First YPT meet a roaring success

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Driving the future of travel, ASATA’s Young Professionals in Travel met for the first time in Johannesburg this week. The first event saw some 40 professionals gather at Sun International Dreams’ offices to network and learn, with plans to host further events in Durban and Cape Town early 2015.

YPT is exclusively for ASATA members under or around the age of 40 who are seeking a platform to network with and learn from a group of peers experiencing the same issues on a daily basis. YPT hosts special events including speakers and seminars.

This chapter provides a platform for promising young travel industry members to network and engage their peers to help better understand their place in our industry, the role they play and the contribution they make to the development, growth and sustainability of our industry. It will also be an environment that will allow industry leadership to identify future leaders and nurture them through a mentorship programme.

In addition to an inspiring talk by Holiday Factory Sales Director Matthew Fubbs on his recipe for success, attendees hit the speed networking circuit to learn more about each other.

“I think the get-together was inspiring and a great way to share ideas and current trends. Not to mention the new introductions I have connected with this morning already,” says Lara May, 
National Sales Manager – Travcorp SA.

Natalie Swart, Operations Manager – XL By Arrangement says: “It really is awesome to be amongst like-minded individuals where we can learn from each other and move onwards and upwards.”

“It was a pleasure meeting with other young professionals from our industry. I look forward to the next meeting, and seeing this initiative grow beyond expectations,” says Renier van der Schyff, National Sales Manager – BCD Travel.

And Michelle Bergset, Pentravel National Sales Manager, had this to say: “I found the event to be a great mix of fun networking and awesome inspiration, Matthew really just confirmed why we have all chosen the most wonderful industry to be in, and I feel even more confident and motivated in my career choice and role. I found quite a few similarities in his journey compared to mine and think that continued meetings like these will grow us as individuals and allow us to have a group of peers we can lean on, and work with closely to become the new generation of industry managers and mentors!”