The Event Issue 6

Issue 06 | 2017

CSIS SOANA GRE E C

TSHW

+CONFERENCING IN SOUTH AFRICA

Experts Gauge the State of the Industry

+THE SAACI CONGRESS 2017

The DeямБnitive Annual Event for the Conferencing World

AN

THE TRAMWAYS CATERS FOR: • CONFERENCES • EXHIBITIONS • MUSIC EVENTS • CRAFT SHOWS • FOOD MARKETS • NIGHT MARKETS • PRODUCT / SERVICE LAUNCHES • ART EXHIBITIONS • COCKTAIL EVENTS AND SO MUCH MORE

The newly revamped historic and iconic building is now ready to host your bespoke events. With easy access at market related rates, The Tramways offers a more than 1000m2 canvas to create your own masterpiece, as well as a secure and guarded parking lot.

We are less than 10 minutes away from the Port Elizabeth International Airport, Beach Front, City Centre and Heritage routes crisscrossing Nelson Mandela Bay. Boasting a rich history from being a tram and bus depot and then an ice rink, The Tramways Building has in less than a year been a hive of activity, hosting a wide range of events that

attract and cater for various target markets within the Nelson Mandela Bay area.

Some of the events that have graced The Tramways include the NMB Fashion Week, Marktfees, Nutritec Eastern Cape CrossFit Championships, TNPA Long Service Awards, a number of weddings and as part of the 2016 Summer Season we hosted national artist Vusi Nova in December.

We look forward to partnering with you in creating memorable events. For more information contact: Vuyiseka Skepe on 041 811 8236 or email tramways@mbda.co.za or connect with us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/TheTramwaysNMB/ or Instagram @thetramwaysbuilding

Our most popular events to-date include the Valley Market that is hosted on the first Saturday of every month, the Good night Market every third Thursday of the month, the Traditional Shotokan Karate Alliance competitions and many more.

A proud development by 1st Floor, Tramways Building, Cnr Valley Road & South Union Street

CONTENTS

www.theevent.co.za

02.

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Cape Town Rated Best African Convention Destination

04.

NEW UFI PRESIDENT 2019

06.

Craig Newman, CEO of the Johannesburg Expo Centre, will become UFI President in 2019. Congratulations!

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Craig Newman elected as UFI President for 2019 ICCA Reports Record Number of Association Meetings SAACI Congress 2017 Programme

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THE STATE OF CONFERENCING IN SA

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Expert insights from SA’s leading venues, suppliers and PCOs.

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INDABA 2017 Highlights from Africa’s premier travel trade show.

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Showcasing the conferencing, meetings and event products from this untamed province.

Expo Guys: Leaders in Stand Design INDABA 2017 Highlights South African Exhibitors Wow Buyers at IMEX in Frankfurt WTM Africa 2017 Celebrates Multiple Successes What to Expect at Mediatech Africa 2017 Indaba Coverage: Media Conversations

33.

EASTERN CAPE

The State of Conferencing in South Africa

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Eastern Cape: Showcasing the Adventure Province KZN Flies High with Direct Flights by Six International Airlines Namibia: Dramatic Scenery, Incredible Wildlife, Excellent Conferencing Events to Diarise Associations News Directory of Advertisers

02

NEWS

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CAPE TOWN RATED

BEST AFRICAN CONVENTION DESTINATION FOR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR Wesgro is proud to announce that Cape Town has once again been rated the number one city in Africa for convention business by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).

T

he city is now in the top 40 destinations for business tourism in the world, improving 15 places on the global rankings from 54th place in 2015 to 39th place in 2016.

A total of 62 meetings took place in Cape Town, representing mainly medical sciences, education and technology sector.

An additional 12 international association meetings took place in Stellenbosch.

The ICCA is a prominent international meetings organisation boasting more than 850 members in over 80 countries worldwide. It represents the global community and knowledge hub for the international association meetings industry.

This was the fourth consecutive year the city has won the award ahead of others such as Johannesburg, Marrakech and Nairobi, largely due to conference bids secured by the Cape Town and the Western Cape Convention Bureau, a strategic division of Wesgro.

The Bureau’s role is to promote the Cape among meeting, incentive, conference and event planners as a premier business events destination. It also offers pre- and post-bid assistance, convention planning support and on-site services to meeting planners, and has been voted the Best Convention Bureau

by Southern African Association for the Conference Industry for the past two years.

In the last financial year, the Bureau secured 33 new bids with an estimated delegate attendance of 28 000 and an estimated economic impact of R424-million.

Over the past six years, the estimated economic impact of the conference bids secured by the Bureau exceeds R1.5-billion, making business tourism events such as association meetings an important economic contributor and job creator for the region.

Wesgro CEO Tim Harris noted that, “... in today’s competitive business-events environment, retaining the number one spot is a concerted effort between stakeholders and partners within the industry. The Western Cape offers a captivating, dynamic product and service offering as well as unwavering professionalism that make it a top destination to meet and do business. We’re incredibly proud of our ICCA ranking and will work hard to maximise this momentum.”

“Being ranked as Africa’s top business tourism destination is excellent news for our region. The expansion of the Cape Town International Convention Centre is also set to double the centre’s existing exhibition capacity and we will see an increase in the number and size of conferences, resulting in more business travellers to our region.

Through the Cape Town Air Access initiative, we are also making it easier for tourists to reach us. We know conferences have a significant economic impact, driving growth and creating jobs for residents. Business tourists have the potential to become leisure tourists, traders and investors into our region,” added Western Cape Economic Opportunities Minister, Alan Winde.

Cape Town has risen above competitive cities and its continued popularity demonstrates that we can deliver topclass conferences on a global scale.

“We are delighted to see that Cape Town is attracting an increasing number of association conferences and meetings.

Cape Town has risen above competitive cities such as Sydney, Dubai, Nairobi, Johannesburg and Durban in these ranking and its continued popularity demonstrates that we can deliver topclass conferences on a global scale. In its 2015/16 financial year, the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) hosted 39 international conferences and continues to host the highest number of international association events in Africa. The CTICC is proud of the key role we have played, together with our partners, in Cape Town’s rise as a top global meetings destination. As our expansion comes on stream, we look forward to attracting and hosting more local and international association events,” concluded Julie-May Ellingson, Chief Executive Officer of the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

04

NEWS

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CRAIG NEWMAN ELECTED AS UFI PRESIDENT FOR 2019

The Johannesburg Expo Centre (JEC) is proud to announce that Craig Newman, Chief Executive Officer, has been elected as the President of UFI for 2019.

