The Only Conference Dedicated to Short-Term Rentals
SCALE South Africa is the only conference dedicated to property managers, hosts and agencies in the South African short-term rental industry.
Hosted by the South African Short-Term Rental Association (SASTRA), this 2-day event is designed to educate STR property investors, owners, hosts, managers and agencies looking to learn and meet peers and industry experts.
Meet the likes of Airbnb, Booking.com and the leading names across the region as we explore the latest trends and regulatory shifts.
Join over 200 attendees, international speakers, industry experts and essential service providers for 2 days of unmissable education and networking.
2024 Show
Why attend
Unrivalled Networking Opportunities
SCALE Shows focus on professional short-term rental property management companies and ambitious owners and hosts. You know you’ll be in a room with a highly relevant and experienced peer group to foster connections and collaborations. We only permit owners and managers to purchase attendee tickets.
High-Quality, Attendee-Driven Content
Uniquely, all SCALE Show curates content around key themes selected by attendees upon ticket registration. The conferences feature an extensive network of regional and global industry experts who deliver premium education relating to scaling a rental business. A core principle of any SCALE Show is that content sessions are dedicated purely to growth education, without sales pitches from vendors or speakers.
Affordable and Accessible
We keep our ticket prices affordable, making it more accessible to a wider range of property managers and individuals.
What to expect
All SCALE attendees can expect 1-2 days of top-notch education and unmissable networking with industry peers.
Education
One of the unique aspects of SCALE South Africa is its commitment to curating content based on attendee input. When you register, you’ll have the opportunity to vote on key themes. This ensures that the sessions address the most pressing challenges and opportunities faced by property managers looking to scale. Expect panel discussions, keynote presentations and workshops on topics crucial for scaling a rental business, including topics such as AI, automation, branding, direct booking strategies, exit strategies, guest experience, market data insights, owner relations, profitability, property acquisition, regulations and revenue management.
Networking
Meet over 200 highly ambitious industry experts and short-term rental professionals also looking to scale their businesses. You can expect a shared mindset of growth, innovation, and problem-solving. Expect several structured and informal networking opportunities throughout the day, including coffee breaks, lunch, and evening receptions or social events.
Who is it for
SCALE South Africa is specifically designed for a highly targeted audience within the short-term rental industry.
It is not a general travel or hospitality conference.
This event is for hosts and property managers who are aiming to grow their short-term rental operations, improve efficiency, increase inventory and enhance profitability.
Ambitious short-term rental property owners and hosts (Day 1)
Professional property management companies (Day 1 & Day 2)
Eligibility Requirements
29 July
All short-term rental property managers, owners and hosts
30 July
Professional property management companies (managing 10+ units)
The Venue
Lagoon Beach and Spa Hotel
Cape Town
Event Schedule
July 29
08:00
Doors Open & Networking
09:50
Day 1 Begins
17:00
Day 1 Finishes / Post-Show Drinks
July 30
08:00
Doors Open & Networking
09:50
Day 2 Begins
17:00
Day 2 Finishes / Post-Show Drinks
Event Agenda
Day 1
July 29, 2025
Day 2
July 30, 2025
09:50 - 10:00
Main Stage
Welcome
SCALE South Africa visionary Nick Taylor and SCALE Founder Damian Sheridan open proceedings with a short welcome to all attendees and introduction to proceedings for the day.
Speakers
10:00 - 10:30
Main Stage
Opening Address
Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, the Chairman of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) brings a wealth of experience in the strategic direction of all tourism activities in South Africa.
Speakers
10:30 - 11:00
Main Stage
The State of Play in SA
Insights from the 2025 Host Survey: An in-depth view into who hosts are, what there listings look like and how they benefit communities around them.
Speakers
11:00 - 11:30
The Mechanisms You Need to Handle Guest Screening, Breakages and Damages
Jan Wink from Incompass Insurance and Dean McLuckie from Just Be Lekker will discuss insurance and cover for guest breakages and damages. We know that AirBnB covers most damages, but what about bookings from other platforms? How do I cover myself, or my Owner for these issues? What is the worst situation that could possibly happen if I’m not screening guests?
Speakers
11:30 - 12:00
Coffee Break
12:00 - 13:00
Main Stage
How to Build a Short-Term Rental Business You Fully Control
Speakers
13:00 - 13:30
Main Stage
Get the Basics Right: Let's discuss Housekeeping and Core Operations (TBC)
Moderator
13:30 - 14:30
Lunch Break
14:30 - 15:00
Main Stage
10 Commandments for STR Property Management Success
Speakers
15:00 - 15:30
Main Stage
Referral Power: Keeping Guests, Building Trust Among Hosts
Creating awesome host that work together and not against each other; has guests returning to the area, satisfies their needs and makes the referring host front-of-mind. Identifying your network and incentivizing hosts to share referrals, is a win win for everyone
Speakers
15:30 - 16:00
Main Stage
TBC
09:50 - 10:00
Main Stage
Welcome
SCALE Founder Damian Sheridan and SASTRA founder/Propr Founder Chregan O’Flynn welcome to all attendees to day 2.
