Association News

THE AAXO ROAR AWARDS ANNOUNCES ITS 2019 WINNERS The ROAR Awards, in conjunction with EXSA’s EXSA-LLENCE Awards, were held on Friday, 31 January at the Gallagher Convention Centre under the umbrella of the Exhibition Industry Awards. The AAXO ROAR Awards aim to recognise and acknowledge merit in exhibition organisation, exhibitor participation and service excellence.

The annual exhibition industry gathering has become renowned for the opportunities that it offers for association members to network, celebrate their successes, be recognised through awards and raise the bar for the year ahead.

According to the event, the cast of sponsors for the evening were integral to the evening’s success. The ‘007’ theme was prominent because of the décor that was sponsored by Unlimited Events, as well as the audiovisual and staging that was sponsored by Brandex and EPH.

The event was hosted was the Gallagher Convention Centre and the menu was prepared by its catering team. In keeping with the theme, the team at Barmotion welcomed guests with cocktails on arrival and cappuccinos.

Scan Displays sponsored menus and programme table cards, and comedian Donavan Goliath — the MC for the evening — was sponsored by ExpoGuyskept. Guests dressed to fit the ‘007’ attire and arrived on a mission with the ‘licence to win’.

Over 370 guests attended, having registered on the EXBO reservation system. They were welcomed by registration staff sponsored by Provantage Proactive staffing. According to the event, the Exhibition Industry Awards was a “perfect gathering of the industry to celebrate the best of the best in 2019”.

The evening was captured on video and photo by the team sponsored by Orange Orbit. The winners’ moments were captured against the logo wall and registration desks were sponsored by GL Events. Additionally, the security team was sponsored by Lodge Security.

The AAXO 2019 ROAR Awards exhibition winners include: • 2019 Best Exhibition of the

Year — World Travel Market

Africa by Reed Exhibitions • Best Trade Exhibition under 6000 sqm — Africa Ports and

Rail Evolution by dmg events • Best Trade Exhibition 6001- 12 000 sqm — World Travel

Market by Reed Exhibitions • Best Trade Exhibition over 12 000 sqm — Africa Utility Week and

Powergen Africa by Clarion Events • Best Consumer Exhibition 6001- 12 000 sqm — MamaMagic Baby Expo Johannesburg

Winter by Exposure Marketing • Best Consumer Exhibition over 12 000 sqm — ComicCon

Africa by Reed Exhibitions • Best Trade and Consumer

Exhibition under 6000 sqm —

Design Joburg by Media 10 • Best Trade and Consumer

Exhibition 6001-12 000 sqm — FIBO Global Fitness Africa by Reed Exhibitions Best Trade and Consumer Exhibition over 12 000 sqm — Decorex Joburg by Reed Exhibitions Best Table Top Exhibition — International Luxury Travel Market by Reed Exhibitions Best Africa Bound Exhibition — Electra Mining Botswana by Specialised Exhibitions Best Social Media Campaign — ComicCon Africa by Reed Exhibitions Best industry member venue — Ticketpro Dome

The silent auction, which ran on the sponsored app by Necta, raised a total of R13 690. The items were donated by sponsors for the newly launched Industry Education Outreach Fund. This fund aims to provide grants to individuals who cannot afford to pay for the AAXO training programmes.

The awards have congratulated all of those who entered and “stood proud of their efforts in 2019. The industry salutes you, celebrates your success and will continually support you in your efforts for excellence.” Source: Media Update For more information, visit www.aaxo.co.za.

JOIN ICCA’S HOSTED BUYER GROUP AT IMEX FRANKFURT It is ICCA’s tradition to host a group of associations to visit the annual trade show, taking place from 12-14 May 2020. Being part of ICCA Hosted Buyer Group offers you the advantage of arranging your own individual appointments. They also invite you to attend the Association Day, a customdesigned education and networking sessions programme for international association executives taking place on the Monday before IMEX opens for business. To register your interest in joining the ICCA Hosted Buyer Group you can email Ksenija Polla, CMP. For more information visit www.iccaworld.org

SATSA OFFERS INSIGTFUL ADVICE FOR LOAD SHEDDING Eskom is faced by constrained power system challenges said to affect South Africa until substantial new power capacity is available, leading to what we know as ‘load shedding’ or stages in which controlled power outages take place. The highest level of load shedding announced in South Africa was Stage 6 in December 2019, scheduled over four-day periods for four hours at a time. In December SATSA offered business and leisure travellers advice for dealing with load shedding, and what to be aware of when these blackouts take place. Advice includes information on what is affected during load shedding,

such as WiFi and elevators, and why travellers should be proactive and prepared for when they take place. Thankfully your fully charged cell phone is not affected, says SATSA, adding that travellers can take advantage of the amazing outdoor activities South Africa has to offer. It is always a good idea to know when power cuts are due and to plan accordingly, as well as ensuring that petrol tanks are well-fuelled. To read SATSA’s FAQs about load shedding, or to find out more, visit www.satsa.com.