T

he decision was made by the UFI Board of Directors at a board meeting during the UFI European Conference in Cologne, Germany, and will become effective at the conclusion of the 84th UFI Global Congress, which takes place in November this year.

“I am delighted to welcome Craig Newman to his new role as the incoming President of the UFI leadership team,” says Dr Andreas Gruchow, current UFI President. “He has not only been an active member of UFI, but he has been a leader in the exhibitions and events industry for over 20 years.”

In 2014, Newman was elected onto the UFI Board of Directors as well as the UFI Executive Committee. “Mr Newman has brought meaningful insight and value to the association during his time on the Executive Committee,” says Gruchow. “He has also made an incredible contribution from his position as the Vice Chair of the UFI Middle East Africa Chapter.”

As UFI President for 2019, Newman will work closely with the incumbent President, Corrado Peraboni and outgoing President, Andreas Gruchow, to make up the Presidential Trio. His duties will include managing UFI at the highest level and helping UFI to continue on its path of global development.

Newman convinced Gruchow of his commitment to UFI and his tenacity as a leader during the Johannesburg Expo Centre’s application to host the 84th UFI Global Congress in Johannesburg.

“I am certain that Mr Newman will do his utmost to make the Congress a success for all parties,” says Gruchow.

“He is a man of action and I am convinced that with his positive personality, open mind, charming character, forwardthinking and can-do attitude, Mr Newman

Craig Newman — President of UFI for 2019.

I am certain that Mr Newman will do his utmost to make the Congress a success for all parties,” says Gruchow. “He is a man of action and I am convinced that with his positive personality, open mind, charming character, forward-thinking and cando attitude, Mr Newman will help expand Africa’s footprint in the global exhibitions industry and further UFI’s global growth and development.

will help expand Africa’s footprint in the global exhibitions industry and further UFI’s global growth and development.”

“I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the members of the association for their confidence in me to serve as the President of UFI for 2019,”

says Newman. “As the first African President for UFI, it is an honour to be chosen to represent this outstanding association and I look forward to meeting this challenge head-on,” he concludes.

- Issued on behalf of Johannesburg Expo Centre by Write Scene

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06

SPOTLIGHT

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Paris ranked the top city by meetings organised in 2016 © www.unsplash.com, Pedro Lastra

Vienna © www.unsplash.com, Alisa Anton

Berlin © www.unsplash.com, David Lazaro

Barcelona © www.unsplash.com, Enes

ICCA REPORTS

RECORD NUMBER OF ASSOCIATION MEETINGS On 8 May 2017, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) announced that the number of international association meetings in 2016 was an all-time high.

I

CCA captured 12 212 rotating international association meetings taking place in 2016, an all-time record for their annual snapshot of data. This is 136 additional meetings compared with 2015. The number one country for international association meetings was the USA, while Paris took the top spot in the 2016 city ranking.

According to ICCA, this has been another decade of success for the sector. The

number of association meetings has more than doubled over the last ten years, from just under 6 000 in 2006 to over 12 000 in 2016. ICCA’s researchers also spotted an additional 710 meetings for 2015, and 524 for 2014. The ICCA Association Database now includes 20 000 regularly occurring meeting series, 220 000 meeting editions and 11 500 international associations.

“Once again our report provides clear evidence of the resilience and long-term

continued growth of the international association meetings sector,” ICCA CEO Martin Sirk said. “Anecdotally, we hear that it is not just the traditional association meetings business that is in a healthy state: new association-type events are being created by groups of scientists and doctors, destinations are designing and hosting their own world-class STEM meetings and festivals (science, technology, engineering, maths), online discussions are migrating

SPOTLIGHT

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Top 20 Cities Ranked By Meetings Organised in 2016 1.

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Top 20 Countries Ranked

By Meetings Organised in 2016 1.

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USA Germany United Kingdom France Spain Italy The People’s Republic of China Japan The Netherlands Canada Portugal Austria Republic of Korea Sweden Brazil Australia Poland Belgium Argentina Switzerland

934 689 582 545 533 468

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Paris Vienna Barcelona Berlin London Singapore Amsterdam Madrid Lisbon Seoul Prague Bangkok Dublin Copenhagen Beijing Budapest Buenos Aires Stockholm Hong Kong Rome

196 186 181 176 153 151 144 144 138 137 126 121 118 115 113 108 103 101 99 96

410 410 368 287 287 268 267 260 244 211 195 194 188 184 London © www.unsplash.com, Mavis CW

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to the real world of concrete face-toface interactions, and even corporate events are evolving into community gatherings of suppliers, clients, partners, investors, users, and academics, blurring the lines between the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. The Information Revolution and Knowledge Economy are experiencing continuing exponential growth, so it’s hardly surprising that the entire association meetings community is responding in such a dynamic fashion.

Traditional association meetings are growing strongly, but they are definitely no longer the only game in town!”

As one of the very few reports comparing destinations’ meetingsrelated performance on a global scale, the annual ICCA rankings are one of the most eagerly anticipated industry publications. Due to a lack of global figures on other meeting segments, they are often mistakenly perceived as the destination rankings for the meetings industry as a whole, even though they only cover a narrow segment of the total meetings market. To be included, meetings must be organised by associations, must be held on a regular basis, have at least 50 delegates, and rotate between at least three countries.

While these ICCA rankings provide some evidence of a city or country’s relative performance, it is only when all data on all the meetings taking place in a destination are considered, from corporate and intergovernmental to nonrotating, that a true, complete picture can be seen. The full ICCA statistics and comprehensive rankings for all countries and cities will be released in mid-June.

