THE HEART BEHIND HOSPITALITY

by Chelsey Hale

Since 1988, Dream Hotels & Resorts has remained rooted in hospitality, co-creating exceptional travel experiences for local and international guests across South Africa. However, as Director Nick Dickson explains, there came a time when the team felt called to align their operations with a deeper purpose.

“In 2022, we made the bold decision to move beyond what we had always done,” he says. “Accountability and empathy were the order of the day. We understood the time had come for us to operate as an impactful force using our network, skills, and knowledge to actively create a brighter future.”

This renewed vision meant making wiser, more responsible choices, sparking the birth of Touching Dreams in 2023, a registered non-profit designed to harness the collective power of South Africa’s tourism industry to drive impactful change.

Weston Dickson and Nick Dickson with industry professionals at the Think Tank event held at The Maslow Hotel Sandton.

“Two years on, Touching Dreams has achieved far more than we ever imagined,” Nick reflects. “Its rapid growth into a powerful force for good is thanks to the passionate individuals across our sector who’ve stepped forward to take decisive action. Touching Dreams isn’t just a Dream Hotels initiative. It exists now as a movement bringing the entire sector together to unite efforts in uplifting communities and preserving our natural spaces for generations to come.”

Touching Dreams marked a significant milestone on 7 July 2023 with the launch of its inaugural Hospitality Industry Think Tank. Building on that success, the event returned to The Maslow Hotel in Sandton in 2024 and again in 2025, each time growing in reach and impact.

Reflecting on the accelerated momentum, Natasha- Lee Shunmugam, Dream Hotels Talent Attraction & Engagement Lead, describes Touching Dreams as a movement of hope, collaboration, and transformation. “Our first and second Think Tank carried a ‘here we are, come join us’ sentiment,” she explains. “But our third event went a step further. It solidified our mission. This time, the message was bold and clear: We’re growing, let’s change this world together.”

Natasha-Lee Shunmugam with her fellow colleagues at the Think Tank event.

The audience taking in every word from the Think Tank panel.

Earmarked as a solution-driven summit, the 2025 Think Tank successfully united key stakeholders to address the sector’s most pressing challenges. “This edition welcomed influential leaders from all spheres of hospitality and was held in association with SATSA, TBCSA, FEDHASA, and VOASA,” she adds.

A major highlight of the day was the launch of the Think Big Academy, a fully funded, industry-wide learnership programme designed to empower young South Africans with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to shape their futures.

An inspiring panel featuring Michael Pownall (Valor Hospitality Partners – Africa & Middle East), Mokwena Morulane (Cresta Marakanelo Limited), Jameel Verjee (CityBlue Hotels) and Dave Milne (Peermont Hotels Casinos Resorts).

Jameel Verjee (CityBlue Hotels) and Dave Milne (Peermont Hotels Casinos Resorts). The Think Tank summit concluded with the Dream the Impossible Dream Gala Dinner, featuring performances by Jesse Clegg, up-and-coming South African band, Rubber Duc, the Wits Performing Arts team, and Moving into Dance. Also in its third year, the Gala continues to play a vital role in raising funds for Touching Dreams and its beneficiaries. Together, guests generously raised R180 000 to support these life-changing initiatives.

“The 2025 Gala Dinner was a perfect example of what Touching Dreams stands for: a celebration of possibility,” Natasha-Lee reflects. “The energy of the evening was electric and deeply felt, not just because we South Africans know how to create a great ‘vibe’. When we are called upon to come together, we take it seriously. We understand what is at stake and how much we can achieve when we unite with a shared vision. I believe we are witnessing a legacy being built here… one greater than we could have ever imagined when Touching Dreams was still just that – a dream waiting to be realised.”

The Dream the Impossible Dream Gala Dinner that was also held at The Maslow Hotel Sandton.

10-year-old Mzi Dlamini, who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy during his getaway at Blue Marlin All-Inclusive Seascape.

The Hospitality Industry Think Tank and Dream the Impossible Dream Gala Dinner was launched and led by Dream Hotels & Resorts’ specialised business unit, Art of Creation, headed by Chris Godenir, long-time Custodian of The Peninsula All-Suite Hotel.

“Art of Creation lies at the heart of our operations, grounding us in our mission through Touching Dreams and its fundraising efforts,” says Chris. “We’re incredibly proud of how the Think Tank has grown and how it deepens our partnership with Reach for a Dream. Together, we’re helping turn dreams into reality, creating life-changing experiences for children living with severe health conditions, while reminding us all that even in challenging times, light and possibility remain.”

