Meetings SA May/June 2011 by 3S Media

SOUTH AFRICA – AN EXCEPTIONAL CONVENTION DESTINATION

Inspired locations & unmatched experiences

Fairmont Zimbali Lodge & Resort

The KZN transformation • Event safety – comply or die • GIBTM report back

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ISSUE 37 May/June 2011

M O Z A M B I Q U E

C ontents Cover Story Inspired locations and unmatched experiences 4

Fairmont Zimbali Lodge & Resort

Industry Insight GIBTM 2011 report back

Stephanie Moss checks in from the Middle East’s leading MICE and business travel event

AIPC column

Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre

Edgar Hirt shares compelling logic why centre-organiser collaboration is crucial to the sustainability equation

Party planning doesn’t live here anymore Amanda Rogaly CMP puts the business of events and promo management up there where it belongs

The spotlight on EXSA Taking stock with association chair, Natalie Naude

Talking Points Observing exhibitors’ opinions, MSA casts its focus back to this year’s Meetings Africa

Thebe column Carol Weaving upholds the mantra to reinvent, reinvent, reinvent

Newcomer at Aquila Private Game Reserve

Product News Hot topics in business tourism news revealed Showcasing the latest developments in MICE products and service offering

Meeting Places Accelerated sustainability measures 20

ICC Durban venue showcase profile

First-class ticket to authentic discoveries

Taj Cape Town venue showcase profile

Flexible, professional and service oriented

The Taj Cape Town

CSIR International Convention Centre venue showcase profile

Entering an unparalleled dimension Coastlands Hotels & Resorts venue showcase profile

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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C ontents Regional focus Zoning in on KwaZulu-Natal and Durban’s eternal sunshine

A focus on coastal and cruising venues Host your next meeting down by the waterside

Food for thought A focus on restaurants diversifying to accommodate conferences and events

Event Management Buttress Conference and Exhibition Centre

Event Showcase 3S Media celebrates half a century in business at the Birchwood Hotel

Expovent Evolutions South Africa Products and services showcase profile

Curtain raiser or crowd killer? A focus on event entertainment and the best ways to source the best

Conform or fold in 2011

The KZN experience

Working together with the experts to encourage compliance with event safety regulations

Corporate Gifts & Promotional Items

Reward & Develop USB Speakers Corner Michael Jackson sets out the essential steps for a faultless social media strategy

Regulars

38 2

Coastal and waterfront conference venues

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

Editor’s comment Subscribe & WIN Join the SA Conference community online Who’s who? People on the move Coming up Looking back Events diary Index to advertisers

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Keeping things hot in Durban Publisher Elizabeth Shorten Editor Abby Wintgens abby@3smedia.co.za +27 (0)11 233-2601

Creative chief executive Frédérick Danton Chief sub-editor Sally Shaw Sub-editor Danielle Hugo Contributor Claire Renken Marketing Natalie Nelson Production manager Antois-Leigh Visagie Financial manager Andrew Lobban Administration Tonya Hebenton Distribution manager Nomsa Masina Subscription sales Cindy Cloete cindy@3smedia.co.za

Distribution coordinator Asha Pursotham Advertising sales Caroline Martin +27 (0)11 454 6051/2 +27 (0)72 235 5725 caroline@pinpoint.co.za Meetings SA May/June 2011 © Copyright. All rights reserved 2009

No. 4, 5th Avenue, Rivonia, Johannesburg PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117, South Africa Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 Fax: +27 (0)11 234 7274/75 www.3Smedia.co.za Annual subscription: R225.00 (incl. VAT) ISSN 1684-9264 NOTICE OF RIGHTS Meetings SA is published bi-monthly by 3S Media. This publication, its form and contents vests in 3S Media, January 2008. All rights reserved. No part of this book, including cover and interior designs, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation and compilation of this publication, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions, completeness or accuracy of its contents, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. While every effort has been taken to ensure that no copyright or copyright issues is/are infringed, 3S Media, its directors, publisher, officers and employees cannot be held responsible and consequently disclaim any liability for any loss, liability damage, direct or consequential of whatsoever nature and howsoever arising.

s the city of Durban anxiously 10, and how planning and management awaits Indaba delegates on 7 have emerged as vital to the marketing mix. May, my team and I too are Of course, we’re zoning in on KwaZulueagerly looking forward to meeting Natal and Durban in a big way on page with old friends and new. 38 and onwards, focusing on all the new The hosting of the Indaba in Durban, venues and incentive developments once again, is one of the upshots of available within the province and city, as the Durban KwaZuluwell as all that’s new at Natal Convention some of the industry’s Oops, we’re sorry Bureau continually all time old favourites. fulfilling its role as And since today, in promoter of the the modern economy, business tourism it is no longer enough potential of this simply to have a destination. In website and e-mail, addition, the Michael Jackson – SA’s newly developed best-known businessBeachfront to-business speaker In the article Switched on... and getting Promenade has put – uncovers how to the most out of event technology (March/ the zing back into use social media to April Meetings SA) we captioned the Durban’s famous your best business above image incorrectly. Apologies to the Golden Mile. Here advantage in our USB supplier concerned, as the caption should delegates will be Speakers Corner. Turn have read ‘Large screens and exciting enticed to venture to page 70 for the full lighting by Sound Stylists add the wow on to the wide article. effect to the TWP Striking Silver event’. walkway that takes So, from doing Indaba you easily from in the brightest and the Moses Mabhida best way possible, to Stadium area right down to Ushaka sitting back a while to take in the wealth of Marine Park. You can walk, jog or cycle information and opportunities Meetings SA safely from one end to the other, presents, I wish you energetic months of stopping for a drink and snack on the business tourism happenings in May way at any one of the newly opened and June. restaurants, or simply take in the now beautiful panoramic view since the removal of the old and tired buildings that once spoilt the view. Will we see you at Indaba? Put us on your itinerary, or simply pop on over to Abby Wintgens stand number ICCI001 in ICC Hall 3, for Editor, Meetings SA a quick catch up with Meetings SA and the SA Conference products. In our May/June issue, also available at the Indaba, Meetings SA features on page 6 Stephanie Moss’ first-hand experience of GIBTM 2011 which was held recently at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Just in time for Markex World of Events, marketing and promotions guru, Amanda Rogaly, from Kadoro Events and Communications, shares fantastic insight into event and promotion conceptualisation on page

On the cover: Fairmont Zimbali Lodge & Resort Bottom left: The Durban beachfront Middle: Event safety and security Right: The Yas Hotel – Abu Dhabi

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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Inspired locations Fairmont Zimbali Lodge & Resort Travel is a powerful incentive: it’s all about the experience. From the destination chosen to the accommodation, dining, entertainment and cultural activities undertaken, it is vital that the experience is memorable all round.

he stature and poise of Fairmont’s grand hotels and resorts, in addition to the thoughtful, personalised service they afford, make the Fairmont Zimbali Lodge & Resort perfect options for rewarding outstanding individuals. Located on the east coast of KwaZuluNatal, these two premier seaside destinations – the urban masterpiece of Fairmont Zimbali Resort and the breathtaking Fairmont Zimbali Lodge – sit between the stunning Indian Ocean coastline and an exquisite bush and forest eco-estate, providing unmatched experiences. Fairmont Zimbali Resort is defined by its

metropolitan flair, enhanced by rich Zulu roots. With 154 rooms, a selection of nine food and beverage offerings, conference facilities for up to 300 delegates, a business services centre, the fully supervised Y-Univers Kids Club, a health club and the breathtaking international Willow Stream Spa, guests will be left with memories beyond their deepest imaginations. Fairmont Zimbali Lodge is set within an abundant forest canopy and is authentically African in its natural ambience. With 76 rooms, the choice of four food and beverage experiences, conference facilities for up to 90 delegates, a business services

centre, pampering treatments at the spa, the valley of the pools and the Beach Club, guests will be treated to the most indulgent charm.

Unmatched dining experiences At Fairmont Zimbali Lodge guests can enjoy premium dining at the following three select outlets: • Thandi, an exclusive restaurant and gourmet destination with a comprehensive wine list to match, has been designed to offer guests a unique dining experience. • The Palm Terrace Pool Deck, set on the

The main pool at Fairmont Zimbali Resort

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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Zimbali Country Club Golf Course

most breathtaking viewpoint within the lodge, is a unique venue for contemporary alfresco dining and chilling out on balmy afternoons in the sun. • Trophy Bar, designed to take advantage of the spectacular views on offer, invites guests to enjoy cocktails, South African wines and a selection of fine Cuban cigars. At Fairmont Zimbali Resort a further selection of world-class outlets is on offer: • 31 degrees, an upscale lobby-type cocktail lounge, serves perfect cocktails that are inspired by both the bar and the kitchen,

Entertainment options at Fairmont Zimbali Lodge & Resort (POA) Cabaret dancers Comedian DJ Fire dancers Guitarist Jazz band

Pantsula dancers Pianist

Saxophonist String quartet

and grills. Makhaza is the quintessential beach bar, where guests can enjoy creative cocktails. • OSA, with its upscale, themed menus, is an innovative South African steakhouse serving prime local grain-fed cuts, wet-aged to perfection and paired with stunning wines from its Diner’s Club International Diamond Wine awardwinning collection. • Vinum, a contemporary South African wine and cocktail bar, boasts eclectic flavours and an eccentric vibe. Here guests can enjoy pre-dinner drinks before dining in OSA, or savour a wide selection of wines by the glass during wine pairing evenings. • Bite, a poolside dining and cocktail venue, serves Ballito’s best burgers and casual snacks.

Zulu choir

Magician

Violinist

Marimba band

Zulu dancers

making use of local, fresh ingredients. • Dalchini, an upscale tea lounge, specialises in Indian and African afternoon tea experiences that are infused with local inspirations. • Coral Tree, offering all-day dining in an elegant yet comfortable atmosphere, serves the best breakfast buffet on the North Coast. The restaurant also specialises in themed dinner buffets and international à la carte menus. • The Ayoba and Makhaza beach bars at the Beach Club serve light lunches and casual open-air dinners. Ayoba is known for its homemade, thin-crust pizza, done to perfection in a wood-burning pizza oven, as well as for its Mediterranean tapas

Themed dinners

On-site excitement and external delights With the wide variety of on-property recreational facilities and the wealth of activities on offer in the immediate vicinity, both properties are perfect destinations for incentive groups. Experience a magnificent round on the Tom Weiskopf-designed, championship 18-hole golf course, spend the day on sun-drenched beaches, indulge in relaxation and rejuvenation for the mind and body or spend time navigating a serene forest trail, all within the sub-tropical wonderland that is Fairmont Zimbali Resort and Fairmont Zimbali Lodge. Here guests are never without something to do, with nearby recreational highlights such as game reserves and safari lodges with Big Five game viewing, the majestic Drakensberg Mountains, historical battlefields, uShaka Marine World – a water theme park and aquarium, local Zulu cultural experiences,

Vinum, a contemporary South African wine and cocktail bar

endless expanses of pristine swimming beaches and land- as well as water-based dolphin watching, to name but a few. Choose luxurious surroundings set in extraordinary locations for your next corporate incentive programme or executive group getaway. Whisk leading employees, clients or guests away to Fairmont Zimbali Lodge & Resort for experiences they will long cherish.

Tel: +27 (0)32 538 5000 Fax: +27 (0)32 538 5001 Zimbali.sales@fairmont.com www.fairmont.com/zimbaliresort or www. fairmont.com/zimbalilodge

Coral Tree, which serves the best breakfast buffet on the North Coast

With a wide variety of venues for private dining and banqueting, groups will be spoilt for choice at Fairmont Zimbali Lodge & Resort. Some of the more standard themes on offer include the nautical-themed dinner, the pearly shell-themed dinner, the African experience-themed dinner and the majestic ball-themed dinner. In addition, custom themes are easily accommodated and can be quoted on. In each issue, Meetings SA offers advertisers the opportunity to promote their company’s products and services to an appropriate audience by booking the prime position of the front cover, which includes a two-page feature article. The magazine offers advertisers an ideal platform to ensure maximum exposure for their brand. Please call Caroline Martin on +27 (0)11 454 6051/2 to secure your booking.

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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GIBTM 2011 report back

GIBTM, which was held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, is fast establishing itself as the ‘event of the year’ for the rapidly developing Middle Eastern meetings and incentives industry. by Stephanie Moss

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

s with most international exhibitions, the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (GIBTM) showcases international meetings and incentive suppliers from destination marketing organisations, tour operators, national convention bureaus, hotels and hotel groups, as well as destination management companies representing the Gulf region, South and Southeast Asia, Europe, North Africa and beyond.

The expo covered a good wide and spread of the sectors represented within the business tourism industry, including: • airlines • destination management companies • venues and hotels • wellness resorts and health spas • media and industry publications • PCOs • trade associations. The event took place at the über-super Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), which is undeniably the most modern exhibition centre in the world, with its 12 state-of-the-art fully connected exhibition halls, an atrium and the concourse making up 73 000 m2 of event space. An interesting and unique novelty at ADNEC is its ‘trial project’. This a robot that assists visitors at the centre, providing them with information. It also guides visitors to stands and key locations within the venue via a motorised head with vision, face-tracking and recognition functions. As one would imagine with any Reed Exhibitions organised event, the arrangements were slick and chic. Though vastly smaller than its European and American counterparts, I believe this show has legs and will in future encompass further interest from the Europe and Asia regions, and may in fact become hailed in the league of AIME, EIBTM and AIBTM, among others. One fantastic thing I noted regarding the event, in comparison to its European counterpart, is that everything is new in this part of the world. It is all luxurious, from the Etihad airline and the quick and efficient passport control and biometrix procedure on site at the airport, to the limousine transfer to the five-star hotel.

GIBTM at large It was interesting that the Asian countries, including Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, were incredibly well represented at the exhibition. In addition, given the myriad hotels and hotel groups in the Middle East, attending GIBTM 2011 has given me a far greater understanding of the true scope and size of the hospitality and conference market in the Middle East.

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Noticeably, for the first time, four of the leading cruise lines participated in the 2011 exhibition. These included Costa Cruises, Silversea Cruises, MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. As all cruise companies I spoke to reiterated, cruising is ‘the new’ travel option and is becoming widely accepted as an important form of employee incentive travel or a client hospitality option, as well as the ideal leisure holiday choice, with highly competitive, allinclusive pricing. State rooms starting as low as US$90 (approximately R600) per person per day, including all meals and entertainment, make cruising a ‘no brainer’. Seven-night cruises from Abu Dhabi and Dubai give guests an unforgettable experience of Arabia. An added bonus is that MICE clients are able to combine meetings with short break holidays, and delegates get to explore multiple destinations seamlessly. Cruise ships come into the region on a variety of routes, including from Singapore, Monte Carlo, Seychelles, Mauritius and Greece.

Professional education programme GITBM’s professional education programme topped 300 attendees, which is nearly double the amount of participants in 2010, making it

the largest Middle East education gathering of industry professionals. Some of the distinguished speakers at this year’s education sessions included Sally Greenhill from The Right Solution and Rob Nicolas of Meetme, presenting research undertaken by GIBTM into the Middle Eastern MICE market. Rebecca Saunders of Sustainable Events undertook an interactive workshop, providing an overview of practical sustainability that can be implemented to enhance organisational efficiency. Joyce Dodniez, director of development at Meeting Professionals International, examined the business value of meetings and events. Her findings included research from the following reliable sources: Harvard Business Review, Oxford Economics, Forbes and MPI, among others. Dodniez made the business case for the profitability of face-to-face gatherings through meetings, incentives and events. Further adding to the remarkable education programme, John Quinn of Satellite Communications covered the topical issue of social media and five crucial tips for this. Other appealing sessions included a lively panel debate focusing on ‘what is happening in the world of meetings’, as well as an assembly on sustainability reporting and how to start monitoring and measuring the impact of an event.

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behold and I believe it’s already ranked among the top 50 courses in the world. It is simply amazing to see what big budgets can buy. Saadiyat Island is the ‘neighbouring’ island, joined to Yas by high-tech bridges, and there are big plans for this island, including the Saadiyat Cultural District, which is set to become an internationally renowned arts hub featuring the Zayed National Museum, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Performing Arts Centre. Saadiyat is positioned to become a desirable international flagship for Abu Dhabi and a treasure for the world. All in all Abu Dhabi is a cosmopolitan city with urban architecture, lush green gardens and fountains, bursting with dazzling businesscum-leisure facilities, luxurious hotels, spas, designer golf courses, theatres and very soon, some of the world’s most famous museums. The palace-like shopping malls and indigenous souqs in Abu Dhabi make for great shopping, while gastronomic treats abound from cool and sophisticated cafes, clubs and restaurants. The exhibition was certainly worth attending to connect and re-acquaint with regional and international suppliers. Taking into account the huge plans for the area I found it well worthwhile to get up close and personal with so many companies that are leaders in their fields in the Gulf region as it can only be useful to have a network as such up and running for the future.

Yas Island

GIBTM GIBTM 2011 attracted over 2 100 visitors and buyers, which is an 11% increase on last year’s figures. It also saw a 20% increase in exhibitor numbers, totalling 275, with nearly 20 international countries participating in this year’s show. These unaudited figures demonstrate not only the great success of the 2011 show, but also the growing interest in the Middle East meetings industry. Source: www.gibtm.com

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

I stayed on Yas Island, a mere 50 minutes from Dubai. The island is around 20 minutes from ADNEC and is in the early stages of development. Yas is part of the government’s ambitious strategy to develop tourism in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. It is home to the unbelievable new Formula 1 racing circuit and the Yas hotel, plus another six. Ferrari World has recently been completed and offers an amazing F1 experience for the whole family – it’s put together brilliantly. The new Links Golf Course on Yas Island is also something to

About the author Stephanie Moss is the MD of Stephanie Moss Solutions, a leading provider of stylish events and incentive solutions to corporate South Africa. For more than 17 years now, her Bryanston-based company has honed its skills in the delivery of unparalleled events, conferences and incentives. Get in touch with Stephanie on +27 (0)11 706 3242 or stephanie@solutionsgroup.co.za. Alternatively, visit www.solutionsgroup.co.za for more information.

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Getting greener together The drive towards sustainability was not seriously deflected by the global recession, strongly suggesting that it is here to stay. AIPC president Edgar Hirt looks at the greener future of meetings and conventions.

he industry will definitely be affected by sustainability measures, not only because of the effects of meetings and conventions themselves, but also because they often involve long-distance travel by delegates, which itself is a target for environmental advocates. And when sustainability concerns are combined with the lingering economic effects left over from the recession, we get situations like those now being experienced in many areas – most notably the US and the UK – where cash-strapped governments are targeting reductions in meetings as a way of addressing both their financial and sustainability concerns. In such circumstances, it helps to be able to demonstrate that those most directly involved in staging major events such as conventions and congresses – event organisers on the one hand and convention centres on the other – are doing everything they can to minimise those sustainability impacts that they can actually control. This is clearly an area where both groups need to work together, yet a recent survey of AIPC members indicated that while more than 85% of centres had developed policies and programmes to support more sustainable meetings, only 5% said this had proven to be a ‘significant factor’ in the client decision, with a further 40% saying it was a ‘modest’ decision factor. These are hardly numbers to inspire facility managers, yet centres continue to lead the way in developing green programming. In a sense, it is reasonable that centres should be more aggressive in the greening of meetings, as they have a number of different pressures to respond to. Centres are most often owned by governments, whose own policies encourage environmental sustainability. They are also accountable to their respective communities, who typically want to see centres behave in a sustainable manner, and are subject to local and

national building codes, many of which have very specific sustainability requirements, particularly for new buildings. But the fact that centres have had to respond to these various audiences by

Things are changing in a way that makes it easier

and more costeffective than ever before to mount a sustainable event programme creating better facilities and practices should be seen as an opportunity by planners and the organisations they represent. It means that the raw materials for creating a more sustainable event programme are readily at hand and available from the host facility, instead of requiring a lot of initiative by the organisers themselves.

few years ago are now becoming simply a fact of life, particularly in newer facilities where the design has been configured to accommodate them more efficiently. The bottom line is that things are changing in a way that makes it easier and more cost-effective than ever before to mount a sustainable event programme – and many of the necessary resources are readily available through the host convention centre. It remains for centres and organisers to revisit the sustainability question together in the interest of having everyone pulling in the same direction and showing why the meetings industry is one of the most responsible when it comes to managing environmental impacts.

