EXCO November 2016

2.

3.

As per above

Apologies received as per above

• Johannes extremely happy with the new accounting package, Zero.

• 01^st March 2015 saw the appointment of a new accountant, however communication still problematic as allocations not being done correctly.

• Comparison between previous years and this years’ financials, shows differences due to the fact that tax invoices were sent instead of pro-forma invoices – this has been rectified and figures are now more accurate.

• Large amount due to be paid for Tax of the Trust. This has partially been paid to SARS to assist in the interim.

• The NPO has been signed by trustees and submitted 2 weeks ago.

• SAYTC has not lost money in 2016 as per previous years, especially with trade shows as the costs for SAYTC are being absorbed by the price members pay to take part.

• Johannes would like to see someone else dedicated to do the finances from 2017 as it is very time consuming. (This decision would depend on whether the SATSA merger goes ahead)
• Increase in Membership and all new invoices now include VAT. Approx. R80k still needs collecting.

Very strict renewal policies to be implemented with immediate removal from database with non-payment.

Tax Invoices have mostly been sent out for renewals and should be completed by end of November.

• Operating costs are less due to the downscaling and consolidation of salaries and personal expenses. Outsourcing assisting in reducing further costs.

• Cash flow looks positive.

Gavin to approve finances

Johannes to summarize into an easy reading document for members – include a brief overview explaining the invoicing, vat and tax. Outstanding fees due not to be individually named, but one figure mentioned as outstanding membership fees.

Johannes to keep following up

Look at an annual debit order system for non-paying members.

Assist members in seeing the benefits of being a SAYTC member by compiling a year planner showing what was done. Regional Chairs to drive this.

Gavin to sign off finances for distribution

Financial Document to be distributed to members.

*NB- all figures excl. vat

Gavin and Tara to compile points and circulate to Regional chairs for input. This list of benefits to be circulated to new members and possibly with reminder invoices.

(Separate document circulated – compiled by Sadia Nanabhay)

• The website is underperforming due to lack of content and poor quality of existing content.
• Members are not managing their listings
• Possibly look at employing someone focussed on content alone
• Outcomes from Sadias report: SAYTC has to reassess the purpose of the website. If its purpose is to drive business to members, then considerable resources will be needed to make it so. However, in its current state the website can be viewed solely as a directory for others to find out which organisations are SAYTC members and have subscribed to SAYTC’s code of conduct.
• If SAYTC prefers the latter option, then I recommend that listings be simplified and we make them SAYTC-managed instead of member-managed. In this way, not much more time will be taken to create a listing, and the information on the listing will be complete.

Budget towards a specific social media/website campaign

A social media/website strategy to be written and implemented immediately – Kim (part of the SAYTC marketing drive)

• David Frost, CEO of SATSA joined the Exco to discuss this potential merger. SAYTC are currently considering the merger as an option as it has been identified that it is in need of someone to drive it in order to grow and continue to fulfil its mandate to its members. David gave a brief overview of the benefits of SATSA including; Value Adds for members, bonding, lobbying and access to government, credibility, access to markets (through SAT), corporate sponsorships
• Concerns raised included: SAYTC members might not like the ‘conformity’ and ‘formality’ of the SATSA organisation. The potential fee increase will not be accepted by SAYTC members. SAYTC may lose its identity – this would be retained by having a joint-logo, a SAYTC representative sitting on the SATSA National Board.
• Positives include: Sharing of resources, access to markets, Government access for tourism issues, access to skills and members management systems, joint marketing initiatives.

No firm decisions were made, however it was agreed in Principal to set aside a small technical group to compile a business plan, which would include suggestions and solutions on the concerns raised. This document will be circulated for input. SATSA National has the capacity to drive this through provinces to address the concerns.

SAYTC will continue with its usual daily running of the business. It will include the presentation of the potential merger with members at the February members meetings and potentially look at finalising the decision at the 2017 SAYTC AGM. Gavin to meet with Petra from SATSA.

Compile a list of beneftis/pros & cons to distribute to members prior to AGM. Include proxies, etc. for voting purposes.

