Global trends and how they affect South African business will be a major focus at the 2014 annual congress of the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI), to be held in St Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal from 17 to 19 August.
Delegates will be addressed by sought-after trend analyst Dion Chang, who uses a global perspective to source new ideas and identify cutting edge trends and then translates them to ensure they have relevance for South African businesses.
Described as a walking ideas bank, Chang has hosted three conferences and published three trend books, the most recent being ‘New Urban Tribes of South Africa’. His trends analysis company, Flux Trends, specialises in tracking shifting social dynamics and understanding consumer mindset.
Congress chairperson Merryl Fairfoot says Chang’s presentation fits in perfectly with the congress theme ‘To the beat of a different drum’. “Our congress destination and venue are unusual and we trust that our speakers will inspire delegates to try new approaches when conducting business. After all, to achieve different results, you must do something different.”
Delegates will also be addressed by motivational speaker Mark Berger, who has been described as a prodigy of the human potential movement. “With his direct, practical, humorous and informal style, Berger will most definitely leave delegates with food for thought on how to improve performance on all levels of life,” says Fairfoot.
As August is high season in St Lucia, the organising committee is encouraging delegates to book their accommodation as soon as possible. Accommodation in St Lucia is well-priced and most within walking distance of the St Lucia Conference Centre and Town Hall.
For information about sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, or to register online, visit www.saaci2014.co.za.
