EDITOR’S COMMENT
A new year always means a new beginning. After nearly two years of much uncertainty due to the pandemic, The world andthe will continue do we so, are regardless. there seemskeeps to be spinning a sense that worst is overtoand all able to return to normalcy.
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t is almost as if we have been living in a fog, and now it is clearing. 2022 has certainly begun with renewed positivity. The outlook is good for our sector, but everyone is cautiously optimistic. I think that 2022 will be the year where we rebuild our foundations and 2023 is the year that we should see a significant bounce-back. If I think I sometimes s weback, approach the endwonder of year,how I am we gotcautiously through itoptimistic. all. To me,Personally, it feels likeI’m I was infeeling an 80samusic videoupbeat. filled with lots lot more ofThe smoke and nostalgia. Honestly, I believe business events industry is slowly it is resilience that kept ushibernation. going. Here emerging from anhas enforced we are, ready toseeing begin an again, and 2022 I am definitely increase in is
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physical events in all parts of the industry. It is fantastic to observe the different sectors in our industry starting up again. The past few weeks have been amazing. I’ve been following industry leaders on social platforms doing what they do best — be it exhibitions, incentives, conferences and events. The industry has been waiting for so long and all it took was a green light from government! After months of despair, finally there is renewed positivity in the industry. One big positive is that South Africa is now finally off most of the world’s travel red lists, including the UK. The recent Africa’s Travel and Tourism Summit (ATTS) alsoonset the scene for already beginning a high with the what come. If Africa. anything, I get the returnisoftoMeetings feeling that ourMeetings continent – theis continent The fact that Africa back of Africa – isonfinally realising after a year pause, makes its meown really strength in unity. Overtothe happy. I look forward thisyears, year’sAfrican show. countries always described looked to the other In the pasthave I’ve always event continents business as a reunionfor oftourism industryand players, and this events while, in certainly fact, its own African year’s show will be that for countries were overlooked. everyone — after two years of ‘all sorts’. It is platform no doubttoo, thatfor there are still isThere a great industry to a lot of together challenges, likeand airlift, visa come again reintroduce restrictions, ourselves andetc. our destination to hosted One of thevisitors. challenges addressed during buyers and ATTS that Meetings tourism/incentive and This isyear’s Africa has been conference/events packages in the identified as a recovery platform for past the
have always been geared the African to business European or events sector. American markets. If Meetings Africa 2022 we, Africans, wouldof continues its theme like to cater forShared our own African visitors ‘Shared Minds. we should package differently. Economies.’ The keyitobjective of this Over the few years,how ourAfrican industry theme is topast demonstrate leaders done lot of talking about businesshave events anda tourism entrepreneurs the issue to of make airlift strides within in ourreaching continent as continue well as the of issue of by visas within Africa economies scale leveraging sharedfor Africans, resources.I hope that ATTS has ignited a new African airlines look Thischapter, theme iswhere important, it highlights one at routes within continent and of new our greatest assets the in business events, finally break those barriers have the need to collaborate. Thewhich past two hindered Africa. years has travel seen awithin lot more collaboration Of course, we would all love to see between industry partners, locally and international delegates and tourists within the African continent. This has return to been our shores prevents probably one ofbut thewhat positives that us from exploring newthe markets within our has emerged from pandemic. continent? Theevents Covid-19 pandemic The business sector in Southhas taught that– we arethan ableever to collaborate Africa isusnow more – more aaligned, lot better if we keep theand more more connected communication streams resilient than ever before.open within our continent. The time is Africa now, Africa is for open We are ready! South is open for business and I am proudly African! business.
Irene
Email: gomesi@iafrica.com
Credit: Hein Liebetrau Credit: Hein Liebetrau
South Africa is open business Africa is open forforbusiness
