PAGE MARKET MEETSTRAP STELLENBOSCH NEWS
Beyond the boardroom: Stellenbosch reimagines business travel • In a reimagined business travel environment, business adapts to growing demand. • New environments, spaces and experiences unlock creativity for business travellers and lucrative opportunities for communities.
Stellenbosch is positioning itself as the business tourism destination of choice by harnessing new environments, spaces and experiences in a concerted effort to grow demand while adapting to new business models and opening up opportunities for communities to directly benefit from the potential of business travel.
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2019 ICCA (International Congress and Conference Association) Ranking Report stated that the number of international association conferences held in Africa had risen by more than 30 per cent and delegate attendance had increased by 20 per cent over the past decade, making the continent one of the biggest emerging business events marketplaces. As travel recovery continues, business tourism is a significant travel motivator for the domestic market. Visit Stellenbosch hosted a business travel conference on 23 and 24 June under the banner of ‘Meet Stellenbosch,’ bringing 20 Business Events Africa July 2022
together travel and event professionals and tourism stakeholders, representatives from Stellenbosch University, entrepreneurs and hospitality partners. During this two-day conference, a reimaged business travel landscape was discussed. The second day was dedicated to showcasing meeting and conferencing spaces as well as immersive tours to sample the destination’s activities and experiences. “We are positioning Stellenbosch as a business tourism destination of choice,” said Jeanneret Momberg, chief executive officer of Visit Stellenbosch. “Globally, research has shown that second-tier destinations are preferred for business
travel. Stellenbosch fits this bill perfectly, providing the perfect environment for business, leisure and bleisure travel. Stellenbosch was named one of the 100 most loved destinations in the world, showing our recognition on the world stage and is renowned for its scenic beauty, iconic food and wine scene, adventure, culture and heritage experiences.” “The definition of authentic travel is much debated, but let’s accept that it boils down to experiencing a destination like a local. We want to inspire visitors to stay longer, do more and visit us again — and this includes business travellers. There is a huge tourism potential we can unlock in www.businesseventsafrica.com
