ON TUESDAY, July 17, I
was named and shamed
on social media, after
RSVPing for the Seychelles
Tourism Board Roadshow then
not arriving.
I heard about it and
managed to get to the
venue just before the event
ended. Initially angry and
embarrassed, truth be told, I
wouldn’t have made it to the
event if it wasn’t for the photo
of my name tag on Open Jaw
by Travelinfo.
Travel agent, Anton van
den Heever, who attended
the event and posted the
photo on his own initiative,
thinks those who have RSVPd
and do not attend, without
cancelling or giving a valid
reason, should be fined. “This
should be made clear in the
invitation and the follow-up
communications from the
organisers.” Another option,
according to Anton, is to
blacklist the no-shows from
attending future events.
Rudi van der Vyver, ceo of
the South African Association
for the Conference Industry,
says for free events,
approximately 30-40% of
people won’t attend, with
many not stopping to think
of the preparation and cost
that has gone on in the
background.
It costs suppliers dearly.
Sales manager for kulula
holidays, Rebecca Bryer, says
suppliers can pay between
R5 500 and R23 000 per
table per session, depending
on the workshop.
It’s worth mentioning that
there were names in the Open
Jaw post of people who had
cancelled, or had not RSVPd
to begin with and some felt it
was inappropriate of Anton to
call people out publicly.
“Technically it wasn’t my
place and it isn’t my battle,”
says Anton, who handles
events and incentives for
Travel by Arrangement, and
who also organises a MICE
industry event. “However,
suppliers have told me they
are too frightened to address
the situation, as travel
agents will be very quick to
threaten said suppliers with
a reduction in support the
minute suppliers express their
displeasure.”
“Regrettably, there were
individuals who were unfairly
included in the ‘naming and
shaming’,” says Natalia Rosa,
director of Big Ambitions, who
helped organise the event.
“We have taken responsibility
for that and personally
apologised to everyone
affected.” She says, however,
that the Open Jaw outing
highlighted a problem in the
industry.