08

SPOTLIGHT

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SAACI CONGRESS 2017 PROGRAMME:

2 - 4 JUNE Date

Thursday, 1 June

Date

Friday, 2 June

Time

Event Details

10h00 - 12h00

EXCO Committee Meeting (Closed Meeting)

12h00 - 13h00

Board Lunch (Closed Function)

13h00 - 18h00

Board Meeting (Closed Meeting)

19h00 onwards

Board and Patron Members Cocktail (By Invitation Only)

Time

Event Details

07h00 - 08h30

Participant Wellness: Fun Walk Depart: CSIR ICC

08h30 - 09h30

Participants refresh after Fun Walk

09h30 - 10h30

Registration and Information Support Service Open Venue: CSIR ICC Foyer

09h30 - 10h30

First Time Attendance and New Member Induction to SAACI Learning Lounge Presentations (Various Speakers) • How to address tenders • Social Media Risks • Employment Contracts • Regulation framework update on Act 2 of 2010 with specific reference to OHSA regulation 5,7&8 for organisers, technical service providers and facility owners • Training (SAACI Academy) Venue: CSIR ICC, Amber Room

10h30 - 11h30

Welcome Brunch including Welcome and Orientation by the Chief Executive Officer Speaker: Mr Rudi van der Vyver Venue: CSIR ICC, The Deck

11h30 - 11h45

Doors open, participants to be seated by 11h55

11h45 - 12h00

Opening Ceremony Venue: CSIR ICC, Diamond Auditorium

12h00 - 12h30

Welcome by SAACI Chairman Speaker: Mr Wayne Johnson Venue: CSIR ICC, Diamond Auditorium

12h30 - 13h00

Opening Address from the Minister of Tourism Speaker: Ms Tokozile Xasa MP Venue: CSIR ICC, Diamond Auditorium

13h00 - 13h45

Keynote Speaker - Preparing for Multiple Futures Speaker: Mr Siphiwe Moyo Venue: CSIR ICC, Diamond Auditorium

13h45 - 14h30

Networking Lunch Venue: Exhibition Hall

14h30 - 15h15

South Africa National Convention Bureau Speaker: Mrs Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo Venue: CSIR ICC, Diamond Auditorium

15h15 - 16h30

“Lie to me” Speaker: Ms Nejolla Korris Venue: CSIR ICC, Diamond Auditorium

16h30 - 17h30

Participants at Leisure

17h30 - 18h00

Transport of participants to the Re-connect Evening Departure Point: CSIR ICC Main Entrance

18h00 - 21h00

Re-connect Evening Venue: Monte de Dios

21h00

Return transfers to CSIR ICC

SPOTLIGHT

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Date

Saturday, 3 June

Date

Sunday, 4 June

Time

Diamond

07h00 - 08h30

Participant Wellness: Secret Sunrise & Refreshments Departure point: CSIR ICC Main Entrance Venue: Secret

08h00

Registration and Information Support Service Open

08h30 - 09h00

Arrival and Light Refreshments

09h00 - 09h45

Keynote Speaker - Disruptive Innovation Speaker: Maarten Vanneste, CMM

09h45 - 11h00

Annual General Meeting, State of the Association Reports, Handover to next destination.

Speakers: Mr Wayne Johnson, Mrs Denise Kemp, Mr Glenn van Eck, Mr Rudi Van Der Vyver

11h00 - 11h25

Networking Refreshment Break

11h25 - 12h15

Venues “Winning strategies in a competitive market” Speaker: Ms Lindiwe Rakherebe

12h15 - 13h00

Lunch on the Deck

13h00 - 13h40

C&E Organisers “Pitch slap” Speaker: Mr Richard Mulholland”

13h40 - 14h05

Networking Refreshment Break

14h05 - 14h45

C&E Organisers & Venues Venue Commission under the Spotlight Panel: Mr Craig Newman, Ms Precious Nala, Ms Bronwen Cadle De Ponte, Ms Lisa Gonyela

14h45 - 15h10

Networking Refreshment Break

15h10 - 15h50

Service "Time Dictated Processes: Increasingly Short Lead Times; Shorter Build Times"

15h50 - 16h15

Networking Refreshment Break

16h15 - 16h55

Keynote Speaker - Entrepreneurship Speaker: Mr Lebogang Gunguluza

16h55 - 18h00

Participants at Leisure

18h00 - 18h30

Transport of participants to the gala dinner Departure Point: CSIR ICC Main Entrance

18h30 - 23h00

SAACI in the City Gala Dinner Venue: 012 Central

23h00

Transport to return to the CSIR ICC

Time

Diamond

8h00

Registration and Information Support Service Open

08h15 - 08h45

Arrival and Light Refreshments

08h45 - 09h25

Keynote Speaker - O’ what a Beautiful Morning

09h25 - 09h30

Quick Chat Time

09h30 - 10h05

C&E Organisers ”Neuroscience - impact though emotion” Speaker: Ms Tamlynne Wilton

10h05 - 10h15

Quick Chat Time

10h15 - 10h50

Exhibition Hall

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Amber

C&E Organisers “Performing under Pressure” Speaker: Ms Shireen Chengadu

Services “Augmented Reality Barriers have been broken”

Venues “Technology is Trending Internationally

C&E Organisers and Venues “Value Creation” Speaker: Mr Maarten Vanneste, CMM

Exhibition Hall

Amber

Venues “Meeting venue elements to look out for in the next 5 years” Speaker: Mr Rashid Toefy

Services “What do we think our work environment will be like” Speaker: Ms Heather Hook

Services “Cross-Border Logistics”

C&E Organisers ”The future project team” Speaker: Ms Davida van der Walt

Venues ”Evolving Roles Who does what?”

Speaker: Mrs Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo

10h50 - 11h00

Quick Chat Time

Venue: CSIR ICC, The Deck

11h00 - 11h35

Venues & C&E H.U.N.G.E.R. Games Designing and selecting Menus Speaker: Tracy Struckrath, CSEP, CMM, CHC

11h35 - 12h00

Networking Refreshment Break

12h00 - 12h40

Keynote Speaker - “Responding to Local Issues, Transformation in the Business Events Industry”

12h40 - 12h50

Quick Chat Time

12h50 - 13h30

Gauteng Lecture Speaker: Ms Michelle Crowley

13h30 - 14h00

Closing Ceremony

14h00 - 15h00

Farewell Sunday Afternoon Braai or grab and go Services & C&E “Free-Lancing: The new employment Trend”

10

FEATURE

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THE STATE OF

CONFERENCING IN SA The Event speaks to the leading stakeholders of South Africa’s meetings and conferencing realms to find out what the latest trends are, how their businesses are innovating, and where the sector is headed in the coming twelve months and beyond.

S

outh Africa’s conferencing and meetings industry has changed in leaps and bounds since we last checked in. The nation has adopted the global trend of co-location, where several events take place at the same venue or vicinity at the same time

in order to maximise market value for delegates. Budgets and lead times have also changed, and technology has ensured that engagement at business events is at an all-time high.

Professional conference organisers are also listening to what attendees

are saying and structuring their events to suit these needs. The Event speaks to some of South Africa’s key role players to find out what new innovations they’ve taken on to improve the sector. We also talk trends, and where we’re headed in the future.

The most common trend that we currently face in conferencing is the exceptionally short lead times and financial constraints that associations are experiencing.

