accommodation that is memorable and immersive, deeply tied to a place or a story, while still delivering on the non-negotiables of comfort and care.

FEDHASA says the Department’s acknowledgement that substantial amendments are required – together with the decision to place current Resource Management Plans (RMPs) on hold pending further review – is an important and constructive development for the hospitality, tourism and broader business sectors.

FEDHASA National Chairperson, Brett Tungay, said:

“The hospitality and tourism industry welcomes the Department’s willingness to listen to the extensive concerns raised by stakeholders across the country. This is a positive and encouraging indication that meaningful public participation is being taken seriously.

The initial Draft Regulations and associated Resource Management Plans created widespread concern due to their potential impact on tourism, hospitality, recreational access, investment certainty, and water-based economic activity around many of South Africa’s dams and waterways.”

Anderson added that the industry remains deeply concerned about the broader economic implications of over-regulation within an already constrained tourism economy.

“Tourism and hospitality are key job creators in South Africa. At a time when many businesses are still recovering from the devastating impact of COVID-19 restrictions, combined with increasing operational costs and deteriorating municipal infrastructure, it is critical that future regulations support economic growth, investment certainty and sustainable tourism development – rather than unintentionally undermining it.”

FEDHASA Board Member – Rosemary Anderson, said the Department’s acknowledgement of concerns regarding general access, tourism activity and lease-related matters was particularly important.

“One of the major concerns raised by stakeholders was the potential impact that aspects of the proposed regulations and lease policy could have had on investment confidence in tourism and hospitality businesses situated around dams and inland waterways.

Tourism developments, marinas, boat-based tourism operations, lodges, restaurants and waterfront hospitality businesses require long-term investment horizons and certainty of access in order to justify substantial capital investment and job creation.

We are therefore encouraged that DWS has recognised the need for further engagement and review.”

Tunday added that the decision to revisit the role and scope of Resource Management Plans (RMPs) was also significant.

“The industry strongly supports responsible environmental management, safety and protection of water resources. However, regulations must be practical, constitutionally sound, economically rational and aligned with existing legislation and operational realities.

There now exists an important opportunity for collaborative engagement between government, tourism operators, environmental stakeholders, water users and affected communities to develop a workable framework that protects South Africa’s water resources while also supporting tourism, recreation, investment and job creation.”

FEDHASA further welcomed the Department’s commitment to additional stakeholder consultation and indicated that the organisation would continue participating constructively in the process.

“South Africa’s dams, rivers and waterways are not only strategic water assets – they are also important tourism, recreation and economic assets that support many thousands of livelihoods,” Anderson concluded.

“We believe it is possible to achieve both responsible environmental custodianship and sustainable economic development through balanced, practical and properly consultative regulation.”

This gastronomic renaissance is starting to make its presence felt in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) space too, with culinary experiences emerging as a pivotal factor in event success. Far beyond keeping delegates fed and watered, food has become a powerful tool for creating memorable experiences, fostering connections, and showcasing destinations.

Megan De Jager, Portfolio Director at International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Africa, which will be held at the Norval Foundation in Cape Town in April 2025, says that today’s attendees expect more than standard conference fare—they’re hoping for innovative dining experiences that reflect local culture.

“Food should always be a top priority when designing an event,” says De Jager.  “You don’t need to default to a venue’s standard menu options; most chefs or F&B managers will be open to designing a menu that matches the vision for your function. Have the conversation, because it can make such a difference to the success of your event.”

As an example, De Jager says ILTM Africa 2025 is including a gourmet braai (putting a twist on a local favourite) as well as ‘pop-up’ concepts featuring artisanal drinks and chocolates to celebrate South African chefs, innovation and produce—and take the event experience to all-new levels of luxury.

Food is also a great conversation starter and integral to any networking event. Martin Hiller, Portfolio Director of RX Africa (FAME Week Africa), says the ‘African Women in Entertainment’ breakfast, was a highlight of FAME Week Africa.

“Networking through culinary experiences is an underrated trend,” says Hiller. “It’s an opportunity to create connections in a fun, relaxed, natural setting. These dining experiences serve as catalysts for conversation, relationship-building and memorable moments.”

More than that, Carol Weaving, Managing Director RX Africa says that not only does food & beverage consistently rank among the top three factors influencing attendee satisfaction, but it’s influencing event planners across the globe.

“Destinations known for their culinary heritage often see increased interest from event planners,” says Weaving. “Cities like Singapore, Barcelona, and New Orleans have all successfully leveraged their food culture to attract high-profile events, contributing significantly to their tourism economies. There is no reason why South Africa, which was named the best culinary destination in Africa for 2024 at the World Culinary Awards, or Cape Town—host to several RX Africa events and named the best food city in the world by Condé Nast—can’t do the same.”

For Weaving, emerging culinary trends also make the events space an exciting place to be. “Event planners are increasingly prioritising locally sourced ingredients and zero-waste initiatives,” says Weaving.  “This approach not only appeals to eco-conscious attendees but also supports local economies and reduces carbon footprints.”

Weaving explains that health and wellness is also fast becoming a non-negotiable, with today’s events catering to a diverse range of dietary requirements, from plant-based options to allergen-free meals. This inclusivity ensures all attendees can participate fully in the culinary experience while maintaining their dietary preferences or requirements. The pandemic also played a role here, with people more aware of safety protocols than ever before. “We’re definitely seeing a different approach to food service,” says Weaving. “Innovative set-ups and solutions now enhance rather than compromise the dining experience. Think increased safety standards, specially plated portions, and outdoor dining spaces.”

