The Event Issue 4

Issue 04 | 2016

L TRAVECA D L R WO ET AFRI MARK

+ WORLD TRAVEL MARKET AFRICA Why You Must Attend Africa’s Favourite Travel Show

+ PRE AND POST-SHOW TOURS We Unpack the Impact and Value

+ DELEGATE BOOSTING SUPPORT A Case Study: UIA2014

CONTENTS

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The Changing Role of DMCs

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How The Event Industry Will Evolve in the Next 20 Years

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WORLD TRAVEL MARKET AFRICA Turn to page 6 for highlights of World Travel Market Africa 2016.

15 Facts About Promotional Products

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WTM Africa 2016 Programme Highlights

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Meetings Africa Tours Corporate Events Unpacked Investing in Africa Mining Indaba: Prospecting for Tomorrow

PRE AND POST EVENT TOURS Hosted buyers that attended Meetings Africa give their opinions on their post-event activities.

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World Travel Market Africa 2016 Preview

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SANCB: Delegate Boosting Support

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AAXO Brings SA in Line with International Standards

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DMG Events Acquires Exhibition Management Services

DELEGATE BOOSTING SUPPORT The SANCB highlights the importance of an effective delegate boosting

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IT&CM China 2016 Preview WTM Africa Offers up a Digital Feast

campaign in the lead up to a conference.

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Zambia: Melding Natural Splendour with Modernity

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New General Manager for EXSA

SHOWCASING THE CAPE KAROO This hidden gem of the Western Cape shines as a meetings destination.

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Showcasing the Cape Karoo Events to Diarise Association News Directory of Advertisers

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FEATURE

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THE CHANGING ROLE OF DMCs

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he focus for modern Destination Management Companies in an industry that is in constant flux is in the value of intangibles.

So says Henk Graaff, MD of South African-based SW Africa DMC. “Incentive travel and meetings is no longer about five-star hotels. Rather we as DMCs have to provide our clients and travellers with the opportunity to experience travel in a way that closely aligns to their own personal values, truly getting under its skin.”

What sets a great DMC apart from their competitors, says Graaff, is that they offer a distinct experience for their clients.

While hotels, transfers and the like are hygiene factors on any package, the full experience and careful thought applied to how the individual will experience the trip is really gaining traction in the DMC space.

“People and corporates, now often have less to spend, but they want to experience more. Value is far less monetary and in terms of travel, DMCs need to be aware that they are operating in an experience economy.

“The DMCs role has shifted largely from the hygiene factors of planning niche itineraries, but is rather more geared towards listening, leaning and learning. DMCs have to be ever more conscious and agile now, conscious of time, budget, the individual and to tailor make an experience,” says Graaff.

The advancement of technology has meant that the DMCs have had to become aware and adapt, as clients now have direct access to make their own bookings and essentially plan and manage their own itineraries, without an intermediary.

The advent of social media has meant that the tourism sector has seen competition that it had not previously considered. Consumers are able to interact with content about destinations and visually customise their own itineraries on the many

The team behind SW Africa Destination Management, with MD Henk Graaff third from the left © courtesy of SW Africa platforms available. Successful DMCs are seeing real benefit in increasing their social media profiles and using this content as a key tool to interact with their clients.

So what then could a DMC provide that would be better than some useful tips and trips that a well-versed concierge could offer at a fraction of the cost?

“Experiential” travel seems to be the industry response. DMCs now see a shift in distinguishing themselves by really focusing on the experience they offer to their consumer.

Learning about the destination is all part of the experience, agrees Amanda Kotze–Nhlapo of the South Africa National Convention Bureau. “In the meetings industry people are looking for their travel experience to “be educational, as well as an entertaining experience.”

DMCs should also be relied upon to create highly customised itineraries because they know how to move people efficiently, says Wendy Perrin, Travel Advocate at TripAdvisor and founder of wendyperrin.com.

This serves as a key acknowlegement of what DMCs do so well. Although in

their changing role, they need to be ever cognisant of how to do all this as budgets get cut and trips get cut shorter, but consumers want to get the most out of their experience.

With a series of recessions globally and a significant shift in spending, companies are reining in on non-essential travel, attending of conferences and economy class air travel is fast becoming standard travel policy across corporations globally.

DMCs need to consider this as they adapt to the changes in travel landscape.

Successful DMCs are seeing real benefit in increasing their social media profiles and using this content as a key tool to interact with their clients.

FEATURE

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HOW THE EVENT INDUSTRY WILL EVOLVE IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS

By Kevin Jackson

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ne of the most fundamental changes we’ve seen in the past few years is the increasingly powerful role the consumer plays.

In terms of marketing, the brand-customer relationship has always been pretty direct – you want it, we’re selling it. And if you don’t want it, we’ll make you think you need it. But the landscape is changing fast and becoming increasingly outdated, thanks, in large part, to the internet and social media.

Global hyper-connectivity has empowered the individual – You only need to go on Twitter for two seconds to see how important everybody thinks their personal opinion is. This empowerment has grown over the years to not only allow the rise of ‘social influencers’ but also given a certain amount of control back to the people. These days, an entire country can be changed by a few thousand people adding their clicks to an online petition.

Therefore, consumers are at the point that they can demand more from brands to earn their loyalty – and be heard.

We are all becoming increasingly aware of not only the ethical and environmental values of our purchases, but also what intangible value each purchase has too.

The first thing that every brand says when it wants to create an event is, ‘How can we create an experience that will allow us to sell more stuff to more people?’ and that’s the first error. In reality, the brand experience today is “How can we create an experience that will allow us to build a relationship with our customers, and ensure their loyalty?’

And the answer to that is that intangible value that the modern consumer seeks; connection.

The flaw with our permanently online

world, is that real life community and connection is becoming second-hand, when truly nothing matches it. We’re inventing technologies under the guise that they’re helping – online shopping, beacons that geolocate nearby sales, bots that instantly generate recommendations – whilst forgetting that this only further isolates the individual consumer, instead of bringing that connection in and uniting the masses into a community.

The future is ensuring the valuable loyalty of the empowered consumer by giving them something more, something emotional, social, and real.

That’s what events do. And that’s why events will never go out of fashion.

‘Freemium’: The Phrase of the Future To conclude, there’s only one buzzword that we need to be focusing on moving forward. And that’s ‘Freemium’ – providing basic value for free, to be able to be able to charge for greater value. Free is the language of the internet, and everyone understands the value of their loyalty, and what they can demand in return for it. But the demands are simple.

Brands are the super citizens of the 21st century. We trust the gospel of Whole Foods more than our local pastor. And so with greater power

comes greater responsibility – to offer this intangibly free value, to earn the loyalty of the new consumer.

Online, we can see precisely what we can get for free. So when we pay for things, we’ll only do so – and pay more, for something that is right. Something that’s more than just the t-shirt we order. We now buy the philosophy, the brand message, the experience.

The brand experience is the funfair, the experience is the rides, and the products are the merchandise you buy at the end because you had such a great time.

And so the way to sell to the modern consumer, who has been bought up knowing the value of their purchase, is to offer them the most premium freemium possible, the greatest, most intangible free gift imaginable. Humanity.

The emotional connection, sense of unity, community and demonstration of ethical values previously only seen in the likes of religion, is the currency of the future. And there is no other or better way to achieve that, than with an event.

The future of events is events becoming the most important facet of marketing. And I’m not sure about you, but I quite like the sound of that.

This article appeared first on Event Manager Blog www.eventmanagerblog.com

The brand experience is the funfair, the experience is the rides, and the products are the merchandise you buy at the end because you had such a great time.

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FEATURE

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15 FACTS ABOUT PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS As Markex is only a few months away, we bring you some fascinating facts about promotional products.

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he power of the promotional product can sometimes be underestimated. However, many marketing teams will attest to the wide reach and long-lasting impact that promotional products can have.

Utilizing them as a part of your marketing strategy can be key in connecting with current clients and reaching out to future clients. To back up our argument, here are some insane facts you probably didn’t know about promotional products.

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80% of consumers own between one and ten promotional products. That is a huge portion of the population that is open to accepting your branded items!

Out of this 80%, 53% use a promotional product at least once per week. That’s a pretty high chance of active engagement with your promotional products.

60% of these people, will keep a promotional product for up to two years!

Only 1 in 5 people will throw away a promotional product.

Promotional products can increase your client base by as much as 30% In the US, bags generate more promotional impressions than any other promotional product.

A promotional bag has six thousand impressions per bag!

Top products are wearables, followed by pens/pencils, bags, calendars and drinkware!

Branded drinkware can be more effective than an expensive radio or television advert. A study showed that 57% of people were able to recall an

Pens and pencils are some of the top performing products in promotional items (image via Pexels)

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advertiser whose logo was branded on a mug. Only 32% were able to recognise the advertiser from their radio spot and only 28% were able to recognise the advertiser from the television advert. The logo on the mug created a visual impression, and vision is our strongest sense!

The first known promotional product was a commemorative button used in 1789 to elect George Washington president.

48% of consumers would like to receive more promotional products more often 91% of consumers have at least one promotional product in their kitchen, 74% have at least one in their workspace and 55% have at least one in their bedroom!

The top buyers of promotional products are for clients in education, finance, non-profit, healthcare and construction Women are more likely to have bags, writing instruments and

calendars. Men are more likely to keep caps and shirts.

14. Adding a promotional product to the media mix increases the effectiveness of other media by up to 44%.

15. Promotional products draw as many as 500% more referrals from satisfied customers than an appeal letter alone!

The proof is in the Promotional Product pudding! Promotional products have an incredible impact on your marketing efforts!

Source: Sageworld

Register now to exhibit at Markex 2016, from 6 - 7 July at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg.

Contact John Bursey at john@filmeventmedia.co.za to showcase your brand in the Markex Buyers Guide.

EXHIBITION FREIGHTING G.S.M

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EXHIBITION FREIGHTING G.S.M Freighting expert Jacqui Nel on managing timelines to ensure successful export of your goods.

HOW IT WORKS:

31 1. As with any industry, a person needs to do their research, and the freight industry is no different.

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4. One week to wrap and pack your goods.

2. Moving goods to and from an exhibition is very technical and this is where your exhibition freight forwarder has the knowledge and expertise to assist the organiser and the exhibitor.

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5. One week for the export regulations and to airfreight your goods.

3. Attention needs to be paid to the timelines, and we would recommend that you allow at least a month to wrap, pack and transport your goods. Why?

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6. Two weeks to complete the import regulations for South Africa.

Please contact us for your shipping requirements on: Tel: +27 21 552 7248 | Fax: +27 21 552 2349 Email: ef-gsm@ef-gsm.co.za

7. This timeline can vary depending on the goods that you’re sending. We would recommend that you check with your agent before sending your goods.

