As of September 2020, more than 121 million jobs and livelihoods in the Travel and Tourism sector have been impacted globally creating the worst economic and social crisis. An unprecedented crisis requires unprecedented action and collaboration. This is evident in the coordinated actions the G20 has taken in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic first steps. Enhanced international coordination to remove barriers and build traveller confidence are critical to the sector’s survival and recovery. To achieve recovery, it is essential to provide certainty for the travellers in regard to travel restrictions and policies to facilitate domestic and international travel. There is a unique window of opportunity for leaders from the public and private sector to work together to create the path forward to provide the economic recovery needed for the Travel & Tourism industry without compromising the necessary health measures and, bring back millions of jobs. Under the leadership of Saudi Arabia and its Presidency of the G20 the global Travel & Tourism private sector was asked to put together a plan to support the recovery of the sector and bring back 100 million jobs. Click here to download the 100 Million Jobs Recovery Plan

The Management Board and staff of the Institute of Retirement Funds Africa are proud to congratulate our President, Enos Ngutshane on his appointment as the chairperson of the CCMA Governing Body. The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) is a dispute resolution body established in terms of the Labour Relations Act, 66 of 1995 (LRA). It is an independent body, does not belong to and is not controlled by any political party, trade union or business. The Governing Body is the supreme policy making body of the CCMA and consists of a chairperson, three state representatives; three representatives from organised labour and three representatives from organised business; all of whom are nominated by NEDLAC and the Director of the CCMA nominated by the Governing Body.An authority in corporate governance, local government, rail safety and occupational health and safety, Enos Ngutshane has worked for institutions such as, Gauteng Government as Deputy Director General (HOD), Wits Business School as lecturer, and as CEO for the South African Foundation for Public Management. He has also served a trustee and a chairperson of the PRASA Provident Funds for number of years. His milestone achievements include the establishment of the Public and Development Management Programme Faculty at Wits University, strategic business re-engineering, human capital development, large scale change and transformation, policy development and implementation, public transport management, pension fund investments and corporate governance.In addition to leading the IRFA Board, Enos serves on the management board of the South African Special Risk Insurance Association (SASRIA) and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Administrative Studies and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Liverpool.

While hybrid events are likely to be part of the future of conferencing, they come with their own set of complexities, according to Nina Freysen-Pretorius, CEO, The Conference Company. She was speaking in a panel discussion during Africa Travel Week Virtual 2021 about how the industry could breathe life into events following the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to read the article.

We are taking sometime to recharge.

The pros and cons of a virtual conference: the first virtual International Ornithological Congress held in 2022 – A perspective Authors: Colleen T Downs, Will Cresswell, Liza Monteiro, Joanne Bezuidenhout, Nina Freysen-Pretorious, Alan TK Lee, Preshnee Singh & Sandi Willows-Munro Click here to download