Looking ahead, expect to see more interactive food stations, chef demonstrations, and hands-on cooking experiences at events. For Weaving, these elements transform passive attendees into active participants, creating more engaging and memorable experiences. “Investing in culinary experiences is worth every penny,” says Weaving. “Events that put food—and culinary experiences—high on the menu typically see higher attendee satisfaction scores and stronger registration numbers for future editions. Moreover, unique culinary experiences often generate social media buzz—and great Insta images— extending the event’s impact beyond its physical attendees!”

– The South African Roadshow includes meetings, training sessions, a hosted dinner, a ship visit on Norwegian Dawn, and an introduction to NCL Connect – the company’s new marketing platform for the travel community.

Johannesburg – 16 January, 2024 – Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, will introduce NCL Connect, a new co-branded marketing solution specifically designed for the travel partner community, on a South African Roadshow this week.

Kevin Bubolz, Vice President & Managing Director Continental Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Nirosha Sidat, NCL Country Manager South Africa, will host sessions with key partners – including a tour of Norwegian Dawn in Cape Town – to share the latest updates from NCL.

“Not only is South Africa fast-establishing itself as a world-class destination for cruise ships, but the South African market is increasingly interested in cruising, with the demand for cruise holidays and expedition cruises soaring,” says Sidat. “Our new More at Sea™ package meets this demand, enhancing the cruise experience with unlimited beverage packages, specialty dining, Wi-Fi packages and incredible shore excursions. When it comes to both our guests and partners, we’re committed to being the easiest cruise line to engage with, and as part of our longstanding ‘Partners First’ philosophy, we’re thrilled not only to be meeting our trade partners in person – but that we’re able to offer them an exciting new platform to grow their cruising business!”

NCL Connect is a tightly integrated marketing solution where travel partners can instantaneously co-brand digital content – pre-designed by NCL’s in-house marketing team – that offers their clients an immersive look into cruising with Norwegian Cruise Line. It offers travel agents and advisors the opportunity to leverage a co-branded website complete with NCL sailings for clients to explore while driving leads directly back to the travel advisor.

The new platform complements NCL’s robust Marketing Headquarters with 800+ ready-to-use or customisable assets such as videos, flyers and more. NCL Connect offers an extra level of marketing support available to travel advisors that provides instant, personalised co-branded content in just one click. The content is then easily shared via all social media, email, and other marketing media channels, with additional digital experiences introduced on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

“Our goal in terms of trade marketing in 2025 is clear: make it personal, make it impactful, and most importantly, make it easy for travel advisors,” says Sidat. “We’re bringing the full weight of our in-house marketing expertise to the table but packaged in a way which makes it easy for travel advisors to take full advantage. Promoting, selling and booking an NCL cruise has never been simpler. I know advisors are going to love it.”

NCL Connect, which is powered by technology from Approach Guides, will be introduced in Cape Town from 15-17 January and in Johannesburg from 20-21 January 2025. 

-Ends-

About Norwegian Cruise Line

As the innovator in global cruise travel, Norwegian Cruise Line has been breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising for 58 years. Most notably, the cruise line revolutionised the industry by offering guests the opportunity to design their ideal vacation on their preferred schedule with no assigned dining and entertainment times and no formal dress codes. Today, the company offers guests to ‘Experience More at Sea’ by providing them with more to see, more to do, more to enjoy, and more value on their vacation. To further deliver guests with more value, NCL’s ‘More At Sea™’ package provides added benefits and inclusions such as unlimited open bar; specialty dining credits; high-speed Wi-Fi; shore excursions credits; as well as free airfare and third and fourth guests sail free on select sailings. Its fleet of 19 contemporary ships sail to 450 of the world’s most desirable destinations, including Great Stirrup Cay, the company’s private island in the Bahamas and its resort destination Harvest Caye in Belize. Norwegian Cruise Line not only provides superior guest service from land to sea, but also offers a wide variety of award-winning entertainment and dining options as well as a range of accommodations across the fleet, including solo-traveler staterooms, club balcony suites, and The Haven by Norwegian®, the company’s ship-within-a-ship concept.

For additional information or to book a cruise, contact a travel professional, contact a travel professional, call 021 200 6586 or visit www.ncl.com. For the latest news and exclusive content, visit the NCL Newsroom and follow Norwegian Cruise Line on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and YouTube @NorwegianCruiseLine; and Twitter @CruiseNorwegian. 

Norwegian Cruise Line is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. To learn more, visit www.nclhltd.com.   

NCL Media Contact

PublicRelations@ncl.com

Locally Issued By:

Celine Patterson | Big Ambitions | celine@bigambitions.co.za

“We are delighted to see someone of Darryl’s calibre and extensive tourism experience take up this crucial role at SA Tourism,” says Rosemary Anderson, National Chairperson of FEDHASA. “His wealth of experience in tourism and hospitality, coupled with his proven track record in both the public and private sectors, makes him an excellent choice for this position.”

Erasmus brings valuable industry expertise from his previous roles with SA Tourism, Travelport, Protea Hotels, and Intercontinental Hotels, among others. 

“As our industry stands poised for growth, this strategic appointment at SA Tourism is particularly significant,” adds Anderson. “His understanding of both operational and strategic aspects of tourism will be invaluable in driving initiatives that create sustainable employment opportunities in our sector.”

“FEDHASA looks forward to working closely with Erasmus and the SA Tourism team. By implementing necessary strategies together, we can create substantial employment opportunities in tourism across our country and further strengthen South Africa’s position as a premier global tourism destination.”

***ENDS***

About FEDHASA 

Founded in 1949, a restructured and transformed FEDHASA (Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa) is recognised by Government as the official representative of the hospitality industry of South Africa. With industry support, FEDHASA remains the umbrella association for hotels, restaurants, conference centres, caterers, self-catering accommodation, home hosting establishments (B&Bs and guest houses), clubs, taverns, shebeens, suppliers and trainers, consultants and service providers to the hospitality industry. For more information, visit https://fedhasa.co.za/