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SPOTLIGHT

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WTM AFRICA 2016 PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

All images courtesy © WTM Africa 2015

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orld Travel Market Africa has seen some great success since its inception just a few years ago, and has grown into one of the leading events for the travel industry on the continent.

This year will see delegates converge on the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) and will create private and commercial opportunities by providing quality contacts, content and communities.

Responsible Tourism Business Seminar.

The topic is Responsible Tourism for Accommodation Providers, and will dig into the increasing costs associated with water, waste and energy consumption. This is followed by the official opening address by the City of Cape Town and ribbon cutting at their stand (F35) at 10:00am. Other notable events on the programme include:

Wednesday, 6 April

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WTM Africa begins bright and early at 8:00am on Wednesday, 6 April, with the

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Introduction to Choosy Travellers Version 2016 at 11:30am Responsible Tourism Panel: Wildlife and Tourism in Africa at 11:30am Launch of new tourism route West

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Coast Way at Stand E25 at 11:30am Conservation awareness programme Rhino Art at 12:30pm Panel discussion on Social Media and Travel in Africa at 12:30pm Christy Tawii, Senior Research Analyst at Euromonitor International on Current Trends and Future Opportunities in Tourism in Africa at 1:30pm Latam Airlines Group S.A. press conference at 1:30pm Tourplan: Travel Technology – Past, Present and Future at 2:30pm Digital Marketing in a Digital Era with Mariette du Toit-Helbold,

SPOTLIGHT

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CEO of Destinate at 2:30pm Responsible Tourism Speed Marketing at 3:30pm Keynote on 5 Key Trends for Destinations in 2016, brought to you by Nick Hall, Digital Tourism Think Tank, at 3:30pm Screening of Blood Lions followed by a panel discussion at 4:30pm

Thursday, 7 April Another early start for WTM’s packed conference schedule, Thursday 7 April, sees Responsible Tourism and Tour Operators: The Business Case open the day’s programme at 8:00am. This is followed by Data Africa Preview, a special session for DMOs by TripAdvisor and E-Tourism Frontiers, who have created an all-new forum for Destination Managers called DATA: Destination Academy with TripAdvisor, with regional events held around the world. Other highlights include: • •

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Google: Innovation and Trends in the Digital Hotel Industry at 10:30am Jeff Chatterton, Owner and President of Checkmate Public Affairs presents Ebola, Xenophobia, Travel Warnings…

Would You Want to Visit? at 10:30am Gauteng Tourism press conference at 10:30am Safety Awareness and Encouraging Travel to the African Continent presented by Michael Becker, CoFounder of Geo Sure at 11:30am The Code: Launch of Fair Trade Tourism’s new awarenessraising video on the issue of child exploitation at 11:30am Working with SMEs Panel Discussion with David Frost, CEO of SATSA, moderating at 12:30pm WakaNow.com: Africa’s No 1 Online Travel Portal at 12:30pm ravel Sharing with AirBnB and Uber: Changing the Game Panel Discussion at 12:30pm Tourplan: Travel Technology – Past, Present and Future at 1:30pm Hylton Ross Touring press conference at 1:30pm Panel Discussion on Designing Immersive Brand Experiences in Tourism at 1:30pm Responsible Tourism Panel: How Resilient Is Your Business? at 2:30pm

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Panel Discussion: Being Prepared for the Unknown and Why You Need to Belong to Your Industry Association at 3:00pm African Responsible Tourism Awards 2016 at 4:30pm Speed Networking with the Media at 5:00pm

Friday, 8 April The last day of WTM Africa begins at 9:00am with the ibtm africa Conference in partnership with SAACI. This will run throughout the day concurrently to the rest of WTM Africa’s programme. The conference will cover technology and innovations that make a difference to your bottom line with William Price and Mqondisi Gumede, future trends in the meetings and incentives industries with Rashid Toefy, a panel discussion where key issues will be debated by experts in an open forum, and an Africa workshop afternoon session with Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo of the SANCB and Adriaan Liebetrau of SAACI. Other WTM Africa highlights include: • •

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Transfrontier Parks Destinations with Glynn O’Leary at 10:30am Changing Travel Marketing by Content Communities: How One Destination Reinvented Itself at 10:30am Tour2.0: Experiential Travel with Daniel Adidwa, Founder and CEO at 11:30am Online Payments in the African Travel Industry: Opportunity and Challenges at 12:30pm Measuring the Impact of a Digital Marketing Campaign at 12:30pm Responsible Tourism Panel: Responsible Tourism and the Bottom Line at 1:30pm Panel Discussion on the Role of Digital in the Local Visitor Experience at 2:30pm Networking Session for Press and Bloggers at 2:30pm Tourism in Southern Africa: Unpacking Thoughts on a Competitive Matrix Going Forward, presented by David Frost, CEO of SATSA, at 2:30pm SATSA Chapter Meeting for members and all travel professionals at 3:30pm

Cape Town has captivated tourists and business travellers alike, creating name for itself hosting quality, high-profile meetings and events. If this is your first time in this beautiful city and at WTM Africa, here are some fast facts to get your started.

3.7 million Approximately 3.7 million people live in Cape Town. It is SA’s second most populous city.

2 461km2 The total area of Cape Town is 2 461 kilometres squared, with 1 068 572 households in the city.

R203-billion Cape Town contributes about R203-billion to the national GDP.

14% Value Added Tax, or VAT, is 14% and is included in the price of all items, but can be claimed by foreign visitors when leaving the country.

1652 Cape Town was officially founded in 1652 when Jan van Riebeeck of the Dutch East India Company arrived to set up a halfway point for ships travelling to the East.

3 350 Over 3 350 indigenous plant species can be found in Cape Town, with over 190 of these endemic and 450 on the threatened/red list.

1.2 million The number of international tourists to Cape Town is around 1.2 million, with 2.7 million domestic tourists annually.

1 085m Table Mountain reaches 1 085m (3 560ft) and offers a stunning panoramic view as far as Robben Island and beyond. It is one of the official New7Wonders of Nature.

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FEATURE

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MEETINGS AFRICA PRE AND POST EVENT TOURS What did you see and do whilst at Meetings Africa?

Which tours did you go on, which attractions were visited?

Jeffers Miruka, Kenya African Association of Agricultural Economists President of the African Society of Association Executives (AfSAE): For me, Meetings Africa 2016 will go down as the most successful and with the most accomplishments. First, I think there were an increased number of exhibitors in comparison to the other years. This means that this 11-year-old tradeshow continues to grow. However, the biggest news, as you are aware, was the official launch of the African Society of Association Executives (AfSAE) where I am privileged to serve as President. We had a very successful Association BONDay that doubled as our 1st AfSAE Education Day. We also opened our new office at 124 Main Street that was officially opened by the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Hon. Madam Tokozile Xasa. I represented AfSAE as a guest at the SABC’s Morning Live broadcast from the Sandton Convention Centre

Jeffers Miruka:I was lucky to be on a preevent tour of the capital City of Tshwane.

Our tours took us to Protea Hotel Fire & Ice that sits pretty in the buzzing lifestyle precinct of Summit Place in Menlyn Pretoria. Besides what Protea can offer, the other key highlight was learning how to bake pizza. Our next stop was at CSIR International Convention Centre and finally, the University of Pretoria. The day after, we started our tours with a visit to the Union Building, where the president runs the country. Thereafter we headed to Freedom Park situated at the Salvokop, where we learned more about the struggle for freedom in SA and other parts of the world. We wound up our tours with a visit to the serene, beautiful and tranquil country wine estate of Kievits Kroon.

CRYSTAL EVENTS & INCENTIVES Crystal Events and Incentives are all about creating unique experiences, from international conferences to corporate incentive programmes. With more than 25 years in travel and corporate hospitality, Team Crystal endeavours to fully explore each client’s requirements and ensure the proposal meets both client budget and personal taste. The team is creative and makes every effort to come up with new and innovative programmes. t: +27 84 682 7676 e: tes@crystalevents.co.za www.crystalevents.co.za

Why are pre- and post-event tours important in business events?

Jeffers Miruka: It is not enough to only

meet, talk and share literature and data about a venue with a supplier without sightseeing. This is why the pre or posttours play a key marketing role. The tours assist a buyer to see and feel what the venue(s) can offer to delegates. This makes it much easier to lobby for a specific venue due to what you can factually table. The pre and post-event tour is the smartest and most brilliant idea that the SA National Convention Bureau ever incorporated into the Meetings Africa show.

What were your highlights at Meetings Africa 2016?

Uwemedimo Esiet, Nigeria Africa Federation for Sexual Health and Rights: My first experience at Meetings Africa was mind-blowing! I was amazed to have all the service providers for conferences in one room and they were all there to support the conference, including motivating me to bring conferences to the respective venues and services. North, East West and Central Africa, and even the

FEATURE

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If my Association has a meeting in SA, I would take it to Port Elizabeth, specifically to the Feather Market Centre.

Arab nations – I was very impressed, it was a dynamic move bringing all Africans to the meeting. What I enjoyed the most was going to all the stands and getting one-on-one interaction with each of the service providers. If anything, I would have wanted the exhibition to be extended by one day. When you have so many exhibitors, there is not enough time.

Which tours did you go on, which attractions were visited?

Uwemedimo Esiet: I went on a pre-event tour to Port Elizabeth and I arrived in the morning, with activities ongoing for the next two days. I would say sometimes for pre-

tours I would encourage the information to be properly secured, not to be so rushed. We were whisked from place to place and there was really no time for transmission. There were too many things to remember and even to come back and report on what I saw took a while.

Which places would you recommend?

Uwemedimo Esiet: I’ve been to Durban, Cape Town, PE, Pretoria – I travel a lot.

Everywhere in SA is beautiful, it has a great history, and I think it is in the genuine interest of SA to interact with other Africans. SA should open up its borders for more tourists. 500 million Africans can travel are looking for opportunities. If there’s one question I would ask God it would be, why did you make Mandela in SA? Everything Mandela touches today becomes an attraction!

What were your highlights at Meetings Africa 2016?

Robert Fungo, Ghana African Nutrition Society: Networking with many people

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across the globe. But most importantly were two presentations, one made by a young Entrepreneur during the gala dinner regarding starting his soap business with his professor at UCT, from scratch. The second was the first day of Meetings Africa presentations on how Associations can grow and retain memberships. 2016 Meetings Africa was well organized – better than the 2014 show I first attended.

Which tours did you go on, which attractions were visited?

Robert Fungo: I and 12 other delegates took a tour of Port Elizabeth. We visited hotels and camping sites that had conference facilities. Most fascinating to me, was the Feather Market conference facility that was built in the 19th century, and yet it still had well-functioning facilities. If my Association has a meeting in SA, I would take it to Port Elizabeth, specifically to the Feather Market Centre. Taking us to the African Penguin Sanctuary in Port Elizabeth revealed that SA took wildlife serious by preserving and breeding the only surviving African Penguins in the world.

