The University of Venda’s Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, under the Faculty of Management, Commerce, and Law, is thrilled to announce that it has been successfully selected as one of the four South African universities to participate in the upcoming Middle East and Africa (MEA) Future Leaders Challenge, Dubai 2025 Edition.
The project challenge is titled “How does the Hospitality and Tourism sector look like in 20 years and how can we start working towards it already today?” This important and thought-provoking question will be tackled by four talented third-year students from the Department: Mr Udoritonda Matambela, Mr Mathabatha Nelson Ralefatane, Ms Koketso Lucracia Pande, and Ms Thato Violar Matjeke.
The MEA Future Leaders Challenge serves as the premier platform for engaging young talent in addressing future challenges in the hospitality and tourism industry. It fosters a community where students, educators, and industry leaders come together to align on strategies for the growth, attractiveness, and learning opportunities within the sector. The programme’s primary goal is to attract and inspire the next generation of hospitality and tourism professionals, and to create meaningful connections with stakeholders shaping the future of the industry in the MEA region.
The University of Venda students will be guided by Ms Tondani Nethengwe, Head of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, and Dr Mukondeleli Manuga Radzilani, who serves as the proj-ect’s guiding teacher. The team will work closely with the Head of Department, Ms Nethengwe, who au-tomatically becomes a member of the MEA School Directors Alliance (SDA) due to her involvement.
In congratulating the team the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Management, Commerce and Law, Professor Modimowabarwa Kanyane said “I am extremely proud of our students for be-ing selected to participate in such a prestigious international event. Their dedication and pas-sion for the hospitality and tourism industry are truly commendable. This achievement not only reflects the quality of education at the University of Venda but also highlights the im-mense potential of our students to make a meaningful impact on the future of the sector. We wish them the best of luck in the competition, and we look forward to their continued success.”
The Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management is excited to see these stu-dents represent the University of Venda on this global platform and looks forward to their contribution to shaping the future of the hospitality and tourism industry.
Issued by:
Department of Marketing, Branding and Communication
University of Venda
Tel: 082 868 2218 / 082 868 1811
