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MEETINGS AFRICA 2022
Restoring Bridges to be Better Together
Now in its 16th year, this premier Pan-African event, Meetings Africa 2022, will continue its theme of ‘Shared Minds. Shared Economies’. The key objective of this theme is to demonstrate how African tourism entrepreneurs continue to make strides in reaching economies of scale by leveraging shared resources.
Meetings Africa 2022 is a recovery tool for South Africa and Africa’s business events industry as its mandate is to host relevant exhibitors and buyers under one roof for meaningful business engagements.
In addition, the theme demonstrates how the African business events industry have applied the trend of ‘shared economies’ to their business models to achieve greater efficiencies, and how this has created a sustainable way of driving business growth in the sector.
The last successful edition of Meetings Africa was hosted in February 2020, days before the first case of Covid-19 was reported in South Africa.
The show is hosted by South African Tourism and is Africa’s premier business events tradeshow, which showcases Africa’s diverse offering of services and products, where African associations and African meetings industry professionals can partner to help transform the African continent.
Meetings Africa 2022 is a two-day trade show with a dedicated Educational Day and BONDay, to be held on 28 February, which is executed in conjunction with the key industry associations (SAACI, SITE, EXSA, Event Greening Forum and ICCA). The newest addition to BONDay is the MICE Masterclass, which will equip participating entrepreneurs with the tools and skills to confidently reenter the business industry space.
Here, meetings industry professionals partner to enhance our continent through business events and tourism offerings. Meetings Africa does not only promote and showcase South Africa and Africa as a destination that hosts world-class sporting events, conferences, exhibitions, meetings and incentives, but is also an invaluable platform where ideas are shared and innovation is encouraged and nurtured.
Meetings Africa 2022 continues building on the Shared Economies theme — with continued specific focus on regionalisation as a continental strategy, and how this enhances the positioning and value offering for the business events industry in Africa. When shared minds come together, we advance Africa.
With over 1,000 meetings already set up on the online diary system, Meetings Africa 2022 is set to remain true to its purpose of bringing together buyers and exhibitors and growing the business events industry on the continent.
South African Tourism acting chief executive officer, Themba Khumalo, said that although Meetings Africa 2022 has elements of a hybrid event, much of the physical gathering will go a long way to recapture the spirit that the pan-African trade show is known for. “It will have that human connection and I encourage everyone to be physically present at Meetings Africa. The time when we are facing adversity, there is a higher human instinct that digs deep and does not allow the barriers to stop us from doing what we need to do.”
He said that Meetings Africa provides stakeholders with the platform to begin the work of restoring the business events sector to profitability. Let us trade hard on the floor. If we take that attitude we will have the very best Meetings Africa we will ever have because of the spirit in which we do it.”
Meetings Africa the ‘engine room’ for the continent Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo, the Chief
Conventions Bureau Officer of the South African National Conventions Bureau, said that Meetings Africa 2022 will continue to play a central role in furthering business and boosting Africa’s economic development. “It is the engine room of our countries. Meetings Africa has become such an important platform for us to come together again. It might look different, but it is still the platform where Africa comes together and shows its offerings to the world.”
Ms Kotze-Nhlapo said that business events are at their most effective when people are able to meet in person. “We have the problem where corporates are not meeting physically. It is easy to hide behind cameras and pixels. But if you meet virtually, fewer innovative ideas are born. Through physical meetings, we can inspire our buyers.”
Making a return to Meetings Africa will be the Sustainability Village, the Future Leaders Forum, Speed Marketing and plenary discussions on various topics.
The newest addition to the Business Opportunities Networking Day (BONDay) is the MICE Masterclass, which will equip participating entrepreneurs with the tools and skills to confidently reenter the business industry space. Ms Kotze- Nhlapo said that with so many businesses shutting doors over the past two years, the entrepreneurs who remain will form the backbone of the MICE industry. “The masterclass will help existing businesses – and new entrants to the industry – to have real training and upskilling.”
Meetings Africa 2022
Hybrid Exhibition (Physical attendance of exhibitors and physical and virtual attendance of hosted buyers)
• Physical participation for all exhibitors.
• Physical participation for all global hosted buyers not impacted by travel bans.
• Virtual participation for buyers that are unable to travel including a hosting digital platform for virtual meetings.
• BonDay (Business Opportunities Networking Day) hosting a MICE Masterclass, Youth Educational Programme as well as SMME training programme.
• BonDay educationals (four sessions) to continue during the show.
• Welcome function taking place on 28 February 2022, focusing on buyerexhibitor engagements and delegate networking.
• Platform to leverage SA Tourism’s various marketing initiatives: Global brand film launch, Global brand advocacy, Welcome campaign, Speed marketing sessions, Sustainability Village and SMME market access.
