TOUCHING DREAMS: A YEAR OF PURPOSE

by Chelsey Hale

Over the past year, Touching Dreams has continued to prove that hospitality can be more than exceptional guest experiences. It can be a force for good, bringing people together around a shared purpose, and creating measurable change in the communities and natural environments that surround us.

“Good stories deserve a proper ending,” says Chris Godenir, Director of Touching Dreams. “This one isn’t quite an ending, but it’s the right place to pause, look back at the ground covered, and say honestly that something real has been built here.”

Created to harness the collective power of South Africa’s tourism and hospitality industry, Touching Dreams was built on one conviction: tourism must do more than operate in communities. It must uplift them. That principle has guided every project and partnership this year, from Langkloof Orphanage Programme and Reach for a Dream to Juno Aurora Haven, Christel House, and the Endangered Wildlife Trust.

“Although my name has been associated with Touching Dreams,” Chris notes, “the people who deserve recognition are the official Communication Ambassadors: Gemma Linforth, Melissa Terry, Natasha-Lee Shunmugam, Laura Rapson and Tonia Allan, in addition to every donor, volunteer, and partner who has given of their time and resources to make this work.”

Chris Godenir, Director of Touching Dreams.

Gemma Linforth, Dream Hotels & Resorts Regional Operations Lead and Ambassador.

Speaking from her personal experience, Gemma, Dream Hotels Regional Operations Lead and Ambassador, speaks plainly: “I feel incredibly proud to be part of this journey. We started as such a small entity, and year after year we’ve continued to evolve and strengthen our impact.”

In 2025, Touching Dreams achieved a total income of R1.668 million, with fundraising events bringing in R1.457 million and merchandise initiatives across hotels making up the balance. The numbers reflect an organisation that takes donor trust seriously.

What stands out to her is not only the scale of growth but the heart of it: “We’ve expanded while staying true to what matters most. There’s been a real focus on doing things better, on staying consistent, on keeping our mission at the centre. And it’s not just about Dream Hotels and Resorts anymore, we’re collaborating with companies and individuals from all around South Africa. That widening circle, that shared belief in what’s possible, is what makes this truly special.”

KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Hospitality Think Tank.

Speaking from her personal experience, Gemma, Dream Hotels Regional Operations Lead and Ambassador, speaks plainly: “I feel incredibly proud to be part of this journey. We started as such a small entity, and year after year we’ve continued to evolve and strengthen our impact.”

In 2025, Touching Dreams achieved a total income of R1.668 million, with fundraising events bringing in R1.457 million and merchandise initiatives across hotels making up the balance. The numbers reflect an organisation that takes donor trust seriously.

What stands out to her is not only the scale of growth but the heart of it: “We’ve expanded while staying true to what matters most. There’s been a real focus on doing things better, on staying consistent, on keeping our mission at the centre. And it’s not just about Dream Hotels and Resorts anymore, we’re collaborating with companies and individuals from all around South Africa. That widening circle, that shared belief in what’s possible, is what makes this truly special.”

Tonia Allan, Dream Hotels & Resorts Internal Communications Lead.

Natasha-Lee, Dream Hotels & Resorts Talent Attraction & Engagement Lead & Ambassador.

That human-centred approach found its most tangible expression in the Think Big Academy, launched in November 2025. Through a one-year programme delivered in partnership with the International Hotel School, YES, and the Boundless Group, 20 unemployed learners were welcomed into a structured development journey. The investment amounts to R120,000 per learner, and a total contribution of R2.4 million toward youth development. Learners have been placed at Dream Hotels and Resorts properties across the country, building real work experience alongside their studies.

For Natasha-Lee, Dream Hotels Talent Attraction & Engagement Lead and Ambassador, this is not charity. It’s investment. “It’s a sustainable initiative designed to break the cycle of unemployment, to help pull families out of poverty, and to give young people who may lack formal qualifications or prior work experience a genuine pathway into long-term careers,” she says.

The Academy remains the initiative closest to her heart: It gives individuals between 18 and 28 the chance to earn a monthly income, gain real practical work experience, and walk away with a paid qualification. But beyond the structure, it’s the stories that stay with me. The conversations. The hope. The shift in confidence. Seeing someone go from uncertainty to belief in their own future is something you don’t forget.”

Having engaged directly with candidates through the recruitment process, Natasha-Lee has witnessed the transformation firsthand. “I can see it happening in front of me. When you connect people to opportunity in the right way, you don’t just change their circumstances. You change their whole trajectory. You change what they believe is possible for themselves.”

For Melissa, Dream Hotels Finance Lead and Ambassador, Touching Dreams holds a special place in her heart. “Being part of this feels like being part of something far greater. It’s a shared belief that every young person deserves the chance to dream, to grow, and to thrive.” What fills her with deepest pride is watching the difference made in young lives.

“The progress we’ve made is not just measured in numbers, but in the light we see in the eyes of the youth, “ she says, treasuring the initiatives that bring the team closest to the young people they serve, like supporting Langkloof Village in the Berg. “I’ve visited twice this past year, and it’s soul food. The delight on those children’s faces is genuine and heartwarming. I leave thinking that if each one of us could commit to being 1% better each day, we could build a better future for everyone.”

Melissa Terry, Dream Hotels & Resorts Finance Lead & Ambassador.

This year also brought an important step forward in the organisation’s wider ambitions with a new website showcasing Touching Dreams breadth of work set to launch in June 2026. “We must ensure Touching Dreams is clearly and credibly positioned to help potential donors understand the impact of the work and how they can take action to help protect communities and natural environments,” says Laura, Communications Ambassador for Touching Dreams.

But technology alone doesn’t drive change. People do. And that’s why there’s a clear call to the industry: more hospitality partners are needed, not only for funding but for mentorship, training, employment pathways, and advocacy. It’s a message the Touching Dreams Ambassadors are carrying forward with conviction.

Laura Rapson, Touching Dreams Communications Ambassador.

“The invitation is simple,” Chris says. “Join us. Partner with us. Help build a future in which tourism uplifts the people and places that make it possible. Touching Dreams was not built from the outside looking in. It was built from within the hospitality sector, and its strength comes from businesses, properties, and people across the industry choosing to act together. Every new partner extends the reach of what’s possible, whether through funding, placements, merchandise, or simply spreading the story.”

The Ambassadors carry that vision forward with clarity. Gemma believes Touching Dreams has the potential to become “something really powerful and well recognised, not only in the hospitality industry.” Natasha-Lee sees a future of expanded opportunities, “strengthening the bridge between potential and opportunity, and creating spaces where people aren’t just supported, they’re empowered.” Melissa hopes Touching Dreams continues to grow its reach, “touching more lives with the same intentionality that has defined us, becoming a name synonymous with hope.” Tonia looks further still, to a Think Tank model that grows across all provinces and eventually attracts the attention of government.

None of that is wishful thinking. It’s a reasonable read of the trajectory.

Touching Dreams is not standing still. It’s growing with intention, building partnerships with purpose, and investing in the leaders South Africa’s tourism industry will need. The work is real. The impact is measurable. The stories are human. And as this chapter closes, the most honest thing to say is this: something real has been built here. Something that matters. And the most exciting part of the story is still ahead.

Touching Dreams is a registered non-profit company, NPC Reg No. 2021/875826/08. To donate or enquire about becoming a hospitality partner, visit the new website at touchingdreams.co.za.

Gauteng Tourism and Hospitality Think Tank held at The Maslow Sandton.