H OT E L PRETORIA

Premier Hotel Pretoria is a 4-star property in close proximity to embassies, consulates and the Union Buildings.

Premier Hotel Pretoria offers exclusive 4-star MESE conferencing facilities with 7 multifunctional conference rooms that can seat from 10 to 300 delegates.

The hotel boasts 118 luxurious bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms, a restaurant & bar, a swimming pool, secure on-site parking, free Wi-Fi, a fully equipped business centre, guest shuttle service and wheelchair accessibility.

573 Stanza Bopape (Church) Street, Arcadia, Pretoria Tel: +27 (0)12 441 1400 | Fax: +27 (0)12 341 2021 pretoria@premierhotels.co.za Cape Town | Knysna | East London | Port Edward | Pinetown | Richards Bay Drakensberg | White River | Pretoria | Midrand | Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport

Central Reservations 086 111 5555 | www.premierhotels.co.za |

@premier_hotels

A GREAT BUSINESS T

SHWANE IS a cosmopolitan region filled with an innovative and creative energy.

Famous for its avenues of purpleflowered jacaranda trees, the city is home to 2.5-million people spread across more than 6 000km².

Despite its size, the pace is easygoing - an energetic edge is provided by its sizeable student community.

South Africa’s capital city, Tshwane houses the seat of government, with the presidency and head offices of all national government departments based here.

And with 134 foreign embassies and missions, Tshwane is home to the second-largest diplomatic community in the world after Washington, DC. Business and diplomatic tourism is critical to the City of Tshwane.

And the global business and associations meetings market is seen as one of the most resilient

economic sectors in the travel and tourism industry.

Outstanding tourism infrastructure and easy access make Tshwane an ideal incentive travel destination.

Within easy reach of OR Tambo International Airport, via the Gautrain rapid rail link, getting to the city is a simple matter. And travellers from Cape Town can now fly directly to Tshwane, landing at Wonderboom Airport.

Business visitors have access to boutique hotels, a variety of restaurants and entertainment venues, and a fabulous choice of conference centres from large to small.

THERE’S NOWHERE FOR MIXING BUSINESS AND CREATIVITY QUITE LIKE TSHWANE

The city is a continental leader in providing affordable, customised sites and facilities for commerce, industry, research and development - as is shown by the presence of motoring giants Nissan, BMW, Ford and Tata within a purpose-built automotive zone.

And with its concentration of academic, medical, scientific and technological institutes, it is rightly regarded as the knowledge capital of South Africa.

An estimated 87% of all research and development in South Africa is conducted here.

To call Tshwane a smart city is not merely to apply an IT label. There are free wi-fi hotspots dotted across selected public areas.

But the real “smart” in Tshwane is how people, lifestyle, technology, infrastructure and innovation work together - supported

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FEATURE

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CORPORATE EVENTS UNPACKED Kim Crowie speaks to venues and event planners to find out what trends have surfaced in corporate functions, as well as where the challenges and opportunities lie.

The Orangery, private dining area, perfect for intimate gathering sessions © The Forum

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lthough there is often a number of similar elements involved when planning any event – be it congress or banquet – there are also many differences. Planning and hosting corporate events works in exactly the same way.

“Nothing compares to a good conference: the atmosphere of being immersed in a crowd of people who share the same passion as you, the lessons you learn and advice you take in, and the friends you get to meet and the new ones you make,” says The Forum Company. “Attendees should leave a good conference re-energised — full of enthusiasm for their job and full of fresh ideas.”

Trends in the Corporate Arena In recent years there has been a tendency to produce a ‘champagne event’ on a ‘beer budget’, says Georgie Colling, Freelance Event

A meeting room at SAB World of Beer © SAB World of Beer

Planner and Owner of GeorgiEvents. “Plus the lead time is even shorter,” she explains.

“They want the bums in seats but don’t give much time to prepare the guests/delegates to clear their diaries. As a Freelancer, this last minute has helped me be the extra pair of hands to manage the event that hasn’t had the ‘thought-through-process’ lead time.”

Jaco Du Plooy, Sales, Marketing and Revenue Manager at NH The Lord Charles, says that clients have been making use of the great weather of late, with the venue hosting a variety of team building and highprofile corporate events over the last six months including potjiekos competitions, carnivals and even a rock concert on the lawns. “Clients want innovative high impact events that add value to their employees, but also want to make sure that they can contribute to the community and the

environment. Green, socially responsible events have become very important,” he says.

Tony Rubin, General Manager at SAB World of Beer, adds that trends are for smaller, more intimate conferences with simpler menu requests that save costs. “There is also less décor requirement. Companies are looking for team-building activities to be incorporated into their conferences,” he adds.

The Importance of Corporate Events “Events are for education, recognition and relationship building,” says Colling.

“They are crucial for each client. It is always my intention to ensure that the participant leaves with added value and wants to return to the next event.”

Du Plooy agrees, saying that corporate events constitute over 50% of NH The Lord

FEATURE

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Charles’ business mix. “It is one of the most important sectors of the tourism market.

Conference delegates spend much more on average than leisure travellers, and also extend their stays to incorporate pre- and post-events.” He adds that this is an area that SA needs to pay more attention to, with associations like SAACI and SITE Southern Africa working hard to ensure the importance of the sector is emphasised and recognised. “We can see that industry is also capitalising on increased demand in this sector with new centres like the Century City Conference Centre opening and the centres like the CTICC expanding its capacity.”

Key Things to Remember There are a number of key factors to remember when organising a good corporate conference or event, according to The Forum Company. “Every event begins with a reason for the conference.

Plan out a vision and what you want to achieve then you will need to transform your vision into words and numbers.”

From there it’s plan, plan, plan. Key to planning effectively is budgeting and

ensuring costs are measured and informed decisions are made. From here, it’s time for the checklists. These include a planning timeline, promoting and publicity if required, site inspection requirements, food and beverage requirements, speakers, how attendees will navigate the conference, the conference programme itself and the general layout. “The best way to coordinate all of the details is to walkthrough your itinerary as your guests would. Picture how they will think and act at each point in the day to solve any problems before they arise. Think about speakers and venue very early on; their availability may affect your conference,” The Forum Company explains.

Rubin of SAB World of Beer adds that it’s important to be flexible in what can be done and not to list the personal touch. “Attention needs to be paid to the initial discussion –

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we need to ensure that more information is what makes the meeting a success. It is also critical to get sign-off on the arrangements, before arrival. Very often, the conference organiser is not at the event and if there is no sign-off, this leads to confrontation,” he says. “Corporates put their faith in our facilities and it is critical for us to ensure that we have a full understanding of their needs.”

From here we move onto venue availability, expected numbers, accessibility for the event, support staff and catering.

“Not only should the space be the right size, but it should also reflect the look, feel and brand of the event at hand. You want your event spaces to reflect the conference so that your attendees feel the importance of the conference.” For today’s foodie generation, high-quality food with healthy options is incredibly important.

Key to planning effectively is budgeting and ensuring costs are measured and informed decisions are made.

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FEATURE

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INVESTING IN AFRICA MINING INDABA Prospecting for tomorrow, by Imogen Campbell.

P

hillip LoFaso, the Director of Marketing & Public Relations for the Investing in Africa Mining Indaba (Mining Indaba) spoke to the Event in relation to the latest instalment held in February. Cognisant of the critical issues affecting the mining industry and having received feedback from the 2016 Mining Indaba delegates and stakeholders; we asked him to extract the facts with regard to the outlook for the industry, Africa and the role of the Mining Indaba going forward. His pertinent discourse is as follows:

The team responsible for Mining Africa is based in New York. Please comment on what is entailed to produce Mining Indaba in terms of manpower and logistics?

Phillip LoFaso: As you might imagine, the planning and execution of any event the scale and complexity of Mining Indaba is quite an undertaking. The core team is located in the US and the UK, however we have an extensive team in South Africa that provides critical support in areas including logistics, PR, marketing, content, printing, video and photography, staffing, merchandising, and much more.

The 2016 Mining Indaba saw a decline in delegates. Would you attribute this to the cost (exchange rate), pessimism in the mining environment or perception that it has become more of a trade show?

Phillip LoFaso: Registration came in just below 6 000. Despite the expected decline in attendance due to market conditions – everything from commodity prices to rand depreciation – there was no change in the quality of attendees from all three key segments – investors,

mining companies and government representatives. In fact, in 2016 we saw one of the highest levels of participation from the investment sector in recent years.

Mining Indaba is many things. There were 231 speakers, so for many it was an educational experience. There was a separate track for investors, and for the 200+ investors who participated, it was an opportunity to learn about and make deals. We launched several new networking programmes this year. Mining Indaba also provides business opportunities for sponsors who use the event in a myriad of ways to increase exposure, provide thought leadership, market their products and services, and ultimately make important connections with those who need what they have to offer. Mining Indaba also means a big lift in the local economy, a donation to Els for Autism through the golf outing, a unique experience for our bursary students and student journalists who attend, and much more. The point is, Mining Indaba is many things to thousands of people.

What were some highlights of Mining Indaba 2016?

Phillip LoFaso: Mining Indaba is first and foremost about INVESTING in mining, and all enhancements to the 2016 programme address some form of investment — be it financial, human capital, or sustainability. These are the most notable changes that we made this year, along with the reasons they were made: •

• •

Start time of the conference—the event began half a day earlier to allow more time for new networking activities and additional sessions Enhanced investor programme Creation of the Director of Investor Relations role—in advance of this year’s event Kael O’Sullivan was brought on to identify and engage with those investors

that we believed should be participating in Mining Indaba. He was charged with recruiting the investment community and ensuring that they received the maximum value from their participation.

He also helped to identify key topics that investors wanted to discuss.

• Timing and structure of Investment Discovery Forum (IDF)—the investor track was incorporated into the main conference rather than being held as a stand-alone event.

• Additional networking features— which included speed networking, networking roundtables, and business matchmaking. Our attendees make clear that one of the key reason they attend Mining Indaba is to network.

We wanted to further ensure that the event was creating opportunities for likeminded people to meet, and the new networking activities were highly successful toward this end.

• Greater emphasis on sustainability— Sustainability and licence to operate are important issues for all mining companies, as it must be incorporated into their business plans from the outset.

Investors are paying increasingly more attention to how mining companies are operating and want to engage with companies that are taking sustainability seriously. As a platform that brings the mining companies together, we have a responsibility to ensure that the key issues around investment are being addressed. This critical topic ran throughout the 2016 programme.

• Introduction of Young Leaders Career Development Programme—this year’s theme, Investing Beyond the Mining Cycles, focused on what the industry can do today to positively impact the future.

Helping to ensure there are well-trained and inspired leaders in the future is key.

Plus, we were especially excited with this

FEATURE

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year’s speaker line up. The 2016 agenda had over 230 speakers and more sessions than ever before. We brought in the most knowledgeable and experienced industry leaders to impart their knowledge and spark debate. South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources, H.E. Mosebenzi Joseph Zwane gave his very first public address.