A collaborative effort Developing a zero-waste or energy-efficient programme can be a real challenge for organisers who are entering a community without any real idea of what resources are available or what costs may be involved. But when the centre itself can supply the framework for a more sustainable programme it relieves planners of a lot of work and uncertainty, making it much easier to do what most of their members would like to see them doing. The cost factor, which is often a concern associated with creating a more sustainable programme, is also changing. With many sustainability initiatives now ‘embedded’ in the facilities and operating programmes of convention centres, costs can be spread over a wider business base and can even help lower operating costs for the centre itself. The result is that green programmes that might have been more costly even a

About the author Edgar Hirt is the president of the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) and the managing director of Congress Center Hamburg. AIPC is the pre-eminent international association of convention centres, with the mission of encouraging, supporting and recognising excellence in centre management. For more information, e-mail marianne.de.raay@aipc.org or visit www.aipc.org.

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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The party's over But a bigger one’s about to start Event and promotion conceptualisation have emerged as vital to the marketing mix, and the ability to operate on a strategic level has become the key differentiator for industry players. by Amanda Rogaly CMP

usinesses that ride out downturns and succeed across all market cycles have an uncompromising attitude to tough times. Others may be laid low, but this is their chance to grow. A winning mentality is now coming through in the events industry. Those who beat the recession are stronger, more professional and better equipped than ever before for long-haul success. Our industry has changed for good. After a two-year shake-out, not even the biggest sceptic now regards our sector as ‘party planning with pretensions’. It is no longer a second string on a good caterer’s bow. That ‘party’ is over; the real work has now begun. If there is one ‘secret’ of success in the post-recession economy, it is the proven capacity to create promotions that make a measurable contribution to overall brand or corporate strategies.

A place on the strat team Being positioned as the go-to company for strategic value-add is top of the wish-list for the real professionals. You know you are getting there when brands call you in at inception: when strategy is being formulated and all options are open. At that stage you are working on ideas, deas de as, not table settings, meaning that the willingness to work as an ideas factory ry alongside other contributors is crucial. al. An A-to-Z contribution is demanded: d: you are not only expected to know your own discipline, but also the potentiall for synergies with the PR effort and thee aad d campaign. A view is also expected on n the ease of concept transfer onto the new easy-to-navigate, consumer friendly web pages coming on stream in the client’s business. A successful events professional is also

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

a pragmatist. The one-person specialist boutique either transitions to this new reality or faces growing marginalisation. There are compensations. You may no longer enjoy the freedom of the go-italone individualist, but the potential for personal and business growth is huge. On one level, an events specialist remains an external service provider, but after taking the leap into work on major brandbuilding campaigns, a place on the strat team is on offer. You must respect the big picture and operate synergistically with other disciplines in a multimedia strategy that might involve promotions, PR, advertising and digital formats. With global brands you will also be expected to conform to international themes and deliver to world standards while optimising the special opportunities unique to the South African market. Guests may be eating out for free, but for the events professional there is no free lunch. Every element in post-recession marketing campaigns is measured and must pay its way.

Solid ROI is key Today, solid ROI has to be demonstrated across every aspect of the project spec, and this involves more than the ability to deliver delilive de verr competitive comp co mpet etit itiv ivee prices. pric pr ices es. In today’s ttod oday ay’s ’s events marketplace, strong eventts markkettpllace, t relationships with

other suppliers and contractors in the field are a necessity. Putting together a cost-efficient package should be a core competence. Measurement against ad spend and the PR budget, among others, is vital and exceptional bang for the client’s buck has to be evident. This means coming up with new ideas, deploying new technology when appropriate and consistently delivering the wow factor. In 2011, speed off the ground has also become important. Within the strategic framework it is common to find shortterm tactics to blunt competitor activity that might have become evident only a few days before. Market adversaries now have one important attribute in common – a sense of urgency. Post-recession clients no longer assume that growth can be automatically achieved by simply taking their usual slice of a growing pie. Most corporate strategists expect continued market volatility and periods of no or low growth. Doing well in such an environment means nibbling at your competitor’s slice of the pie while guarding your own. In recent months we have seen numerous examples of promotional teams

Respect the big picture; operate synergistically with other disciplines in a multimedia strategy suddenly sudd su dden enly ly dominating a public space: perhaps perha an air or train terminal, a shopping mall, a sporting venue or a sho university campus. u Awareness-raising and product demos become an in-your-face de blitz designed to grab attention, d

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headlines and perhaps a chunk of a competitor’s core business. Clients look to enrich the brand experience at every consumer touchpoint, which means promotions increasingly operate on a go-anywhere-anytime platform. In 2011, every business is brand centric and employees are increasingly expected to exhibit behaviour and responses that reflect brand values. One result is the growth of promotional or brand-led activities inside organisations, which go way beyond a statement from the marketing boss in the company newsletter. Internal promotions, competitions, happenings and incentive programmes become key focus areas and alignment with external campaigns has to be seamless. Living the brand promise on the inside may be a major trend, but the consumer is still king, and these days has the power to drive a lot of the communication – whether desired or not.

Viral campaigns Today many viral brand awareness efforts are structured to encourage consumer comment, voting or other forms of input. These promotions can be driven by video clips, images, text messages, competition entries and interactive games – you name it; although the consumer usually has the last word. An important target demographic has become consumers with high social networking potential (SNP), as they can drive communication for you. Huge awareness can be achieved overnight simply because certain content or ideas are seen as ‘cool’ or ‘hot’ and must be shared. Photographs and video footage of promotions, activations and other interventions are now fed by clients into their social media streams on sites such as Facebook and Twitter. An event’s look, the underlying concept, the entertainment, the event management, the consumer involvement and the delivery of the desired results can now be scrutinised in real time by millions of consumers – so that event had better be good. And remember, any slip-ups can also be streamed by social media to the same audience of millions. The media mix widens all the time and competitions and consumer engagement via SMS and instant messaging can also be expected to come into greater focus in the year ahead. But the big events About the author industry themes going Amanda Rogaly CMP is the forward are the increased managing director and owner of need for professionalism Kadoro Events & Communications. – including professional She holds the internationally qualifications – and the recognised Certified Meetings ability to function as a Professional qualification and strategic contributor to is a long-time advocate of brand awareness. absolute professionalism and Essentially, industry world best practice in SA’s professionals face a events industry. This year Kadoro the was recognised as one of positioning challenge: South Africa’s Top Empowered suppliers add cost; strategic Companies, and it was recently contributors add value. With nominated as one of SA’s gender these options, choosing the empowerment organisations by appropriate 2011 positioning Impumelelo. is a no-brainer.

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF EXSALLENCE

EXSA30 EXHIBITION & EVENT ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

The role of EXSA is to serve the exhibition and events industry in Southern Africa. Our core strategy is to actively grow and develop the exhibition and events industry within Southern Africa. This is achieved through promoting the unique benefits offered by exhibitions and events, and raising the profile of our members who include venues, organisers and suppliers. Tel: 011 805 7272 Fax: 011 805 7273 Email: exsa@exsa.co.za www.exsa.co.za

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EXSA

Doing things differently in 2011 Meetings SA gets in touch with EXSA chairperson Natalie Naude to discuss what the association has accomplished so far in 2011, what is yet to be achieved and what is on the cards for the future.

Has 2011 been as positive for the association so far as it appears to have been for the industry as a whole? EXSA has had a really good start to the year, with eight new members joining in the first quarter. We are also actively involved with the new Safety at Sport and Recreational Events Act, together with the Department of Sport and Recreation, and EXSA is facilitating road show workshops around the country. What is the association doing differently this year? We had a year of consolidation last year and this year we are openly engaging with government and our members and recruiting new members. We hope to expand our profile internationally via UFI and in May I will be attending the Expo Summit in India and presenting a paper on the South African exhibition market. Since welcoming four new members to the EXSA board late in January 2011, what plans have been put in place to strengthen and better the association? The board works tirelessly to bring EXSA to the forefront of the industry and our new board members are full of enthusiasm

What can members, and the exhibitions and events industry as a whole, look forward to from EXSA in the months to come? I’ll be reporting on my visit to India and we have exciting plans underway for the 2012 EXSA Conference. The industry has a busy year ahead, with several new exhibitions taking place and expanding international interest in South Africa. EXSA will keep members informed of any new developments and will continue to play a leading role in the industry.

We are openly engaging with government and our members and recruiting new members for 2011. We will be exhibiting at various shows throughout the year and holding social activities in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg. At our request, UFI is including South Africa in one of its research projects, which will give us useful market research data. What recommendations do you have for companies/individuals considering becoming members of EXSA, but who are not 100% convinced they should commit? EXSA has been at the forefront of the industry for more than 30 years now and is a very special group – we have an absolute open door policy of transparency and all our members talk to and communicate with each other. We cover venues, exhibition organisers and suppliers to the industry and it’s a great networking ‘club’, if you like. I would urge any potential member to apply to join and we would welcome their input.

Regarding the Consumer Protection Act that will come into play soon, is EXSA ready? The Consumer Protection Act (CPA) is one of the most important pieces of legalisation scheduled for this year. The CPA will affect all of us, since we are all consumers. It is an extremely positive piece of legalisation and as a consumer I say ‘bring it on’. As individuals we owe it to ourselves to familiarise ourselves with the legalisation. However, a company needs to profile its clients first to determine whether the CPA is applicable to a transaction – or in our case, an exhibitor. For example, if the ‘consumer/exhibitor’ (i.e. your client) has a turnover exceeding the ‘threshold value’ of R3 million, the transaction is exempt from the provisions of the act. Likewise, transactions involving the state are exempt. This threshold value is currently set at R3 million as measured by either assets or annual turnover values below R3 million, so in most cases it will not pertain to our clients. EXSA is currently engaging a professional legal opinion on how the CPA and other imminent legislation could affect our members. Later in the year we will also obtain an opinion regarding the Protection of Personal Information – which may have an even greater potential impact. We will of course keep our members informed on any matters which could affect their business.

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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Bigger and better in 2011...

How was your Meetings Africa experience? As the year hurries on, Africa’s greatest business tourism showcase has since come and gone. rom 21 to 23 February, the Sandton Convention Centre’s halls buzzed with Meetings Africa visitors, exhibitors, organising staff and international and local buyers. Within days of the show closing, a press release was circulated on

behalf of South Africa Tourism by Kezi Communications. It stated: “unaudited attendance numbers for Meetings Africa 2011 totalled 3 353, up from the 2 899 delegates who attended the 2010 show. South Africa Tourism hosted 123

international buyers and 32 international media from global core markets, and this year’s association day was attended by 52 delegates”. Meetings SA was at the 2011 exhibition to bring you more of the highs and lows directly from several exhibitors.

Nadine de Vos, account manager, Focus Rooms

Leandra Artman, sales manager, Montecasino Hospitality & Corporate Events

Patience Moketsi, marketing assistant, Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre

On day one of Meetings Africa 2011, I felt the business matchmaking could have been organised a bit better. In turn, on days two and three, the vibe of the exhibition really picked up. Focus Rooms’ stand staff all agreed that the quality of the local buyers was phenomenal. We did, however, question the value of some of the international hosted buyers who visited our stand. Focus Rooms certainly hopes to be back at Meetings Africa 2012 as an exhibitor, although, we would really like the show days to return to starting on a Wednesday and finishing on a Friday.

Although we had more feet past our stand compared to 2010, I felt there just weren’t enough local corporate buyers at this year’s Meetings Africa. The exhibition organisers need to focus on targeting the local corporate organisers and coordinators through improved and increased marketing and awareness campaigns. And of course hosting Meetings Africa 2012 at Montecasino should feature high on their list of priorities for next year’s event.

We received a number of top-quality enquiries at the Birchwood stand during Meetings Africa 2011, and all the visitors who had scheduled meetings with us showed up. Apart from the good leads and the fact that the business matchmaking programme really worked for us, we felt that the show mornings were far busier than the afternoons and there were simply too many students at Meetings Africa on the Wednesday. In addition, we quite liked the change to the show in starting on the Monday. However, since a number of visitors tried to sell their own products and services to Birchwood stand staff at this year’s expo, we really felt that the screening of visitors needs to be more thorough next year.

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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Anel Knoetze, sales and marketing, Khaya iBhubesi

Nigel Walker, director of Complete Exhibitions

Ade Lovell, marketing coordinator, Oxbow Country Estate

Craig Newman, CEO, Johannesburg Expo Centre

The organisation of this year’s Meetings Africa seemed to be quite muddled, and there were so many more international buyers and virtually no buyers from local corporates. This has left us at Khaya considering whether we’ll be back to exhibit at the 2012 event. In total, we only received 10 good leads for new potential clients, which is a huge decline in our numbers recorded from Meetings Africa 2010. Regarding the business matchmaking programme, very few of our appointments took place as the buyers failed to turn up when expected. For the 2012 exhibition, Khaya stand staff recommend students pay a small fee to visit the exhibition, as their numbers were far too high this year. We also feel that local corporate buyers need to be incentivised to attend Meetings Africa, with lucky draws for appealing prizes that are drawn on show days and can only be claimed at the event. *At the time of going to print, Knoetze had since resigned from her sales and marketing position at Khaya iBhubesi

As a first-time exhibitor, and one of the very few present from the services sector, I found Meetings Africa 2011 to be a good vehicle for assessment in terms of visitor quality versus quantity. Although the visitor numbers were low, the quality of these attendees was notably high, with Complete Exhibitions generating a number of promising business leads. The exhibition has proven itself to be a useful tool in Complete Exhibitions’ marketing mix; hence, we’ll definitely be back in 2012. However, bearing in mind that the business of meetings is made up of far more than merely venues, one particular suggestion for next year’s event is obtaining full participation from service suppliers. As Site provided subsidised exhibition space to members to promote its MICE products and services, so should the relevant industry body for technical production get involved.

Meetings Africa 2011 was well organised, although the business matchmaking programme did leave me raising an eyebrow from time to time. One thing I’ve learnt from this year’s event is that the exhibition is exceptionally good exposure for destination marketing organisations as Oxbow Country Estate took part by exhibiting from the pavilion of the Tshwane Tourism Association. Ideally, we’d like to exhibit from our own Oxbow-branded stand in years to come. Yet, given the financial implications of exhibiting individually, it’s virtually impossible for the small venues, operators, etc. ever to do so. A solution to entry for clients such as these would make a welcome change going forward in the many Meetings Africa shows yet to take place.

An important aspect of having a successful exhibition is how you leverage your presence. I believe we, Johannesburg Expo Centre, managed to do just that, even though it was mainly to the local industry. The fact that the event commenced on a Monday didn’t work well for us. In terms of returning to Meetings Africa 2012, that will be determined closer to the time. It’s important for us to assess the impact and importance of the contacts made and leads generated. A suggestion for a better exhibition next year would be a better managed matchmaking programme: do not allow visitors to be on the same platform as local and international buyers when planning meetings, and possibly look at separating local and international buyers on the matchmaking programme. And of course, try and include more corporate clients.

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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Join the SA Conference community Go ahead – it’s FREE Submit your conference, event or exhibition to be listed on SA Conference Online by visiting www.saconference.co.za/pg/event/submit

SA Conference Online e’ve got the latest business tourism news, venue developments and an extensive list of all the necessities to host successful meetings and events. You cue is to go to www.saconference.co.za.

Submit your venue to be listed on SA Conference Online www.saconference.co.za/pg/serviceprovider/submit Submit your services or products to be listed on SA Conference Online www.saconference.co.za/pg/venue/submit Remember – all existing listings can be updated easily, by clicking on the following links: Update Venue info, Update Conference/Events info or Update Service Provider info. These send an automated email to the online editor, notifying the recipient of the required changes.

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Thebe column

It’s essential to reinvent believe no one will disagree with me that we live in an ever-changing world. This might be old news, but it becomes a greater reality each day. Technological advances are mind boggling, and whether we are ready for it or not, they constantly change the way we do business because we cannot afford to lag behind our competitors. Add to this the increasing sophistication of consumers, on whom we rely to attend our exhibitions and events, combined with the remaining effects of the economic recession, and one can safely say the environment is dramatically different from how it was as little as four years ago. I also do not think we have quite realised the impact of social media on businesses. Its immediacy has put communication and marketing in a different space, requiring us to be far more proactive in getting

messages to the right target audiences. Already Facebook has almost 700 million users worldwide, with predictions that the one billion mark will be reached this year. Daunting? I would say so. But isn’t that why we are in business? Because we face challenges head-on and strive to keep the competitive edge. Remember the eagle principle: to get the big picture you have to soar high above your landscape. Practically, we should constantly scan our environment, study our market and refine our product and service offerings. To stay in business in the new decade, you should have all your sensors on full alert, understand the space in which one does business and anticipate changes in market needs. All this while we tread lightly on the environment, because ‘going green’ is expected from all quarters these days.

Carol Weaving, managing director of Thebe Exhibitions & Projects

In fact, it is becoming the norm. I believe reinvention is key. Brand loyalty is largely a thing of the past as people switch brands in an instant and expect regular product refinement and advancement. Marshall McLuhan’s ‘global village’ is getting smaller and physical distance is becoming irrelevant. So, reinvent, reinvent and reinvent. The world is watching. MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

The big picture Thebe Exhibitions and Projects Group is growing from strength to strength, drawing on our wealth of experience and solid ﬁnancial foundation. Our visionary team and creativity enable us to continue to expand the optimistic future of our specialised divisions: Exhibitions, Special Projects, Events, Conferences and Venue Management.

Tel: +27 11 549 8300 s Fax: + 27 11 549 8500 Email: info@tepg.co.za s Web: www.tepg.co.za

Exhibitions ● Special Projects ● Events Conferences ● Venue Management

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Growing its MICE footprint in SA

Going green and the birth of a rhino

Premier Hotel OR Tambo in Johannesburg provides seamless on-site accommodation, along with impeccable conference facilities

Having recently opened the contemporary East London International Convention Centre (EL ICC) and adjacent five-star Premier Hotel EL ICC, the Premier Hotels & Resorts group is positioning itself as a key player in the lucrative South African meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions and events (MICE) market. To date, the group has made large-scale conference and business facilities a major offering to the South African conferencing and travel industry, with all of its hotels positioned as destination conference venues that provide seamless on-site accommodation along with impeccable facilities. Current properties include Premier Hotel Cape Manor on Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard, Premier Hotel Knysna (The Moorings), Premier Hotel Regent and Premier Hotel King David in East London, Premier

Hotel Pinetown and Premier Hotel Edwardian in KwaZulu-Natal, Premier Hotel Pretoria in Gauteng and Mpongo Private Game Reserve, 30 km outside of East London. Recent developments include the EL ICC and adjacent Premier Hotel EL ICC, as well as the Premier Hotel OR Tambo in Johannesburg. “OR Tambo International Airport is becoming a hub for conventions as delegates are able to fly in and do their business without having to deal with navigating the heavy traffic,” says Premier Hotels CEO, Samuel Nassimov. “Our size as a group determines flexibility along with an ability to be customer orientated, which I believe makes Premier Hotels a force to be reckoned with. In my opinion, the hotel and conferencing industry in South Africa is due to undergo unprecedented growth in 2011 and beyond.”

