Kemp, past chairperson of the Eastern Cape branch of SAACI and past head of the association's Conferencing & Events Chapter, says she looks forward to leading SAACI over the next year. "We have a number of initiatives in place that will help improve the professionalism of the conference sector, ensuring that it continues to play a leading role in the business tourism industry at large."
Kemp is a partner at Port Elizabeth-based Eastern Sun Events and a member of Uniglobe Eastern Sun Travel (the company's in-house travel agency), the Business Womens' Association and the Association of Corporate Travel Executives.
Drysdale is the national general manager of the Coach Charter Division of Springbok Atlas, has been a member of the KwaZulu-Natal committee of SAACI for five years and has served as Services Chapter chairman for two. He also serves on the board of the South African Bus Operators Association.
Formally established in 1987, SAACI is a Section 21 organisation managed by a national co-ordinating council elected every two years. Committees operate in four branches: KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Territories and Eastern and Western Cape. It has established three chapters, one each for Venues, Conferencing and Events, and Services to deal with the interests of specific areas of the industry.
Since 2000, SAACI has been affiliated to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) which has more than 600 members in over 76 countries.