We had top mining company CEOs speak including Mark Cutifani of Anglo American, Alan Davies, Chief Executive of Diamonds and Minerals at Rio Tinto and Graham Kerr with South32. And there was also a strong representation of mining ministers from 18 African nations.

Based on negative factors influencing the mining industry in Africa, what is your outlook for the continent over the next 5 years and the role of Mining Indaba?

Phillip LoFaso: Investing in African Mining Indaba remains the world’s largest mining investment conference and Africa’s largest mining event. However we are ever cognisant that this event exists to serve the ever-changing needs of Africa’s mining industry. Considering the challenges that the market has been facing—and confirmed by the input we received from our vast network of investors, mining executives and government representatives — we set the 2016 theme as Investing Beyond the Mining Cycles.

We commonly hear people say ‘mining is a cyclical industry; you just have to work through the cycles’. With 2016 Investing in African Mining Indaba, we used the platform to bring together key stakeholders to explore what the sector is doing to strengthen its position in the current environment but also to discuss investment strategies that better position the industry for a time when the inevitable demand for commodities begins to grow.

The current market has resulted in organisations taking a hard look at how they do business and what they can do to improve efficiencies of operations.

We strived to create the platform that would encourage these discussions.

We may see industry compression coming in many forms from downsizing to M&A and beyond.

One thing that was quite encouraging at this year’s Mining Indaba was the sentiment of investors. We heard them talk about

great buying opportunities. Some that I spoke with have already begun to re-engage parts of their portfolio and put capital back into the sector because of these strong buying opportunities in the market.

As is a typical part of the cyclical nature of this industry, when we hit these low points we see mining companies scale back on exploration. As the number of new projects come on line less frequently this becomes a critical element of the supply and demand mechanism of the sector that begins to move it toward an upswing. How that was expressed here at Mining Indaba was most evident in the investor programme. We look at what the investors here are doing and how they’re going about their business – the types of meetings they’re having and who they’re having them with. It’s markedly different than last year. Last year we saw very little interest in projects that were not in production or about to move into production. This year there is a lot more discussion about exploration and new projects that show potential.

I also expect that discussions around infrastructure and sustainable development will only increase in time as well.

Kindly comment on ROI from the business created through the event annually?

•

• •

•

• •

6 000 mining professionals—the most internationally-diversified and influential group of investors, mining company executives and government officials in African mining 94 countries & territories across six continents represented annually 57% increase in number of investors. One of the highest levels of participation from the investment sector in recent years.

125 international media outlets represented, including BBC, Bloomberg, CCTV, CNBC, Financial Times, Forbes, Mining Journal, Mining Weekly, Reuters, SABC, and The Wall Street Journal.

More than 40 African and Non-African Government delegations in participation Billions of US Dollars of foreign investment have been channelled into the African mining value chain. The successful collaboration amongst the organisers, the South African government and many other African

•

•

•

•

•

15

governments, and Mining Indaba’s partners have led to this success.

Revenue in excess of R610-million has flowed directly to the local Cape economy as a result of Mining Indaba (tracking from 2007– 2015). This revenue includes hotels, tourism, shopping, golf and more 5 000 jobs (direct and indirect) have been created as a result of the Mining Indaba (2007 through 2015) 20 000 hotel room nights sold across 40 accommodations sites in the immediate Cape area 100% commitment by the organisers of Mining Indaba to partner with suppliers in South Africa who are currently or in the process of becoming BEE certified.

The Indaba has a major focus on investors / investment. How do you and your team plan to ensure that it remains a platform for investors to meet?

Phillip LoFaso: The mission of Mining Indaba has always been and will continue to be the presentation of a unique platform for the capitalisation and development of mining interests in Africa. We remain committed to making this the best event for connecting mining companies with government and the investment community. In the end, there is no other event that exclusively brings these three market segments together and places its emphasis on creating opportunities for financing mining projects on the African continent.

We will continue to invest our own resources to ensure that this remains the overriding focus of the event, even as we expand our coverage of other important areas such as sustainable development and career development.

Mining Indaba will continue to be an “ecosystem” with many components ranging from networking, deal-making, discussion, education, off-site events, a charity golf outing, career development and more. All of this makes these four days in Cape Town the centre of the mining world.

We consistently see, even in a down market that the quality of the attendees remains extremely high, affirming the ongoing importance of Mining Indaba to investment in African mining.

16

SPOTLIGHT

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WORLD TRAVEL MARKET AFRICA 2016

W

orld Travel Market Africa is the leading B2B exhibition for the inbound and outbound African travel & tourism markets. Through its industry networks, global reach and regional focus, WTM Africa creates personal and business opportunities providing our customers with quality contacts, content and communities.

Only at WTM® Africa can you simultaneously: Generate sales leads, launch new products, enter new markets, raise brand awareness, size up your competition, conduct market research, command press attention and develop and maintain relationships.

WTM Africa provides a platform to launch new products, increase brand exposure, debate industry issues, and gather market intelligence; to generate new sales leads, strengthen existing relationships and most importantly, close new business.

WTM Africa is a vibrant, culturally diverse, must attend businessto-business travel and tourism event, presenting a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors to South African, African and International travel professionals.

Over the past two years WTM® Africa has seen visitor numbers grow by 18%, resulting in a 39% increase in travel professionals. Part of Africa Travel Week, WTM® Africa will again provide exhibitors with opportunities to engage with even more quality industry professionals and to conclude quality business deals. The total attendance numbers for WTM® Africa 2015 totalled 7731, with the event generating a massive $333-million in industry business deals.

WTM Africa® 2016 will see even more on to the exhibition floor further and an increase in

© WTM Africa 2015 networking opportunities between exhibitors, buyers, visitors and media.

WTM Africa®, is attended by senior travel and tourism industry executives whose sole aim is to conduct business deals and gain knowledge from the very latest research, insights and opinions.In 2015, WTM® Africa created 7600 prescheduled appointments with hosted buyers who had truel executive power.

Only at WTM Africa® can you simultaneously generate sales leads, launch new products, enter new markets, raise brand awareness, size up your competition, conduct market research, command press attention and develop and maintain relationships.

Chardonnay Marchesi, General Manager of Africa Travel Week said: “We are very proud of the platform we have provided for the travel industry over the past two years. We look forward to achieving an increase in participation this

year and to hosting another successful event in Cape Town this April.”

WTM Africa Exhibitor Profile • • • • • • • • • • • • •

National, regional & City Tourist Offices (NTO’s) Convention Bureau (CVB’s) Hotels and Hotel Groups Unique Accommodation Providers Tour Operators Wholesalers Airlines Transport Companies Destination Management Companies (DMC’s) Tourist Attractions & Entertainment Travel Technology Travel Agencies Venues

WTM Africa takes place from the 6th to 8th April at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

SOUTH AFRICA NATIONAL CONVENTION BUREAU in partnership with the

DELEGATE BOOSTING SUPPORT: CASE STUDY XXV INTERNATIONAL UNION OF ARCHITECTS WORLD CONGRESS 2014

Part 4 of 6

SOUTH AFRICA NATIONAL CONVENTION BUREAU Part 4 of 6

in partnership with the Launching an effective Delegate Boosting Campaign for UIA2014

be a valuable tool in informing the public of activities related to UIA2014.

of the Department of Public Works.

In the build-up to UIA2014 a major

The value of media and PR lies in the

focus of the communications unit was

ability to leverage partnerships with media

delegate boosting, this included direct

In order to effectively boost the number of

houses and to gain exposure for a brand

mailers, mails to industry champions

delegates attending UIA2014, the organising

whilst minimising advertising spend. In

and cold-calling.

committee launched a communications

the build-up to UIA2014 a lot of work

campaign in the years and months leading

was put into pitching ideas for features in

focus shifted to media and public

up to the Congress, with assistance from the

newspapers, magazines, online magazines

relations, with the Media Centre at the

South Africa National Convention Bureau (the

and radio interviews.

ICC being the focal point.

SANCB), which contributed towards and

This created sufficient ‘buzz’ about

During the UIA2014 Congress this

Primary Activities of UIA’s Communication Campaign

assisted UIA2014 with its delegate

UIA2014, without the large advertising

boosting activities.

spend. During the Congress the Media

A key first step in the delegate boosting

Centre was a hive of activity with a

campaign was an extensive electronic media

full roster of radio, TV, newspaper and

Media Launches: Media launches were

strategy, which resulted in an online database

magazine interviews. This was also the

organised in Durban and Johannesburg for

of almost 10 000 subscribers, with 52 email

place where journalists got to mingle

local role-players (industry, sponsors) and

campaigns sent in the 18 months leading up

with their colleagues and discuss the

media to formally introduce the Congress.

to the Congress, and a significant social

day’s proceedings.

Even if media didn’t attend either event,

media presence.

The internal and external communications

In total, four media events were

the information was distributed to the

held – on 17 September 2013 at The

entire media list, which included all

strategy for UIA2014 was implemented

Chairman in Durban, on 15 April 2014 at

local, regional, national and international

through various channels which included the

the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg,

media.

media, public relations, website, social media,

on 19 June at the Official Opening of the

mobile app, direct mailers, an sms campaign,

UIA2014 Offices at the Pump House on

Media Pack: A media pack of general

marketing and branding.

Durban’s Beachfront courtesy of eThekwini

information was created for distribution

Municipality, and on 29 July 2014 courtesy

to media and other interested parties.

Media and Public Relations (PR) proved to

UIA2014 Registration © Luca Barausse Photography

UIA2014 Student Delegates Luca © Luca Barausse Photography

• Setting up and managing the media

Media List: A list of media contacts (both

players (organisations, associations and

nationally and internationally) was created,

other relevant bodies) were set up. From the

to communicate and disseminate information

outset ‘plugging in’ to the various industry

relevant Congress news. The media list for

representative organisations, associations and

prior to the Congress, in order to drive

UIA2014 Durban (all media types) amounted

other relevant bodies, was essential in order

registrations and create interest in

to approximately 400.

to reach their Memberships and drive support and registration for the Congress.

accreditation process • Arranging media visits and interviews

the event • Preparing and Sending out communiques and making personal contact with all

Local and International Champions: A Campaign involving influential individuals,

Identifying key issues and angles: These

locally and from around the world – from the

would be discussed by the media in relation

design, architectural and built environment

to the Congress and the key objectives.

sectors – was initiated, to form the next layer

Wherever possible, interviews (telephone

supplements and other material to

out of hosts (after the organizing committee),

and one-on-one) were set up with industry

promote the event as widely as possible

who would personally communicate with

and government role players in order give

their national and international networks – to

credibility and ‘weight’ to the Congress, from

During the Congress:

influence attendance and support for the

those involved at the coalface. In all, over 2

• Setting up and managing

Congress. The initiative was fairly successful,

000 such contacts / touch-points were made

but with more time in hand could’ve been

over a 10 month period.

spheres of the media to carry stories and information about the Congress • Initiating and writing Congress articles,

the media centre • Daily updates and dissemination of Congress events to all media

even more effective.