Size and versatility are key in choosing the right venue

wireless Internet access, top-class catering services, easy access and secure parking for up to 3 500 vehicles. Da Costa adds: “The centre is well equipped to handle large events. On World Aids

“With over 82 000 m² of covered exhibition space and open, multipurpose areas – all accessible from multiple entrances – the Tshwane Events Centre is certainly your top choice for your next big event,” says the centre’s marketing manager, Ricky Da Costa. Located in Pretoria, the centre can accommodate 50 000 visitors simultaneously, in style and comfort. Its eight well-appointed conference rooms are ideal for meetings, conventions, training sessions, banquets and product launches. On-site, state-of-the-art infrastructure includes banking facilities, telecommunication services, including

President Zuma pictured at the Tshwane Events Centre, making international news headlines when he announced the significant HIV/Aids policies on World Aids Day in 2009

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

The third rhino calf born at Aquila Private Game Reserve. Mother and baby are both doing very well

The Big 5 Aquila Private Game Reserve has concluded a deal that will see all its daylight energy requirements provided for by solar power. With the installation of a 60 kW facility, Aquila will further its contribution to environmentally friendly tourism. The 60 kW facility incorporates a concentrator photovoltaic system with panels that move to track the sun. This will be operational from 1 September 2011. "With many hours of abundant sunshine in the beautiful Cape Karoo, Aquila is a perfect site for the use of solar energy,” says owner Searl Derman. Aquila, established in 1998, offers local and

Day 2009, the centre was the focus of international news headlines when President Jacob Zuma announced bold and life-changing policies for people living with HIV/Aids. The same seamless operations were offered to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for its operational results centre during the 2009 national and provincial elections. The centre boasted 450 personal computers, 300 telephones and more than 22 km of data and telephone cabling. It also accommodated seven radio stations, five television broadcasters, seven newspapers and 26 political party offices. “For five consecutive times now, Tshwane Events Centre has hosted the IEC’s operational results hub. And it gives us great pride to know we’ve been part of delivering free and fair elections with timely results to the people of South Africa,” says Da Costa.

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foreign guests the opportunity to view the Big Five just two hours from Cape Town. After a tense few months with poaching scares on the reserve, Aquila was honoured to announce the birth of a baby rhino. Towards the end of last year, the game reserve suspected poaching activities were on the go in the area, as at around 21:00 one evening a helicopter flew suspiciously low over the reserve, making two passes within 15 minute intervals, and then disappearing. The chopper’s lights were off except for one small red light that could be seen, which Derman is certain was night vision. Such activities are a major concern to him, as they have been proven to be the modus operandi of poachers in the major parks up north. Derman has therefore taken the necessary measures to keep his herd of six rhino safe. They are guarded by 24-hour elite team of anti-poaching security staff geared with the latest technology and equipment.

Taking on Durban in the boldest way possible Expo Solutions was proud to announce that at the end of 2010 it was appointed as the official exhibition contractor for the mega event Indaba 2011 for the fifth year running. The company will be supplying all the basic exhibition infrastructure, including exhibitor services, as well as designing several specific areas such as the media centre, Internet cafe, business centre and loyalty lounge. Being awarded a contract of this nature further endorses Expo Solutions’ expansive footprint in KwaZulu-Natal, and it has come within ideal timing of the launch of its ‘new’ brand in the

Local expo group sends team to Euroshop Earlier this year, Complete Exhibitions sent four of its employees to Dusseldorf, Germany, to experience Euroshop 2011, the world’s greatest showcase of trends and developments in retail investment needs. They comprised stand designers and operational and business development personnel. “Euroshop was an amazing experience. There really isn’t anything out there that compares with the scale and variety of things on display,” says Compex’s Robert Walker. “Occurring every three years, it’s the industry’s greatest opportunity to showcase the very best it has to offer. And this year it didn’t disappoint.” With 13 halls and some 20 000 m2 of exhibition floor

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space, it took a couple of days to take it all in, and a good pair of walking shoes. The team noted that exhibitors went all out this year to entice, entertain and intrigue. Displays were interactive, engaging all five senses via the use of textures, lighting, visuals and fragrances. Environmentally friendly stands are the ‘in’ thing and many design houses and manufacturers showcased the re-usability and low energy usage of their products, using LED lighting and recycled materials, for example. Energised and revitalised with creative concepts for stands designs, the Compex team returned from Euroshop bursting with new ideas. “We plan on passing this knowledge and experience on to our various clients, through bold new designs and exhibition concepts to assist with elevating their events and participation in exhibitions to a whole new level,” adds Walker.

The Complete Exhibitions team of four were wowed by the sensational new products and unusual ideas in stand construction, exhibition design and eventing at Euroshop 2011

region’s marketplace. Since the beginning of 2011, Expo Solutions’ management has been working hard at launching and rebranding the name and this is the perfect opportunity to showcase its new infrastructure, available from the Durban

From left: Vinnie Orchard and Karen Knibbs, directors of Expo Solutions, pictured with Zaida Enver, CEO of Witch & Wizard Creative, the exhibition organiser of Indaba 2011

office. “In order to fully integrate our Durban branch into our existing national footprint we needed to undergo a complete transition,” says Craig McDonald, managing director of Expo Solutions. “Our main objective is to instil a sense of structure and security for our entire Durban staff complement, as well as for existing and potential new clients.” He adds: “The commitment from Expo Solutions to bring fresh ideas and events to Durban is something that is foremost in our objectives for the next two years. Not only are we incredibly fortunate to have the critical mass of stock that is required to service all of our clients’ needs, but we also have the most stable staff complement in Durban, who are able to deliver on our promises made in the most professional way.”

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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Accelerated sustainability measures

It’s all systems go at ICC Durban

ICC Durban Arena interior

Prioritising greening and sustainability measures is essential to ensuring a successful future for Africa’s leading convention and events venue, the International Convention Centre Durban. n 6 January this year, the ICC Durban received its International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) accreditations from the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). The centre’s staff and management collectively undertook to commit their energy to focus on labour, training, systems development, policies and procedures and audits, which resulted in receiving the ultimate reward: ISO 9001 and 22000 and SANS 10330: HACCP accreditation. Commenting on the systems for which accreditation was obtained, Jeremy Hurter, acting CEO of ICC Durban, says: “We are absolutely delighted to have acquired official recognition for our quality management system, food safety management system and HACCP.”

Sustainability is key As an advocate of environmental protection, the ICC Durban recently received Gold status

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

in the Heritage Environmental Certification Programme. Heritage is the only tourismbased environmental agency in the country, and the convention centre’s target is to reach Platinum status later this year. The ICC Durban has made great strides in energy-saving efficiencies and the effective implementation of its environmental policy and now sees the venue extending greening down its supply chain.

certificates of safe disposal are issued to the ICC. Solid waste is sorted into glass, paper, metal and other at the point of disposal, and then removed off-site by a service provider. Storm water is channelled into the coastal storm water drainage system. Additional skips are provided for exhibition waste, i.e. event-specific, woods, papers, etc.

Indaba 2010 Waste The ICC Durban does not generate large volumes of waste. Any waste that is produced is either recycled or disposed of through certified waste contractors or accredited service providers. All waste is monitored by type, volume, disposal method and destination. Hazardous waste is disposed of at permitted hazardous waste sites and

Africa’s leading travel and tourism expo takes places annually at the ICC Durban. Indaba 2010, which attracted 13 818 visitors and exhibitors, aimed to improve its environmental performance standard with the introduction of a number of new initiatives and strategies by the organisers. While progress was made in raising awareness of the environmental objectives of the event, there were aspects of the

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ICC Durbanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy-saving initiatives 1. A machine for making ice that is used via the air-conditioning unit to cool the building during peak hours. During off-peak hours it is scheduled to make and store ice and during peak hours the machine switches off and the ice is used to cool the building, saving power in peak hours. ICC Durban is as much a business-like venue as it is a glamorous event destination

event that reflected a lower standard than in 2009, specifically in waste and energy management.

Suppliers The ICC Durban requires its suppliers to adhere to all relevant environmental legislation. However, for most of its operations, there are no standard programmes in place across departments to measure supplier performance in this regard. Agreements, structured meetings, reporting requirements and reviews, as well as ongoing informal communication, ensure constant contact with its main suppliers.

Customers The profile of delegates attending events at the ICC Durban has changed considerably over the years. During 2010 an estimated 431 443 000 people attended a concert, conference, exhibition or special event.

Although international events continue to attract a higher delegate count, there has been a marked increase in both government and corporate delegates to the centre. National events attracted delegates in excess of 377 783 000 and many of the events that draw delegates from outside South Africa as business tourists from rest of Africa are now attending conferences hosted locally. And with the inception of the arena, the centre has penetrated the live concert market, engaging with a new segment. Centre operations have been streamlined to continue to attract delegates across all market segments, but more importantly, delegates from all spheres worldwide who have chosen to do business at the ICC Durban.

Community development The ICC Durban is implementing BBBEE in line with government requirements, as it is in the best interests of South Africa and

Centre operations have been streamlined to continue to attract delegates across all market segments

2. The culinary department is the largest consumer of water owing to food preparation. Efforts to decrease water consumption have seen additional meters being installed to investigate the viability of recycling efforts. 3. Air quality is maintained by air handlers in air-conditioning units. All return air is filtered to remove up to 99% of dust and precinct carbon particles. 4. All food waste is treated, processed or ground into small particles through a food disposal unit, then disposed of into a sewer system.

of the company, its employees, customers, suppliers and the communities in which it operates. The centreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corporate social responsibility efforts support skills development through ongoing introductory training, particularly for casual staff. This training enables them to move into permanent employment within the industry. Many ICC trainees have found employment in the conference and tourism industry locally, nationally and even internationally. In addition to this, the ICC has committed to the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry a three-year bursary to fund students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds who wish to pursue careers in the hospitality industry. In 2011, the ICC Durban remains committed to improving on systems developed and introduced throughout 2010, particularly the measurement of its carbon footprint, energy consumption, the reduction of water consumption and increasing water recycling capabilities, while materials consumed and waste generated will also be monitored closely.

For more information e-mail mktg@icc.co.za, call +27 (0)13 360 1000 or visit www.icc.co.za.

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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Authentic Experiences in Cape Town’s An experiential destination enclosed by reconditioned walls and floors echoing distant memories of significant events, the Taj Cape Town is quite unlike any other deluxe hotel in the Western Cape.

he waterfront and winelands venue options often have conference organisers and event planners wearily lamenting along to the been-there-done-that song, necessitating a sharp shift in focus – in the direction of the innermost vicinity of the City of Cape Town. Here the invasive hustle and bustle is denied entry, making way for a historical vibe and authentic experiences where wealth isn’t determined by plastic and debt, but rather by richness in heritage and culture, a captivating atmosphere, soulful art, riveting entertainment, enchanting people and heavenly cuisine. Occupying the original home of the South

African Reserve Bank and Temple Chambers, later the Board of Executors (BoE), Taj Cape Town encapsulates the exact opulence of the time, and in fact more. Together with the adjacent Mandela Rhodes Place and the famous St George’s Cathedral, these sites form the heart of a historic precinct that links St George’s Mall, the Company’s Garden, the 17th-century Slave Lodge and the Houses of Parliament with the Groote Kerk, Grand Parade and City Hall. A few years back, when the site was first earmarked for hotel development by way of a joint venture between Eurocape, a successful city centre property investor, and Tata’s Indian Hotels Company, which owns The lobby at Taj Cape Town retains architectural elements of the legendary historical buildings

Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces, a pledge was taken to “remain as faithful as possible to the internal historic structure of the buildings”. With this came the challenge of celebrating the old with the new in a way that was not only complementary, but also remained true to architecture of delicacy and human scale in creating the new building. The analogy, according to the unique brand image of Taj, is of a family with various members who mutually respect their elders and care for their younger siblings, all speaking one language yet each using a different vocabulary.

Something old, something new Incorporating every convenience of luxury modern-day hotels and spread across two heritage buildings, Taj Cape Town retains the original marble pillars, vaulted ceilings, glass domes and architectural elements of the legendary historical buildings, while its new tower rises dramatically above the city skyline. The Heritage Wing, the area housing the hotel’s seven well-proportioned and well-equipped meeting spaces, provides a near-introspective feel to conferencing through delegates’ convergence of ideas and mapping of strategies within the remarkably historic realm of the hotel. Many of the Twankey Seafood, Champagne and Oyster Bar

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Taj Cape Town at a glance

Glorious daytime (opposite) and dramatic nighttime views greet guests at the Taj presidential suite terrace

Historic Old City venues provide ample natural light and offer appealing views of Wale Street and the contrasting backdrop of ancient mountain vistas and celebrated memories. The seven contemporary conference venues are entirely state of the art. Standard technical capabilities throughout include drop-down data projectors, dedicated independently adjustable air-conditioning systems, a media hub that allows full audio and video interfacing through the projector from a laptop, high-speed Internet connectivity and four audio channels, each individually controlled, as well as electronic signage that is visible at the door to each venue, ensuring delegates have no excuse for arriving late while also preventing any unwanted interruptions. Additional features, such as plasma TVs for videoconferencing and the live streaming of presentations, are also available, but only in certain venues. The capacities of each facility range in size, with the largest being the St George’s Room, accommodating up to 110 guests. A second venue can accommodate up to 50, while the three smaller function rooms comfortably seat between 10 and 20 delegates. Completing the hotel’s conference amenities are a further two dedicated boardroom venues and the meeting reception area, which is where the two heritage buildings converge to create a spacious vicinity that is ideally suited for networking sessions and pre-dinner drinks. Heritage Suites that overlook the Company’s Gardens and Houses of Parliament

With its uncompromising style and quiet elegance, Taj Cape Town is fast surpassing many of yesterday’s favourite yet now somewhat outdated locations to become the quintessential destination for driving inspiration, celebrating milestones and rewarding top talent, while touching the very heart of Cape Town’s heritage.

Tel: +27 (0)21 819 2000 Fax: +27 (0)21 819 2001 res.capetown@tajhotels.com www.tajhotels.com/capetown

Taj Cape Town’s meeting rooms boast original large sash windows looking out onto the city's historic precinct

177 varied rooms • Two-bedroom, split-level Tata presidential suite • Heritage luxury rooms • Heritage suites • Exclusive Taj Club floor • One- and two-bedroom Tower suites • Tower Grande rooms • Tower luxury rooms with walk-out balconies • 24 Superior rooms. Banqueting and meeting facilities • Seven meeting rooms • Plug-and-play capability, compatible with a DVD or CD player, iPod, laptop and audio source • Plug-in data connection with high-speed Internet access • Wi-Fi connectivity, big-screen TV interface and wireless printing. On-site dining venue options • The Bombay Brasserie offers some of the finest Indian cuisine outside of India • Mint, ideal for casual all-day dining, serves global fare with the option of an outside terrace • Twankey Seafood, Champagne and Oyster Bar, an elegant an elegant dining experience coupled with jazz music • The Cocktail Bar and Cigar Lounge provide a glamorous setting in which to start or end off an evening • The lobby, dominated by a barrel-vaulted skylight supported by four fluted marble columns (all original), serves delicious morning coffee or afternoon tea. Hotel services and in-room amenities • Molton Brown in-room products • Fully stocked mini bar, refreshment centre and espresso machine • High-speed wireless Internet connectivity • 40-inch LCD Sony Bravia TV with DStv • Interactive multilingual IPTV with pay-ondemand blockbuster movies • Workstation with multimedia hub, enabling laptop, audio, video and TV interface • Sony PlayStation 3, Xbox and Nintendo Wii with a selection of games available on request • Blu-Ray DVD players with DVD library selection available on request. Spa and fitness centre • The only Jiva Grande Spa located in Africa • Fully equipped Technogym centre • Indoor heated swimming pool; male and female saunas and changing areas • Steam room and vitality pool. The Presidential Suite terrace

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I C C

Flexible, professional Ideally situated close to all central amenities in Pretoria, easily accessible from all major routes in Gauteng and very competitively priced is the capital city’s very own dedicated international convention centre.

he CSIR International Convention Centre (ICC) offers superb facilities and quality service with conferencing, banqueting and exhibition venues that can accommodate 500 delegates or as few as 10, with groups as large as 1 000 being hosted at times. Flexibility, service excellence and professionalism are central to the convention centre’s offering to its clients.

Greening initiatives The CSIR ICC has various sustainability measures in place, such as remaining a member of the Heritage Environmental Management Company, to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations. “Although the ICC is already ISO 14001 accredited in terms of environmental management, we decided to partner with Heritage to gain new insights into being even more environmentally responsible,” says Glenn Harding, the CSIR ICC’s general manager.

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

CSIR ICC offers state-ofthe-art interpreting equipment with purposebuilt facilities at no additional cost centre also has a wormery on site, where mixed waste is deposited and compost is produced for its herb garden. The ICC’s waste is separated in house according to the following categories: paper, plastic, bottles, cans, mixed waste, oil and batteries, among others. General waste, comprising plastic, bottles, cans and mixed waste, is collected by Swift Waste for disposal to landfill. Paper waste is also collected by Swift for sorting and to be sent for recycling, and used computer cartridges are sent for recycling, too. Used cooking oil is collected by the US company and is then sent for recycling. The

Innovative meeting technology The CSIR ICC is one of the few venues in South Africa that offers state-of-the-art interpreting equipment with purposebuilt facilities at no additional cost. Such equipment and facilities feature in two of the centre’s flagship venues, the 450-seater Diamond auditorium and the smaller Ruby auditorium. Both venues have raked seating with writing tables on which the interpreting units are mounted.

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and service The system that is installed has the programming capability to cater for the simultaneous interpretation of 11 languages, both local and international. Delegates make use of the translation service through headphones that are provided and plugged into the unit, and can access their respective translation by the touch of a button, i.e. selecting the required channel. Interpreters are seated in dedicated booths on the upper levels of the auditoriums, giving them a bird’s-eye view of presenters their presentations and delegates. In contrast to the portable booths the industry has become accustomed to, booths at the CSIR ICC include ample work space with electrical points for laptops, are furnished with comfortable furniture and dedicated air conditioning and are fitted with dimmable fixed lighting. The booths also provide access to a separate lounge or interpreters’ resting room, complete with comfortable couches and full Wi-Fi network access. More recently, the convention centre introduced Internet streaming of conference proceedings as a standard product to its clients. Internet streaming is a highly cost-effective and efficient way to transmit conference proceedings externally to a much broader audience. The CSIR ICC’s Internet streaming does not require any proprietary software installation: all content is easily viewed via a standard web browser and Adobe Flash

Corporate social investments

I C C

oriented

Player. This means that anyone, anywhere in the world can access a live audio, video and data stream from any computer with an Internet connection. The system also makes provision for questions from remote viewers by means of a comment/question tab located below the video and data stream. The chairperson or MC receives external commentary in real time and then relays it. “Another add-on benefit of this service is that conference or meeting footage is archived on the ICC’s server for a period of one year, enabling clients to review and even copy their footage to disc,” explains Wesley Middleton, the centre’s technical services manger.

