By Gustav Pieterse, Chairperson FEDHASA Inland
I recently had the privilege of joining a group of hospitality leaders for a candid discussion about the future of our industry, hosted between FUEL Online and FEDHASA, as well as various other industry engagements that I have attended over the past few weeks, and I wanted to share some observations.
Around the table in these conversations were operators, executives, academic doctors and professors and industry professionals who collectively represent thousands of employees, students and millions of guest interactions every year. While our businesses may differ, one theme emerged consistently throughout the conversation:
The future of hospitality will not be defined by technology, buildings or brands. It will be defined by people.
That may sound obvious in an industry built on service, yet many of the challenges currently facing hospitality stem from exactly that reality.
Across the country, employers are navigating a changing workforce landscape. Experienced employees are retiring, leaving the industry or pursuing opportunities elsewhere. New talent is entering our businesses full of potential, but often without the benefit of the mentorship and operational exposure that previous generations received.
At the same time, guest expectations continue to rise.
Guests today expect seamless technology, personalised service, immediate responses and memorable experiences. They want efficiency, but they also want genuine human connection.
The challenge for hospitality leaders is therefore not simply finding people.
It is developing people.
And that is where I believe some of our biggest opportunities lie.
South Africa Does Not Have a Talent Shortage
One of the most important takeaways from our discussion was that South Africa is not lacking talent.
What we often lack are the pathways that connect talent to opportunity.
As an industry, we frequently talk about skills shortages while operating in a country where millions of young people are actively seeking employment and career opportunities. The question we need to ask ourselves is whether we are doing enough collectively to bridge that gap.
How do we expose young people to hospitality careers?
How do we create meaningful workplace experiences?
How do we ensure that education and industry remain aligned?
How do we make career progression visible from the day somebody enters our industry?
These are not questions for individual businesses alone. They are questions for all of us as industry stakeholders.
Hospitality Must Become a Career of Choice
Hospitality offers something incredibly unique.
Few industries provide the same combination of human interaction, leadership development, entrepreneurship, international mobility and personal growth.
Yet many young people still see hospitality as a temporary job rather than a long-term career.
Changing that perception may be one of the most important responsibilities we have as industry leaders.
We need to celebrate the success stories more often.
We need to highlight the people who started as waiters, receptionists, porters, stewards and trainees and went on to become leaders and business owners.
I know this journey personally.
Having started my own career as an intern, I have seen first-hand what this industry can do when people are given opportunity, mentorship and support.
Hospitality changes lives.
We should never underestimate the impact our industry has on individuals, families and communities.
The Role of Technology in a People Business
No discussion about the future workforce is complete without talking about technology and artificial intelligence.
For some, AI creates uncertainty.
For me, it creates opportunity.
The reality is that hospitality has always evolved alongside technology. From reservation systems and online bookings to mobile check-in and guest apps, technology has consistently enhanced the way we operate.
Artificial intelligence is no different.
The future is not about replacing people with technology.
It is about empowering people with technology.
AI can assist with training, communication, knowledge sharing, translation, operational support and administrative tasks. It can help our people access information faster and perform their jobs more effectively.
But it cannot replicate genuine hospitality.
It cannot replace empathy or emotional intelligence.
And it certainly cannot replace the feeling a guest gets when they are welcomed by someone who truly cares.
The most successful businesses of the future will combine technology and human connection, not choose one over the other.
Rethinking Workforce Development
Another strong theme from our discussion was the need to evolve how we approach learning and development.
Traditional training methods still have a place, but the future requires more flexible, accessible and scalable solutions.
Learning needs to happen continuously.
It needs to happen on the floor, in real time and in ways that meet employees where they are.
Fortunately, we now have access to tools and platforms that can support learning in multiple languages, provide ongoing development opportunities and create more inclusive pathways into the industry.
The opportunity is not simply to train more people.
It is to train people better.
Our Greatest Opportunity
Despite the challenges discussed around skills development, labour mobility and workforce retention, the overall tone of the conversation was remarkably positive.
Why?
Because South Africa possesses something incredibly valuable.
We have passionate people.
We have a globally admired tourism offering.
We have resilient businesses.
And we have an industry that genuinely wants to create opportunity.
Rather than lamenting what has been lost, the task ahead is to invest in what can still be built.
If we can strengthen the pathways between education and employment, embrace technology responsibly, develop future leaders and continue investing in our people, I believe South Africa can build one of the most capable hospitality workforces anywhere in the world.
After all, hospitality has never been about buildings.
It has never been about systems.
It has always been about people.
And if we get that right, the future of our industry remains exceptionally bright.
