South African Concierges Conference 2017 puts focus on bleisure trend

©Stefano Lunardi via 123RF

Prinsloo says the most important question to ask is how does your hotel and /or guesthouse maximise the benefits of the opportunities?

It is for this reason that the Concierges Conference was created. Since the very first conference that took place on 20 October 2010, concierges and guest relations managers have found a platform to share experiences and knowledge about the hotel industry, challenges as well as opportunities for growth. “The Concierge Conference and quarterly Concierge Forums in regions have also created a very effective network between each other in order to ensure the ultimate experience for their respective guests,” he says.

Johannesburg concierges get the chance to attend four educational tours every year and in September it’s time for all to get together for the Annual Concierges Conference hosted in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban and for the first time, the Garden Route and surrounding areas is also included.

Gather and share ideas

The main objective of the South African Concierges Forum has been to promote South Africa as a world class tourist destination. It also offers all members to network inform and update colleagues about latest developments. This has been embraced by all members as a very effective tool to assist with daily interaction with guests, says Prinsloo.

The eighth Annual Concierges Conference is a must-attend event for all employees dealing with tourists and guests on a daily basis as it is the only platform for hotel concierges to attend in order to gather and share ideas.

Prinsloo, together with co-organiser Kagisho Ditira, invites a diverse range of exhibitors to promote what guests can enjoy while travelling around South Africa.

The Concierge Conferences are sponsored by different hotels every year and there is no attendance fee but being employed in the hospitality sector as a frontline contact person dealing with guests on a daily basis, is a must.

“The ultimate goal is to infuse and establish enthusiastic tourism agents of their respective regions and to realise the vital role concierges play in creating memorable experiences in SA and indeed to follow it as a career,” says Prinsloo.