Capacity development The CSIR ICC continues to contribute to capacity development in South Africa by annually taking in two in-service trainees studying towards food and beverage or hospitality management diplomas at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). Most recently, Dichaba Dichaba and Makhosazane Sangweni, both in their third year of hospitality management at TUT, underwent training at the CSIR ICC for six months. “I’ve worked at other organisations before but none has the amazing ‘family culture’ that is evident here at the CSIR ICC,” comments an exuberant Dichaba. “I even got to chat a little with the general manager once in a while.” Sangweni compares the convention centre to a

The Jakaranda Kinderhuis and the Drug, Alcohol & Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Centre regularly receive food donations, while homeless in Sunnyside and surrounds get given soup handouts from the area’s Methodist church, all of which is graciously donated by the CSIR ICC. Donating essentials in line with the home’s requirements, convention centre management also upholds its relief agreement with the Mohau Children’s Home, which provides a place of safety for abandoned, orphaned and HIVpositive children in Attridgeville.

‘school’ that adds value and the necessary knowledge to enable in-service trainees to finalise their studies. Harding adds that the centre believes in giving previously disadvantaged students a platform to gain firsthand experience and exposure to the corporate industry. “To date, we’ve accommodated 20 trainees, some of whom were employed by the CSIR ICC on completion of their studies,” he says.

Tel: +27 (0)12 841 3884 Fax: +27 (0)12 841 2051/4412 E-mail: icc@csir.co.za www.csiricc.co.za

CSIR ICC’s most recent milestones: November 2010: Diamond Arrow award received from the Professional Management Review in the category Outstanding Conference Venue in the Tshwane Municipality District. October 2010: conference video streaming incorporated into service offerings. August 2010: backup electricity supply upgraded to a 1 000 kVA generator as part of a recent building expansion project. June 2010: awarded Best Conference Venue in the 2010 Tshwane Business & Tourism Awards. March 2010: R35m expansion and refurbishment project completed, after which the innovative and user friendly new facilities were opened for business. January 2010: managers excel at in-house Management Services Excellence Awards. December 2009: scored 100% in hygiene report released by Food Consulting Services, as well as outstanding results obtained in food safety and facility maintenance. October 2009: awarded Silver classification by the Heritage Environmental Rating Co Com om mpan p ny. pa y.

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Entering an unparalleled

Coastlands Umhlanga Hotel & Convention Centre

legant, luxurious and iconic aptly sum up KwaZulu-Natalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foremost up-and-coming hospitality and accommodation group, Coastlands Hotels & Resorts. The group, which forms part of the larger Saantha Naidu Group, operates exclusively in the province from its head office located in Durban. Since its first hotel opening more than 15 years ago, the group

30 Degrees Umdloti

has grown to incorporate the following areas of specialty: accommodation, conference facilities and hotel restaurants. Apart from boasting a comprehensive array of some of KwaZulu-Natalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest accommodation and conferencing locales, Coastlands Hotels & Resorts is currently in the preparation stages of launching its most beautiful hotel to date, the Coastlands ICC.

And while development and growth feature predominantly in the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities, every effort is being made to ensure its effect on the environment remains minimal. Such endeavours to reduce its carbon footprint include a greening project, as well as maintaining the social investment policy and programme instituted by the Saantha Naidu Group.

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dimensionâ&#x20AC;Ś The Ebuhleni Zimbali Villas

Coastlands on the Ridge Hotel

Coastlands Durban

Coastlands accommodation portfolio Coastlands on the Ridge Hotel is situated within minutes of the Durban city centre. This four-star hotel offers 101 beautiful, unique bedrooms.The Fleur De Lis beauty spa and hair salon, a swimming pool, a coffee shop, a Halaal friendly restaurant and a 250-seater conference venue are available on site.

Coastlands Umhlanga Hotel & Convention Centre is an exquisite four-star hotel situated in the Gatemax complex. It offers 124 rooms, the Saffron restaurant, the Vanilla coffee shop and bar, and the African Fire Convention Centre accommodating up to 400 delegates.

The Ebuhleni Zimbali Villas are luxurious self-catering villas situated on the Zimbali Estate. These five-star, double-storey holiday homes are complete with entertainment and braai areas, a swimming pool, golf carts and daily cleaning services.

30 Degrees Umdloti, two five-star self-catering, fully furnished beachfront apartments, include features such as DStv, flat-screen TVs, tea- and coffee-making facilities.

Coastlands Durban is centrally located in the heart of the Durban city centre within close proximity to the ICC. This 252-bedroom hotel includes a conference venue that accommodates up to 1000 delegates.

A D V E R T O R I A L

An experience

to behold

Champagne Sports Resort waZulu-Natal's Champagne Valley, which offers the very best of the Central Drakensberg experience, is home to the award-winning Champagne Sports Resort. The setting is a drawcard in itself, while the resort is the perfect place for work and play.

Meetings and events A powerful contender in the conferencing arena, owing to years of friendly and efficient business tourism operations coupled with large scale innovative developments, Champagne Sports Resort now boasts 16 conference venues including the all-new Buttress Conference and Exhibition Centre, as well as four new boardrooms. Located at the foot of the majestic Drakensberg range, the resort accommodates up to 750 delegates. Supporting this are 40 new hotel rooms and four luxurious executive suites, which enable the resort to offer a total of 152 hotel rooms and 91 timeshare chalets, the majority of which have three bedrooms, all en suite. Champagne Sports Resort provides the ideal destination for meetings and events. Uninterrupted useable floor space within the Buttress room totals 1 200 m², allowing for cinema-style seating provisions for up to 1 350 delegates and 850 to 900 guests for banqueting. Other venues include the Sentinel Room which seats up to 1 000, the Monks Cowl centre, seating up to 550, and the Summit Room, which comfortably accommodates 400. The resort's more intimate venues range in

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

size, accommodating 150 delegates down to a maximum of 20 in the private boardrooms. Meeting and event technology includes the most up-to-date equipment, with Crestron handheld controls available throughout the bigger venues and standard modern technology in the smaller meeting areas. In addition, the hotel and all venues are equipped with high-speed Internet access, while a comprehensive business centre located across from the new coffee shop is available for delegates' business needs. Also part of the developments at the resort, the now extended dining room and expanded buffet comfortably seats up to 700 guests. The

The all-new Buttress Conference and Exhibition Centre

USP here, however, is the buffet arrangement, which aids minimal queuing, not forgetting the outstanding food offering that is rapidly gaining popularity in the hospitality industry.

Wellness For the mind- and body-conscious traveller of today, Champagne Sports Resort features a new upmarket salon and gym. “Our salon boasts a well-balanced range of treatments and products to ensure that guests leave feeling revitalised and rejuvenated. The broad range of treatments on offer and the incredible views from the resting area ensure an exclusive yet tranquil salon experience,” says Champagne Sports Resort's James Macquet. The salon includes five treatment rooms, comfortable changing rooms and a relaxing rest area with cane loungers looking out over the Champagne and Cathkin peaks. The gym is fully equipped for all forms of exercise, including general cardiovascular and weight training.

World-class golfing

The resort offers stylish yet comfortable accommodation and a new upmarket salon

Then there's the top-35 ranked, 18-hole championship golf course that has been rated as one of South Africa’s most beautiful golf courses in recent years. The clubhouse, which is also located on site, is considered to be among the top five 19th holes in the country. So whether you are wearing your golf cap or your thinking cap, there is no better place than Champagne Sports Resort to find inspiration.

To find out more, e-mail conferences@ champagnesportsresort.com or visit www.champagnesportsresort.com.

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Sample the unique vibrancy of KwaZulu-Natal’s development of a dedicated convention bureau and concerted efforts to boost its business tourism profile is making the province a front runner in the stakes to be South Africa’s convention and incentive destination of choice.

Seymour, who is at the forefront of these major achievements, is not only committed to the task at hand, but is also passionate about responsible and sustainable tourism and the benefit it has for the environment and local communities. “Tourism destinations and business tourism destinations have to adopt responsible tourism practices in order to sustain their competitiveness. These practices are the fundamentals of effective destination management,” he explains. One hotel and conference venue that is hard at work promoting responsible tourism and sustainable meetings is Southern Sun Elangeni. This beachfront hotel offers breathtaking views of Durban’s Golden Mile, which guests can appreciate from the comfort of their rooms. Renowned for fine service, excellent food and reputable hospitality, the hotel is the preferred destination for both business travellers and holidaymakers wanting the comfort of home, right at the sea. The Elangeni is the largest residential conference hotel in KZN with 449 bedrooms

Tourism and business tourism destinations have to adopt responsible tourism practices in order to sustain their competitiveness

e are committed to transforming Durban and KwaZulu-Natal into South Africa’s premier meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions destination, providing organisers and planners as well as business tourists with the latest information, unbiased advice and assistance,” says interim CEO of the Durban-KZN Convention Bureau, James Seymour. The convention bureau is a partnership initiative of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Ethekwini Municipality, Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the ICC Durban to promote the meeting or business tourism services of the South African province of

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KwaZulu-Natal and the metropolitan area of Durban. The bureau was established early in 2010 and began its operations on 1 July that same year. However, it should be noted that the bureau is in the early stages of development, and incredible destination marketing initiatives are still to come in line with business tourism needs, at national and international level alike. So far, the bureau has provided bid support that helped Durban win eight recent convention and events bids, including COP 17 and the 2012 International Wildlife Management Conference, major accomplishments for both the city and KwaZulu-Natal.

and nine conference rooms that can accommodate up to 1 000 delegates. Eight of these venues boast splendid sea views as do the hotel’s two outdoor swimming pools and modern fitness centre. A Signature Conference Hotel, Southern Sun Elangeni is a favoured business destination and has a dedicated events team that devises tailor-made conferences to suit individualrequirements. The hotel is committed to providing guests with a service that is efficient and friendly, and is uniquely placed to meet the exacting standards of both the business and leisure traveller. The award-winning Lingela Restaurant, located on site at the hotel, offers guests the best buffet experience available in Durban, with an array of salads, starters, mouth-watering main courses and delectable desserts. In addition, Southern Sun Elangeni

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KwaZulu-Natal supports the Diabetes SAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health and wellness awareness initiative, and boasts a Diabetes SA-approved buffet menu. Another complete conferencing destination, the Elephant Lake Hotel, opens a new facility to the world of meetings and teambuilding with its 100-seater iNdlovu conference room. Surrounded by the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, the hotel offers a vast range of activities that can be enjoyed, while individual tailor-made teambuilding packages are also available. Offering service excellence, the Elephant Lake Hotel is a perfect venue for conferencing, company functions, workshops and teambuilding. It sits on the shores of the St Lucia Estuary and offers 56 en suite, air-conditioned rooms. Complementing the rooms, the hotel has a pool, restaurant, bar, TV lounge, large wooden estuary viewing deck with full service from the bar and much more. The resident Elephant Lake Safaris offer a full range of activities, which include Big 5 safaris, excursions into iSimangaliso Wetland Park, snorkelling, deep sea fishing and much more. Few people realise that St Lucia has a variety of conference venues on offer, combined with a vibrant night life and various activities for teambuilding. The Elephant Lake Group has the ability to coordinate conferences and workshops for up to 400 delegates, via preferred partnerships with various venues.

Southern Sun Elangeni is the preferred destination for both business travellers and holidaymakers wanting the comfort of home, right by the sea

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Conference in the Kwazulu Natal Midlands

Granny Mouse Country House & Spa is a four star country hotel that is situated in the centre of the Midlands Meander. Only an hour and a half from Durban and four hours from Johannesburg with a team of conference specialists that are known for their attention to detail. Packages that include tailor made team building with venues that seat between 20 and 150 people. To make a booking at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa call 033 234 4071 or email reservations@grannymouse.co ...welcome home

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Surrounded by the iSimangaliso Wetland Park , Elephant Lake Hotel opens a new facility to the world of meetings and teambuilding

In addition, the group is known for its active involvement within local communities and is currently working on upgrading the rural Glenpark Primary School. The group is also actively involved in the development of business within the area and the creation of entrepreneurial opportunities for local communities.

COP-17 The ICC Durban is proud to have been selected the host venue for one of the world’s largest conferences, the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP-17) of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and the 7th Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (CMP-7) to the Kyoto Protocol. Expectations are that over 30 000 delegates could attend, making it the largest conferencing event ever hosted in a South African city. A key element that contributed to Durban winning the bid is

its leading conference facility, the Durban International Convention Centre, Arena and Exhibition Centre, which will enable the entire conference to be held on a secure island site. Acting CEO of the ICC, Jeremy Hurter, and the entire staff are ecstatic, since winning this conference demonstrates once again how important investments in convention and exhibition infrastructure are for the city and province. The conference takes place from 28 November to 9 December this year. The COP is the highest body of the UNFCC and consists of national environment ministers who meet once a year to discuss developments. It is expected that ministers and officials from more than 100 countries will attend including observers, industry groups and non-governmental organisations.

Moses Mabhida Stadium adds another dimension to adventure attractions and teambuilding offerings in Durban. The Big Rush Big Swing – the world’s only stadium swing and the largest swing of any kind anywhere in the world – is the best offering yet to take one’s team to the next level. Jump into a void 106 m above the stadium pitch and swing out in a huge 220 m arc under the iconic stadium arch. Another tourist attraction, the SkyCar, also on site at the stadium, ferries up to 20 visitors to the arch’s highest point, where they can enjoy a breathtaking 360˚ view of

Teambuilding in KZN Rivalling Sydney’s Harbour Bridge, according to the KZN convention bureau that is, the

Moses Mabhida Stadium

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

a complete conferencing destination The Elephant Lake Hotel opens a new desƟnaƟon to the world of conferencing and teambuilding with its 100 seated iNdlovu conference room. With the disƟnct advantage of being surrounded by the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. The hotel oīers a vast range of acƟviƟes that could be enjoyed, whilst individual tailor made packages and teambuilding programmes could be designed. ReservaƟons and enquiries: Tel: +27(0)35 590 1001 | Fax: +27(0)35 590 1054 info@elephantlake.co.za | www.elephantlakestlucia.co.za

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100-seater iNdlovu conference room

the City of Durban and surrounds. For the more energetic, there is the thrilling option of viewing the city on the SkyWalk. Here, visitors are issued with safety equipment and, under the watchful eye of qualified instructors, make their way to the top of the arch (and down again) via some 550 steps. In addition to being a fantastic adventure haunt, the stadium is a stylish new venue with a number of meeting options, making it

The stadium is a stylish new venue with a number of meeting options, making it ideal for hosting conferences and events ideal for hosting a cocktail evening, banquet, launch, promotion or conference. A bit further afield, 40 minutes from Richards Bay and less than two hours from Durban’s city centre, Thula Thula Private Game Reserve has launched a new activities programme for conference delegates. Designed to promote relaxation and wellbeing, unique and inspiring things to do include bush yoga classes with an accredited instructor, gourmet French cuisine cooking classes with owner and French-trained chef Francoise Anthony, therapeutic massage treatments and indulgent Champagne bush picnics. There are also informative visits to a local Zulu village, as well as mountain biking, guided game drives and bush walks. Thula Thula’s air-conditioned, fully equipped conference facility seats 32 delegates cinema style and has a separate breakaway lounge with bar, library and TV/DVD facilities. Accommodation offerings include the five-star Elephant Safari Lodge and a luxury tented camp right on the banks of the Enseleni River. Thula Thula is in a malaria-free area, and is the ultimate destination to experience a true taste of Africa. The Drakensberg Sun Lifestyle Resort, in conjunction with Four Rivers Adventures, will be offering a range of community-based teambuilding opportunities in the near future. “When it comes to giving back, the sky’s the limit,” says Drakensberg Sun general manager Darron Moore. “We will tailor-make each activity to fit into a group’s budget and time frame.” A number of projects have been spearheaded that include and give back to local communities, with opportunities including: • Cycle adventure: One of the main reasons rural children battle to get to school is a lack of transport for often the long distances. The cycle adventure challenge entails the group doing a cycle challenge using bikes that they have purchased. On completion of the challenge, the group then heads to a local school where

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Thula Thula has launched new activities for conference delegates, such as gourmet French cuisine cooking classes as well as mountain biking, guided game drives and bush walks

the bikes and helmets are handed over to disadvantaged children, thus enabling them to get to school and home in much less time than would walking. • Jungle gym fun: They say one of the best ways to learn is through play, and a jungle gym provides children with hours of it. Here the group will head out to a deserving pre-primary or primary school and spend a great half day constructing a jungle gym. The jungle gym pieces will need to be assembled, holes dug and the treated poles ‘planted’, which make for a whole lot of work with some real rewards, the best of which is no doubt seeing a child’s smiling face while he plays. • Build it up: On completion of each teambuilding challenge, the group will receive a piece of wood, and at the end of all their select challenges, they will have collected all the components, wood screws, tools, paint etc., to construct an item.

Depending of the age group of the children selected to receive the donation, a number of options are available, for example, school desks, wooden toys, toy boxes and book shelves etc. Ultimately, all items have been selected to improve the future of local children. • Plant a tree: How about an ‘amazing race’ in the spectacular Cathkin Valley, with a stop at a local nursery school? The group will pick up a designated fruit tree and then get directions to the local school or orphanage with instructions on where to plant the tree that will bear fruit for children in the future. A veggie garden planting option is available as an alternative. • Fix a future: Here the group will head to a deserving school and do some much needed DIY work, such as fixing windows, doors and ceilings, or adding a fresh coat of paint. In addition to the incredible natural beauty, a trip to the KwaZuluNatal is all about experiencing cultural diversity and multicultural traditions. Sophistication and style make the province an enticing, alluring and fascinating destination, with spectacular mountain peaks, expansive golden beaches, exciting wildlife experiences, legendary Zulu kings and reminders of its dramatic colonial past, while Durban, the gateway to the province, is a stylish, cosmopolitan city encompassing a fusion of east, west and African cultures.

Useful contacts for conferencing in KZN Durban-KZN Convention Bureau james@durbankzncb.co.za www.durbankzncb.co.za

Elephant Lake Hotel www.elephantlakestlucia.co.za

Southern Sun Elangeni www.southernsun.com

ICC Durban www.icc.co.za

Thula Thula Private Game Reserve www.thulathula.com

Moses Mabhida Stadium www.mosesmabhidastadium.co.za

Drakensberg Sun Lifestyle Resort www.southernsun.com

Tourism KwaZulu-Natal tkzn@iafrica.com www.kzn.org.za

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Where Great

Minds Meet tŝƚŚ ƐƚĂƚĞͲŽĨͲƚŚĞͲĂƌƚ ĨĂĐŝůŝƟĞƐ ŝŶ ĐŽŶǀĞŶƟŽŶ ĐĞŶƚƌĞƐ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚ ^ŽƵƚŚ ĨƌŝĐĂ͛Ɛ ŬĞǇ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ůŽĐĂƟŽŶƐ͕ WƌĞŵŝĞƌ ,ŽƚĞůƐ Θ ZĞƐŽƌƚƐ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚ Ă ĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞ ŵĞĞƟŶŐƐ Θ ĐŽŶǀĞŶƟŽŶƐ ƐŽůƵƟŽŶ͕ ǁŚĞƚŚĞƌ ůĂƌŐĞ Žƌ ƐŵĂůů͘ ůŽŶŐ ǁŝƚŚ ĂīŽƌĚĂďůǇ ůƵǆƵƌŝŽƵƐ ŽŶͲ ƐŝƚĞ ĂĐĐŽŵŵŽĚĂƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ǁŽƌůĚ ĐůĂƐƐ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞ Θ ĐƵŝƐŝŶĞ͕ ƚŚŝŶŬ WƌĞŵŝĞƌ ,ŽƚĞůƐ Θ ZĞƐŽƌƚƐ ĨŽƌ ǇŽƵƌ ŶĞǆƚ ŵĞĞƟŶŐ Žƌ ĐŽŶǀĞŶƟŽŶ͘

Coastlands Umhlanga Hotel The Ebuhleni Zimbali Villas & Convention Centre is are luxurious self-catering an exquisite four-star hotel villas situated on the Zimbali situated in the Gatemax Estate. These five-star, complex. It offers 124 rooms, double-storey holiday the Saffron restaurant, homes are complete with the Vanilla coffee shop entertainment and and bar, and the African braai areas, a swimming Fire Convention Centre pool, golf carts and daily KK< EKt͗ Ϭϴϲ ϭϭϭ ϱϱϱϱ accommodating up to cleaning services. ŝŶĨŽΛƉƌĞŵŝĞƌŚŽƚĞůƐ͘ĐŽ͘ǌĂ 400 delegates.