Essentially these two trends speak to one another, as I believe that the associations are risk averse and hence are committing to host a meeting, event or conference as late as possible.

Nina Freysen-Pretorius CEO: The Conference Company; President: ICCA The most common trend that we currently face in conferencing is the exceptionally short lead times and financial constraints that associations are experiencing. Essentially these two trends speak to one another, as I believe that the associations are risk averse and hence are committing to host a meeting, event or conference as late as possible.

Unfortunately this is having a compounded negative impact on all parties concerned. Corporate companies and the public sector need a minimum of a 12-month period or financial cycle to consider sponsorship and their involvement. With the short lead times, certain companies and departments therefore are not prepared to get involved

in the conference and this results in a loss of revenue for the association.

When you book later and within a short time-frame, the possibility of negotiating good rates and the best possible services are also limited. In order to counter this, the associations are choosing to insource as far possible and contain the costs. Therefore one finds that the association meetings are very resilient and still take place – but no longer is there an open cheque book with nice-to-haves.

Due to everyone being ‘time poor’ we are also seeing less and less of the delegates who are attending conferences, extending their stay or adding onto their itineraries. It really is about flying in, attending and presenting, flying back home or to the next meeting. This is rather sad as the

value of people, culture and general engagement is being cut shorter and shorter. This does have a bearing on the actual delegate spend.

The use of online tools and social media has become a norm and is no longer a nice-to-have. The conference mobile app, use of Uber for transportation and various online accommodation booking portals is replacing the services previously offer by a dedicated agency. Delegates want information immediately and on their handheld devices. Easily accessible, free Wi-Fi has become a given, and if not available within the destination or facility hosting a meeting or conference, will disrupt the meeting. South Africa has to respond to this demand in order to keep up with expectations and trends.

FEATURE 11

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Our Conscious Conferencing packages reflects our considered approach to business, and we continue to seek innovative alternatives to our current economic and environmental challenges. Two examples of innovative thinking at the Spier Conference Centre is an instant call system for delegates, BellMe, and Water From Air, a system that converts air into water.

Angela Lorimer Commercial Manager: Spier At Spier, guests get a real sense of our ‘WORK HARD, PLAY FAIR, STAY GENTLE’ philosophy. Our Conscious Conferencing packages reflects our considered approach to business, and we continue

to seek innovative alternatives to our current economic and environmental challenges. Two examples of innovative thinking at the Spier Conference Centre is an instant call system for delegates, BellMe, and Water From Air, a system that converts

air into water. As Corporates curb international spend, I foresee growth in the local conferencing industry. It is essential that we take advantage of the exchange rate by offering value-formoney facilities, and promote South Africa as an all-in-one destination.

I am sure that those reading this feature can attest that the volatility and complexity we face in the market today are of a different order of magnitude from those we faced only a few years ago. This calls for a greater level of effectiveness, efficiency and passionate contribution in order to thrive in the present competitive atmosphere.

Lindiwe Rakharebe CEO: Durban ICC; Deputy Chair: ICCA African Chapter I am sure that those reading this feature can attest that the volatility and complexity we face in the market today are of a different order of magnitude from those we faced only

a few years ago. This calls for a greater level of effectiveness, efficiency and passionate contribution in order to thrive in the present competitive atmosphere. We need to embrace these challenges with innovative solutions, creative synergies, lateral thinking and, most of all, a renewed commitment

to unleashing the potential of our people.

I firmly believe that in order for us to compete effectively in this global marketplace, we need to leverage the talent, the expertise and the creativity of our people to provide uniquely superior delegate experiences at every stage of the event hosting process.

Clients are looking for an event that speaks to their business; that uplifts and strengthens or highlights a specific culture or strategy. Business events are not just about a plain old conference anymore, it’s all about creating a memorable experience with various touch points and levels of engagement.

Rudi van der Vyver CEO: SAACI Looking at business events currently, there

is a big drive and awareness to be relevant and ahead of the curve with technology, benefits and outcomes of our events.

Yet this awareness and big talk does not frequently seem to be translated into action within the industry. I find that we

12

FEATURE

keep ‘playing safe’ and I firmly believe that one of the biggest risks for our industry is for us to not take any risks when it comes to being innovative and different.

Clients are looking for an event that speaks to their business; that uplifts and strengthens or highlights a specific culture or strategy. Business events are not just about a plain old conference anymore, it’s all about creating a memorable experience with various touch points

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and levels of engagement – and the future here is to successfully, creatively and seamlessly incorporate and embed technology within the business event.

The future is bright though, and I see larger budgets being allocated to these projects within the corporate client space. Don’t be fooled, everyone wants more ‘bang for their buck’, but by being innovative and creating measurable return on investment for clients, they are

very willing to provide more budget to achieve these far-reaching outcomes.

Business events span across all functional units within the corporate space, from marketing to HR and even finance, which makes it a valuable resource when used and managed correctly. It is up to us, the industry custodians, to prove the value to our clients, guide them, and be trusted advisors to make sure they come back time and time again.

The buzzwords are flexibility and interactivity. Conference producers are trying out new conference and meeting formats and are focusing on creating different types of engagement and networking experiences. They want multifunctional, less formal spaces that can adapt to different types of seating structures, new technology systems and digital tools.

Julie-May Ellingson Cape Town International Convention Centre Chief Executive Officer In conventions, the buzzwords are flexibility and interactivity. Conference producers are trying out new conference and meeting formats and are focusing on creating different types of engagement

and networking experiences. They want multifunctional, less formal spaces that can adapt to different types of seating structures, new technology systems and digital tools.

The “kidulting” trend is also making its way into the convention arena and we’ve spotted ice cream and confectionary stations, colouring-in walls, and other “playful” activities at recent conferences.

The CTICC is a purpose-built convention centre. Our venue spaces are versatile and can be adapted for a multitude of event gatherings. We understand that an important part of why clients are hosting a convention is the need for face-to-face meetings, and the CTICC can offer a range of spaces that encourage interactivity and engagement.

There is great potential for growth because Africa doesn’t host as many international exhibitions and conferences or events as the UK, Europe or North America. By working together as venues, organisers and service providers, we can create confidence that as an industry, we are capable and experienced.

Craig Newman CEO: Expo Centre; Vice Chair: UFI Middle East Africa Chapter Persisting tough economic conditions are contributing to a difficult year for the exhibitions, conferences and events industry. However, the UFI International Congress takes place in South Africa this year which will be a major attraction

for the entire industry. It will bring large corporate organisations from North America, South America, Europe, the UK, and Asia that invest in events worldwide; to our shores. This will create many opportunities for people in our country who are ready to work with these organisations to grow our industry footprint.