• To be appended

• Membership growing steadily:

NATIONAL              WC

–          Affiliate: 16            8

–          BSA: 88                   26

Associate: 18        8

Full: 64                   15

Incubator: 6          3

–          VOLSA: 23             14

–          Supplier: 2             2

–          TATSA: 62              40

–          EduSA: 20              13

Full: 13                   9

Permanent: 2       2

Incubator: 5          2

• SAYTC will be strict on the renewal of memberships and remove non-payers from the database with immediate effect
• Recommend a dedicated person to do a membership drive for the 2017 renewal year
• Possible reciprocal membership with the German Youth Travel Association
• Agri-Tourism would like to link with SAYTC members and eager to partner with SAYTC.

The terms of non-renewal are mentioned on the renewal invoice.

Concerns around transport, access, activities, insurances to be addressed.

Elmarene to enforce this with non-paying members.

Tara to follow up.

Noelline and Tara to discuss and engage further.

•     VOLSA – Toby

No report received due to VOLSA currently having no-one representing this sector on the Exco. Toby has stepped down.

•     KZN chapter – Tracy

      No report submitted

•     Garden Route chapter – Heinie

      No report submitted

Possibly look at recruiting Carla as the VOLSA representative

The term/definition for ‘volunteer’ needs clarification.

Gavin to follow up

–          A separate report document was submitted to committee including a summary of statistics done in the Eastern Cape, Geographical information on guests and members, Annual Turnover and way forward.

–          The report is the summary of the research done in the backpacking sector only.

–          2017 will most likely see Nelson Mandela Bay become part of the initiative and they have assisted by printing the sign in sheets and the way forward.

–          Initially trust and privacy issues were a concern.

–          ECDC want to see job creation and community involvement

–

General Stats comments:

–          3 issues: Confidentiality, Personal information is included and Time to provide the information.

–          Currently there is no way of tracking the same guest; the duplication of the same visitor has to be avoided

–          ECDC for now will fund and keep the stats for their use.

Gavin suggest perhaps circulate similar documents in WC for participation from WC members.

The importance of participation and the need for stats is important to communicate to members.

A system to ensure confidentiality for WC members has to be implemented. Possibly look at using an auditor/professional to consolidate stats and help with privacy issues.

Aiden to co-ordinate between DEDAT and ECDC representative.

Compile an info-graph for distribution to members to encourage participation.

ECDC to speak to WC to share information – if in agreement look at using an intern in the meantime.

• 23 members, with 2 new members and 2 closures
• The court case was won, with the combined financial efforts of the EDUSA members.   A solution has been proposed, however it needs to be actions.
• Recently held AGM and the previous Exco remains. Focus on renewals and membership fees. (separate minutes available)
• Home Affairs are assisting with visa applications for up to 18 months for language studies.
• EDUSA would like to be recognised as the quality assurer for this sector, therefore all submissions would go through them. EDUSA will then potentially have to become a separate NPO with its own bank account, administrator, etc.
• Leaving SAYTC would mean EDUSA could tailor make their own marketing strategies for their needs and create an independence to act immediately when the need arises, thus making them a more professional body.

All EDUSA members have to register as learning institutions/private colleges and register with the department of Higher Education.

Effective mid-January 2017

Deadline for paperwork: mid-December

• Will look at distribution of posters and updating of BSA list at the end of February following renewal deadlines.

• Air BnB is having an affect on the industry, even though government is saying its research shows it is not. Lack of compliancy is a huge issue and no-one is checking standard regulations of establishments.

Road trip to follow at the end of February.

Possibly ask for the actual research documents and how it was done.

Gavin to follow up.

• New TATSA Chair, Hendrik Human.

Tara thanked Johan and compliments around performance as Chair in the last few years.

• The department of transport were very helpful with transport permits in 2015. Unfortunately this changed in July 2016 when it all changed and moved to Pretoria.

The process to receive permits, includes R1000 fee for accreditation and submitting of documents.

• TATSA/SAYTC members are required to upload all their documents.

• All SAYTC members need to be aware of the regulations and that using ‘legal’ and compliant suppliers is important.

• Additional TATSA members to be sourced from other provinces.

TATSA members are aware and have been communicated to. The facebook forum works well.

SATSA require this – possibly look at all TATSA members being SATSA members and they can manage the upload of documents.

Look at compiling a list of compliant members.

SAYTC to look at budgeting for Hendrik to visit provinces and recruit members.

Request all SAYTC members to come forward if experiencing any problems on the road or with the application.

Tara distribute completed list to SAYTC database and stressing the importance of using compliant suppliers.

Hendrik and Tara to co-ordinate in the new year with the JHB chapter meeting.

• Johannesburg Facebook page is up and running

• Nomads have joined SAYTC.