30 Degrees Umdloti, two five-star self-catering, fully furnished beachfront apartments, include features such as DStv, flat-screen TVs, tea- and coffee-making facilities.

www.premierhotels.co.za

Where guests become friends

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Barra Resorts

Stunning settings down by the waterside Uniquely positioned where land meets water, coastal and waterfront conference venues have everything in place for hosting memorable meetings and events. Meetings SA reveals more.

ombined with pristine beaches, waterfront retreats and major tourist attractions, such venues enjoy increased repeat business based purely on ‘the experience’ provided to the delegates who frequent them. Coastal and waterfront meeting facilities offer a relaxed atmosphere in which conference participants will never feel confined or restricted while they work A guided horse ride on the beach is a once-in-a-lifetime experience

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

on ‘business’, and they are able to cater to all your conferencing needs, from the smallest group of guests to the largest gathering of delegates.

Flamingo Bay For a conferencing experience that is one of a kind in Africa, Flamingo Bay Water Lodge offers a peaceful, elegant and romantic

tropical getaway. Situated in the pristine tidal bay of Inhambane, 485 km north of Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, the lodge comprises water huts on stilts in the crystal clear waters of the warm Indian Ocean. The sunsets at Flamingo Bay are nothing less than breathtaking and the warm surrounding waters offer safe bathing all year round, while the endless wide-open beaches allow for hours of strolling pleasure. The luxury water chalets are spacious and well appointed, with balconies, wide-opening sliding doors and air conditioning. The chalets and furniture are constructed from beautiful local hardwoods from Mozambique, and sunbathing, swimming, snorkelling and boating may be enjoyed directly from each chalet. A spacious conference centre that seats 60 delegates comfortably is available. Private dinners and gala evenings with a Mozambique feel can be arranged on request. A TV, video, LCD projector and DVD player are included in the conference package at Flamingo Bay. For dining, there is an elegant restaurant

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overlooking the inviting swimming pool that merges into the view across the bay. Guests can sip cocktails on the spacious pool deck while watching the sunset, or enjoy their meals in the mornings and evenings, either indoors or outdoors. The gourmet restaurant offers sumptuous meals specialising in local dishes of Mozambique, including fresh prawns, fish, crabs and calamari, which are all caught locally. The well-stocked bar is a gathering point for guests to share their dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experiences in a convivial atmosphere. The bar overlooks the pool and offers spectacular sunsets, while an upstairs area enhances the view as the day draws to a close. Flamingo Bay offers the following teambuilding and experiential activities: Horse riding: A guided horse ride on the beach is a once-in-alifetime experience; beginners are welcome. Quad bikes: Quad biking through the coconut plantations opens new vistas and following the tracks and paths through these areas allows one to experience the real Mozambique and its local villages. Quad bikes and vehicles are prohibited from the beaches to

For a conferencing experience that is one of a kind in Africa, Flamingo Bay Water Lodge offers a peaceful, elegant and romantic tropical getaway

preserve the rich and unspoilt marine life. Water sports: For water lovers a host of activities are available. The bay is ideal for Hobie Cat and laser dingy sailing, while water skiing, snake rides, paddle skis, surfboards and boogie boards are just some of the other activities available. Catamaran yacht: A luxury 33 ft live-aboard catamaran offers unforgettable day trips from the secluded bay at Flamingo Bay. It moors alongside coral reefs for snorkelling and diving and cruises the flat waters of the estuary, stopping for a picnic on a secluded beach before gently heading for home. Sightseeing: Inhambane City is steeped in history as it was once the southerly most trading port in Africa that was used by the Arabs and Vasco Da Gama landed there in 1534. The cathedrals, old

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Barra Resorts

colonial Portuguese architecture, African culture and local markets make this a fascinating town to browse and discover. Travelling to Flamingo Bay is effortless and hassle free. For self-driving, guests travel to Barra Lodge, which is situated 485 km north of Maputo. Access by tarred road is suitable for normal vehicles, and although the last 7 km is a dirt road, it too is suitable for normal sedan vehicles. From Barra, Flamingo Bay is located a further 2 km along the road. Vehicles park at Barra Lodge and guests are transferred by shuttle to Flamingo Bay Water Lodge. By air, Barra Lodge and Flamingo Bay are accessed via direct flights from OR Tambo International Airport or Maputo International Airport. Connections are also available from most major airports, and both LAM and 1Time fly to Maputo International Airport. Whether it’s the miles of pristine beaches, rocky waterfront terrain or the calming effects of water itself that beckon you to host your next conference or corporate

event at a coastal or waterside venue, at Meetings SA, we say go ahead and do it. Neither you nor your delegates will be disappointed by the experience.

Liquid Lounge Nestled in the deep south of Gauteng, less than one hour’s drive from central

Johannesburg, lies one of the finest inland cruisers in South Africa. The Liquid Lounge makes its presence known along the lush shores of the Vaal River; this 56 km section of navigable water boasts the contrast of serene nature and some of the finest real estate in the country, aptly named Millionaires’ Bend. This luxurious 120-seater cruiser is the ultimate floating venue for corporate functions, weddings and private parties. Established in 2003, the Liquid Lounge remains the most sought-after river cruiser for private parties and company functions. Its friendly and professional staff members ensure flawless proceedings and a great party atmosphere, while the customer service is a cut above the rest. “Not only do we offer a range of all-inclusive entertainment packages, but a standard breakfast-, lunch- or dinner-time cruise is

Liquid Lounge

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Kapenta Bay Hotel is the perfect venue for your conference and to explore the wonders of the South Coast. This three star hotel and conference centre is situated right on the Indian Ocean! Accommodation at Kapenta Bay consists of 50 three bedroom, 2 bathroom suites, each suite has an equipped kitchenette, dining area and a lounge area fitted with satellite television. An open air balcony leads off the lounge most with unobstructed views over the Indian Ocean. The fully equipped conference centre comprises of three Grosvenor Suites which can accommodate groups of up to 300 delegates and the Fairfield Suite which is designed for smaller groups up to 60 delegates. All conference units are fully equipped with all standard conference equipment as well as air conditioning. Contact Us

T: +27 (0)39 682 5528 | F: +27 (0)39 682 4530 | E: reserve@kapentabay.co.za

Our conference and incentive venues are everything you’d expect and nothing you’ve ever experienced. Presenting Mozambique at its very best, Barra

Resorts’ Flamingo Bay Water Lodge and Barra Lodge are located in the gloriously breathtaking eco-paradise of Inhambane. For meetings and events that are designed for success, Flamingo Bay and Barra Lodge offer: • conference facilities for up to 60 delegates • standard audio-visual and technical equipment included in the package • easily accessible either by flying in or by self drive • private dinners and gala evenings with a good Mozambique feel • miles of open beaches • superb scuba diving • a selection of activities including, snorkelling, quad biking, sailing, dhow trips, kayaking, ocean safaris and horse riding • gourmet restaurant serving sumptuous meals, including local dishes and spectacular sea food.

Barra Central Reservations Tel: +27 (0) 11 023 9901 Fax: +27 (0) 86 558 6392 E-mail: info@barraresorts.com Website: www.barraresorts.com

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This luxurious 120-seater cruiser is the ultimate floating venue for corporate functions, teambuilding events, weddings and private parties

more than enough to whet your appetite for one of Gauteng’s best-kept secrets. If you are tired of being high and dry on the Highveld, join us for a cruise,” says Charissa Ash, Liquid Lounge’s general manager. The facilities onboard the river cruiser include: • seating arrangements for 120 guests • a buffet station • four toilets (two ladies and two gents) • fully stocked cash bar facilities • a dance floor • an open sun deck with deck furniture and umbrellas • a sound system for both the lower and upper decks • a 220 V power supply • menus supplied by either the Emerald Casino or the Riverside Hotel

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• departure from both of the abovementioned venues – whichever menu is chosen determines the departure point • background music for all cruises, with additional entertainment also available • standard set-up of tables, chairs and beige and white linen • the option to dress the boat up at an additional charge. Regarding the Liquid Lounge crew and safety, Ash says, “We have three competent

and licensed skippers working with us, two of which have been involved in our operation from the very beginning. Collectively they boast over 15 000 driving hours. They are well trained, approachable, and also stern when they need to be. The safety on our boats of all souls onboard is their top priority.” In addition, Liquid Lounge complies with the safety regulations currently set out by the South African Marine Safety Authority.

Useful contacts for leading waterfront and coastal meeting spaces Kapenta Bay reserve@kapentabay.co.za www.kapentabay.co.za The Nautilus info@thenautilus.co.za www.thenautilus.co.za

Flamingo Bay and Barra Lodge info@barraresorts.com www.barraresorts.com Liquid Lounge E-mail: info@liquidlounge.co.za www.liquidlounge.co.za

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Food for progressive thought

Pigalle Cape Town – Interior with Dancers

Host venues, they are a-changing Dining out culture in South Africa is widely attributed for having an attractive track record. So much so that leading restaurateurs are choosing to sweeten their deals by providing for meeting and events necessities on top of their already succulent offerings. by Abby Wintgens

ow I know (I’m certain) that every one of us has taken enormous pleasure at least once in indulging in fine fare. Some maybe a little more than others, though who’s really paying any attention when being presented with flavoursome culinary creations, impeccable service, knowledgeable staff, and an elegant setting that’s infused with a comforting touch of friendliness. Sounds absolutely perfect! Though for a romantic dinner for two, or for schmoosing those valuable business associates at least. Yet where larger capacities are concerned, like a full day conference for 200 delegates or quarterly strategy sessions for 32 branch managers, it could be a little difficult to conceive? Well, it’s not tricky at all since restaurants are in actual fact ‘venues’. It’s just their core focus is food, which isn’t a bad option to concentrate on. So, to introduce

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you this, well, not-so-new yet definitely inspired way of doing things, I’ve featured three diverse restaurants, each of which service the MICE market in its own unique way. Pigalle Bedfordview offers sumptuous comfort

Pigalle Restaurants Renowned for its superb Portugueseinspired cuisine, the Pigalle group of restaurants is one of South Africa’s most exclusive brands in fine dining. It is owned

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by the esteemed Goncalves brothers, Naldo and Victor, who are also famed with being the original founders of Vilamoura restaurants. Since first launching Pigalle Cape Town, in 2003, the brothers have gone on to established three additional extensions of the brand in the greater Johannesburg area – Pigalle Sandton, Pigalle Bedfordview and Pigalle Melrose Arch. Each restaurant is completely unique. Each one has been moulded by the brothers’ inspiring vision, their hands-on approach and unwavering attention to detail. All four offer amazing fine-dining experiences and are fully equipped to host any type of corporate gathering, which seeks to entertain in a precise environment. The setting, Naldo explains, “Is not one of partitioned walls and modest conference technology. Here we focus instead on exclusive elegance and the complete experience, which every Pigalle diner is treated to.” For clients hosting functions at the Joburg restaurants, three set menu

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PIGALLE AT A GLANCE Restaurant Pigalle Sandton

Capacity 175 guests max private area hosts between 40 and 50

Pigalle Melrose Arch

120 guests max

Pigalle Bedfordview

120 guests max private area hosts 60

Pigalle Cape Town

350 guests max

private area hosts 30

Only the finest chefs are employed and the staff give 120% of themselves where even the smallest detail is concerned options have been put in place to guide them in shaping their events. These are, however, completely flexible and easily customisable according to tastes and

Atmosphere True baroque attitude and urban style, this classy venue is the epitome of ultra sophistication. Eclectic comfort with a light Asian influence, the venue juxtaposes the trendy with the elegant. Afro-chic sophistication: The venue is opulent, yet warm, and refined with comfort while oozing pleasure. Sensual, lavish and maximalist, this completely exciting über venue was converted from an old ice rink.

budgets. He adds: “We’re here to listen to our clients, to put together their desired menus by adding and taking away as they chose. From their initial enquiry through the preparation phases, to the closing point of their successful events, Pigalle has all the areas covered.” It clear the brand is unwavering in its promise to exceed all expectations in service delivery. A remarkable example, during the Soccer World Cup last year, given the strategic positions of the MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

The Café

WHERE TIME FLIES

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Only the finest chefs are employed and restaurant staff give 120% of themselves where even the smallest detail is concerned. Old fashioned, you say? Rather hold that thought until you’ve been treated to the complete Pigalle experience; it’ll fast obscure any previous assumptions. A strong alliance with a leading AV specialist means that all requests for technical events equipment are provided for at each of the JHB restaurants. Pigalle Cape Town incorporates sophisticated audio-visual equipment and standard meeting technology. From the music, twice weekly training and education to the impeccable product knowledge, and the way staff present themselves and greet and attend to diners, the experience is exquisite. They show expertise in guiding, enticing and indirectly assuming control of even the most inhibited diners, transporting them on a gourmet culinary adventure, which will delight, stimulate and satisfy until the end.

1800° at Cape Royale Probably one of the trendiest spots in the Mother City, Green Point’s cool atmosphere keeps getting hotter thanks to premier grillroom 1800°, where Cape Royale

Executive chef Jonathan Gargan has put together a collection of unique set menus and buffet options Green Point’s cool atmosphere keeps getting hotter thanks to premier grillroom 1800° at Cape Royale

Melrose Arch and Sandton restaurants, both ran high-profile events non-stop for the entire six weeks with guest lists overflowing with the names of international celebrities, including Kim Kardashian and FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who dined daily in the Sandton restaurant. Since the group had no hassles making it onto their A lists, it should find getting a top spot on yours just as easy. Here are my six reasons why a Pigalle restaurant

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should automatically be your next host venue? Apart from their convenient locations, the Joburg restaurants all offer ample secure parking facilities. The brand has had to contend with deluxe international hotel groups for many years, which, according to Naldo, saw both brothers swiftly changing their ways to adopt a more professional and all-embracing hands-on approach in every aspect of their business.

conferences, launches, banquets, dinners, luncheons, presentations and product launches are catered for, and diners are spoilt for choice with its over 100 expertly selected local and rare international wines. Instrumental to this, executive chef Jonathan Gargan, who has put together a collection of unique set menus and buffet options that will please the most discerning of guests. His primary focus is on fresh produce and whole, pure foods prepared with excellence, a proven method evident in every plate served. The restaurant is located at the prestigious Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence, where every guest’s arrival is celebrated through the personalised service of its proficient staff. Further indulging the whims of every visitor, the Cape Royale’s world-class facilities have been designed with both the business and leisure traveler in mind.

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Harvard Café offers understated elegance

Its two conferencing suites are ideal for medium-sized events for 120, while a further four executive boardrooms are available for intimate meetings for 22 delegates. The hotel is a mere 30 minute’s drive from Cape Town International Airport and a five minute walk from city’s CBD. So while merely “popping out for a bite to eat” could very well become a thing of the past where business tourism is concerned, it’s enriching to know that the old adage is openly conceding to this fresh interpretation of fine dining, where anything from high-powered meetings to intimate client-loyalty celebrations will be fused with interactive gastronomic experiences to stimulate the senses and leave lasting impressions.

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Business brief at Harvard Café

receptions and teambuilding. Furthermore, it offers two conference rooms. The Spammy Room accommodates up to 45 people, while the Texan Room is suited to 160 guests seated indoors and a total of 250 seated both inside and out. MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

Harvard Café In Germiston, located on site at the Rand Airport, is a restaurant and adjoining conference centre that is one of a kind venue, offering a wide variety of exciting possibilities. The Harvard Café Restaurant and Conference Centre boasts a atmosphere that’s cheerfully rowdy and immediately noticeable, while the airport conjures up fond impressions of a bygone era. The Harvard Café includes a fun-filled section developed especially for children, not common at most dedicated meeting and events facilities. Its clever positioning provides parents with views of their little ones and the peace of mind to enjoy their time spent at the venue. Just a stone’s throw away from the outside tables, the restaurant’s great location near to the runway and apron, presents patrons with hours of pleasurable viewing, to admire planes as they taxi to and fro. The restaurant’s hearty menu pays a hearty tribute to burgers, seafood, steaks and poultry, while the chef’s specialties lean towards Mediterranean-inspired dishes such as Kleftiko, Trinchado and Souvlakia. Delicious pizzas are served up too, with the Harvard, Tiger Special and Boeing varieties regularly hailed as among the best. There are many benefits to choosing the Harvard Café and Conference Centre a host venue, such as having access to the creative and professional solutions it provides for all sorts of events, from birthday parties and conferences to wedding

Conference like Royalty... The Cape Royale Luxury Hotel’s world-class facilities include 2 conferencing suites and 4 state-of-the-art executive boardrooms. Each are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and the latest in audio-visual equipment offering open layouts:tailor-made for conferences, banquets, cocktails, dinners, luncheons, presentations and product launches. • Cape Royale’s Conferencing Suites cater for groups of 8 - 120 PAX • Luxury 5 Star accommodation available • Standard equipment and facilities include complimentary parking and complimentary wireless-internet • 5 minutes from Cape Town’s Central Business District For more info and to book, contact: +27 (0) 21 430 0500 or email: james.harrison@caperoyale.co.za 47 Main Road, Green Point, Cape Town, South Africa

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h i g h

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f i f t y Commemorating 50 years in business, print and electronic publishing house 3S Media welcomed clients, associates, friends and family to the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre on 31 March 2011. The elegant anniversary celebration was hosted by publisher and MD Elizabeth Shorten, who also marked a decade at the helm in March this year. by Abby Wintgens

As one of

The Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre offers even the most demanding business guest or event organiser an exciting range of meeting and event facilities, coupled with dedicated and committed staff to ensure peace of mind and successful events.

the founders of business-to-business publishing in South Africa, Elizabeth’s father John Shorten established the company, formerly Shorten Publications, in 1960. His first magazine IMIESA is in its 36th year of publication and has received numerous awards over the years. It is probably the most successful monthly publication in the field of infrastructure development and service delivery. Elizabeth, who came from a newspaper and consumer magazine journalism background in London, wasn’t sure what to expect when she moved back to South Africa in 2001 to take the reins at Shorten Publications. She recalls, “I became immersed in engineering, water, waste management, emergency services – all matters of life and death. It was very challenging and I knew had to get to grips with it pretty fast.” She inherited three publications and soon set about launching and purchasing others. Today, 3S Media’s stable boasts 10 print publications, almost all of which have won or been nominated

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Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre

For an evening with a difference, experience the Birchwood’s thatched covered lapa, Phomolong, which comfortably accommodates up to 500 guests, or the Serengeti Lapa for larger groups of up to 650.

for PICA Awards for publishing excellence, and some of which have also been recognised for journalism. Although it was a difficult decision, in 2005 Elizabeth changed the 45-yearold family company name from Shorten Publications to 3S Media. “It’s a ques-

Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre

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tion of having the vision and courage to acknowledge what the future holds,” she says. “The Internet had been in popular use since the 1990s. The writing was on the wall – or rather, it was no longer just on the printed page. Publishers had to adapt. We needed to deliver content

across multiple platforms. We are no longer publishers, but media owners.” In accordance with this strategy, the company launched a number of industry websites to meet the online information needs of its business communities. It also represents the international mining portal, www.miningne.ws. With half a century of print and online success to celebrate, CS Media enjoyed

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Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre

an unforgettable evening, coloured with all things black, white and red – the company colours. It was an incredible success. Commenting on the evening, Elizabeth noted that the relaxed yet sophisticated vibe created by Birchwood’s striking outdoor Bedouin tent was both unusual and unique, and was perfectly suited to achieving 3S Media’s desire for a memorable event.