There is great potential for growth

because Africa doesn’t host as many international exhibitions and conferences or events as the UK, Europe or North America.

By working together as venues, organisers and service providers, we can create confidence that as an industry, we are capable and experienced. We also have the eagerness and attitude to grow by creating successful and sustainable events in Africa.

FEATURE 13

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The opportunities for sharing knowledge, legislation, technology and innovation in a particular industry are endless with the added benefit of bringing the public and private sector together into an open discussion. Delegates are given the occasion to learn, gain knowledge on a sector or products and then see the products on the exhibition floor.

Carol Weaving Managing Director: Reed Exhibitions, Chairperson: AAXO For the first time this year, the progressive Connected Industries Conference titled: “Spotlight on the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the impact it will have on the South African economy� will be staged alongside Africa Automation Fair.

Exhibitions are predominantly having to offer more value for delegates, exhibitors and visitors and should be the facilitators of cutting-edge industry dialogues and debates.

This is where including a conference component adds valuable subject matter and convenes thought leaders.

In such a favourable environment, the opportunities for sharing knowledge, legislation, technology and innovation in a particular industry are endless with the added benefit of bringing the public and private sector together into an open discussion. Delegates are given the occasion to learn, gain knowledge on a sector or products and then see the products on the exhibition floor.

This year, the Association of African Exhibition Organisers (AAXO) also seized the opportunity of having the marketing, advertising and design world together at MADEX and offered two full days of invaluable Exhibitor and Organiser Training on topics such as Safety, Return on

Investment and Sales Techniques.

Conferences are an innovative way for organisers and exhibitors to maximise their offering to visitors and educate the industry, which is crucial for growth. As an example, the Outbound Conference Theatre hosted at the recent WTM 2017 invited Travel Professionals to learn more about International and Pan-African destinations through interactive workshops. The workshops aimed to upskill attendees on these destinations and ways to sell them and presenters were professionals from the destination itself. On the exhibition floor, attendees could visit the individual stands of these destinations for further information.

The CSIR ICC understands that the sector is constantly changing and realises the importance of its facilities being a platform that inspires conversations and offers diversion that stimulates creativity. To this end, the ICC regularly undertakes refurbishment and rearrangement in order to be fit for purpose to host quality knowledge-based events.

Refilwe Nchebisang CSIR ICC Marketing Coordinator Our business was founded on very solid principles and practices in 1977 when it was opened as the first international standard convention centre in South Africa. We do not forget those principles and practices but rather build on them and innovate around them in order to effect consistent quality in our people and business.

The CSIR ICC understands that the sector is constantly changing and realises the importance of its facilities being a

platform that inspires conversations and offers diversion that stimulates creativity.

To this end, the ICC regularly undertakes refurbishment and rearrangement in order to be fit for purpose to host quality knowledge-based events.

As the industry grows, there comes a demand for business growth driven by quality, value-adding service delivery, improved standards, and knowledgebased professionalism that contributes significantly to the holistic conference experience. This sees the ICC investing

in capacity development to contend the constantly changing sector and to stay ahead of its competitors.

We are proud to say that we have consistently received over 98% customer satisfaction rating from conference delegates using our facilities for years.

It is gratifying for our team, who work very hard, to know that such an incredibly high percentage of the approximately 80 000 delegates who use our facilities each year enjoy their experience to such a high degree.

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FEATURE

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If you have a smaller conference or incentive group, why not consider a venue 40 minutes out of a city centre? Away from the rush from a busy cosmopolitan city, where delegates can be inspired by the local culture, beautiful scenery and an opportunity to truly engage with locals. One such town is Stellenbosch.

Zelda Coetzee-Burger Event and Conference Specialist It is clear from ICCA’s 2016 official city rankings that more destinations in Africa, like Kigali and Uganda are investing in the development of business tourism. This, of course, is great news for our continent.

I fully support the idea of growing South Africa through growing Africa, but how can we ensure that we maintain that top spot as Africa’s leading destination? Perhaps more importantly, how do we ensure that our offering remains relevant and our businesses still posts great results in five years’ time?

What can we offer that is unique and will make clients ululate with happiness?

Let’s create legacies, real legacies.

Give clients the opportunity to invest in our communities and share their love. I recently worked on a project where we linked 12 themed experiences as part of

an incentive program to 12 local charities/ beneficiaries. Each experience was uniquely themed with a charity or beneficiary suited to that theme. It took a few days of research and many meetings to plan the logistics around how exactly each beneficiary will benefit, but the gratitude of the charities and the spirit of giving of our guests sparked that light inside me to want to do this again and again and again!

Let’s spread the business to secondary cities as more and more buyers are looking for authentic experiences outside city centres. This does not apply to all conferences, as size does matter, but if you have a smaller conference or incentive group, why not consider a venue 40 minutes out of a city centre? Away from the rush from a busy cosmopolitan city, where delegates can be inspired by the local culture, beautiful scenery and an opportunity to truly engage

with locals. One such town is Stellenbosch, which, until recently, only featured on the bucket lists of leisure travellers. With its current number 7 spot on ICCA’s ranking of conference cities in Africa (ahead of major cities like Accra and Cairo) it is clear that there is a great future for secondary cities.

Extraordinary service. Sometimes leaders forget about what really matters and as much as we have extraordinary beauty and experiences, we should not forget about service. Think when last you have gone the extra mile for a client.

Does your staff know what service really means? Like jumping through a few hoops on fire? It is well known that many of our neighbouring countries have an unbelievable service culture.

They might not have the best airports or the biggest convention centres, but they are happy to help with a smile.

Delegates are using their phones to interact with the panel by asking questions via a messaging app, leaving comments, and rating the speakers in real-time. This means we are getting more feedback from the floor via an app message system and real-time feedback of the delegate experience.

Jaques Fouché Cape Town Sales Manager: Gearhouse SA The integration of mobile phones and the conference experience has certainly been the biggest change in the past year. Delegates are using QR codes and apps for events – which also helps the conference to be greener. [They are] using their phones to interact with the panel by

asking questions via a messaging app, leaving comments, and rating the speakers in real-time. [This means we are] getting more feedback from the floor via an app message system and real-time feedback of the delegate experience. This helps the PCO or programme committee to plan better for the next conference as they have data to use in their planning. I believe there will be more changes to come in the

smartphone/app field for the industry.

