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Our Story

Three decades of advancing excellence

SAACI was founded in 1987 by Nick Stathakis, former head of SATOUR’S Congress Division and Keith McCusker, former head of CSIR. Their guiding principle for pioneering SAACI was to create a governing body to improve the standards in conference facilities, meeting venues and allied services within Southern Africa to improve its global competitive advantage with both local and international conference buyers.

More than three decades later, SAACI still leads the way in thought leadership to move the industry forward and advance Southern Africa’s well-deserved reputation for excellence in MICE.

Nick Stathakis

Keith McCusker

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What do we do?

SAACI serves as a platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration within the business events industry. We provide our members with opportunities to connect with industry peers, exchange best practices, and stay updated on the latest trends and developments in our industry.

One of our key objectives is to advocate for the growth and sustainability of the business events industry in Southern Africa. This involves engaging with government bodies, tourism organisations, and other stakeholders to promote the value and impact of conferences, exhibitions, and other business events on the local economy.

We also focus on professional development and education within the industry. As an association, we offer training programs, workshops, and conferences to enhance the skills and knowledge of our members. These initiatives aim to elevate the standards of professionalism and service delivery in the business events sector.

Furthermore, we actively contribute to research and industry insights, providing valuable data and information to support decision-making and strategic planning within the business events community.

Timeline

1983
In 1983, the R45-million Cape Sun Hotel brought a new dimension to the field of conferences in the Mother City. In Durban the Gooderson Hotels became Kondotel Inns and the well-known Claridges Hotel was renamed the Tropicale.
1984
In 1984 video conferences were introduced by the Post Office, although this never really took off. The R25-million Hotel Braamfontein opened in Johannesburg and catered primarily for business people, conferences and conventions.

In 1984 the conference industry was valued variously between R75 and R100 million a year. Alan Gooderson, managing director of kondotel Inns, called for South Africa to change its outdated liquor and Sunday entertainment laws, introduce casinos at main resorts, and end the South African Airways monopoly which prevented cheap charter flights from bringing tourists to the country. He said tourism in South African generated a total revenue of some R2 billion annually, of which approximately R700 million was in foreign earnings. He forecast that, by the year 2000, the tourism industry would be the largest single industry in the world.

The year 1984 also saw the closing down of the of South Africa’s biggest and most important exhibition area – the Milnerpark Showgrounds, site of the annual Rand Easter Show
1985
In April 1985, the Rand Show moved to the 270-hectare National Sport Recreation and Exhibition Centre (NAREC) at central Johannesburg, a complex which was developed as one of the biggest, most technically-advance show and congress venues in the southern hemisphere. The importance of the National Exhibition Centre to the conference market at the time was that, although the Rand Show would be the main annual event to take place.
1987
At the first meeting of SAACIs Interim Council of Management in November 1987, the following office bearers were elected: Keith McCusker, chairman; Erika Esterhuyse, secretary; Bob Newman, of the CSIR, vice-chairman; and Eugene Marais, treasurer.

At second Conference on Conferences, held in Johannesburg during 1987, an Interim Council of Management was nominated, the members being representatives of various sectors of the conference organizers, conference centres, travel and tours, transport, hotels, companies, public relations, training, publicity associations, publishers and conference promotion.
1988
The earliest members of the council of Management of SAACI were the following :

Keith McCusker (Chairman); Erika Esterhyse (C&E Conferences Organizers); Eugene Marais (Development Bank of Southern Africa); Godfrey King (Editor/publisher, Southern Africa Conference, Exhibition & Incentives Guide); Helen Brewer (Meeting Planners Association); Trudy du Toit (Southern Sun Hotels); Minnaar Smit (SARTravel); Philippa Sparrow (Avis Rent-A-Car); Nick Stathakis (SATOUR); and Shirley Fisher

They were all re-elected in 1988 with the following additions: Peter Thomas (Selected Audiovisual); Carol Arnold (CSIR); Liz Oosthuizen (CSIR); Dr A. Breedt (Public Relations Bureau, University of Pretoria); Halfway House); and Frank Vincent (Durban Publicity Association). Eugene Marais was destined to become the second chairman of SAACI. Helen Brewer was elected vice-chairperson and Minnaar Smit treasurer. The secretary was Lourie Potgieter Eugene was followed as chairman by Helen Brewer, then Godfrey King, Peter Aspinall and Alec Gilbert
1990’s
In the early 90s, SAACI’s Council of Management was renamed the “Co-ordinating Council” and there was a change in representation, with branch chairpersons now auto balloted members. This now included Robin de Kock, of Speaking Assignments, who was chairman of Western Cape; Truda Swanton, conference consultant and chairman of the Northern Territories branch; and Keith Murcott, of the Feather Market Centre, who was chairman of the Eastern Cape branch.

In 1990 there were some newcomers to the SAACI Council of Management, namely Brian Morris, of the CSIR Conference Centre, as treasurer; Joy Donovan of Lester Donovan Group; and Elaine Lehmkuhl, of Sandoz Products.

Over the years other personalities who have played important roles in the SAACI Council of Management were

Frances Beasley, of Personal Improvement Plan

Carol Knight, of First Impressions

Chamara Pansegrouw, of Overvaal Resorts

Xenia Adamou, of SAA

Cheryl Backhouse, of Karos Hotels

Lyn Baker, of Conference Speaker Promotions

Luke Barnard-Boje, of Gallagher Estate;

Mike Fasulakis, of Travkor

Helen McDonald, of Imperial Car Rentals

Meryl Richardson of Meryl Richardson Promotions

Deline Thackwray, Corporate Conference Co-ordinator

Marge Visagie, Development Bank of Southern Africa

David Mason, of Rosebank Hotel

Brian McDonald, of Global Conferences