Whether for a conference, product launch, seminar, directors’ meeting or special occasion, check out the diversity of the Birchwood Hotel and check in for an event that is sure to be remembered.

“The flow, from the clear blue sky and outdoor welcome area, to the Bedouin with its chill zone lounge-type atmosphere, which protected us from a minor cloudburst, to the boma-like bar and buffet area with views of the starry night, gave a unique open feel to the event.”

Venue Whether you are looking for the ideal spot to host an intimate board meeting or a comprehensive venue for a training session of up to 1 500 delegates, the Birchwood can cater for all your needs. The total size of the facility that is un-

Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre

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Birchwood

Birchwood der roof is a whopping 44 458 m², which incorporates 665 guest bedrooms and 50 different conference facilities, all conveniently located 7 km from OR Tambo International Airport. The Birchwood first opened its doors in 1998 as a one conference facility and 80 guest bedroom hotel. Since then, numerous developments have taken place at the venue in answer to the evolving needs of the business tourism industry. In conjunction with the 50 conference rooms and 450 bedrooms, the Birchwood boasts a long list of on-site additional service offerings. These include: • audio-visual equipment hire and onsite support • the Lotus Spa • executive accommodation • banqueting services • a chapel and wedding venue • various dining options, including the superb Local Grill, Tazza Caffe and the Birchwood Spur • a gymnasium with a sauna and steam rooms

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The Birchwood presents a variety of menu offerings to complete any type of function or event, from traditional South African braais and themed cocktail function menus to evenings themed completely in Caribbean, Oscar or Jazz styles, to name but a few.

•full business services •Events, services and decor, all themed using in-house capability •complimentary scheduled shuttle services •professional corporate teambuilding provided by the Ventures Group

• tour operator services overseen by Top Shot Tours • car hire from Tempest Car Hire. Natalie Nelson, 3S Media’s marketing manager, responsible for the organising of the anniversary celebration, was hugely impressed with the end result, from the way in which the stylish furniture was set up with precision and elegant creativity to the excellent utilisation of the different spaces. She explains: “Birchwood’s Bedouin tent is such an exquisite setting, and something totally out of the norm. Being

Birchwood

The Birchwood’s ‘cocktail for countries’ special themed menu comprises an Asian selection, a South African selection and an Italian selection of appetising canapé-style eats. Served from a well-presented buffet station, every food option tastes as good as it looks.

outdoors for our function was a bit of a gamble, but the evening was beautifully warm and it really was quite lovely to be out in the open and free to mingle. We did, however, experience a short, sharp shower, but even that wasn’t a problem for staff at the Birchwood, who acted swiftly and with precision, moving the buffet station to a covered area. The staff were on hand and visible at all times, ensuring that things ran smoothly right throughout the evening.” The Birchwood is accessible from three major highways, making it an ideal location for all Gauteng commuters. In addition, the hotel is within minutes of Rhodesfield Station, so it is easily accessible for guests using the Gautrain. The Birchwood seeks to cater for all conferencing and accommodation requirements as a one-stop shop for conferencing, corporate and leisure events and business travel. Conference rooms range from various boardrooms – some as small as accommodating four delegates only – to the largest venue, the OR Tambo Centre,

which comfortably seats 1 500 delegates, cinema style. Several venues have large doors, which allow for vehicle access, while others are ideal for gala dinners, award ceremonies and banquets.

Catering 3S Media selected a special themed menu from the Birchwood’s cocktail for countries range. And what might have seemed rather run of the mill on paper was anything but when enjoyed one delicious mouthful by the next. Small portions of fish and chips were cleverly served

Action Entertainment Action Entertainment promotes and delivers the finest live specialty acts and entertainment services sourced from all over the world, for conferences and corporate events. Action Entertainment

Action Entertainment

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Jacques Lagesse

Lagesse’s musical treats consist of a popular brand of laid-back jazz standards and evergreen romantic ballads. He has a strong flair for Latin rhythms and incorporates several Bosa Nova and Samba tunes in his repertoire of more than 300 songs

in brown paper bags, spaghetti bolognaise morsels were dished up on phyllo pockets and butter chicken roti served in trendy Chinese takeaway boxes. All fingers were pointed at culinary mastermind and executive chef at the Birchwood Michael Tsekoa. Explaining his creative inspiration for the unique menu and serving styles, Tsekoa says, “I’m lost for words on this one. It’s just the love of food I suppose; playing around with tastes, ingredients and ideas, and creating something

special out of what are in fact very ordinary meals and, of course, presenting it well in our beautiful gardens at the Birchwood.” Natalie says: “The catering was refreshingly different from the usual canapés one expects at a cocktail party. The fish and chips in a bag were a major talking point, with guests going back for seconds and even thirds. The outstanding lamb curry in the miniature takeaway boxes was just divine, as was the sushi – most delicious.” Apart from being highly impressed with the variety and scrumptiousness of the food, Elizabeth was pleasantly surprised by the abundance of food that was made available for her guests.

Entertainment Throughout the evening, guests of 3S Media were treated to an excellent selection of entertainment sourced from one of South Africa’s leading booking agents, Action Entertainment, which specialises in professional entertainment and event services. Discussing the enticing, almost carnival-like busking activities that were on the go even before the first guests had arrived, Natalie recalls: “We took a step away from the formal entertainment that one so often finds at cocktail functions and took advantage of the fact that we were outdoors. We had a juggler, a stilt walker, a mime artist and a magician.

Useful contacts

Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre Tel: +27 (0)11 897 0000 E-mail: reservations@birchwoodhotel.co.za www.birchwoodhotel.co.za

Action Entertainment Cell: +27 (0)82 368 9632 www.actionentertainment.co.za

Jacques Lagesse Musician/entertainer Cell: +27 (0)82 652 7260 jacques@jacqueslagesse.com www.jacqueslagesse.com

Model Image Photography Stacey Osborne-Venter Cell: +27 (0)82 839 2260 modelimage2006@yahoo.com www.modelimage.co.za

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

The end result of Action Entertainment’s recommendations was a really special combination of performers. The amazing thing was that although the acts were exceptionally engaging they weren’t at all intrusive, which gave staff and guests the freedom needed to network. I can only assume that it takes a fine balance of talent and manner, and the artists from Action Entertainment seemed to perfect this in a completely natural way.” As the final hues of sunset gave way to the night-time sky and the formalities got under way, velvety vocals and the mellow tones of an acoustic guitar filtered through the air, sung and strummed by none other than muchloved local crooner Jacques Lagesse. His repertoire consists mainly of popular brands of laid-back jazz standards and evergreen romantic ballads, which Elizabeth felt fitted in perfectly with 3S Media’s anniversary celebration. Lagesse is often compared to the latterday crooners such as Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and, more recently, Michael Bublé. This ‘walking minstral’ has a classic dress sense and is completely at ease while he tunefully interacts with guests and audiences. His remarkable ability to roam large venues while performing unplugged make him the perfect entertainer for a variety of corporate, business-to-business, marketing or promotions events. Natalie and her team’s meticulous planning and creative design efforts were expertly supported by the handson operations of Birchwood’s staff. The eye-catching venue choice and continuous brand recognition in various decor and furniture elements gave 3S Media’s 50th anniversary celebration everything required for a successful and memorable event. Congratulations and bottoms up to another 50!

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E X P O V E N T E V O LU T I O N S

othing has changed in terms of our current products and service offerings,” says Adrian McKnight, group director of Expovent Evolutions South Africa. “Instead, we’re capitalising on the substance of the existing trade names: Regal Rentals, Just Events, Surrey Common, CME Décor and the DammFine services, among others, to drive growth in developing Expovent as a revolutionary brand and complete event production company,” he adds.

Fitting business acumen indeed, given the current offerings are not only highly respected, but also widely recognised. Yet McKnight’s ability to diversify in a manner such as this didn’t simply happen overnight. Tracing back through the years to his first encounter with the exhibition and events industries. the launch of Regal Rentals is without a doubt where it all started. Thereafter, various developments soon saw McKnight take the reins, developing Regal into what is recognised today as South Africa’s

premier furniture rental company. From there, the influences kept rolling in. His exposure to the many varied requirements of exhibitions and events not only provided McKnight with opportunities in decor, event flooring and carpeting, catering, and event management, but also inspired him take on his next business project: the creation of DammFine. A true visionary, McKnight knew he’d always wanted to convey a full service offering to the industry – across the board at all levels. In 2011, he brings this to life, focusing everything into

Revolution in the

event production world Simplified business operations and a practical approach have become the backbone of Expovent Evolutions South Africa, as the group elects to focus its efforts on growing one overall brand.

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

E X P O V E N T E V O LU T I O N S

A true visionary, Adrian McKnight

A unique and breathtaking creation by CME Decor Specialist

one revolutionary brand to introduce Expovent Evolutions, which promises to continually evolve the approach of exhibitions and events.

Powerful services and products Expovent Evolutions South Africa brings together: • DammFine Events: This enthusiastic team of creative professionals specialises in event management and design from conceptualisation to completion, and offers a complete event coordination solution through the direct link to Expovent. • DammFine Cuisine: Providing only the finest catering, this entity ensures that every mouthful is a sensational experience. Whether a buffet, plated, or canapé option is chosen, DammFine Cuisine endeavours to add a five-star plus dimension to the event. • DammFine Liquids: A licensed beverage facility, this entity offers bar staff, flaring and a variety of flashy bar counters. The bar service can be tailored to suit any occasion, in any environment, in any style, providing clients with the exclusive edge to entertain their guests in style. • DammFine Flooring: Focused on providing up market flooring constructed from the highest quality,

modular wooden floors to carpet tiles, raised flooring sections, chequered dance floors, astro turf and temporary decking, the products are durable, and easy to install. • Regal Rentals Southern Africa: The largest furniture rental specialist company of its kind in South Africa, Regal boasts the most varied selection of furniture in categories ranging from the cocktail series, banqueting, office and conference series, loungers and accessories for both indoor and outdoor locations. • Surrey Common: A versatile meeting and events venue conveniently located in Midrand, Surrey Common includes themed meeting rooms and vast open lawns perfect for hosting any occasion. Home to a full-scale production kitchen run by two international chefs from DammFine Cuisine, the venue can cater for up to 1 000 guests at any time. • Expovent Freightage: With its varied fleet, the freight and forwarding arm provides logistics services to the exhibition and event industries. Expovent Freightage has been making regular trips between the Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town branches of Regal Rentals Southern Africa, as well making all the deliveries for Majestic Expressions.

• Just Events: A top-class decor service that magically transforms any space into a breathtaking environment. Services include feature draping, stretch panels, floral arrangements, interesting centrepieces, themed events and elegant wedding settings. • Majestic Expressions: Retaining its niche for personal, designer and unique furniture products, Majestic enjoys great success supplying customised furniture to the exhibition industry. Its marvellous furniture products are distributed nationwide to prime events, retailers, hotels, restaurants and the rental industry, while managing to retain class and style. • CME Decor Specialist: Decorating events across the country, CME’s creations are unique, devised exclusively to each clients requirements, drawing from ongoing research into local and international trends. McKnight concludes, “Our attention to detail and demand for perfection will continue to ensure an experience to be remembered, built from an event of pure brilliance.” Adrian McKnight t +27 (0)11 553 5200 c +27 (0)76 279 7270 adeymac@expovent.co.za

Surrey Common hosts a ‘night with the stars’ event for Southpaw Solutions

The vast open lawns at Surrey Common are perfect for hosting any occasion

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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Curtain raiser or crowd killer...

Are you making the right before considering going through aan agency,” explains Ash Searle of Follo Follow Spot Productions.

Choosing the right entertainment for an event can mean the difference between a successful function and a disaster. Fortunately, there are various options available to event organisers when planning live entertainment for corporate events. by Claire Rencken

Choose wisely

here is also o the choice between approaching ng independent entertainers ers directly, and going through booking agents. Meetings SA takes a look at the pros os and cons of both.

Cut out the middle man n or not? We have all asked this question uestion at some stage, whether about insurance brokers, medical cal reps, estate agents, casting agents gents or even shop attendantss in the clothing industry – the list st goes on. At the end of the day, agents gents such as these can render an invaluable nvaluable service to their clients, provided they are service focused d and have clients’ best interests at heart. Big Talk Entertainment operates on the above principles, according to managing director Deon Schlebusch. “We consult onsult with our clients as most don’t really know what they want ant for their event. We advise, create, reate, conceptualise and prepare re ideas, presenting clients with all the necessary promo material aterial in order to assist them with their decision. We take care are of the contracts and briefing efing of artists, ensuring that they

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

arrive on time, among other things,” he explains. “Considering the current political climate, the corporate market has shifted demographically in leaps over the years. Therefore, what we sold 11 years ago we no longer necessarily sell today. It is of the utmost importance to have insight into your products, knowing what’s new, who’s new, and their rates, styles, and genres.” Characteristic of any service, agents do, however, come with a price tag attached. “There is a sense of security when booking through an agent, but it does come at a cost. And if you are trying to be costeffective, my suggestion would be to first try to book artists privately

Using the services of a booking age agent also does not automatically guarantee aadded security. It is no different from any other sector driven by the supply of servi services: there are good agents and bad agents. “We have had so some less-than-savoury exper experiences with agents, and when w we book specialist performers, we of often prefer to contact them directly directly. In the past, we’ve had some agents who send pages of demands on behalf of the their artists, which sheds a patronising light on the artist, when in fact the artist is actuall actually quite laid back and unaware of the agent’s requests on their behalf. T This often puts people off hiring aan artist and is thus bad for bus business,” comments Searle. But similarly, a lot hi hinges on the reliability of th the artist. Schlebusch explains: “S “Some artists are professional, arrive on time and adhere to the te terms of an agreement. Without a do doubt, such artists can deal directly with clients, too. Some clients know wha what and who they want. They Live act by About know how to so source the Entertainment artists and prefer, pref for various reasons, not to use the sservices of agents. Others feel safer knowing knowin that if anything goes wrong there is so some form of safeguard as there are legal ccontracts in place, not just with the client client, but also with the artist.” Searle champions these thoughts, saying, “I personally think that the entertai entertainers who represent themselves and allow peo people to book them directly are usually busin business savvy and reliable. If you feel uncertain, do don’t pay them in full, upfront.” Comedian Mark Palmer elaborates elaborates: “There are those entertainers who are pur purely entertainers for a living and that’s all a they know. Their desires are as simple as showing

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choice? up at a venue, performing and getting paid. Some entertainers have been in the business long enough to know how to do the ‘business’ side of things, and dealing with them can be as smooth and trouble free as dealing with an experienced and professional agency. If you’re uncertain, go with the reputable agency.”

Entertainers who represent themselves and allow people to book them directly are usually business savvy and reliable David Crouch of About Entertainment agrees wholeheartedly with Palmer: “Event organisers don’t always realise the value in working with an entertainment specialist, who takes care of unforeseen problems and frees them up to focus on the coordination of the event, saving them valuable time and hassle. A reputable, experienced entertainment agent spends years building relationships with credible performers and can call on the right artists at any time, knowing their availability, strengths, limitations, background Comedian Mark Palmer and history. Using an agent ensures clients they won’t be faced with the issue of entertainers letting them down on the day of an event. We all know people can get ill or injured, and flights are cancelled or delayed – an agent has the

resources to put contingency plans into place in the case of an unforeseen mishap.” Dreamtime Entertainment and Events, which is run by Ken and Debi Lindsay, caters for live entertainment and all aspects of event coordination from an entertainment point of view. With more than 30 years of experience in the market, Ken (a performer himself) has the expertise to match entertainers with clients. The company supplies magical entertainment in the form of corporate and kids’ magicians, clowns, jugglers, stilt walkers and face painters, as well as musical entertainment, such as oneman bands, duos and full-scale outfits for any special function.

What do the performers have to say? Interestingly, some artists themselves also prefer working through an agency. “Most comedians or entertainers have more than one booking agency representing them. This gives the performers far greater exposure to a larger market, because most people looking for some form of entertainment for a function or event go directly to entertainment booking agencies,” says Palmer. Schlebusch adds, “We have over 72 registered agents in South Africa. Big Talk Entertainment is approached daily by artists from all over the country, requesting to be on our website and databases in order for us to promote them. Many agents have offered artists platforms, whether corporate or leisurefocused like festivals and theatre shows, where they have been discovered, or offered opportunities they would not have got otherwise. Some artists, for professional or personal reasons,

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

It is all ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT Personal Professional Service Guaranteed Background Music, Solo Artists and Musicians, Cabaret Artists String Quartets and Ensembles, Opera Singers, Brass Bands, Jazz Bands, Party Bands, Marimba Bands, Choirs, Traditional Dancers, Contemporary Dancers, Djembe Drummers, Motivational Speakers, Team Builders, MC's,Celebrities, Dj's, Stage, Sound and Lighting.

Exclusive booking agents for Lira, Joey Rasdien and Flash Republic Call Lisa Loeb Cell: 082 560 1756 Tel: +27(0)11 482 8522 Fax: +27(0)11 482 3245 Po Box 1084, Auckland Park, 2006 lisa@aboutentertainment.co.za www.aboutentertainment.co.za

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prefer to work independently. dently. They are normally the commercial al or ‘big’ name brands that enjoy celebrity-type rity-type status and no longer need the services vices of an agent. Instead, they have reputable table managers in place who handle their ir publicity, PR, marketing, tour bookings gs and shows, etc.” Searle’s point of view, however, is contrary to this: “I think we are biased. iased. We feel strongly that artists should ould be entrepreneurs and represent themselves. ves. In South Africa, it seems agents are not nearly as personally involved in their performers mers as they ought to be, and so they don’t share hare a common goal which they are working towards. They represent too many ny artists at any given timee and so have split focus; though ugh I don’t blame the agents for this: if artists were paid more, e, agents could afford to represent onlyy a select few, but until then agents have to make up for it in numbers. It’s a vicious circle.” ircle.”

Tips for first-time clients nts A reputable agent will be e able to generate ideas and work within your our creative concepts to ensure that the entertainment rtainment produced for your event is appropriate, priate, fresh and original. “Agents are continually ntinually sourcing new acts for their clients and d we have our finger on the pulse regarding who or what is hot and who or what is not! ensure ot! We

that when we make suggestions for your entertainment, the entertainers are vetted, their references are checked (and in most cases artists’ performances are viewed by our team), and that everything they say they are (on websites and in biographies, etc.) is in fact so,” explains Crouch. Palmer offers additional guidance, sstating that should planners be completely u unclear nclear of where to start, “I would advise getting get a pro in to help.” He adds: “We have so some really talented and amazing event org organisers and booking agencies in this country to complement the talented and amazin amazing entertainers. Getting a feel for what your staff, guests or clients enjoy plays a big b role in deciding on what kind of entertain entertainment would be suitable. Go with the pros th that know what they’re doing and the one ones with traceable references.”

