I recently had the privilege of attending the African Boating Conference, and what an eye-opening experience it was.

I learnt so much about the boating industry as a whole and the ambitious plans in place to elevate it to greater heights in Africa. It was inspiring to be in a room with so many industry leaders, innovators and visionaries who all share a passion for growing boating not just as a leisure activity, but as a driver for tourism, jobs, skills development and economic growth.

For me, one of the proudest moments was seeing The Little Optimist being the centre of attention at the conference. In a space that is often focused on yachts, technology and business, we brought a different perspective towards boating – one that is centred on healing, hope, inclusion and transformation. It was a powerful reminder that boating is not just about boats, it’s about people.

We also got to learn about the exciting plans to elevate Durban as a key boating hub. The vision for Durban is big and promising, and it was exciting to see how collaboration across provinces can really put South Africa on the global boating map.

I left the conference feeling inspired, informed and more optimistic than ever about the future of our industry.

Anika, Intern