Leading up to the Congress:

• Arranging media interviews with speakers

Industry Role Players: Channels of

Closer to the Congress, activities moved into

and specialists, as and when required

communication with key industry role

the following areas:

throughout the event

SOUTH AFRICA NATIONAL CONVENTION BUREAU in partnership with the

Part 4 of 6

Facts and Figures

that the personally addressed emails also gave

114 local and 24 international media

stakeholders a direct point of contact within

registered for media accreditation and were

the UIA2014 organisation. This proved helpful

hosted in the media centre over the four-day

to those looking for detailed information

period (Following a slow take-up, the total

regarding travel and visa issues that may not

media coverage for the event was exceptional,

have been on the website.

with a total of 575 clips, with an AVE (Average

The cold-calling/telesales part of the delegate

Value Equivalent) of close to R24-million. This

boosting exercise was met at first, by local

was broken down as follows:

institutes, with hesitation over handing out contact details of their members. However,

Print Coverage

on calling practices, it was evident that

No of Clips: 252

although the majority of practices in South

Value of Coverage: R10 203 379.82

Africa were well aware of the Congress and

Electronic Coverage (incl. Radio and TV)

the personal attention to their attendance

No of Clips: 104

was the encouragement needed to secure

Value of Coverage: R2 519 664.75

their registrations. In order to attract

Online Coverage (incl. Blogs, Websites etc.)

international delegates, promotional material

No of Clips: 219

was distributed to over 23 000 people at the

Value of Coverage: R9 899 669.26

American Institute of Architects Convention,

Positive Outcomes of Delegate Boosting Activities

the Australian Institute of Architects Convention and the World Urban Forum. In 2012 and 2013, UIA2014 representatives presented at the AGMs of all the regional

The delegate boosting exercise that took

institutes of architecture, and at schools

a two-pronged approach of disseminating

of architecture throughout the country; as

personalised emails including Congress

well as at events such as the International

information for stakeholders members and

Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA)

that of cold-calling architectural practices in

World Conference 2012, and the Autodesk

South Africa, was largely successful and met

Universities, and encouraged members to

with mostly positive response. The response

attend UIA2014 as delegates.

from international member sections was supportive and enthusiastic. It was apparent

*Source: UIA2014 Close Out Report

How the SANCB can assist in Delegate Boosting The South Africa National Convention Bureau (the SANCB) can coordinate efforts to increase the number of delegate attending a business event in partnership with the association. It is in the best interest of all involved to have the maximum number of delegates attend an event, which in turn boosts the success of the event. The SANCB can assist associations to promote and market a convention in a number of key ways, including promotional material, special services and cultural displays.

Delegate Boosting Packages The SANCB offers three packages to assist with delegate boosting: • The Standard Package • The Standard Plus Package • The Elite Package The evaluations criteria for these packages include: • Being part of an international association agenda • Support provided in the bidding phase • Delegate numbers (and the countries they are from) • Seasonality • Duration •

Economic development criteria

The Delegate Boosting packages include myriad benefits, including tourism information giveaways, branding, electronic and print marketing material, destination marketing material, and (in the Elite package), VIP gifting, wine and drinks activations and customised marketing materials.

ICC Plenary Venue © Luca Barausse Photography

UIA2014 Closing Ceremony © Luca Barausse Photography

Sindile Ngonyama SAIA President welcome © Luca Barausse Photography

SANCB Support Services

SANCB SUPPORT SERVICES BIDDING SUPPORT • Bid Strategy • Bid Document • Lobbying • Bid Promotion • Bid Presentations

SITE INSPECTION SUPPORT • Bidding Site inspection • Convention Planning Site Inspections

CONVENTION PLANNING SUPPORT • Planning support • Venue and supplier recommendations Final decision with client

DELEGATE BOOSTING SUPPORT • Marketing support to promote the SA conference • Delegate attendance promotion

ORGANISER / KEY DECISION MAKER FOCUSED

For destination expertise and convention planning support, contact the South Africa National Convention Bureau.

T: +27 (0)11 895 3000 E: convention@southafrica.net W: www.businessevents.southafrica.net

ON SITE SERVICES • Support toward on site elements of the event

DELEGATE / CONSUMER FOCUSED

22

SPOTLIGHT

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AAXO UPHOLDING STANDARDS A stamp of approval from AAXO means quality and credibility – AAXO is bringing SA in line with international standards

AAXO Exhibitor Training Day © All images courtesy AAXO

I

f it’s AAXO-approved, it’s credible and quality-assured. The Association of African Exhibition Organisers has worked relentlessly since their inception in 2015 to ensure that exceptionally high standards are held within the exhibition industry.

AAXO has achieved this in a number of ways: by commissioning up-to-date research that can inform industry best practices, by hosting training seminars and by working to audit exhibitions and accredit members.

The power of exhibitions as a marketing medium is being increasingly recognised in South Africa and internationally. This is due to the fact that it provides an unparalleled opportunity for exhibitors to engage with customers face-to-face.

Sensory, experiential and immersive, exhibitions often result in an excellent return on investment and create a way for brands to increase awareness, launch and demonstrate products and connect with customers in innovative ways. For this reason, AAXO is working to facilitate exhibitions of superior quality, so that brands are able to reach their target markets.

This is in addition to AAXO’s contribution to the growth and profitability of the exhibitions industry in South Africa.

As a step in this direction, AAXO

members can now display their AAXO stamp of approval with an AAXOapproved badge. This is a symbol to other stakeholders within the marketing community that the badge holder adheres to AAXO’s stringent quality criteria. The purpose of introducing the AAXO-approved badge is to help businesses and brands to identify the best possible exhibition partners.

Another quality control measure that AAXO has introduced is the Audit Bureau of Circulations’ (ABC) show audits which validate attendance figures at event. A set of ABC Exhibition and Con-ference Reporting Standards has been developed according to international best practice, which has been approved

by AAXO. AAXO members and exhibition organisers will register on the ABC website www.abc.org.za to ensure that ABC provides certification of confirmed attendance figures at their exhibitions.

Carol Weaving, Chairperson of AAXO, says that these measures are part of AAXO’s mandate to ensure that South Africa’s exhibition industry meets international gold standards. “When someone deals with AAXO or an AAXO member, they can be assured of quality and

credibility. This is underscored by the number of local and international partnerships that AAXO has formed and the work that we have done to make sure that events are measured for quality control. We want our members to wear their AAXO-approved badge with pride and we feel that they can.”

There are a number of other benefits to AAXO membership. A full list can be accessed on the AAXO website at www.aaxo.co.za For more information on AAXO visit www.aaxo.co.za or contact Cindy Wandrag on 011 549 8300 or info@aaxo.co.za. For membership inquiries, including a full list of membership benefits and in-formation on how to join, contact membership@aaxo.co.za

The purpose of introducing the AAXOapproved badge is to help businesses and brands to identify the best possible exhibition partners.

SPOTLIGHT

www.theevent.co.za

23

DMG EVENTS Acquires Exhibition Management Services (Pty) Ltd South Africa

O

ne of the world’s leading event companies, dmg events, has announced the acquisition of long established Pan African exhibition organiser Exhibition Management Services Pty Ltd (EMS) – headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Geoff Dickinson, CEO, dmg events, said: “This acquisition is part of our strategy to become key event players in Africa. EMS offers a strategic hub in Africa’s largest economy.”

EMS adds five shows to the existing portfolio of dmg events: • SAITEX – A non-food retail products exhibition • Africa’s Big Seven (AB7) – The continent’s biggest food and beverage industry trade expo • WAMPEX – Mining and power,

• •

machinery and technology, Ghana INDUTEC – Industrial design and manufacturing expo CIS – An industry showcase in Cape Town, covering the oil & gas, marine and offshore, logistics and temperature controlled warehousing sectors

dmg events now operates 12 events across the continent, including construction and interiors in Morocco, oil and gas in Egypt, construction and coatings in Kenya, and the Global African Investment Summit that takes place in London, UK and Kigali, Rwanda.

The Johannesburg-based company will change its name to dmg EMS Africa, reporting to dmg events’ Middle East, Asia and Africa division that operates some of the largest exhibitions in the region. These include The Big 5 series of construction events, INDEX – the interiors event in Dubai,

and The Hotel Show – the Middle East’s biggest Hotel and Hospitality event.

Matt Denton, President of dmg events – Middle East, Asia & Africa, said: “The team and I are excited about the events and opportunities that this acquisition opens to us in Africa. We can build significantly on the existing successful EMS events and already have plans to grow the business with fresh launches supported from our new Johannesburg hub.”

John Thomson owner and founder of EMS in 1981 said: “dmg events with its extensive portfolio of events, international networks and financial resources is the ideal organisation to further develop and expand upon the portfolio of exhibitions that we have established over 35 years in Africa.”

The sale was brokered by Mayfield Media Strategies, specialist brokers for the global exhibitions sector.

RESOURCE DESIGN

R

esource Design is the only company in SA that offers exclusive ecoXpo solutions designed and manufactured – at source. Constructed from the only substrate certified by eco-Standards AS. Conference booths, branding, registration booths, custom design and manufacture…

Xboard has excellent printability and with its weight to strength ratio properties makes the board a welcome alternative to plastic and wood fibre boards.

Perfect for booths, a cut above Shell Scheme, but custom made for client without the pain and cost of a custom-build manufacture.

Benefits: • •

Light weight and flat packable Quick and clean to install and dismantle – no tools

• • • •

Reusable- logistically easy to handle so short build up time and break down Great sound mitigation Manufactured in Cape Town True ecofriendly product that is sustainable

We believe that through design we are all able to create sustainable change in our world. At Resource we are passionate about quality and will always go the extra mile for our customers. We are down to earth people with an affinity for innovation and a passion for positive change.

Xboard can be used as a substitute for the standard PST panel used in shell scheme.

Reusable, recyclable and beautiful.

The advantages, values and attributes are clear. Not only in structure but in labour, transport, handling, reuse and eventually in disposal. The added value is green.

24

FEATURE

www.theevent.co.za

IT&CM CHINA PREVIEW A successful IT&CM China 2015 has spurred returning and new exhibitors to participate at IT&CM China 2016, with many of these exhibitors establishing a bigger presence at the 2016 edition.

“

T

he Chinese outbound market is one of the fastest-growing tourism and MICE markets in the world right now. We are in our early stages of promoting Berlin as a leading worldwide MICE destination to the China market, thus it is imperative to gather market knowledge, keep track with market trends and meet partners from the Chinese industry face-to-face.

