Turning Things Around with her zeal
Ms. Sonto Mayise, the acting Chief Convention Bureau Officer of Durban KZN Convention Bureau, has made a big impact in the MICE tourism industry. With her relentless grit, she scaled Mount Kilimanjaro in 2019. The zealous leader continues to inspire countless people around her with her relentless determination and passion to excel.
“MS. SONTO HAS SUCCESSFULLY TAKEN SMEs TO global PLATFORMS TO exhibit THEIR SERVICES“
A world traveler and a career specialist, Ms. Sonto is a cut above the rest. Her academic background includes a Bachelor of Tourism, a Post Graduate Diploma in Recreation & Tourism, a Masters of Tourism, an MBA from Universitas Europea de Madrid (Spain), and various short-term courses. In addition to managing international relations, government relations, marketing & brand actives, and community relations, the versatile leader also has expertise in community outreach programs.
A Dynamic Leader
Ms. Sonto’s leadership brilliance sets her apart from others. Her current job is overseeing and spearheading four avenues – coordinating meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions to attract potential visitors to the KwaZulu-Natal Convention Bureau in Durban, which was established to promote meetings and business tourism in the province. Her high energy, creative thinking, and problem-solving style have enabled her to excel at these tasks. Outstanding relationship-building skills and a knack for identifying strategic partnership issues are her forte. Known for her stellar event organizing skills, Ms. Sonto has put KZN on the international map by bringing international events that showcase the province to tourists and investors alike. By hosting major international MICE events, such as the UN International Telecommunications Conference 2018, the BRICS Business Council 2018, the World Economic Forum on Africa 2017, and many more, she welcomed over 20,000 delegates to the province and contributed immensely to the province’s economy.
Raising Efforts to Empower Women
A pioneer in empowering women in the business events space (MICE), she has contributed significantly to empowering them to be global players in this industry. In her opinion, women today have more opportunities in the industry; thus, they need to break down barriers and encourage each other. In addition to providing training to SMEs, Ms. Sonto has successfully taken them to international platforms for market access and to demonstrate their services. This initiative has opened up jobs for previously disadvantaged women and SMEs in the province. As an effective leader, she is driven by two main principles — transparency and trust. In her role as a leader, she consistently operates with integrity as she is honest and open about the processes and operations.
Glorious Achievements
Ms. Sonto has received several awards for her work, including The Golden Globe Tiger Awards/The Future of Tech Congress and Awards 2020 for the Most Influential General Manager in MICE, Business Leader of the Year 2021 for The Outstanding Contribution to MICE Industry and The Most Influential Woman Leader in MICE Industry, and the recent awards at the World Leadership Congress and Awards. Moreover, the leader has earned the Convention Bureau a prestigious award – the Oliver Top Empowerment Award 2020 – in the public services category. Her career highlight was when she was awarded the Premier’s Discretionary Award in recognition of the value that she adds to the province and her contribution to Canadian GDP.
The Epitome of Benevolence
To foster a positive and more productive workplace, Ms. Sonto believes it makes business sense to operate sustainably. During the COVID-19 outbreak, she actively participated in various CSR activities to fight against the virus. The leader drew inspiration from her late mother, who loved everyone and always smiled no matter how hard she worked.
