Finding the right mentors and making contacts in the hospitality and tourism industry will be the key aim of the four DUT students who were given the opportunity to attend the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum Africa which is currently taking place taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg.
Meetings Africa 2016, which started on 22 February and ends on 24 February 2016, is the continent’s premier business trade show where (Africa’s) business leaders gather with local, regional as well as international corporate, government and incentive business event buyers or decision makers. The event also showcases Africa’s diverse offerings of services and products.
The IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum Africa was designed to encourage the best performing students in travel and tourism to make a career in business events, find mentors and uantap their innovation, enthusiasm and passion for the benefit of the hospitality and tourism industry.
Post graduate Hospitality Management student, Sithandwa Khusi is elated to be attending the event and thanks DUT Hospitality and Tourism lecturers, Ronelle Kok and Munnir Shaw for making the selection. She believes the event will be a great learning platform to network and learn more about the business with key industry stakeholders, especially in the airline and PR industries. “It will be opening new doors and it will be interesting to meet new people who can relate the ins and outs of the industry to us,” she said.
For third-year Tourism Management student, Rene Moodley, it’s all about making contacts. “It will be beneficial as we are going to be mentored by people in the industry as well as be given tips on how to start and grow our own businesses,” she said.
Second-year Tourism Management student, Owethu Mnyandu, added that she is excited to attend because she wants to learn more about tourism and the business side of it, especially if she wants to, one day, start her own business.
Third-year Tourism Management student, Siphakamiso Ncube intends to make the most of this opportunity and will be all ears to learn more of how one needs to behave when employed in this industry as well as pick up the newest trends and ideas pertaining to the hospitality and tourism industries in South Africa.
– Waheeda Peters
Pictured: The four students with their lecturer, Munnir Shaw, before heading to Johannesburg to participate in the IMEX-MCI-MPI Future Leaders Forum. From left is Shaw with students Rene Moodley, Owethu Mnyandu, Sithandwa Khusi and Siphakamiso Ncube.
