Dungan keynote speaker for Getaway Conference

Following on from his recent controversial statements about the accommodation sector, Brett Dungan, CEO of the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (Fedhasa) is to address industry players at the upcoming Getaway Conference.

“Somewhere something doesn’t add up. While official reports indicate that South Africa’s tourism industry is growing, the fact of the matter is that the hotel, guest house and broader accommodation sector is experiencing a particularly tough time, with many establishments being forced to close their doors,” Dungan says.

The private sector, government and organised labour need to work together to ensure sustainable job creation in the hospitality sector, he says. “This means agreement on the state of the industry, responsible and consistent messaging to operators and a clearly defined growth plan.”

Dungan is the keynote speaker at next week’s Getaway Travel & Tourism Conference, where he will address the issue of low occupancy levels and provide critical insights and strategies for preventing more businesses from shutting their doors.

The two-day conference will explore the single most pressing issue faced by the tourism industry today: how to increase real tourism to South Africa and, arguably more important, how to fill empty beds.

Dungan serves on several other boards and associations, including the Tourism Business Council of SA, South African Tourism and the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.

He is one of several experts who will address a range of industry-related issues, including the digital and operational challenges facing the sector, trends in inbound tourism, foreign exchange legislation, the latest greening initiatives and the local tourism market.

Among the other speakers offering their perspectives are Simon Gear, Environmental Specialist, Kijani Green Energy; Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold, CEO, Cape Town Tourism; William Price, SA Tourism’s e-Marketing Global Manager; and Branko Brkic, editor of The Daily Maverick.

The Getaway Travel & Conference takes places at the Coca-Cola Dome, Northgate, on 31 August and 1 September. Full details and booking information are available at http://conference.getaway.co.za.