At Gearhouse, we apply our equipment in creative ways to give a different experience to the delegate by setting the scene and creating a visually appealing experience.

In the next twelve months, a good PCO will create more experiences for the delegate: more interaction between the panel and the audience. Less talking from the stage and more interaction with great experiences.

FEATURE 15

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Our industry is digitising; mixed reality or hybrid events will become the norm. Artificial intelligence (AI) such as chatbots, virtual concierge services or helpdesks will take the place of mobile apps. AI solves actionable questions and filters according to our preferences; it does not overload us with irrelevant information.

Pieter Swart, CMP, CMM Business Events Strategist and Managing Director: Conference Consultancy SA How does the current knowledge economy translate to our profession?

For one, gone are the days of locking information up behind passwords.

Information today gets shared freely – in fact there is little that cannot

be accessed online. Our industry is digitising; mixed reality or hybrid events will become the norm.

Artificial intelligence (AI) such as chatbots, virtual concierge services or helpdesks will take the place of mobile apps. AI solves actionable questions and filters according to our preferences; it does not overload us with irrelevant information.

Our team takes heed of these developing trends and congratulates Kyle Smith DES, Information Systems Manager at Conference Consultancy South Africa on becoming the first certified Digital Events Strategist (DES) in Africa, a course offered by the PCMA Digital Experience Institute. Knowledge elevates our profession from mere executors of tasks to agents of change.

Corporates are looking for creative solutions. What we’ve seen recently, for example, is a lot more conferences being attended by senior level staff only, minimizing spend.

Weekend conferences have also become more popular, not only due to a significant difference in rates, but it also means less time off work.therefore not impacting productivity.

Glyn Taylor and Gary Koetser Joint CEOs, Century City Conference Centre There are a few tendencies that stand out and are significant factors when event planners are booking with us these days. These are; the quality of food & beverage, sustainability and connectivity.

We believe that our commitment to a premium F&B offering has really set us apart from other venues. Our team is at the top of their game under the leadership of Executive Chef Abbas Abrahams, who has created more canapé and tapas style menus which are far more appealing than what’s traditionally served at conference venues. It’s consistently the most talked about component from delegates and event organisers.

Fibre connectivity. Gone are the days of cables and wires. The venue boasts

one of the fastest fibre connections in the country, at 200 Mbps, from which each conference delegate has access to up to 500MB per day. Each delegate has the convenience to choose their own ISPs with individualised Wi-Fi passwords specific to their conference. The eleven meeting rooms each have LCD screens offering wireless access for presentations, and our on-site AV team are at your beck and call.

Sustainability is fast becoming a non-negotiable in the private sector, with corporates across the board making a concerted effort to reduce negative effects on the environment. From the outset, we have strived to minimalize the impact of our operations on the environment and have implemented a number of policies and procedures to this end. This includes water management, waste management and recycling,

sustainable food and energy saving.

We believe that all three factors mentioned above, are what sets us apart and have contributed to the huge success since opening early last year.

Our economy has affected every industry and its repercussions will be felt for a long time. We predict delegate numbers will drop in order to maximize budgets. Consumers are expecting more value for money, and clients are no different. Corporates are looking for creative solutions. What we’ve seen recently, for example, is a lot more conferences being attended by senior level staff only, minimizing spend. Weekend conferences have also become more popular, not only due to a significant difference in rates, but it also means less time off work. therefore not impacting productivity.

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FEATURE

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Delegates at conferences are moving faster than conference organisers. Ever heard of the term virtual conference? Well, technology and specifically conference apps are already able to deliver a virtual conference. I look forward to experiencing the first virtual conference locally. The question is, who will be bold enough to organise the virtual conference?

Danie Greyling Managing Director, Meetings and Events MEA: Lumi Delegates at conferences are moving faster than conference organisers. They are expecting the type of technology that will enhance their conference experience to be part of the conference. Ever heard of the term virtual conference? Well, technology and specifically conference apps are already able to deliver a virtual conference. I look forward to experiencing the first virtual conference locally. The question is, who will be bold enough to organise the virtual conference?

A colleague of mine wrote the following on our blog recently: “There is one guide I look forward to reading every year and that is the Event App Bible.

As Julius Solarius, one of the authors of the Event App Bible states, ‘2017 is the year that will be remembered in the event app world. It will be the year when event apps started to change.’”

In South Africa we still need mass adoption of event technology and conference apps. Companies are slowly realising the massive potential and ROI when using event technology and conference apps. Lumi has introduced

enhanced ways to engage an audience through our event app. We are very excited about the new iBeacons feature.

Using location-based services through beacon technology, this component provides attendees the ability to either check-in to a session or receive featured content within their app simply by being in proximity of a beacon.

Another great feature is Biometric login: fingerprint recognition allows you to use your fingerprint to login instead of your ID and password. No data is stored in the app, it uses your device configuration to allow access.

There are very interesting opportunities on the horizon for the likes of Kimberley, East London, Pietermaritzburg, Stellenbosch, Bloemfontein, Nelspruit, Polokwane, just to name a few possible “new” congress destinations in South Africa. And just across our border: think about Walvisbay/Swakopmund, Bulawayo, Livingstone, Gaborone, Vic Falls and several others!

Dirk Elzinga Managing Director: Convention Industry Consultants Some significant recent developments have opened up new marketing perspectives for the smaller, new, so-called ‘second-tier’ destinations, in light of the newly released ICCA rankings. For instance, the international African association meeting business really seems to be gaining momentum.

The African Society of Association Executives (AfSAE), is growing rapidly, doubling its membership number in a single year. African professionals are appreciating the opportunity to

exchange knowledge and experiences in their field of science, or their sector of the economy, on an African platform.

More than 700 African associations have now been officially identified, and most of those organisations do not really need a large convention centre for their meetings. With an average of between 100 and 300 delegates they are very happy with the meeting facilities offered by the smaller venues. Also important is that many of these new African associations are extremely cost sensitive. In other words: affordable meeting facilities and hotel rooms are excellent tools

for a successful marketing drive by second tier meeting destinations!

To summarise: there are very interesting opportunities on the horizon for the likes of Kimberley, East London, Pietermaritzburg, Stellenbosch, Bloemfontein, Nelspruit, Polokwane, just to name a few possible “new” congress destinations in South Africa.

And just across our border: think about Walvisbay/Swakopmund, Bulawayo, Livingstone, Gaborone, Vic Falls and several others! Using their full marketing potential will unquestionably contribute to a further growth in the meeting industry on our continent!