IT&CM China has proven to be a good platform in achieving these goals last year, so we are looking forward to be in Shanghai again in 2016,” shared Ralf Ostendorf, Director Market Management of Berlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH. Elaborating why they have loyally supported the event year after year, Melvyn Yap, Regional Director, Asia of Silversea Cruises said, “We have been a supporter of IT&CM China since its inception. We will continue to support this event as the quality of buyers has been improving over the years.”

Zulkefli Hj. Sharif, Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) concurred, “MyCEB has continuously supported IT&CM China because it provides Malaysia with an opportunity to reach out to the Chinese buyers. Our participation in the 2016 show enables us to tap into the China, Taiwan and Hong Kong market. Through this year’s participation, we are confident we will be able to showcase the best of Malaysia’s meetings and incentive capabilities.”

MEET Taiwan has pledged its support for the show, with a 30% increase in their pavilion. Lily Su, Director added, “The increase in popularity of Taiwan’s MICE environment resulted in a surge of industry partners interested in participating at IT&CM China. To entice more MICE visitors to Taiwan, several local governments will be providing various incentives for international buyers, and MEET Taiwan will also kick off its latest

Shanghai Convention & Exhibition Center of International Sourcing © IT&CM China awards programs at the 2016 show.”

Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau is also establishing a larger presence at the 2016 edition, with a 30% increase in suppliers at their 90m2 pavilion. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, President of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau said, “China has been one of Thailand’s top market sources for MICE travellers. With a rapid growth in China’s economy and meeting industry, Thailand continues to remain as the favorite destination for this market. In addition, our constant participation has reaped excellent results.

IT&CM China is a good platform for us to meet with international and leading Chinese players, and to gain more business leads.

Reputed for its track record of 80% Chinese buyers to 20% international buyers ratio, IT&CM China’s strength lies in the organisers’ network and resources to reach valuable segments that both international and domestic exhibitors desire.

Ooi Peng Ee, General Manager of TTG

Events commented, “The Chinese market continues to be an important source of meetings and incentive buyers for many of our exhibitors. Our business appointment system, structured oneto-one business meetings, and superb networking sessions have constantly been highly rated by exhibitors as an excellent way to reach out to quality Chinese buyers they want to meet.”

New exhibitor Chiang Hui-Ching, Director General of Taitung County Government shares the same excitement, “IT&CM China is the largest and the leading international MICE event in China. It will be a great platform for us to showcase Taitung to the world. The focus of our exhibition is to promote Taitung’s culture and traditions, ecotourism, sports tourism, spas and wellness and MICE business. Our exhibition at IT&CM China provides the opportunity for Taitung to take center stage as a worldwide attraction.”

FEATURE

www.theevent.co.za

25

WTM AFRICA OFFERS UP A DIGITAL FEAST World Travel Market Africa has placed itself on the frontline of the digital revolution with a conference schedule packed with techy goodness.

W

orld Travel Market Africa is back for its third edition from 6-8 April 2016 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. A dynamic, three-day event that caters to local, regional and international travel industry operators, WTM Africa has seen am 18% increase in visitor numbers over the last two years, resulting in a 39% increase in travel professionals. The total attendance came to 7 731 last year, and generated a massive $333 million in industry deals. This year, the event organisers expect to see even more success on the exhibition floor, and an increase in networking opportunities between exhibitors, buyers, visitors and media.

But perhaps one of the most engaging parts of WTM Africa is its fascinating conference schedule. This year sees an increase in the number of tech-related talks, catapulting the African travel industry even further into the digital realm. Here are some of the highlights:

reinventing, rebranding and promoting the destination. Presented by the WoW Team, the presentation will cover how the community used the latest advances in technology and social media to achieve world firsts and capture the attention of the world.

How Digital Fits into the Visitor Experience Millennials have been the fastest to take up new developments in mobile and seven years into the mobile revolution, we see a new wave of engagement in social commerce.

In a session on the role of digital in the local visitor experience, Velma Corcoran of AirBnB Africa, Chelae Robinson of Tastemakers and Chantelle Cole of the V&A Waterfront share their success stories and discuss how we can adapt the ‘onthe-ground’ digital experience.

Attention Travel Bloggers As always there will be a session designed for travel bloggers which will cover the various aspects of professional travel blogging. Keith Jenkins from Velvet Escape, Lauren and Vaughan McShane from The Travel Manuel, Meruschka Govender from Mzansi Girl and Andy Higgs from Grown-up Travel Guide will sit on the panel, speaking on finding your unique voice, driving traffic, the power of engagement, partnerships and branding.

A Kenyan Destination Reinvents Itself A case study on how a small town in Kenya responded to a serious crisis that threatened local tourism and ended up

© WTM Africa 2016

Social Media and Travel in Africa For the past decade, E-Tourism Frontiers has developed online tourism in Africa.

This talk, presented by CEO Damian Cook, will explore the growth of the sector and look at the potential areas for growth in online travel. He will also unpack the challenges associated with the rapidly evolving digital marketplace – ideal for anyone planning marketing strategies for destinations or businesses.

Navigating the Digital Marketing Landscape CEO of Destinate, Mariette du ToitHelmbold is an international destination marketing and tourism thought leader, writer and public speaker. In this talk, she will dig into the importance of digital marketing in today’s world, as well as how to create marketing strategies which deliver solid, measurable results.

IDEAL FOR BOTH LEISURE AND BUSINESS TRAVELLERS

26 BUSINESS EVENTS MADE EASY: ZAMBIA www.theevent.co.za Experience the vibrant city of Lusaka, Zambia’s capital city, with a stay at Protea Hotel Cairo Road, Protea Hotel Lusaka or Protea Hotel Lusaka Tower. Our hotels offer individuality of character, superior standards and friendly personalised service.

ZAMBIA

For bookings or enquiries, call +260 (0) 211by254 605 (Zambia) Melding natural splendour with modernity, Imogen Campbell. +27 (0) 21 430 5300 (South Africa) or visit proteahotels.com

PHDS 35487/16

EXPERIENCE LUSAK A,

Orange Sunset on the Zambezi © Mike (via flickr.com)

THE HEART OF ZAMBIA

Home of the Victorial Falls Conference Centre, the David Livingstone Safari Lodge and Spa © Trip Advisor

T

he seventeenth largest country in Africa is Southern Africa’s landlocked. Zambia. It is twice the size of Germany and also comparable to both Chile and Turkey.

It is bordered by Angola to the west and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the north. It also borders Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana. It is renowned for spectacular natural wonders and wildlife safaris.

Lusaka, located south of the Copperbelt, is the capital of this stable and safe African country. The Victoria Falls is a magnet for tourists as they witness the majesty of the largest waterfall in the world and discover, as David Livingstone did, a view that was formerly privy only to angels. It also has amazing national parks for exploration and is home to rare species and the secondlargest wildebeest migration in Africa.

PROTEA HOTEL CAIRO ROAD

LUSAKA IDEALLY LOCATED FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL IN THE HEART OF LUSAKA

Zebras gather round a hotel pool in Livinston, Zambia © Andrea Davis

Key Venues: With scenic grandeur as a backdrop, business and meetings event requirements are met at first-rate venues.

to innovate and has undergone upgrades to ensure competitiveness.

It has twenty venues with the largest accommodating up to 2 500 delegates.

Victoria Falls Conference Centre

Pre and post show opportunities

The most seamless way to mix business with adrenalin is afforded by this superb and flexible venue. Its ballroom features four conference rooms. Able to accommodate 450 delegates seated theatre-style, it can also host 340 in schoolroom style and 360 to 430 in banqueting style. Its Mukuni Boma can accommodate up to 350 delegates.

The Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River is peerless. The upper Falls or the Eastern Cataract, on the Zambian side, affords awe-inspiring panoramic views of what locals have named it “the smoke that thunders.” Livingstone Island in the middle of the Zambezi River is the place for adventurers, with options ranging from bungee jumping, white-water rafting and even ziplining over the Falls.

For an extreme experience swim in the Devil’s pool – an infinity pool on the brink of the Falls. To regain tranquillity, enjoy a cruise on the Zambezi.

Renowned the world over for

Mulungushi Convention Centre Situated in the heart of the emergent modern centre, Lusaka, it offers tranquillity amid the bustle, and is suitable for any meeting or conference. It strives PROTEA HOTEL LUSAKA

PROTEA HOTEL LUSAKA TOWER

LUSAKA

LUSAKA

ENTERTAINMENT ON YOUR DOOR STEP

TAKING BUSINESS AND LEISURE TO NEW HEIGHTS

Experience the vibrant city of Lusaka, Zambia’s capital city, with a stay at Protea Hotel Cairo Road, Protea Hotel Lusaka or Protea Hotel Lusaka Tower. Our hotels offer individuality of character, superior standards and friendly personalised service.

EXPERIENCE LUSAK A, THE HEART OF ZAMBIA For bookings or enquiries, call +260 (0) 211 254 605 (Zambia) +27 (0) 21 430 5300 (South Africa) or visit proteahotels.com

PHDS 35487/16

EXPERIENCE LUSAK A, THE HEART OF ZAMBIA

PROTEA HOTEL CAIRO ROAD

LUSAKA IDEALLY LOCATED FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL IN THE HEART OF LUSAKA

PROTEA HOTEL LUSAKA

PROTEA HOTEL LUSAKA TOWER

LUSAKA

LUSAKA

ENTERTAINMENT ON YOUR DOOR STEP

TAKING BUSINESS AND LEISURE TO NEW HEIGHTS

IDEAL FOR BOTH LEISURE AND BUSINESS TRAVELLERS Experience the vibrant city of Lusaka, Zambia’s capital city, with a stay at Protea Hotel Cairo Road, Protea Hotel Lusaka or Protea Hotel Lusaka Tower. Our hotels offer individuality of character, superior standards and friendly personalised service.

For bookings or enquiries, call +260 (0) 211 254 605 (Zambia) +27 (0) 21 430 5300 (South Africa) or visit proteahotels.com

PROTEA HOTEL CAIRO ROAD

LUSAKA IDEALLY LOCATED FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL IN THE HEART OF LUSAKA

PROTEA HOTEL LUSAKA

PROTEA HOTEL LUSAKA TOWER

LUSAKA

LUSAKA

ENTERTAINMENT ON PHDS 35487/16 YOUR DOOR STEP

TAKING BUSINESS AND LEISURE TO NEW HEIGHTS

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BUSINESS EVENTS MADE EASY: ZAMBIA

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Mulungushi International Conference Centre © MICC

Safari in Zambia © Jan Pihl

David Livingstone Safari Lodge & Spa, home of Victorial Falls Conference Centre © NN Style Cartel

Marula Lodge, Zambia © Lars Plougmann

Airlines and major airports: Kenneth Kaunda International Airport is the main hub. Airlines flying into Zambia include: • Air Botswana • Air Namibia • British Airways • Emirates • Ethopian Airlines • Fastjet • Kenya Airways • KLM Royal Dutch Airlines • Air Malawi • South African Airways • TAAG Angola

Population 15 066 266 – World Factbook

Currency The currency is Zambian kwacha.