• Post show buyer familiarisation trips to enhance destination profiling.
Who does it attract? The exhibition attracts buyers and visitors from around the world who are interested in doing business in South Africa and indeed the rest of the African continent.
BONDay Proven to be a key, unmissable event for anyone who would like to grow his or her business, BONDay (Business Opportunities Networking Day) has established itself as a prime business networking platform for both local and international businesses. The event is filled with endless opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals. Furthermore, you will be exposed to high-profile speakers and receive first-hand advice on how to advance your business growth. This is crucial for people who want to secure potential buyers and reap the benefits of success. The newest addition to BONDay is the MICE Masterclass.
Meetings Africa serves as the primary platform to enable the growth of South Africa, and the rest of the continent’s business events industry and ultimately contribute towards the continent’s economic growth.
Hosted buyers
• Applications received: 298
• Countries represented: 50
• Hosted buyer targets for 2022: 150
• Buyer Application officially opened on 17 January and applications are being assessed to ensure that good quality buyers are recruited. The vetting criteria for qualifying buyers is adapted for the current situation and the need for agility.
Countries represented (buyers)
• 50 Countries represented
• Top 10 Countries represented:
Australia 11
Brazil 7
Canada 8
Egypt 7
France 8
Germany 8
India 17
Poland 6
UK 17
USA 36
Key business events insights
The business events industry is a key driver for economic growth and development and is a catalyst for South Africa’s broader economic recovery, local employment reactivation and job creation. The hosting of business events is a key signal of business confidence across the economy. Business events have a symbiotic relationship with many other industries including airlines, hotels and venues, transport, catering, and cleaning. This means that our industry’s recovery is highly dependent on the simultaneous recovery of other enabling industries in the tourism and hospitality ecosystem.
Inclusivity
Meetings Africa creates an inclusive platform that includes the following initiatives:
• SMME pavilion which will host 24 business events SMME products.
• Sustainability Village – showcase of various authentic South African range of craft products.
• Youth dedicated programme – 50 delegates to participate from across South Africa (supported by Tourism Educators of SA Association (TESA) and IMEX Future Leaders Form).
• Women in Tourism prioritisation across all platforms.
• Isolation rooms onsite and at partner hotels will be investigated.
• The established standard operating procedure and incident intervention plan, with relevant communications will be deployed based on the differing levels of severity of onsite infection.
Diary System
Exhibitors at Meetings Africa 2022 will have access to the online appointment system, which enables them to preschedule meetings, maximising their time with our buyers.
Meetings Africa creates opportunities for African businesses in the events industry to connect and reinforce strategic partnerships.
Covid-19 Management Plan
• Meetings Africa will allow participation from both vaccinated and unvaccinated delegates, however, delegates who are not vaccinated, will be required to produce a daily PCR test result, conducted onsite.
• Full screening process will be followed at all activation points (BONDay, networking functions, etc.) including standard temperature checks and the completion of a declaration form and sanitising stations at every touch point.
• Onsite vaccination and testing.
• Medical officials will be placed at each entrance to monitor arrivals, and where applicable, symptomatic delegates will be escorted to a testing station/isolation room.
• Rapid testing will be conducted at registration points for non-vaccinated and symptomatic delegates only. SAT will only be responsible for the costs associated with hosted delegates and staff members, while all other delegates are responsible for their own costs of tests.
Business events more resilient than before
Kim Roberts, the national chairperson of the South African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI), said that Meetings Africa’s tag line of Advancing Africa Together is the key to regrowing the continent’s economy. “We have become more resilient, and our foundations are that much stronger. People are, once again, willing to participate and explore new ideas. Meetings Africa is the right environment to start those conversations again and encourage people to come back to the continent.”
Ms Roberts said that the business events industry is set to recover to its former health by 2023. “There is a lot of exciting movement in business. We can craft and create a business events sector that can contribute to the economy.”
‘Blended events’ = Virtual or hybrid events can act as a backstop but are in no way a replacement for in-person events and do not support local employment and cannot deliver the broader benefits of business events.
Highlights of Meetings Africa 2022
Masterclass at BONDay – MICE, youth and smmes
09H00-15H00
Sandton Convention Centre
Physical
Educationals Opening Plenary followed by 4 sessions on 1-2 March
15H30-17H00
Sandton Convention Centre
Physical
Welcome networking cocktails function
17H00-22H00
Sandton City – Mandela Square
Physical
Trade floor opening/Bell ringing and Global Film Campaign launch
09H00 -10H00
Sandton Convention Centre – Exhibition Hall 1
Physical
Exhibitions and Diary Management
10H00 -17H00
Sandton Convention Centre – Exhibition Hall 1
Physical