SPOTLIGHT

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17

EXPERTS IN STAND DESIGN Expo Guys is a young-at-heart, dynamic company offering creative and functional exhibition stands, displays, showrooms, retail environments and interiors to the market.

W

e offer turnkey solutions for exhibitions which can be tailor-made to suit specific requirements, while working closely with our clients to ensure objectives are met and budgets considered.

For our retail clients and exhibitors looking for custom-built stands, we offer a full design service with quick turn-around times, manufacture of the design and on site project-managed build up services.

Divisions ExpoDesign: Designer stands that will set you apart from the rest. We will build to your design or our talented designers can help you create a design to suit your budget and style.

ExpoElectrical: We are the official electrical contractors for Johannesburg Expo Centre and the Ticketpro Dome.

ExpoFurniture: Our furniture range has been carefully selected to add a stylish touch to your event.

ExpoGraphics: All your event and exhibitions graphic requirements under one roof.

ExpoShell: Designer and conventional

shell scheme infrastructure for any event.

We pride ourselves on creating eye catching stands that best showcase your business.

The Story of Expo Guys Founder, John Webb, is one of the local exhibition industry stalwarts and, between them, the company’s two partners – John

Webb and Patrick Cronning – have nearly 60 years’ experience in the industry.

John started Baddow Trading in 2005 to manufacture aluminium exhibition systems; eight years later, the company was restructured and Expo Guys was formed.

Today, Expo Guys supplies aluminium exhibition systems, installs electrical reticulation and, designs and builds exhibition stands throughout Southern Africa. It is also the official provider of all the electrical reticulation at two of Johannesburg’s premier venues: Expo Centre and the Ticketpro Dome.

Expo Guys is a one-stop exhibition shop with a solid reputation for getting stands done on time, within budget, and exceeding clients’ expectations.

ai§XƟ`§_adX§

18

ATKV RESORTS

www.theevent.co.za

A CHAT WITH

MINISTER KGANYAGO ATKV Resort’s Manager: Resorts and Conference Marketing on repositioning the brand within the marketplace.

Don’t

pack light,

as these are not

your average conference venues

Which trade shows will you be attending to further your reach into the marketplace?

On the conference side, for the year, we are set on very specific and impactful shows - being Meetings Africa and WTM, which we have already attended. Then, we have three expo opportunities tied down with the Event Organiser’s Network.

There we look forward to engaging with conference buyers in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg. Our conference venues and team are well equipped to host any group within the MICE industry, hence we ensure all our bases are covered.

Why is ATKV ideal for business travellers?

Minister Kganyago © Annchen Thotharam

How is ATKV Resorts repositioning itself in the market?

swimming costumes, hiking shoes, and sunglasses as one never knows what to expect when at an ATKV conference.

In as much as we understand that conferences should meet a strict business goal, we urge that the business goal need not be reached in a dull way.

Besides the premium infrastructure, facilities and personal service, ATKV Resorts are all nestled in very tranquil and scenic areas of the country; from the foothills of the Drakensburg to the refreshing Garden Route. All the resorts are situated in unrivalled natural beauty that will easily afford a business traveller a conducive environment to carry out their business tasks. The peace and quiet will undoubtedly contribute positively to clear thinking, innovative solutions and unmatched achievements. The ATKV Resorts venues’ set up plus the conference facilitation will offer opportunities for creative Say goodbye to inspiration. Business travellers visiting our resorts will not only leave the resorts having achieved their business goals, but will leave with a memorable experience of our unique conferencing product.

ATKV Resorts has placed itself as ideal conference and meeting venues, that not only have premium infrastructure, facilities and personal services for their esteemed delegates, but foster innovation and creatively stimulating What’s on the cards for 2017/18? conferences. We do it differently. At We have a number of exciting promotions ATKV Resorts, gone are the days that we will be running on a national of monotonous conferences. We level, so conference organisers, emphasise that conferences should be businesses and travel agents can fully captivating, exciting and unique. To keep an eye on our website in order to us, conferences should be memorable capitalise on the value. We also have and leave the conference-goer with two venue experiences that we will be ATKV you the opportunity to of offer truly unique conference an enriched experience. We say to our Resorts allows hosting at two or more oura resorts, experience to staff or delegates at your next corporate event. No need for anyone delegates that when you come totoour where we will be inviting conference envy the holidaymakers at our resorts as our tailor-made conference packages include corporate visitors in all activities throughout their stay. resorts, don’t pack light, as these are buyers to our resorts to showcase not your average conference venues. the wonderful things the resorts can Delegates should pack their shorts, offer any visiting conference groups.

dull conferences

www.atkvresorts.co.za

Winston Meyer – Manager: Marketing and Conference Sales Tel – 011 919 9084 | Cell – 071 120 3387 | Fax – 011 919 0201 | Email – winstonm@atkv.org.za

BROADCAST - TV & RADIO

PRO AUDIO - LIGHTING - STAGING

FILM & VIDEO PRODUCTION

AUDIO VISUAL INTEGRATION

DIGITAL MEDIA

STUDIO - RECORDING - DJ

TICKETPRO DOME

19-21 JULY 2017 www.mediatech.co.za

REGISTER NOW TECHNOLOGY TRADE SHOW SHAPING THE WAY CREATIVITY PLAYS. CREATES. LIVES.

SUN CIRCLE e x h i b i t i o n s

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FEATURE

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AFRICA’S TRAVEL INDABA 2017:

SOUTH AFRICANS REMINDED TO “DO TOURISM” South African Tourism has used INDABA as a platform to launch I Do Tourism (IDT) – an initiative that seeks to remind South Africans of the importance of the tourism industry and the role they can play as advocates for South Africa and for tourism.

Tourism has the power to create jobs.

I know this place like the back of my hand.

We aim to remind South Africans that tourism is everyone’s business because all South Africans benefit through and from tourism. Tourism adds value to the lives of all South Africans in a range of ways.

FEATURE

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T

he purpose of the campaign, according to SA Tourism CEO, Sisa Ntshona, is to show the economic and social value of tourism in South Africa. “Tourism has a ripple effect,” Ntshona notes. “Each direct permanent tourism job opportunity that is created can have multiple spin-offs for transport, agriculture and other sectors.

