JOHANNESBURG, 12 September 2018 – The much anticipated South African Annual Concierge Conferences 2018 will kick off this month in Durban ending on a high note with the Johannesburg/Pretoria conference on 17 October at the Sandton Sun Hotel.
Now in its 9th year, this year’s conference under the theme: “How to improve guest experiences on a continuous basis” is set to provide yet another exciting platform for Concierges and Guest relations personnel to share insights and experiences on what they do.
“First impressions last, and to ensure guest retention, Concierges and Guest relations staff are at the forefront of making sure guests’ experiences are pleasant, and to do this, they need to keep up with industry trends that possess that ‘x-factor’ and would guarantee that these guests return,” says SA Concierge Conference organisers, Deon Prinsloo, Head Concierge and Guest relations manager and Kagisho Ditira, Guest relations at The Palazzo Hotel.
They say that with so many hotels and places to choose from, and platforms such as Tripadvisor where guests can share their experiences, complaints and compliments, concierges need to constantly ensure they reinvent the wheel and think out of the box to give guests unrivalled experiences during their stay.
“Looking at what guests can do while staying at the hotel, new places to visit and adventures to try, all add up to the experiences and often leads up to guests extending their stay or booking their next holiday before they leave,” they say.
Prinsloo and Ditira say those who have attended the conferences since the launch in 2010 would agree that these platforms are very insightful for information sharing, and now with the regional events held in Cape Town, Durban and the Garden Route, the conferences are accessible for many concierges and guest relations staff to attend and learn more about their own areas in addition to what other regions have to offer from their peers and guest speakers.
Concierges around South Africa have solidified their roles in hotels and the importance to guests to enrich and make their visit to South Africa and hotel stays leave lasting memories.
“The success over the past eight years is very clearly the result embedded in the South African Concierge Forum motto: “Inspire, Share and Shine” and that is exactly what these conference platforms provide,” they say.
The conference dates are as follows:
- 12 September at The Elangeni Hotel in Durban,
- 19 September at The 12 Apostles Hotel in Cape Town,
- 26 September at The Kurkland Hotel in Garden Route, and
- 17 October at The Sandton Sun Hotel in Sandton.
Several industry professionals and guest speakers will attend the various conferences and share their expertise and interesting facts on the topic.
The conferences are free of charge and open to concierges, guest relations and those in the hospitality industry, however, booking is essential. To attend a conference in your region, email Deon Prinsloo at [email protected] as soon as possible as seats are limited.
