News + Events

"We Believe that World Change Starts with Educated Children"®

Driven by employee-giving and activity initiatives, Hyatt supports Room to Read, a non-profit organization for improving literacy and gender equality in education. Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in low-income communities by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education.

Please find here the book we chose for your little ones in Sepedi language.

Precautionary measures

The safety and wellbeing of our guests and colleagues is always a top priority. We have been closely monitoring the fast-evolving COVID-19 situation. For precautionary measures, we are following the recommended procedures and protocols of the World Health Organization and the South African Ministry of Health.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at johannesburg.regency@hyatt.com

Meeting the Management Team.

Meet the executive committee at Hyatt Regency Johannesburg! The team is headed by Puneet Singh, General Manager who joined the team in the latter part of last year. Claire Mitchell, Director of Sales and Marketing; Mike Masilela, Director of Operations Hanroe Erasmus, Executive Chef; John Swanepoel, Director of Security all joined the team after Puneet’s appointment.  

Members who have been with the property prior to the new general manager’s appointment, is Vic Kershaw, Director of Engineering and Priya Naidoo, Director of Human Resources.

If you see any of their faces in the hotel lobby when you visit us, feel encouraged to introduce yourself. They have a sincere interest in your visit or stay experience stories. 

Your keynote speaker has failed to turn up, the Virtual Reality set doesn’t work and the drinks have run out. Expect the unexpected when you’re hosting an event. One simple mistake can turn into a disaster when you least expect it to. Little wonder then, that event planning ranks consistently as one of the world’s most stressful jobs.

The good news is that many disasters can be avoided easily, with some planning. Raylene de Wet, Director of Event Sales at Hyatt Regency Johannesburg, shares her five tips on what not to do if you want your corporate event to be a success.

1. Oops… who could have foreseen the long bottlenecks?

Half an hour wait for your conference badge? A long queue for that cup of tea during a break? Another queue to enter the conference room?

Ignoring the possibility of bottlenecks can negatively impact your event. Let’s face it: nobody likes to wait in line and your attendees are no exception.

Although it’s impossible to eliminate queues and bottlenecks altogether, de Wet explains there are some tips and tricks to minimise this inconvenience. “Consider using technology to speed up the check-in process.” She adds: “Make sure the team at your chosen venue understands foot traffic during food sessions. They will rearrange where the tables or coffee is set up to accommodate busy areas.”

• Make regular, steady progress

If time flies when you’re having fun, it moves at supersonic speed when you’re organising an event.

Procrastination is your worst enemy when planning an event, says de Wet. “It’s important to start the event planning process early. Leaving things too late is the most common mistake event planners make.  As soon as you have agreed upon date, get to work. Choose and book your venue, confirm your speakers, and draw up contracts.”

• Be trendy with your vegetarian options

The rule of thumb to balance the ratio of vegetarian to meat options on your menu is to include one-third vegetarian options in your menu.

Today’s food trends are all about healthy and fresh offerings, says de Wet. By including vegetarian options, you’ll make everyone happy. What’s more, you’ll have the opportunity to experiment with fresh, seasonal produce and really embrace unique flavour combinations.

“Remember that food is not just about keeping your attendees fed,” warns de Wet.  “It’s about creating unforgettable experiences.”

• The latest tech is just for nerds

You don’t need the latest tech gadgets to make your event seamless, but reliable technology can make or break an event. “Tech fails to happen. The key to minimising these mishaps, is to be prepared,” says de Wet. “Make sure you run through the preliminary checks before the start of the event. If something does go wrong, be transparent and inform your attendees that you are having technical difficulties.”

De Wet explains that dismissing technological innovations out of hand could prove to be a mistake. “Hashtags, for example, used to be a bit of a trendy fad five years ago, but today hashtags are a powerful communication tool,” she explains.

• Help! Everything is going wrong!

Did your keynote speakerphone you on the morning of the conference to say he has the sniffles and can’t get out of bed? Or is an unexpected storm putting a damper on your outdoor event?  Last-minute changes and event-day disasters are unfortunately not uncommon when organising an event. Not having a plan B or, for that matter, a plan C, is a rookie mistake.

“Take time to think of anything that could go wrong with every aspect of your event and get it all out on the table. It’s not bad luck to think of what could go wrong, it’ll help you keep your sanity,” says de Wet.  

Every event planner knows that things can and will go wrong when planning a corporate event. The secret is to partner with competent and reliable service providers who recognise the potential for things to go awry and know how to plan accordingly.

Do the sight and smell of a steamy shisa nyama in a pop-up shebeen seem like they have all the makings of a memorable event? What about the prospect of a collision space to promote networking at your next conference?

In South Africa’s dynamic meeting and conference industry, like many other industries, the x-factor in event management is in innovation and disruption – much of which lies in the realm of finding novel ways to foster connection and collaboration.

Raylene de Wet, Director of Event Sales at Hyatt Regency Johannesburg, unveils six trends that will likely disrupt and elevate South Africa’s events industry in the coming year.