Is laughter always the best medicine? medicine Comedians seem to be a consistently popular choice for entertainment at corporat corporate events, but are they the best option? “Each function we do is so unique th that

there isn’t a most po popular entertainer. Comedy will always be b a good bet as people like to laugh, but we are seeing an increase in people wa wanting to be wowed. From spectacular fire acts to heartwrenching dance duo duos, clients are stretching the boundaries of their th entertainment preferences,” answe answers Searle. Schlebusch states: “Yes, for us, laughter is most definitely the b best medicine. Comedians bring a pleasant, light-hearted feel to an ligh event, and I believe people really do want p to laugh more. We liv live in a crazy world and work in stressful env environments under highpressure conditions, and there is nothing better than a good la laugh to lift the morale and spirit of a group.” group And from the horse’s horse mouth: “Trendy? Who? Comedians? I g guess we are the social commentators of modern times and we mo definitely seem to be the ‘in thing’ at the moment. And why no not? We know what’s funny (or should aat least) and we know how to talk in front of complete fr strangers – something that is more som frightening th than death for some people,” concludes Palmer. conc Owing to the large demand for th comedy as entertainment, a number e of specialist agencies have since developed. These include Take 5 T Comedy, which was established wh early in 2008 an and is becoming one of the fastest growing comedy promoters in Gauteng. of well-known Gauteng Its books consist co comedians, as well as up-and-coming ones, providing a platform for many budding comedians into the world of comedy. Take 5 handles bookings for corporate functions, year-end events, company shows and restaurant gigs, to name a few, while simultaneously accommodating various budgets. The key is to make an informed choice. Good agents will ask their clients as many questions as possible about their guests, i.e. age, race, and type of audience, as well as the style or theme of the event. Informed clients, on the other hand, will request promotional material on the artist – clips, profiles and YouTube links – to assist them with making the best possible decision.

Useful contacts for sourcing the very best in event entertainment

Live act by Follow Spot

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

About Entertainment www.aboutentertainment.co.za

Follow Spot Productions www.followspot.co.za

Big Talk Entertainment www.bigtalk.co.za

Mark Palmer www.markpalmer.co.za

Dreamtime Entertainment and Events www.dreamtime.co.za

Take 5 Comedy www.take5comedy.co.za

Conferencing & Events

The Royal Elephant Conference Centre offers various exclusive multi-purpose meeting rooms and venues, ranging from a 10 seater boardroom to a 400 seater banqueting hall. The venues are all equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual and sound equipment. Banqueting cuisine is prepared with the freshest and Ă&#x201E;nest ingredients. There is an array of menu options and packages to select from, alternatively tailor-make the selection to Ă&#x201E;t the theme of your function.

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A G A Alex Gintan Associates

eveNt disaster risk management

We are leading specialists in corporate compliance regulations, with a strong focus on Disaster Risk Management and business continuum services. Our event pre-planning service takes into account all the requirements of the South African Safety at Sports & Recreational Events Act, (Act 2 of 2010) and ensures that event organisers comply with the Disaster Management Act (Act 57 of 2002) Submissions and Approvals, Risk Assessments, Compilation and design of Event Safety and Security Plans, Provision of Public Event Safety Officers. Call on us today.

Specialist Compliance and Risk Consultants Our expertise is your success.

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Conform or fold, the option is yours Since the promulgation of the new Safety at Sports and Recreation Events Act (No. 2 of 2010) on 2 August 2010, the compliance and professionalism displayed by many event organisers has been encouraging. by Claire Rencken

on the agenda. We have, however, over the years realised that they are specific to the venue while also being organiser specific, with some being more focused on the portfolio than others.”

Complying with the act

rrol Ninow, Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) at Alex Gintan Associates, has been working determinedly to demystify one of the most significant legislations affecting meetings and event management. He says: “We have interfaced with the SAPF National Commissioner’s Office on many events already and give all credit to the police for their attitude of helpfulness and cooperation. There is obviously a ‘shoe horning-in’ period as they apply the new law and I expect that once the regulations of the act are published, it will be tougher to comply with the evidentiary documentation and information requirements of the act.”

The risks associated with organising and hosting an event vary and are dependent on many different factors, including, but not limited to, the size of the event, the types of guests or delegates attending, the equipment requirements and the length of the event. According to Beverley Zieseniss, director at Focus Security Services, the potential hazards that could arise are numerous and can include serious or even dire consequences for both the organiser and the venue. She adds: “In our experience, the risks associated with organising and hosting an event of any kind, including sporting and recreational events, have always been high

At this stage, it is not difficult for event organisers to comply, given there is not really anything new contained in the legislation, which all professional event

We have already interfaced with the SAPF National Commissioner’s Office and give all credit to the police for their attitude of helpfulness and cooperation planners should have already been complying with anyway. In short, without oversimplifying the content of

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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the work that must be done to satisfy all the requirements, the process has now been formalised and thanks to Ninow CMP it can be summarised in three easy steps as follows: • The submission of an annual schedule to the National Commissioner of all planned events six months before the start of the calendar year, accompanied by certain

with SANS 10366 for health and safety aspects for live events. • Taking responsibility for safety and security at the event. It is incumbent on the event organiser to appoint an event safety officer to be responsible for ensuring the implementation of all the safety and security plans.

prescribed information concerning the future events. This is followed by an application to the National Commissioner’s Office with the event details, supplying information enabling a risk categorisation to be made by the National Commissioner. This is then communicated to the relevant parties. • The convening of the Event Safety and Security Planning Committee (ESSPC). This can be a bit tricky because specific expertise is called for to meet the legal requirements of the committee. This involves, for example, the safety and security plan, the emergency plan, the evacuation plan, security deployment and operational plans, medical support plans, waste management plans, disaster risk management plans, production timetables, detailed threat and hazard analysis, etc. Compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) is mandatory, as is compliance

Measures may include security systems, bodyguards, luxury armoured vehicles with scramble plans, mail screening and background checks

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

Services provided Event security specialists offer various services to organisers to assist them in complying with the act, so ensuring the safety of all parties involved. Zieseniss shares key information, elaborating on what these services include: • VIP protection for individuals who may be exposed to elevated personal risk. Protective measures may include home security systems, bodyguards, luxury armoured vehicles with trained drivers who specialise in advanced driving techniques and vehicle scramble

plans, mail screening, private jet travel, background checks for other employees and other precautions. Executive protection may also provide security for immediate and/or extended family members to prevent risks such as kidnapping and extortion. • Surveillance. This covers a broad spectrum of activities, from physically

having an individual person maintain a visual perspective on clients, to using top-quality, latest-technology surveillance equipment. Surveillance may be applied to observation from a distance by means of electronic equipment (such as CCTV cameras), or the interception of electronically transmitted information (such as Internet traffic or phone calls). It may also refer to simple, relatively low-technology methods, such as human intelligence agents. • An access control system is generally seen as the second layer in the security of a physical structure or presence. In reality, access control is an everyday phenomenon experienced at events. It involves many aspects, including boom gates, a line of security personnel, traffic cones and any other possible physical barriers that will prevent access to a certain area. • Crowd control requires careful planning

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by any security service. Large crowds are a normal part of the operation of many public venues and facilities such as fairgrounds, leisure centres, entertainment venues and sports stadiums. From a commercial point of view large numbers of customers are desirable. But excessive crowding and poor crowd management can lead to anxiety and stress and at worst to crushing, injury and even deaths. Since venues both fixed and transient are large and complex spaces, the management of crowds requires teamwork with efficient communication and coordination between those responsible for the overall operation and those managing crowds face to face. Security personnel, security fencing, stanchions, security cones and even horses and security dogs can all be used in the effective control of large crowds of people. • Disaster management is initiated when anything threatens to disrupt normal operations or puts people’s lives at risk. Governments on all levels, as well as many businesses, create some sort of disaster plan that makes it possible to overcome the catastrophe and return to normal functioning as quickly as possible. Quite often a disaster kit will be compiled. Private security companies are often required to have their own disaster management plan, but usually, in the role of event management, the national disaster management unit will take control of this aspect and will generally

Surveillance technology options Norbain SA is a leading supplier of CCTV, access control and other related electronic security systems in South Africa. The company supplies an extensive range of closed circuit and access control equipment from internationally acclaimed manufacturers. Its offerings include the following: • Heitel, of which the key focus area is environments where limited bandwidth is available. It includes a built-in 3G modem, so portability enables quick deployment, without any permanent infrastructure needed. • IndigoVision, which provides great compression and streaming ability on fixed or wireless, and is best suited to sites with larger quantities of cameras. • Technical support and advice on product installations and system design, as well as on-site and hands-on technical training.

provide a plan to all the role players. • Health and safety management includes methods designed to protect employees, patrons, stakeholders and guests from the potential occurrence of fire and other safety hazards. All health and safety plans are completed and compiled in accordance with the OSHA, which encompasses the nationally recognised codes and standards for optimal health and safety. The plan should provide one comprehensive prevention and safety document. • Risk assessment and management is done at each and every stage of event production. An effective risk plan will

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identify potential risks and then each risk will be given a priority level, ranging from very low to exceptionally high. Risks with high severity should be handled first. Management strategies include areas such as risk avoidance, risk retention (accept some or all of the consequences associated with a particular risk), risk transfer (transfer the risk to a third party, e.g. transfer the event security responsibility to a security agency) and risk reduction (reduce the risk associated with a particular element or activity by developing an effective contingency action plan).

Communication K.G.N VIP Protection & Security Services believes that client communication is a key component of safety and security at an event or venue. This is facilitated by a security report and a meeting with the client to action and discuss any problem areas. As in any other service industry, security guarding has the human element as its most crucial asset. Therefore, employees themselves must in essence be alert, diligent and competent in their main objective to prevent crime, by protecting property and life as they go about their daily and nightly patrol duties. Quick response by senior management, which is on call 24 hours a day, is part of the service. Written reports as well as telephonic updates are important in resolving problems as they happen.

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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Tracking and anticipating potential risks and security challenges should always remain key, but beware self-styled expert risk managers and advisers

Training In light of the emphasis now placed on safety and security at events, it is advisable to provide staff with the necessary training in the field. Sentinel Risk Management (SRM) provides security-related seminars

as part of its offerings to prepare for and construct a well-organised event. It offers personal safety and security, antihijacking, information security management and safety, health, environment and quality (SHEQ)-related courses and training interventions. The courses are presented to the highest standard by experienced facilitators to improve the quality of each delegate’s life. SRM is able to customise the content, outcome and duration of the course to accommodate the specific training needs of the client or individual. All of these courses can be presented on site, at the convenience of the client. Tackling and anticipating potential risks and

security challenges should always remain key, yet Ninow CMP cautions organisers to be weary as there is suddenly a plethora of self-styled expert risk managers and advisers wanting to sell their ‘skills’. “We live in a time when there is an increased demand for heightened security to protect people and facilities. Essentially, selecting the appropriate service provider and products that are right for you, aside from ensuring you comply with the act, requires doing plenty of very necessary legwork,” the company says.

Useful contacts for safety and security at events and venues Alex Gintan Associates www.alexgintan.co.za Focus Security Services www.focussecurity.za.net K.G.N VIP Protection & Security Services www.vip-protection.co.za Norbain SA www.norbain.co.za Sentinel Risk Management www.sentinelriskmanagement.com

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

Marketing Services & Communication (MSC)

Add the right colour to your meetings

When seeking a professional service provider and supplier of products that encompass comfort, excellence and innovation, there can naturally be only one choice. For more than 30 years, Oasys Innovations have provided integrated solutions for exhibitions, meetings, conferences and events, sourcing from their extensive inventory. Oasys Innovations. Your one-stop supplier of infrastructure for meetings, conferences and events of any dimension.

DIN/MSA056/KTV|Moja

CORPORATE GIFTS & PROMOTIONAL ITEMS

Willtick is a Marketing material & Promotional goods supplier started in 2007 that aims to deliver a high level of customer service and satisfaction in the areas of branded garments, products and gifts. Working closely with you, we will bring together the right products, and the appropriate branding to ¿t your image and budget, and ensure they are delivered on time for your corporate event or promotional campaign. Contact details: www.willtick.co.za | 011 888 4954 Custom/Standard USB Design & Manufacture Amstore Group works with leading companies in the corporate, music and entertainment markets, providing innovative solutions for all USB, Custom Shaped USB, Flash memory cards, CD, DVD and special packaging requirements. Working closely with our clients, we offer tailor made solutions to deliver a real marketing edge and to help our client stand out from the crowd.

South African Branch

Contact Details: Office: +27 (0) 87 940 9971 Fax: +27 (0) 866 114 943 Email: info@amstore.co.za Web: www.amstore.co.za (SA) Web: www.amstore.co.uk (Head Office) Quote Ref AMSA-187 for a 5% discount on all USB products

We are a promotional clothing and corporate gift Company and pride ourselves in outstanding customer service. There are so many corporate gifts and clothing companies out there and the choices are often overwhelming, however our excellent service and outstanding quality with exceptional prices ensure that you look no further. At BCP, we view the relationship between ourselves and our clients as a partnership. BCP is a Level 4 BEE compliant Company.

Promotional gifts

Promotional clothing

Calendars & diaries

Corporate branding

t 0 1 1 9 7 3 3 2 6 4 • c 0 8 2 5 6 2 1 4 2 3 • i nfo @ bc pbr a ndi ng.c o .za • w w w. b c pb r an di ng.co.za Product page ads Mei 2011.indd 1

The Order Facilitation Service of the Cape Craft & Design Institute is aimed at bulk buyers who order handmade products and want to manage one transaction rather than multiple transactions with a number of suppliers. We identify suppliers of craft for buyers, co-ordinate their orders, ensure quality levels are not compromised and delivery is on time. We also provide vital logistical and administrative support. We can also facilitate the development of customised handmade products to complement your event or corporate ID. These products can powerfully communicate your organisation's socially responsible ethos. This g Convenient and Reliable Service can be enjoyed at a nominal service charge.

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Contact details:

Rosemary Reddy +27(0) 21 461 1488 (ext303) | 083 255 5109 rosemary.reddy@ccdi.org.za | www.capecraftanddesign.org.za

For state-of-the-art branding of corporate gifts and promotional merchandise, look no further than Scratch Solutions. We also manufacture name badges, corporate signage and promotional banners to help your business achieve maximum visibility. Our turnkey service offering includes collection and delivery, an in-house art department and full production facility. Most projects are guaranteed delivery in just ¿ve working days; rapid response for those unavoidable urgent jobs is also available. Contact details:

Tel: +27 (0)11 453 4999/7121 • Fax: +27 (0)11 454 0676 E-mail: sales@scratchsolutions.co.za • Website: www.scratchsolutions.co.za

Are you tired of looking at the same gift ideas over and over again? Call us now to ¿nd out what fresh ideas we have for you. We supply trade and end users Contact details:

Simonne Sher 011 658 1744 083 383 3592 simonne@corporategiftempire.co.za www.corporategiftempire.co.za

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

Johannesburg | South Africa

WELCOME TO THE VENUE OF CHOICE. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re planning your next event and as always it can be nothing

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add their passion and commitment to your occasion. Your perfect

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event is waiting to happen in the heart of Sandton, come and

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Maude Street, Sandown, 2196, P.O. Box 782553, Sandton, 2146, Johannesburg, South Africa Telephone + 27 11 779 0000 Facsimile + 27 11 779 0001 Email info@saconvention.co.za Web www.saconvention.co.za A Tsogo Sun Development

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Speakers Corner

Social media Use it to your best business T

oday, in the modern economy, it is no longer enough simply to have a website and e-mail – so does everyone else. The market demands that business be connected to its customers. With over two billion Internet users the world over (30% of the world population) and through the explosive growth of social media, tight niche markets have formed and communication within these markets is at a level unprecedented in human history. More and more, consumers use their

networks for recommendations and suggestions for purchases and interaction with a brand or product. Some 90% of these who are so engaged trust social media recommendations, while only 14% trust advertising. In simple terms, the most powerful people in the world are people just like you and me. The average social media users are people in their 30s across the economic spectrum. Because of its initial youth following, businesses tended to avoid engaging. Today, however, businesses are struggling to catch up to the social conversation. Not being part of the social media landscape

threatens to disrupt your corporate identity: if you are not there to engage and add value to the conversation, disruption is inevitable. The social web is increasingly more convenient, aided in large measure by the rapid adoption of smartphone technology, and accordingly, the credibility factor has increased. Consumers believe what is on the web and they have become accustomed to purchasing and sharing information about themselves online.

Definition Social media is any medium for social interaction and uses web-based technology platforms to turn communication into interactive dialogue. The most obvious and most successful examples are Facebook and Twitter. Social media is currently most noted for consumer-generated content, with consumers populating this atmosphere with their stories, photos and reviews.

So, the answer to the question of engagement is quite simple: there is no alternative but to engage. Any business that does not have a comprehensive social media strategy will soon be as obscure as any enterprise that did not have a website and e-mail at the turn of the century. But you must have a plan.

The good news is that the ease of social media technology makes it very simple to catch up and become engaged.

The Unique Speaker Bureau (USB) is taking the world of professional speaker bureaus and speaker agents by storm with its innovative approach to the business of promoting and engaging speaking professionals. The bureau adopts a proactive partnership with a number of our country’s most elite professional business speakers and MCs. Its stated objective is to match and strive to exceed clients’ expectations of speakers across the entire range of business-to-business events, from conferences, banquets and seminars to breakaways and teambuilding interventions. Plug USB into your next event and access the who’s who of South Africa’s professional speakers. Visit www.uniquespeakerbureau.com for more information.

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

Prepare There are two parts to the preparation of your social media strategy: a policy and a team:

• Policy: As with any part of your business, policy must exist to provide guidelines on who in your company may engage and which social media tools will be used. • Team: A social media programme must include buy-in from all relevant departments or sections within your business and the best team to select is those who have enthusiasm for the subject and the personal will to be engaged.

Listen The plan

Uniquely speaking...

The top five things your business should be doing are: • prepare • listen • brainstorm • indentify • engage.

An audit and analysis of your brand, company, industry and competitors provides the factual basis from which you will grow your campaign and set your goals. The social media landscape is filled with conversations by millions of people every day and it is important that enough time is spent with this step to determine the following: • What is being said? • What portion of the conversation mentions your brand, compared to your competitors? • Who is having the conversation (demographics)?

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advantage by Michael Jackson • Is the perception of your industry positive or negative? • Is the perception of your brand positive, negative or non-existent? • What content is most appealing? • Are there key people or people of influence that dominate the conversation? There are numerous free online tools from which all this information can be gleaned. The most popular are socialmention.com, netvibes.com and www.search.twitter.com,

Benchmarks and goals The benchmarks give you something against which to measure your progress and achievement of goals. From the data already gathered, identify where you stand on the social media front and with: • the image of the brand/company • positive/negative sentiment • share of mentions. These benchmarks can be easily translated into stated goals and must be goals that can be measured against the benchmarks to determine any successes.

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Finally, determine the target market – the people that you will be engaging. These can be identified as: • trend spotters: innovative and edgy people who are likely to influence sentiment going forward • evangelists: people who are passionate and will generate enthusiasm • super spreaders: people who are noisy and broadcast messages • sceptics: people who will keep it honest.