Chris Godenir

Tonia Allan

Natasha-Lee Shunmugam

Touching Dreams beneficiaries and supported initiatives are carefully selected and supported by regional collaborative groups within Dream Hotels & Resorts. As of 2025, these include:

• Reach for a Dream Foundation
• Langkloof Orphanage Programme
• Endangered Wildlife Trust
• St Martin’s Diocesan Home for Children
• Juno Aurora Haven
• Christel House South Africa
• Zululand Rhino Conservation
• 360 Christmas Donations
• Culemborg Feeding Scheme
• SOS Children’s Village Christmas function
• Slipper Day
• Lilly Loompa

In 2024, Dream Hotels launched our new wine collection, Collaboráre, consisting of a red and white blend made exclusively for the group by award-winning winemaker Rikus Neethling. With its popularity in 2025, we are adding a rosé and bubbly to the family.

Wine has always brought people together, so it was fitting that the Collaboráre initiative sprang to life in 2024. With every glass or bottle sold, fifteen percent of the cost price feeds directly into Touching Dreams.

“What began as a conversation between several Dream Hotels leaders and Rikus quickly grew into something bigger,” explains Tonia Allan, Internal Communications Lead and L&D Team Specialist.

“As the Collaboráre concept took shape, our teams jumped on board to share ideas and hopes for the initiative, and even helped choose the name. This process was a true reflection of collaboration for the greater good, and the very essence of Touching Dreams.”

“Our partnership with Reach for a Dream sparked the idea of creating a soft, comforting Kamo the Chameleon toy that little Dreamers could take home as a keepsake,” says Gemma Linforth, Zululand Operations Lead at Dream Hotels & Resorts.

“Since the start of Touching Dreams, we’ve worked with Pietermaritzburg-based SME Wild Fig. Run by Natalie Botha and her team of local ladies, they handmake each Kamo toy, sold at our properties, with proceeds flowing back into Wild Fig and Touching Dreams.”

A local artisan proudly showcasing the handmade Kamo toys she created.

Kamo has since grown into a whole clan: Christmas Kamo, Beach Kamo, Berg Kamo, Safari Kamo, and even Scuba Kamo. “We’ve also introduced a cutlery and crockery range, a colour-in puzzle, and most recently, Kamo socks,” Gemma adds. “Guests and staff have joined in the fun too, sending photos of Kamo’s adventures, while Sadie, the daughter of one of our resort managers, has become one of Kamo’s biggest ambassadors, selling more toys than anyone else!”

Prominent South African writer David Bristow, who assisted in editing and publishing our Dream Diaries Volume I coffee table book, also helped bring Kamo to life through storytelling, creating a comic book series that chronicles Kamo and Sadie's adventures.

“I have a hardened environmentalist’s heart, but I was won over by the project and the Touching Dreams mission,” he admits. “From recycling with monkeys at Mjejane Bush Camp to beach clean-ups at the Blue Marlin Seascape, every tale encourages young ones and adults to see the world with joy, curiosity, and care. I hope the kids of the Xplorers Club and Dreamers visiting Dream Hotels properties enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.”

As for the next adventure? Kamo and Sadie are off to the Drakensberg to learn about Bushmen, Voortrekkers, and a very big bird, before heading down to Jozini in Zululand to ride Africa’s biggest waterslide and visit a rhino orphanage.

Considering the future of the project, Gemma hopes Kamo’s journey continues to inspire, with all proceeds supporting even more impactful initiatives. “Being part of Touching Dreams allows each of us the chance to make the world a little brighter and kinder… a place where children, just like my own, can live with the understanding that hope is something worth holding onto.”

All proceeds from the sales of both the Dream Diary Coffee Table Book and Kamo comic books go directly to supporting Touching Dreams. Be sure to pick up a copy on your next visit to a Dream Hotels property.

At its core, Touching Dreams is a testament to the power of collective effort with true intentions. Its rapid growth proves that when people move forward together, nothing can hold them back.

“When you witness something owned and run by a community, it’s deeply rewarding,” adds Nick. “From toys and wines to fundraising dinners and solution-driven summits, the scope of Touching Dreams is beyond what we imagined. It proves that simple ideas are often the most impactful, and that compassion and respect, when met with action, can change everything.”

Looking ahead, he explains that Touching Dreams remains an evolving process: “There is no neat conclusion yet, only an ongoing journey of trying, building, and experimenting with new ways to grow. What I do know is this: we will continue to break out of the limits of who we think we are and what we can achieve.”

Adding to this sentiment, Chris emphasises how Touching Dreams remains profoundly close to his heart: “It forms part of the legacy we want to leave behind, but also my own personal legacy and how I wish to be remembered,” he says.

“I want to ensure that the time I had on this earth was used well, and I believe the same can be said for all those who have supported Touching Dreams and its initiatives. The greatest and most enduring legacies are built not from what we gain, but from how we treat others.”