1.       Let’s festivalize – it’s all about the experience!

The days of unending keynotes and death by PowerPoint have long disappeared. Delegates want to be entertained – they want to immerse themselves and engage in an exciting events ‘experience’.

Enter the concept of festivalization. “This has become the buzz word in the events industry,” says de Wet. “Events – and the planning thereof – should be fun. And, what could be more fun than combining your average event with the elements of a festival?”

De Wet explains how festivalization has led to the exchange of closed conference rooms for unusual outdoor venues. Keynote speakers now share the stage with live music and comedians. Corporate meeting attendees are looking for transformative experiences that will improve their daily work life.

Today’s delegate prefers authentic local experiences and shows. They want to sample the destination’s characteristic food and beverages, and interact with local residents who are knowledgeable about the area’s history and culture.

2.       TikTok – it’s time to hop on the bandwagon

Ever heard of TikTok? If you’re over 35 years old, chances are you haven’t. Believe us when we say the time has come to sit up and take notice.

TikTok is a social-video platform that allows users to create and share short, musical videos. Like Instagram or Twitter, users can follow their friends as well as celebrities and influencers. It was the third-most downloaded app in the first quarter of 2019, with 188 million new users. 

For meeting planners looking to boost event awareness, TikTok is the marketing tool you didn’t know you needed – until now. Organizers can share videos leading up to the official announcement, with each post hinting at agenda items or key speakers. They can promote their event by hopping on current TikTok trends, such as popular video formats or songs.

With many young people wary of traditional marketing, TikTok gives planners the opportunity to stray from the beaten marketing path and provide authentic, branded content that younger audiences will engage with naturally on their social feeds.

3.        Technology – up, up and away…

Imagine escaping a conference with a few minutes’ meditation on the beach. Augmented reality and virtual reality can give that extra edge to any event by offering unique experiences in a virtual space.

De Wet explains how tech-augmented collaboration has revolutionized the events industry by allowing the world to become smaller. “South African event organizers can invite a speaker who is based in China without having to fly him or her in. With Internet connectivity constantly evolving and 5G on the horizon, we can expect to see more of a blurring of the lines between Visual Events and Physical Events.”

Many audio visual (AV) companies have also invested in equipment that enables interactive note-taking. Although de Wet explains this is not a huge trend in South Africa yet, innovative companies are moving in this direction. “There are also functionalities where speakers make notes which will save automatically to the guest phone through the meeting platform.”

However, as much as technology will continue to shape the meetings industry, so too arises the demand for escaping from technology. With an always-on workforce, it is important to consider private places were delegates can relax and recharge. Mindfulness areas and places to ‘unplug’ are increasingly becoming the new norm.

4.       Bye-bye, buffet. Hello culinary innovation.

Chicken or beef? What about a salad buffet or cocktail sausages? Step aside, everyone, and make way for MasterChef.

“Sub-par food at your event is a significant contributor to underwhelming event experiences. If you want your event to stand out, consider creative ways of displaying your food and taking your guests on a culinary journey,” suggests de Wet. “By using local flavors and dishes, and presenting them in a modern and creative way, you can really make a lasting impression.”

Bite-sized versions of regular food are always a hit. Nobody wants to walk around trying to mingle while balancing a full-sized steak and chips. So, by scaling it down, you’re not only being innovative, you’re also make your attendees’ experience a lot easier.

5.       Sit, stand, mix it up…

Where people sit affects everything from how well they engage with each other to how well they absorb information. The truth is that the right seating arrangement can make or break the productivity and problem-solving abilities of delegates at your event.  

Therefore, allow delegates to vary their postures during the event, advises de Wet. “Event planners constantly have to be one step ahead by ensuring that all events are productive and that attendees stay engaged. Several studies have been done on this topic and it’s interesting to see how high tables with high seating combined with couches as well as Standing Meetings are impacting events.”

Planners can create ample private meeting spaces as well as ‘collision spaces’. One way to create such a space is to provide fewer chairs than attendees. With fewer empty seats, movement and interaction is encouraged.

6.       Energizing delegates will remain a priority

From mindfulness to movement and healthy meal options, wellness will continue to be a key focus in 2020.

Delegates are often bombarded with information in a short time span, which can leave them feeling drained. To prevent this from happening, organizers need to find new and innovative ways to keep everyone energized and engaged.

“Slot in a few meditation ‘bubbles’ during your conference to allow delegates to relax for a few moments, or distribute regular healthy fruit snacks to keep energy levels from crashing midway through the day,” suggests de Wet. “Or shake things up by introducing a happiness coach to get your attendees smiling and engaging with their colleagues in different, original ways.”  

Each of these six trends in the global meetings and events industry has already made its way to South Africa, according to de Wet. “It can be daunting for local event organizers to keep abreast of the trends, which is why it is important to find the right partner to help you deliver these unique experiences,” says de Wet. “You need the right people in the right places.”

We are always one step ahead of all the latest trends and is the perfect partner for your next event. Contact us to discuss the exciting possibilities we can offer your company.