Speakers
10:00 - 10:30
Main Stage
The Role That STR’s Can Play in Supporting Growth in Tourism in South Africa
Lee-Anne is a Director in Advisory Services at BDO, where she leads the Management Advisory team. Lee-Anne specialises in providing strategic advisory services to clients in the private and public sector. She has specialist knowledge of, and skills in, the tourism, hospitality, leisure, property and related industry sectors. Lee-Anne’s team at BDO provide ongoing advisory service to the Minister of Tourism and SA Tourism. Her team is currently working on the development of the Johannesburg Tourism Strategy
10:30 - 11:00
Main Stage
How AI is changing search, and everything around us (TBC)
11:00 - 11:30
The Shift From Host to Business Owner and Removing Yourself From Operations
Ridhwaan reveals how he transitioned from hands-on hosting to running a high-performing Airbnb business as a remote operator. This keynote explores the mindset, systems, and team infrastructure needed to step back from the day-to-day while still scaling across multiple cities.
Speakers
11:30 - 12:00
Coffee Break
12:00 - 12:30
Main Stage
What Do We Know About Regulatory Changes in South Africa
South African STR Regulation : international trends influencing South African regulators, and what we can expect in South Africa in 2026. Miguel from SASTRA and Dr. Lavita, who is a UCT Property Law Professor, will also discuss how Property Law pertains to STR in SA.
Speakers
12:30 - 13:00
Main Stage
Economic Headwinds in Europe & the US, What's The Outlook For SA? (TBC)
The team from PriceLabs will discuss optimising pricing strategies for peaks and troughs in market supply and demand. This session will discuss the power of dynamic pricing, and how to be one step ahead of your competition.
Speakers
13:00 - 14:30
Lunch Break
14:30 - 15:00
Main Stage
TBC
15:00 - 15:30
Main Stage
TBC
15:30 - 16:00
Main Stage
What Role Can SASTRA Play For South African STR Operators (TBC)
Using examples of not only STR Associations globally, but also contextualising with other industries, Richard, Nick and Miguel will discuss why industry needs independent bodies and what SASTRA has achieved to date.
Speakers
Leading STR Tech & Services providers
In Collaboration with
Show Sponsors
Want to be part of the event? REACH OUT TO US
Ticket Options
R1600.
All Hosts, Property Owners, Managers & Agencies
What's included
Breakfast
Coffee
Lunch
Individual Host SASTRA membership (valued at R600 per annum)
R1600.
Property Managers & Agencies Managing 10+ Units
What's included
Breakfast
Coffee
Lunch
R2950.
Property Managers & Agencies Managing 10+ Units
What's included
Breakfast
Coffee
Lunch
SASTRA membership (valued at R1800 per annum)
Any questions? CONTACT US
2024 Reviews
Most Common Questions
I've never heard of SCALE South Africa. Is it new?
Not at all.
The inaugural SCALE South Africa took place in March 2024 in Cape Town. You can see photos, speaker details and the schedule here.
Due to its success we’re thrilled to partner with the SASTRA on delivering a bigger and better show for 2025.
Why is this any different?
SCALE events are strictly for short-term rental owners, hosts, managers and agencies. Service providers are not permitted to purchase tickets.
The SCALE team curates content around topics chosen by attendees during registration meaning all presentations and panel discussions are more relevant to attendees.
Education is at the heart of all SCALE Shows. Speakers are strictly not permitted to pitch services on stage meaning more engaging sessions.
Can I attend virtually?
Sorry, no.
SCALE South Africa is a live in-person event only.
I bought a ticket but my plans have changed. Can I get a refund?
In line with SCALE’s General Cancellation and Refund Policies, refunds are permitted within 7 days of ticket purchase.
If you are unable to attend the conference, we encourage you to transfer your ticket to a colleague, as this is the sole responsibility of the original ticket holder. Please email [email protected] with change request.
Where should I stay?
Who is hosting the event?
The 2025 conference is being hosted by SASTRA (South African Short-Term Rental Association).
Who or what is SASTRA and how can I contact them?
SASTRA is the South African Short-Term Rental Association
See more details at https://www.sastra.org.za
Still have questions? REACH OUT TO US