Conversion rates against other major currencies on 22 March 2016 are as follows: Major Currencies 1 ZAR (Rand) 1 US dollar 1 GBP 1 Euro

Zambian kwacha 743.92 11 355.00 12 760.20 16 262.90

Climate It has a tropical climate due to its location in the tropics.

A wet season in November to April can make some of its attractions inaccessible.

its safaris, it includes walking and canoeing safaris with experienced guides. Remarkably and somewhat of an anomaly is an encounter with Shiwa Ng’andu in northeast Zambia – a restored Edwardian manor in the countryside. Rare wildlife comprise eight million fruit bats which descend on Kasanka National Park annually, and the sitatungas, a semi-aquatic antelope. Despite spectacular natural beauty, modernity has encroached and is evident in Lusaka, replete with malls to cater to affluent tastes. Cairo Road remains a good shopping option for souvenirs. For culture, visit Kabwata Cultural Centre – 43 rondawels, formerly housing for labourers in the 1930s and 1940s, but now reclaimed to preserve Zambia’s heritage and showcase its art.

Contact: Zambia Tourism Board Tel: +260 211 229087/90 Email: ztb@zambiatourism.org.zm Website: www.zambiatourism.com

OPPORTUNITY

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NEW GENERAL MANAGER FOR EXSA The Chairman of EXSA, Neil Nagooroo, announced that EXSA is looking for a new General Manager to take over the running of the Association.

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fter six years at the helm of EXSA, Sue Gannon has decided to focus on skills development for the industry and will be taking over the recently launched EXSA Academy. Sue steps down at the end of May but will remain committed to the Association.

Vacancy for the Position of General Manager This is a one year contract, renewable yearly, with a market-related salary.

Key performance bonuses will also apply, and be based upon attaining the set goals. Enhanced rewards for exceeded goals will be considered.

A minimum of 5 years’ managerial experience is required, and a knowledge of Association, Exhibition, Event and related sectors are important.

The successful candidate will work from the Gallagher Convention Centre, Richards Drive, Midrand.

Summary of Job Specifications EXSA is looking for a proactive, goalorientated, self-motivated, dynamic person who would, together with the input and guidance from the EXSA Board, be able to strategically plan, organise, lead, implement and control initiatives that would benefit the Members of the Association and the exhibition and event sectors.

Together with overseeing the day to day operations of the Association, the ideal candidate would be able to strategically engage with its members, industry stakeholders, as well as governmental structures at all managerial levels.

A set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) with associated deliverables will be documented and agreed to. These

will ensure that the incumbent is aware of the expectations and that EXSA is able to measure performance against expectation. The Performance Review will be conducted on a quarterly basis.

The ideal candidate would be able to strategically engage with its members, industry stakeholders, as well as governmental structures at all managerial levels.

Key Job Tasks Key job tasks cover the following areas: • Strategic and Commercial: provide leadership and vision with the development of long term and annual plans, focus on growing and supporting the exhibition industry, oversee preparation of an Annual Report, build strong relationships with key stakeholders, liaise with industry stakeholders in accordance with EXSA’s strategy.

• HR Management: recruit and contract short-term project/ contract staff, employee development and relations, policy and regulation development, documentation and reporting, performance management.

• Project Management: The Association’s AGM, Annual Conference, Awards Gala Dinner, Forum Meetings, Board of Directors Meetings, social functions, and any other function that could benefit the EXSA membership. This also includes industry and members initiatives including research, app development, and H&S guidelines.

• Marketing and PR: EXSA’s brand image, experience and promise, oversee marketing, advertising, design, public relations and customer service initiatives. identify and develop opportunities, manage and report on marketing and advertising progress, oversee content production and

•

•

distribution of publicity materials, arrange meetings with EXSA members on a rotating 6-monthly period.

Financial Management: oversee the annual budget along with Treasurer, provide recommendations for investments and cash strategies, oversee preparation of annual budget, provide vision on overall financial health of EXSA, provide vision and leadership in long-rang fiscal planning, provide recommendations for effective use of long and short term debt, oversee fundraising efforts and sponsorships.

Administrative Management: ensure member film integrity, ensure maintenance, general oversight and accuracy of records, assist in development of forms and tools

If you feel you have the ability, and you match the requirements for EXSA General Manager, please contact Neil Nagooroo on +27 (0)11 779 0000 or +27 (0)82 929 5241, or email Neil.Nagooroo@tsogosun.com.

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FEATURE

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© The Lord Milner Hotel

SHOWCASING THE CAPE KAROO This hidden gem offers business travellers a meeting experience off the beaten track.

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unrays ricochet off the semidesert landscape, dotted with windmills and nightscapes brimming with vistas of brilliant stars; the Cape Karoo entices the visitor to an unforgettable incentive experience. The name Karoo is derived from a Khoisan word meaning “land of thirst.” These indigenous inhabitants, the Khoisan, are also responsible for the art on rock faces and caves.

It is so much more than a thoroughfare the Central Karoo region extends from Touws River to Beaufort West, with most of its towns in close proximity to the N1 linking Cape Town and Johannesburg. Its beauty is definitely not of the skin-deep variety; with Beaufort West, Laingsburg, Leeu-Gamka, Matjiesfontein, Merweville, Murraysburg, Prince Albert and Seekoegat offering charm and respite from the bustle of Cape Town.

It proffers tranquillity on the one hand and adventure off-the-beaten track on the other for a discerning business or leisure traveller; from hiking, mountain biking, bird watching, 4x4ing and even donkey cart trips. A geologist’s wonderland; it has world-renowned sites near Beaufort West and Nelspoort to discover. Many of the towns originated when they provided refuge to hardy wanderers through the centuries travelling through what is quite inhospitable terrain. History is vividly captured in Matjiesfontein - a national monument restored in 1970 - not simply reminiscent of a bygone era but actually preserved as a vestige of the Victorian era.

The Victorian, Cape Dutch and Georgian architecture is still a hallmark in its towns.

Prince Albert has thirteen buildings listed as National Monuments. Laingsburg,

established in 1880, was completely flooded in 1981; only rooftops were seen in footage and highwater marks are still reflected by the lamp posts. Murraysburg, is home to so many craft makers that Country Life magazine dubbed Murraysburg the “Crafters Mecca of the Karoo.” The seat of the district is Beaufort West. On its outskirts, lies the 75 000 hectare Karoo National Park.

The riverine rabbit and the black rhino have been resettled there and roam with the resurrected quagga. The latter was recreated using portions of its genetic code in tissue samples extracted from a museum exhibit.

The Swartberg Pass, a World Heritage Site, is said to be one of the most scenic mountain passes in the world. It is untarred, flanked by hand-packed stone walls and leads to a summit at 1 583m above sea level.

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Must See Incentive Ideas • • • • • • • • •

Prince Albert © Cape Karoo Tourism

Karoo National Park Home-grown crafts in Murraysburg The resident ghost at the Lord Milner Hotel Star-gazing Khoisan rock art Bird-watching Hiking and mountain-bike trails The Swartberg Pass National Monuments

By Road Take the N1 national highway (which runs through to Johannesburg) from Cape Town north towards Laingsburg. The N1 to Beaufort West takes you to the “capital” of the Great Karoo.

From Johannesburg, follow the N1 via Colesberg.

Beaufort West © Cape Karoo Tourism

Key venues: The Lord Milner Hotel Matjiesfontein is a relic of the Victorian heyday established by railway magnate James Douglas Logan and renowned for having the odd ghost. You will be whisked through the town on an Old London Bus, and the Railway Station Conference Room, located at the Working Station, is able to up to 60 guests. The Lord Milner Hotel is the perfect establishment to experience an otherworldly trip of a lifetime.

The Swartberg Hotel Situated in the Prince Albert, the hotel was established in 1864 and is now also a National Monument.

Relax in their appealing gardens, take a refreshing dip in the pool or even enjoy some spa pampering. The hotel is charming and offers a meeting room for board meetings or a small conference up to 15 delegates.

Wagon Wheel Country Lodge

By Air

A stone’s throw from Beaufort West, the Lodge caters to all tastes and budgets, offering accommodation ranging from deluxe to economy.

Able to host backpackers, business travellers and families; it has conference facilities for up to 35 people.

There is a small airport located in Beaufort West, but this is not a public airport. For charter enquiries, call the airport on +27 23 414 3444 or +27 83 321 9399.

Herambi Guest House

The region can be extremely hot in spring and summer (September to March) and the winters can be sunny, but chilly, particularly at night. The ideal time to visit is from March to April, when you can drive to Oudtshoorn for the annual Klein Karoo National Arts Festival.

It is an 1890s Victorian house serving as guest house in Laingsburg. The meaning of Herambi means “be together” in Swahili. It is opposite the golf course and in close proximity to other amenities.

Conference facilities for up to 15 delegates are available for business delegates.

Old House Luxury Guest House This Guest House beckons the traveller to serenity and Karoo hospitality in Beaufort West. Fine dining includes award-winning wines enjoyed in comfortable surrounds.

It offers a conference facility that is able to accommodate at least 20 delegates.