• Looking at planning a roadshow with CT SAYTC members in 2017, using 4 JHB members.

• Young entrepreneurs want to be part of SAYTC but can’t afford it.

Lorraine to look at a mentoring program to ensure all compliancy and legal issues are understood and adhered to. Those successful and committed could potentially receive one year’s membership (to be included in 2017 budget to sponsor)

Lorraine to draw up a Mentorship MOU (look at template from SATSA SMME Indaba – Gavin to assist)

Ask existing SAYTC members to identify potential incubator members for SAYTC and recognise these members already doing mentorship work.

• The EC members would like to see a way forward with SAYTC with WC members.
• Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism are keen to get involved with SAYTC. Possibly with the 2017 conference and chapter meetings. They assisted in giving SMMEs access to Australia and Holland trade shows.

They would like to appear in the SAYTC 2017 Brochure and are also willing to support members in the outerlying areas.

• Aiden trying to continue being active on SAYTC facebook pages by adding content daily.
• Aiden will assist with the new route interns in 2017. 10 have been appointed, the route includes SAYTC branding. The Challenge fund gives them access to R100k per year.

Chapter Chairs to co-ordinate and discuss further.

Aiden to continue with discussions and potential projects.

Aiden to keep SAYTC informed. Possibly distribute route information to the database.

• Kim, Aidan and Gavin to meet and design a strategy that will be shared in due course.

• WYSTC – attended by Noelline and Kim. The business aspect was very good for SAYTC and its members, however the stand setup was disappointing as a representation of the country. 23 South Africans attended/18 on the SAYTC stand.

• WTM 2017 – 10 sharers including SAYTC. Well received and looking another separate stand to accommodate additional 5 sharers.

• INDABA 2017 – Possibly look at partnering with SATSA or Dirty Boots.

• ITB 2017 – Potential for a partnership and reciprocal membership with the German Youth Travel Sector. Alex (Pangea Trails) will circulate his report about the recently held show that he attended

Look at co-ordinating the décor and SA branding better before the time for all future trade shows.

Taking place April 2017

Taking place May 2017

SAT can earmark potential buyers to include in bringing into Indaba.

Tara to explore the options of sharing a stand and SAYTC members exhibiting in 2017.

Setup branding for quick printing/reference to be re-used at all trade shows – Kim/Tara

Tara to co-ordinate and handover if no longer with SAYTC

Tara to co-ordinate with Dirty Boots first on behalf of SAYTC members.

Tara to compile and identify a list of potential youth buyers/operators to send to SAT and WTM.

Tara Follow up on Alexs’ report.

• Tara has given her resignation, with her final month of employment with SAYTC being March 2017

Johannes and Aiden would like to see a person appointed with Marketing and Management experience, should this be an opportunity without the SATSA merger.

• SAYTC Conference 2017 – possibly look at outsourcing this to a conferencing company. Every year there are many challenges in the planning thereof, there are concerns about whether the conference is enough of a drawcard, and the 2016 conference did not make much profit.

• SAYTC members should be made aware of the implications of using an SMME business without the relevant insurances and permits in place.

• Kim visited Gauteng and JHB tourism offices and had a broad discussion around a visitors centre.

• ICEF: A representative is coming to South Africa in January and would like to speak with EDUSA/SAYTC to discuss ways that EDUSA/SAYTC and ICEF can work together, pushing SA as a language travel destination, etc.

An exit strategy and passing on of all information, etc. to take place

Look at doing a post-mortem of the 2016 conference, compare to previous conferences and compile a list of issues, concerns and challenges for future reference. Possibly not having a conference in 2017 or not a stand-alone SAYTC conference.

Sho’t left campaign gives opportunity to smaller businesses to list their products and packages on their website once signing up.

Follow up in the new year and include Lorraine and Maria in the discussions.

They want to arrange a meeting for all interested EDUSA and SAYTC members in Cape Town on 18 January.

Tara and Gavin to meet in January to define her role and job description

Aidan (EC) has spoken to NMBT about the possibility of hosting the next (2017) SAYTC conference which will require minimum involvement from the SAYTC employee. He will liaise with Tara for further information, put a proposal together with NMBT, and a decision will be taken by Exco then.

Tara to include in the newsletter.

Invites will be sent to all members for the event – Tara will organise.

Next meeting to take place on: TBC

Gavin thanked all those in attendance and for a productive meeting.