In few weeks time, Meetings Africa will reach a significant milestone when it’s held for the 15th time at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg between 25 and 26 February 2020.
That’s 15 years of consistently bringing key business tourism sector players under one roof to help African countries to collectively advance the tourism interests of our continent. The longevity of Meetings Africa, without a doubt one of the continent’s premier business events trade shows, is worth celebrating. It has been a journey marked by peerless vision of pushing to advance the interest of the continent, together.
Today, Meetings Africa has emerged as one the cornerstone events in South Africa’s MICE (Meetings, Incentive, Conferences and Exhibition) sector, commonly known as the meetings industry.
Over the years, the South Africa has hosted many high-profile events – such as the historic World Cup in 2010, World Aids Conference, COP 17, World Economic Forum – that have greatly enhanced the stature of South Africa in the eyes of the world. More importantly, these events contributed significantly to the country’s economic growth. In 2018, the Meetings Africa pointed out that business tourism contributed an astonishing R115 billion to the country’s economy, underlining an incontrovertible fact – business tourists spend more than leisure tourists; their money is commonly spent at hotels, conference centres, restaurants, country clubs and convention centres.
Consequently, the benefits of the MICE sector can be felt in many South African industries: healthcare, mining, academia, to name a few. In essence, the meetings industry is a key component of the knowledge economy since it facilitates the sharing of knowledge, collaboration and information dissemination.
Meetings Africa is no exception. It has enabled African decision-makers to keep abreast with what their counterparts in other parts of the world are doing, thereby lending one huge voice to a continent many rightly regard as dynamic and ripe for further growth.
Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo, the Chief Conventions Bureau Officer, knows full-well the importance of Meetings Africa and particularly delighted about the event’s 15th year milestone. “Meetings Africa is geared to enhance the collaboration between African countries and African associations so as to create more shared economic benefits for the continent’s MICE sector, it is where the world comes to buy Africa.”
For the 15th Meetings Africa, exhibitors from 17 African countries will take part. There will also be hundreds of buyers. One thing is clear: Meetings Africa lives up to its mission of making it possible for delegates to advance Africa together. Here’s to another 15 years of reaching even more milestones.
See you at Meetings Africa!