Climate

Contact Johannes Jonkers Cape Karoo Tourism Office jjonkers@skdm.co.za tourismcapetown.co.za

Let us help you meet in our inspiring province

#1 destination for meetings in Africa (ICCA 2014)

capetownconventionbureau.org conventionbureau@wesgro.co.za +27 (021) 487 8600

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EVENTS TO DIARISE

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APRIL

MAY

JUNE

INTERNATIONAL LUXURY TRAVEL MARKET AFRICA 4-6 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

INDABA 7-9 DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA

SAACI CONGRESS 5-7 MANGAUNG, SOUTH AFRICA

SIGN AFRICA CAPE TOWN 11 - 12 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

ATF INTERNATIONAL APPAREL, TEXTILE AND FOOTWARE TRADE EVENT 7-9 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

WORLD TRAVEL MARKET AFRICA 6-8 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA IT&CM CHINA + CTW CHINA 6-8 SHANGHAI, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA SIGN AFRICA POLOKWANE 7 POLOKWANE, SOUTH AFRICA AFRICA PRINT 7 POLOKWANE, SOUTH AFRICA INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE EXPO 8 - 10 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA ITB BERLIN 9 - 13 BERLIN, GERMANY KENYA TRADE SHOW 15 - 17 NAIROBI, KENYA CAREER INDABA 16 - 17 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA IMEX FRANKFURT 19 - 21 FRANKFURT, GERMANY 6TH EDITION HOTELIER SUMMIT AFRICA 21 - 22 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA A’SAMBENI AFRICA 26 - 30 BULAWAYO, ZIMBABWE ZIMBABWE INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR 26 - 30 BULAWAYO, ZIMBABWE

AFRICA PRINT 11 - 12 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA AFRICAN UTILITY WEEK AND CLEAN POWER AFRICA 17 - 19 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA CHINA TRADE WEEK 18 - 20 DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA SECUREX 2016 24 - 26 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA A-OSH EXPO 24 - 26 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA AUTOMECHANIKA 31 - 3 JUNE JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

AUTOEXPO AFRICA 2016 10 - 12 NAIROBI, KENYA OIL & GAS AFRICA – EAST AFRICA 10 - 12 NAIROBI, KENYA NIGERIA OIL & GAS CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 13 - 16 ABUJA, NIGERIA IBTM AMERICA 15 - 17 NASHVILLE, USA KENYA INTERNATIONAL TRADE EXHIBITION 16 - 18 NAIROBI, KENYA AFRICA’S BIG SEVEN 2016 19 - 21 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA RETAIL SOLUTIONS AFRICA 2016 19 - 21 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA AFRICA RAIL 28 - 29 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA SABC EDUCATION AFRICAN EDUWEEK 2016 29 - 30 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA SIGN AFRICA NELSPRUIT 29 NELSPRUIT, SOUTH AFRICA AFRICA PRINT - NELSPRUIT 29 NELSPRUIT, SOUTH AFRICA

EVENTS TO DIARISE

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SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

AIPC ANNUAL CONGRESS 3-6 NANTES, FRANCE

EYE FOCUS AFRICA 6-8 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

MARKEX 2016 6 - 7 JULY JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

IBTM CHINA 7-8 BEIJING, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

THE DIGITAL EDUCATION SHOW AFRICA 4-5 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

THE MONEY EXPO 2016 8-9 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA POWER-GEN AFRICA 19 - 21 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA OIL & GAS AFRICA 13 - 15 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

AUGUST FUN & BIZ AFRICA 5-7 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA 100% DESIGN SOUTH AFRICA 5-9 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA INTERBUILD AFRICA 2016 17 - 20 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA THE COMMERCIAL UAV SHOW AFRICA 2016 23 - 24 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

AFRICA AIR EXPO 12 - 14 ACCRA, GHANA

IBTM LATIN AMERICA 7-8 CIUDAD DE MEXICO, MEXICO

IMEX AMERICA 18 - 20 LAS VEGAS, USA

SIGN AFRICA & FESPA AFRICA 7-9 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

AFRICA OIL WEEK/AFRICA UPSTREAM CONFERENCE 31 OCTOBER - 4 NOVEMBER CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURSHIP & FRANCHISE EXPO 8 - 11 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA ELECTRA MINING AFRICA 12 - 16 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA FOOD & DRINK TECHNOLOGY AFRICA 2016 14 - 15 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA MICE ASIA 23 - 24 SINGAPORE CITY, REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE

NOVEMBER WATER AFRICA AND WEST AFRICA BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION NIGERIA 2016 8 - 10 ABUJA, NIGERIA UFI CONGRESS 9 - 12 SHANGHAI, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA 55TH ICCA CONGRESS 13 - 16 KUCHING, MALAYSIA 12TH TANZANIA TRADE SHOW 2016 24 - 27 DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA IBTM WORLD 29 NOVEMBER - 1 DECEMBER BARCELONA, SPAIN

Mpumalanga © SA Tourism

JULY

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ASSOCIATIONS

AAXO CONFERENCE Joining forces for industry growth: Announcing the joint AAXO/ SAACI conference and AAXO’s participation in the UFI Global Exhibitions Day initiative.

Bringing industry members and key thought leaders together for an intensive programme of learning and knowledge-sharing, the Association of African Exhibition Organisers (AAXO)’s 2016 Conference has been arranged to coincide with two other significant industry events: the 30th SAACI Congress and the first ever UFI “Global Exhibitions Day”. Following the SAACI Conference, which will be held from the 5th to the 7th of June 2016 in Mangaung, Bloemfontein, the AAXO Conference will take place on the 8th of June at the same venue. Linking the two meetings together in this way not only takes advantage of the synergy and shared vision of AAXO and SAACI, but also is more convenient for delegates who wish to attend both events.

SAACI and AAXO have entered into a strategic partnership based on their dedication towards growing the meetings industry in Southern Africa. The collaboration between AAXO, which advocates specifically for exhibition organisers, and SAACI, which represents a broad number of related sectors including technical and other service providers, transport services and venues, has been designed to include the sharing of resources, knowledge and training opportunities for mutual growth and support. This is highlighted by the decision to combine the conference dates for the two organisations.

The 8th of June also marks Global Exhibitions Day – the beginning of a UFI and IAEE-led initiative to unify exhibition organisers,

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venues, associations, and service providers from countries all around the world. Many organisations have agreed to participate and add their voice to the day. AAXO will be marking the occasion by having their Conference on this day and being part of the task force.

Kai Hattendorf, UFI Managing Director, declares: “8 June 2016, Global Exhibitions Day 2016, will be a day to celebrate the exhibition industry. We are thrilled by the strong and growing support for this idea, and we will now work with all our partners around the world, including AAXO in South Africa, to make it a special day indeed”.

Carol Weaving, Chairperson of AAXO, is excited at the prospect of shared knowledge and opportunities: “AAXO has adopted a collaborative approach from its inception and this has led to the decision to combine the SAACI and AAXO Conferences.

We are also very proud to be part of the inspiring and powerful Global Exhibitions Day initiative.”

For more information on AAXO visit www.aaxo.co.za or contact Cindy Wandrag on 011 549 8300 or info@aaxo.co.za.

EXSA GENERAL MANAGER RESIGNS After six years as General Manager of the Exhibition and Event Association of Southern Africa, industry veteran Sue Gannon will step down at the end of May 2016. Newly elected Chairman Neil Nagooroo announced that the body is searching for a someone to fill her position as part of a one-year contract which is renewable annually.

Gannon has decided to focus on skills development for the industry and will be taking over the recently launched EXSA Academy. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the association but feel it is the right time for a fresh perspective – a new person to bring focus, ideas and strategy to our exciting industry,” she said. For more information on the vacant position of EXSA General Manager, visit page 29.

ASSOCIATIONS

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SAACI ISSUES TRAVEL ALERT AND ANNOUNCES WORKSHOP

The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) announced on 24 March a new grant programme aimed at giving highly talented exhibition professionals the opportunity to have their say on the future of the industry.

Supported by funding from Reed Exhibitions, UFI is inviting up to five industry professionals to work together on defining their vision of how the event industry is changing, and the opportunities megatrends like globalisation and digitisation can deliver. The group will gather for a workshop at UFI Headquarters in Paris (France), and share their findings at UFI’s annual Congress in November 2016 in Shanghai (China).

The Next Generation Leadership Grant covers travel and accommodation, and includes mentoring from UFI for the duration of the project.

Applications for the grant are open until 30 April and the call is open to anyone who is actively employed full-time in the exhibition industry for no more than ten years. Candidates are asked to submit a text and video presenting their ideas and initiatives for driving the industry forward, as well as describe their reasons for choosing to work in the sector, and their motivation for the grant application.

The results will be presented at the annual UFI Congress in Shanghai from 9-12 November 2016.

More information on the grant can be found on www.ufi.org. For any queries or application submissions, contact NGLgrant@ufi.org or call UFI headquarters at +33 146 397 500.

The Southern African Association for the Conference Industry recently advised members to note that OR Tambo International Airport has been placed on high alert due to events in Brussels. Additional time should be allowed for check-in, security clearance and immigration purposes. Maintenance is also currently underway at Terminal A passport control and all passengers are being redirected to Terminal B. This is also set to have an impact on clearing times for boarding and should be taken into account as part of any traveller’s transit time. The association will provide updates as they are received.

The body also announced their Introduction to Understanding Event Management workshop at the SAACI Head Offices in Rosebank. The event takes place on Tuesday, 5 April 2016, and is aimed at providing in-house operational staff with a general understanding of how to identify client and venue expectations.

These include venue requirements for catering, accommodation, logistics, health and safety, infrastructure, audio visuals and environmental issues. For more information or to RSVP to this event, visit

www.saaci.org, or contact Shawn Mthombeni on shawn@saaci.org or +27 (0)11 880 5883.

© SA Tourism

UFI LAUNCHES NEXT GENERATION LEADERSHIP GRANT

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E. info@saaci.org

E. ef-gsm@iafrica.com

W. www.saaci.org

+27 11 880 5883

W. www.ef-gsm.co.za

Brand Manager: Rhoda Farrant rhoda@filmeventmedia.co.za Brand Manager: Juan-Mari Heydenrych juan-mari@filmeventmedia.co.za Production and Traffic Manager: Nazeera Hartley Roach nazeera@filmeventmedia.co.za Production and Traffic Co-ordinator: Basheera Hartley bash@filmeventmedia.co.za 57 2nd Avenue, Harfield Village, Claremont 7708, Cape Town, South Africa Tel: +27 21 674 0646

South African National Expo Centre

Convention Bureau

OUSIDE BACK COVER

PAGE 17 - 21

T.

T.

+27 11 494 1920

+27 11 895 3000

E. info@expocentre.co.za

E. travel@southafrica.net

W. www.expocentre.co.za

W. www.businessevents.southafrica.net

EXSA

World Travel Market Africa

PAGE 34

INSIDE FRONT COVER

T.

T.

+27 11 805 7272

+27 11 549 8300

E. exsa@exsa.co.za

E. chardonnay@thebereed.co.za

W. www.exsa.co.za

W. www.thebereed.co.za

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FOR AFRICA’S BUSINESS-EVENTS INDUSTRY.

2016

Now in its 4th year, The Event Planner’s Guide to Africa has reached over 15 000 clients through its print publication and 410 000 through the e-books. Distributed in collaboration with the SANCB to Event Organisers, PCOs, Exhibition Organisers, Incentive Travel Houses, Corporate Clients and Government Offices; and to 600 International African Associations and through the following Media Partnerships: Meetings Africa (2016 Launch) | International Meetings Review | ibtm world | EXSA Conference and AGM | ibtm arabia | IMEX America | IMEX Frankfurt | IT&CM Asia Pacific | IT&CM India | IT&CMA China | Loeries Creative Week | Markex – World of Events | SAACI Congress | SETE - Sports and Tourism Exchange | SITE - Swahili International Tourism Expo | Tourism Expo Botswana | WTM Africa | Zambia International Travel Expo

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With over 50 000m² under cover and another 100 000m² outdoors, we can create any size exhibition, event, conference or function.

Call us, we’ll make it happen exactly as you imagined. @jhbexpocentre1

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www.expocentre.co.za

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Cnr Rand Show and Nasrec roads, JHB - T: +27(11) 494 1920 - F: +27(11) 494 1005 - E: info@expocentre.co.za