Engage

Of course your social media strategy and the goals you have set must align with the overall objectives of your business so that

A map and timeline of your roll-out should be plotted against the goals that have been set. This could be three months, six months or longer. It is now vital that buy-in to the programme is obtained at top executive

which provide a very detailed filter to find out exactly what you want to know. This can be narrowed down to a specific area in a city if this is required. Lastly, a full analysis of your website can be obtained through www.alexa. com. Alexa will provide a detailed analysis of the traffic to your website, where it comes from, the demographics of those visiting, the search enquires that got them to your site and much more. You are now ready to brainstorm!

your online efforts match and complement your real-world goals. Include what content will be developed, which will be key to your programme. When you produce good content it is shared, tagged, followed, retweeted, and so on. Content is not about advertising or trying to blast your message sage shotgun style, but rather sprinkling ng your message into the many micro-conversations nversations taking place everywhere. e e.

level and those responsible for website admin and content as the greatest reason for a social media programme failing is lack of internal will. Launch your social media programme internally first, which will iron out any technical issues but also get your own personnel excited about abo it. Now you will be ready reeead to launch the programme to yourr customers and cu consumers externally. externaaally

Brainstorm

Identify

In this step you will establish the benchmarks, align your business objectives to your social media plan, set your goals and activate your team.

You must now identify internally nternally who will help or hinder your our process and then consultt to ensure all are in alignment with your strategy. Include external players such as advertising agencies as wel as any other entitiess that have an influence on n company planning and execution.

Activate your team In the preparation step you would have identified your social media team. It is now time to activate them and have them study the analysis done as part of the ‘listening’ step. Now you are ready to generate the ideas, plans and visions to take your strategy forward.

Alignment with business objectives

About the aaut author Michael Ja Michael M Jackson is a well-known bbusiness-to-business busine u ssspeaker, who w ho hhas ,along with like-minded pprofessional rofeessi speakers, formed a tteam eeam of ‘social media eengineers’, en ngin available to present a ddeta detailed understanding of sociall m socia media to your executives oorr at your nnext ext conference. Interested inn more? EE-m E-mail Michael at michael@ ttheothermichaeljackson.com heotherm mich or

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s who People on the move In the March/April issue of Meetings SA, we incorrectly reported the promotions of Tau employees Markus Kleinhans, pictured left, and Bradley Leighton, pictured right. The information should have read: Kleinhans, the current operations manager, and Leighton, the current head ranger, were both promoted to general manager positions at Tau earlier this year.

Tourvest Destination Management (TDM), previously known as Tourvest Inbound Operations, revealed the launch of its sports tourism and MICE business division earlier this year. Heading this new department is Bryan Coetzee, a rather dynamic personality who is well known in tourism circles. Previously the director of operations and procurement at TDM, Coetzee has been promoted to division COO, effective 1 April.

Oasys greening committee

Oasys Innovations has established a greening committee that will drive all aspects of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to becoming a greener, more environmentally friendly company. Carl Woodland, COO for Oasys Exhibitions, is heading up the committee, which will hold regular meetings and discuss progress on any tasks at hand. Every department and function of the company will be scrutinised to establish where more environmentally friendly products and processes can be implemented, including looking at waste management, energy management, water management, air quality management, recycling, chemicals and hazardous materials, as well as transportation.

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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Private Safaris, Kuoni Destination Management’s operational unit in Africa, has promoted Michael Njogu to head of sales and marketing for East Africa. Njogu succeeds Thomas Iten, who has been promoted to managing director. He assumes his responsibilities in addition to his current role as head of MICE.

The Three Cities Group recently welcomed Eugene Boniface as its new group marketing manager. With a career that spans 19 years in the industry, Boniface started as a freshman at the Sun City Valley of Waves, overseeing the operation and tenanting. His move to the Three Cities family is an opportunity to take his knowledge, passion and drive to deliver within the hotel industry as well.

Earlier this year, Lesley Simpson Communications welcomed Kerry Simpson to the position of senior accounts executive. Simpson has a bachelors degree in corporate communications from the University of Johannesburg, having majored in marketing management and corporate communications. She has extensive travel experience, which has seen her passion for the travel and tourism industry develop extensively. Simpson officially embarked on her public relations career four years ago and has gained far-reaching experience from managing a wide variety of different accounts.

Johannesburg-based event production company, Currin’t Events, recently welcomed Precious Tumisho Thamaga to its team. A dynamic professional boasting sought-after skills in communications and years of experience in and knowledge of the field of corporate eventing, Thamaga has produced grand-scale affairs in previous positions of employment as in-house event manager for Altech Autopage Cellular, Sun International and Massmart.

The Sandton Sun is proud to announce the appointment of Andrew Davidson as its new general manager. This comes as a result of the existing GM, Peter Davidson, being promoted to overall GM for both the Sandton Sun and InterContinental Johannesburg Sandton Towers. Josiah Montsho will remain as the GM at InterContinental Sandton Towers, while Peter will oversee both hotels. As a successful leader with strengths in planning, organising and problem solving, Andrew’s skills complement the expertise and high standards of the Sandton Sun and its staff.

After a wide range of organising assignments that commenced in the exhibition industry in 1991 approximately – Celeste Whitaker CMP – managing member of Fizz Marketing can proudly claim CMP status to her name following the February 2011 exam. The exam took place at the South African exam site of the adjudicators Prometrics, in Parktown Johannesburg. In August 2000, Whitaker CMP started her own event management company to harness the experience she had built-up over the years and to offer clients a specialist service. The Fizz corporate client base is extensive and represents a number of the ‘who’s who’ within the JSE-listed companies.

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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Diarise Markex today JUNE IS JUST around the corner, and with it comes Markex World of Events, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a bumper edition of its marketing,

promotions and special event exhibition. Taking place in Gauteng at the Sandton Convention Centre from 7 to 9 June, the exhibition is a one-stop destination for

Markex World of Events – the front-running trade show in the marketing and promotions spectrum – was visited by over 10 400 decisionmakers in 2010

every imaginable product and service in marketing, branding, advertising, corporate clothing, promotional gifts and eventing, and was visited by over 10 400 decisionmakers in 2010. With brand new features and everpopular attractions, the show is unequivocally the premier source for marketing-related products and services. Both the Markex Gauteng and Markex Cape exhibitions will feature the new ‘trade only’ section launched in Johannesburg at last year’s event. “This exclusive area provides the opportunity for more personalised interaction and sourcing by buyers and sellers of promotional goods,” comments Lynn Chamier, exhibition director of Markex World of Events. One of the attractions that proved hugely popular last year will be returning to Markex Gauteng, in the form of the Loerie Awards Travelling Exhibition, which showcases award-winning design and creative talent. Also returning in 2011 is the AdVantage Advertising Village, featuring specially designed stands to

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

allow creative and design agencies to showcase their services and talents. New to the Advantage Village this year is the Pendoring Awards, which will be screened in the village alongside a stage featuring topical lunchtime talks by marketing gurus. Advantage will also be introducing exhibitor awards in recognition of the displays by Markex exhibitors. This year also sees the first-ever Unique Speakers Bureau Pavilion, which will showcase the exceptional skills and topics of some of South Africa’s top professional business speakers and MCs. An intimate enclosed theatre, with seating on a first-comefirst-served basis, will give visitors seeking global marketing insights or a top international speaker for their events the opportunity to witness these renowned authorities in action. “We are very excited to be participating, in partnership with our speakers, in this year’s Markex shows. Martinus van Tee, USB’s popular caricaturist, will also be in the coffee shop showcasing his huge talents, always a great draw for the crowds to the USB Pavilion,” says Paul McConnon of the Unique Speaker Bureau. Pre-register to avoid the queues by logging on to www.markex.co.za. If you are a genuine trade buyer, you can contact one of the trade-only exhibitors for a pin code, which you will need to register online for access to the Trade Only section. If you cannot obtain a pin code from an exhibitor, contact the organisers on breda@ specialised.com. Access for senior students in marketing-related fields of study is restricted to Thursday 9 June and is by prior arrangement with the organisers, by downloading and submitting the application form from the Markex website.

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Play globally, succeed locally at Indaba 2011

CELEBRATING a record year of tourism growth and unpacking the new goals set for the tourism industry will be the focus of this year’s Indaba, which is again being hosted by South African Tourism at Durban’s Albert Luthuli Convention Centre (ICC Durban) from 7 to 11 May 2011.

Thandiwe January-McLean, CEO of South African Tourism

This event, Africa’s biggest travel and tourism trade show, will span 27 000 m², with more than 13 000 visitors, 1 300 exhibitors, more than 170 international hosted buyers and hundreds of local and international media expected this year. Themed ‘Playing Globally, Winning Locally’, the 2011 exhibition will pay tribute to the role played by the South African tourism industry in achieving 15.1% growth and an all-time high of more than 8 million tourists

in 2010. South African Tourism and its stakeholders will use Indaba to highlight issues such as the phenomenal growth and opportunities in emerging markets in Asia and the Americas, while keeping the focus on the country’s core tourism markets. It will also place emphasis on a renewed drive to stimulate domestic tourism and encourage South Africans to explore their own country. Through events such as the Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Awards on 6 May, the eagerly anticipated Indaba opening ceremony on 7 May and the Global Media Face Off, which will be moderated by CNN’s Richard Quest again this year, and the Welcome Awards on 8 May, Indaba 2011 is set to address the 2020 goals set out by the national Department of Tourism in the National Tourism Sector Strategy.

New innovations include a multi-touch table surface that will allow multiple users to view and engage with South African destination information, video content and social media platforms, a dedicated Indaba TV channel and exciting new networking platforms, seminars and briefings. MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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Cyber war looms Olivier points to thousands of sensitive documents that were released on WikiLeaks, followed by pro-WikiLeaks denialof-service attacks targeted at PayPal, Visa, MasterCard and other organisations. “Last year February saw Google threatening to leave China after a serious hacking attempt The summit will offer two days of originated from that expert insights and case studies, and hands-on workshops country,” he adds. GLOBAL CYBERCRIME is resulting in more The latest Deloitte cybercrime report states sophisticated security attacks and South that the threat of cybercrime is growing at a Africa is a potential target. Anthony Olivier, a faster pace than other cyber security threats. security analyst presenting at the upcoming In many cases, organisations are not even ITWeb Security Summit, to be held from 10 aware when their valuable information has to 12 May at the Sandton Convention Centre, been stolen. explains that there is a cyber war hidden in The security summit, South Africa’s premier the national interest of information security. ICT security event, includes a conference,

expo and workshops to inform business managers, CIOs and chief IT security officers about the current and future information security threat landscape. The spotlight will be on security in an increasingly connected world, incorporating cloud security, web services and online security, as well as the growing trend to use malicious code for industrial espionage and sabotage. The security summit will feature international speakers from global powerhouses such as SalesForce, Google and Zynga Game Network, providing information on security strategies that deliver results, with practical insights from leading financial institutions such as Nedbank, Standard Bank, Barclays, Absa, and the Co-operative Bank of Kenya. The summit offers two days of expert insights and case studies, and handson workshops covering cloud security, web application hacking and security metrics. For more information, visit www.securitysummit.co.za.

If you are looking for versatility, we are your one-stop shop! Ellis Park Stadium boasts the Best kept secret in Joburg… Hidden within the Stadium gates you will find a dedicated Team of Event Managers, with a wealth of industry knowledge, who will make your event a resounding success. We cater for Gala Dinners, Product Launches, Exhibitions, Team Building, Family Fun Days & Press Conferences. The list of possibilities for your functions are endless… Indoor Year-End luncheons for 450? Outdoor Company Braai for 4 000? Street Party under the African sky for 5 000? We offer a wide range of venues that cater for a “High Tea for Two” up to “Events for 60 000". For your convenience we have 900 undercover parking bays within the stadium, 24-hour security and visible policing within the precinct. We specialise in tailor made functions and work within your budget. You are one call away from stress-free event planning and a range of services at your fingertips.

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Design trends at EuroShop 2011

Tilted surfaces

THE GLOBAL TRADE fair EuroShop is the space for showcasing new trends in investment needs in retail. Occurring only every three years, the 2011 show took place from 26 February to 2 March in Dusseldorf, Germany, and was the largest it has ever been, attracting 2 038 exhibitors and more than 106 000 visitors from all over the world. Some 15 halls provided 107 000 m2 of exhibition space for exhibitors from 53 countries, and local exhibition and events company Scan Display was among those exhibiting. Creative director at Scan Display Johannesburg and EuroShop attendee, Alan de Beer, shared some insights gleaned into where exhibition stand design is headed, identifying the following key international trends: Custom stand designs have evolved, moving away from the traditional shapes and dimensions. Solid shapes are being ‘deconstructed’; that is, successive slices are cut out of the shapes, bringing depth to what would otherwise have been a flat surface and making for an extremely eyecatching exhibit. In a similar way, straight walls and 90 degree angles have been replaced by irregular angles and tilted surface areas, bringing about a shift in perspective that challenges viewers to reevaluate their surrounding space (think Alice in Wonderland!). Stand-building materials have advanced, with curved walls being constructed from MDF board made from wood fibres. This was previously virtually unseen, purely because it was so difficult to pull off. Tension fabric systems have also been refined, especially in

Tilted walls

terms of crafting tidy joins in difficult places and adapting seamlessly to the irregular and angular structures mentioned above. Lighting is now almost exclusively hung from rigging, rather than using long arms or spots attached to stand structures – a method currently favoured in South Africa. Exhibition halls in Germany, however, are geared for rigging, which encourages its use. Rigging offers a greater scope of alternatives for lighting a stand, and avoids obscuring built-in lines and graphics. LED lighting is now a preferred choice as it doesn’t generate heat, while the typically small bulbs allow for more control over the dispersing of light through Perspex and

fabric, for example. Available technology selection has also intensified, with iPads becoming especially trendy, not only as handheld devices but also as information points integrated in stand structures, providing exhibitors with brand or company information and images a mere finger-flick away. Being much more dynamic and distinctly more professional than other methods, this is an excellent way to showcase one’s products or services. De Beer adds: “Visiting EuroShop gave me the opportunity to evaluate South Africa’s exhibition industry standards in the global arena. And I can confidently say we’re not far off!” An example of a tension fabric wall

iPad embedded into a counter for enhanced interactivity

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

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We innovate...

First Meet the CEO event ends on high notes ABN EVENTS recently hosted the first of a series of Meet the CEO events on 7 April, with Adrian Gore, founder and CEO of Discovery Holdings, being the first to brave the hot seat. The event, held at the Westcliff Hotel in Johannesburg, attracted numerous corporate executives from leading institutions to the intimate session during which Gore shared his driving philosophy and rich experience in building Discovery into a Top 40 company at one point. The audience appreciated the opportunity to meet a man who is at the helm of a global, diversified financial services group and an internationally recognised thought leader. Guests reported that the event achieved its purpose, ‘to inspire and move people to reach new heights’. Brian Mphahlele, commercial manager at the CSIR, said, “Key to what I learnt from him tonight is that luck was there but chance favours a prepared mind.” Telkom brand and sponsorship executive, Stuart TudorABN Events' first in the series of Meet the CEO events, saw the founder and CEO of Discovery Holdings, Adrian Gore (pictured left) take centre stage

...others follow The most persuasive leadership skill is the personal example of the leader. Meetings SA continues to display this openly and with ƪair – making sure that we are always ahead of the ƪock.

Owen, echoed these sentiments, saying: “His single-mindedness really inspired me. The clarity about what he wants to do is key.” Gore said in a one-on-one interview with CNBC Africa anchor Eleni Giokos, “The more I apply myself to work, the bigger things get. Work should be so seductive that you are addicted to it.” Gore has won many awards: he has been recognised as South Africa’s Leading Entrepreneur by Ernst &Young (1998), was nominated as South Africa’s Leading CEO by a peer group of South African CEOs in the annual MoneyWeb CEOs’ CEO of the Year Awards (2004; finalist in 2006) as well as being chosen as the Sunday Times Business Leader of the Year in November 2010. Given all this, it is not difficult to see why he doesn’t believe in failure and that family for him is a luxury rather than a priority. The general manager at CNBC Africa, Roberta Naidoo, had the following to say about the inaugural Meet the CEO event: “We were delighted to launch the Meet the CEO event, and especially pleased to have Adrian on board as the first CEO.” ABN Events presents its clientele with a value-added service offering through its official broadcast partner, CNBC Africa. Its events are structured with a broadcast element in mind and are designed to inform, engage and entertain clients. Keep an eye out for future Meet the CEO events, which will be hosted across Johannesburg and Cape Town. The events will continue to showcase leading African business leaders while maintaining efforts to inspire the target market via encounters with industry giants.

For more information about these events, visit www.abndigital.com/page/events/index

www.3smedia.co.za

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What, when and where... May Hotel Investment Conference Africa 2011 Date: 5 to 6 May Venue: Fairmont Zimbali Resort Indaba 2011 Date: 7 to 10 May Venue: ICC Durban Africa Health Exhibition Date: 9 to 11 May Venue: Johannesburg Expo Centre Marketing Indaba 2011 Date: 19 to 20 May Venue: CTICC Grand Designs Live Date: 20 to 22 May Venue: The Coca-Cola dome IMEX 2011 Date: 24 to 26 May Venue: Messe Frankfurt, Germany Cape Town Good Food & Wine Show Date: 26 to 29 May Venue: CTICC

June Markex & World of Events 2011 Date: 7 to 9 June Venue: Sandton Convention Centre The 2011 Annual Branding Conference Date: 8 to 9 June Venue: Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel, Sandton Gauteng Outdoor Adventure and Travel Expo Date: 10 to 12 June Venue: Inanda Country Base, Kyalami 2011 PRISA National Conference Date: 13 to 14 June Venue: ICC Durban AIBTM 2011 Date: 21 to 23 June Venue: Baltimore, USA

MEETINGS SA | MAY/JUNE 2011

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS 3D Group of companies 3S Media 50th Anniversary About Entertainment Alex Gintan Associates Amstore Group South African Branch Aquila Private Game Reserve Nautilus Luxury Mega Yacht Barra Lodge Beach Resort BCP Branding The Nation Cape Craft & Design Institute Cape Royale Hotel Luxury Hotel and Residence Champange Sports Resort & Pumula Beach Hotel Corporate Gift Empire CSIR International Convention Centre Dinokeng Elephant Lake Hotel & Inn & Safaris Ellis Park World of Sport Expo Solutions Expovent Evolutions South Africa EXSA Fairmont Zimbali Lodge & Resort Granny Mouse Country House Harvard Café (The) Headline Hotels Group ICC Durban Johannesburg Expo Centre Kapenta Bay Resort & Conference Hotel Likweti Lodge & Sanctuary Liquid Lounge Markex & World of Events Oasys Innovations Peermont Global – Emperors Palace Premier Hotels & Resorts ProsperlS Technology Collaboration Sandton Convention Centre Scratch Solutions Southern Sun Elangeni The Square Boutique Hotel & Spa Taj Cape Town Tala – Durban's Finest Game Reserve Thebe Exhibitions and Projects Tshwane Events Centre Vodacom World Willtick Inspired Corporate Branding

OBC 48 – 54 59 62 68 11 39 41 68 68 47 28 & 29 68 24 & 25 67 34 76 65 IFC, 56 & 57 12 OFC 33 45 61 20 & 21 78 40 75 42 Loose Insert 66 15 37 43 67 68 35 36 22 & 23 IBC 17 31 55 68

For advertising sales contact:

MEDIA Caroline Martin T +27 (0)11 454 6051/2 F: 086 660 2024 C: +27 (0) 72 235 5725 E-mail: caroline@pinpoint.co.za

Exhibition Stands we design them...

we build them...

www.3ddesign.co.za

4 Neutron str. Linbro Business Park, Linbro Park, Johannesburg. PO Box 1795, Marlboro 2063, Johannesburg, South Africa Johannesburg Tel 011 608 1588 Fax 011 608 0591 â&#x20AC;˘ Cape Town Tel 021 702 1089 Fax 021 702 1537