On 8 and 9 May 2024, four honours students in Tourism Management from the University of Pretoria – Juanca Oosthuizen, Bolebali Hanyane, Kutlwano Mochalatse and Dzulo Munyai – participated in the inaugural Future Leaders Challenge (FLC) South Africa.

 

The FLC is an initiative launched in 2023 with a vision to empower, elevate, and educate future leaders within the tourism and hospitality industry. Held in collaboration with the GameChangers Community and Hilton MEA, the event’s goal is to involve students in addressing crucial industry challenges, enhancing talent development, and fostering collaboration among regional industry leaders.

 

The first FLC MEA live event challenge took place in Dubai, where the top students in tourism and hospitality in the MEA region were invited to collaborate and present their suggestions to the advisory board. Since its inception, the FLC has rapidly expanded, reflecting its success and the growing interest in nurturing young talent within the industry. The challenge has evolved into exclusive country events, with the FLC hosting events in Morocco and South Africa. The members from the top three teams are then invited to partake in the live event challenge, which will be held in Dubai in January 2025.

 

The topic of the challenge was centered around providing insights to senior leaders on how to attract the younger generation (Gen Z) to the tourism and hospitality industry as well as how to make this industry more appealing. A total of 16 tertiary education institutions in South Africa presented their innovative solutions to the Strategic Board of the FLC South Africa.

 

After some inspiring presentations, the team from the University of Pretoria was announced as the winners of the Future Leaders Challenge South Africa 2024!  Their presentation suggested podcasting and social media influencers as a solution to bridge the gap between generations in the industry. The students from UP showed creativity and a true understanding of the key challenges faced by the industry.

 

At the event, the MEA School Directors Alliance South Africa (SDA SA) was also officially launched. The Alliance has a strong vision and mission to transform talent development within South Africa’s educational system, as well as creating a future-proof educational system that aligns with industry needs and the aspirations of the upcoming generation. SDA SA aims to provide clarity and support for careers and entrepreneurial endeavours in a fast-changing industry landscape and has committed to driving innovation, sustainability, and excellence through relevant research, fostering partnerships and influencing positive change within the hospitality sector.