I Do Tourism will bring this message to the attention of the South African public by reminding them of tourism’s impact on the economy. The campaign will also showcase members of the industry, and provide a space for them to share their stories. However, it is not only potential domestic tourists (and tourism advocates) who will be inspired by the campaign. SA Tourism is also aiming to motivate industry members to keep up their good work, and to remind government and other stakeholders of the importance of supporting the industry.

This is crucial, because although tourism contributes 3% to the nation’s economy and has created around 500 000 jobs, the majority of South Africans remain unaware of how their lives are affected when international travellers decide to visit the country; or even how their own holiday may help to better the lives of other South Africans. In fact, for many South Africans, tourism remains inaccessible. It remains something that is “for other people” and therefore has little bearing on their day-to-day lives.

“This is precisely the attitude we hope to change through I Do Tourism,” Ntshona explains. We aim to remind South Africans that tourism is everyone’s business because all South Africans benefit through

and from tourism. Tourism adds value to the lives of all South Africans in a range of ways. As South Africans we all have something to gain from the growth and development of our tourism industry that is why our involvement in rallying behind tourism is vitally important. The continued success of tourism benefits us all.

Linked to this, the campaign draws attention to the fact that the impact of tourism is not industry-specific. Almost every sector within the South African economy is positively affected when people travel, from agriculture (which is required to increase output in order to feed visitors) to transport (as visitors need a means of getting around the country). Finally, we need to emphasise that, this being the case, tourism is integral to the growth and development of the country. It is therefore the duty of every South African to do what they can to support tourism. By doing so, they are contributing to the country’s economy.

“Ultimately, I Do Tourism seeks to make South Africans want to get behind tourism by seizing the economic opportunities within the tourism industry or by simply playing their part by making visitors feel welcome and providing assistance where necessary, whether that’s by giving directions or recommending a local attraction. If tourism wins, we all win,” Ntshona concludes.

As part of the campaign, South African Tourism will soon launch a world-first online product called Good Times in a Box to make local leisure travel more accessible to South Africans who think going on

21

Ultimately, I Do Tourism seeks to make South Africans want to get behind tourism by seizing the economic opportunities within the tourism industry. If tourism wins, we all win holiday is beyond their financial reach.

Good Times in a Box curates a range of experiences, from family getaways to girls’ weekends and romantic escapes. “The idea is to make travel less intimidating by removing the hassle,” explained South African Tourism chief executive Sisa Ntshona.

He pointed out that purchasing a travel package “in a box” makes holidaying as simple as buying a loaf of bread – everything is taken care of, from booking accommodation and tourist attractions to entertainment.

Motivating South Africans to travel requires the industry to strengthen our travel culture by ensuring that the trade packages travel products that are affordable and accessible. In this manner, travel becomes attainable.

This is why Good Times in a Box has packaged travel around people and for people. “In essence, we’ve commoditised travel; made it something that is no more complicated to buy than any other item on your shopping list. What’s more, we are the first country to have adopted this approach,” Ntshona says.

Tel: +27 (0)21 426 2727 E-mail: pziets@folio-online.co.za / projects@foliotranslations.com Web: www.folio-online.co.za Facebook: facebook.com/folioonline Twitter: @Folio_Online

22

FEATURE

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Jacob Zuma © South African Tourism, JP Crouch Photography

PRESIDENT ZUMA:

TOURISM HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE LIVES During the official opening of Indaba, President Jacob Zuma praised tourism as being a key part of the journey to transform South Africa and Africa.

“

T

ourism has the potential to change people’s lives for the better.

We welcome you at a time when tourism globally is riding the crest of the wave,” said President Zuma, quoting the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, which recently announced that the global travel industry had shown sustainable growth for the seventh consecutive year.

“Indaba is a wonderful way to celebrate Africa Month and to showcase the beauty of our country and our continent. This week, we bring Africa and the world together at this homegrown trade show where Africa markets itself to the world.”

The continent saw an increase of 8% of international tourists over the past year, with its arrivals growing at twice the average global rate. “It is encouraging to see more travellers discovering our continent. However, if we work together, then we can open our beautiful continent to further growth in tourism,” he said.

“We are ready to work in partnership

with our sister countries to make Africa a destination of choice for the world.

We will grow African tourism together.

Already, a lot is being done by regional economic blocs on the continent to promote integrated co-operation and develop infrastructure to provide tourists with a seamless experience across Africa. We want Africa to be special.”

He said it is the government’s aim to make South Africa one of the top 20 destinations in the world. South African Tourism’s new “5 in 5” tourism growth strategy – to attract five million more international and domestic tourists in the next five years – will help achieve this aim.

He said the tourism sector is one with many employment opportunities. “Not only does it create job opportunities, but it also creates entrepreneurship opportunities, given the low barriers for new entrants, particularly for women and the youth,” President Zuma said.

Transformation of the sector is key.

To this end, South African Tourism is

strengthening its marketing efforts in its existing source markets and is developing and investing into new markets such as the Middle East and Asia, he said. “Black entrepreneurs will be targeted to be leaders in growing these new markets.”

Added to this, the industry will aim for 30% black ownership. “We are seeing transformation already and the Indaba played host to 90 blackowned tourism businesses.”

The development of local tourism initiatives such as township, rural and agri-tourism, as well as homestays, will offer tourists a diverse South African experience, the president said, with marine and coastal tourism also showing strong tourism potential.

The Minister of Tourism, Tokozile Xasa, echoed the importance of tourism in helping to boost the national economy. “Tourism [directly and indirectly] contributes 9% to GDP nationally, and creates around 700 000 direct jobs,” she said.

FEATURE

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23

TOURISM KWAZULUNATAL WINS BID TO HOST AFRICA’S TRAVEL INDABA UNTIL 2022

Whoops and cheers greeted the announcement of Tourism KwaZulu-Natal as the successful bidder to host the newly rebranded Africa’s Travel Indaba for the next five years.

P

Durban ICC

Tourism KwaZulu-Natal wins host city bid © South African Tourism, JP Crouch Photography

resident Jacob Zuma announced that the province had successfully bid to host the annual travel trade show at Durban’s Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre from 2018 to 2022, with an option to extend the hosting agreement for another five years.

The decision was announced by the South African Tourism board following a comprehensive bidding process that started with provinces being invited to submit expressions of interest to host the event.

Sihle Zikalala, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, welcomed the announcement, saying: “We are very excited as KwaZulu-Natal to have been given the opportunity to continue hosting Indaba. To us, Indaba means a lot – it helps us sell the province and injects millions into our provincial economy.

“We have already hosted Indaba for more than 25 years, and to be given the chance to continue hosting it is a sign of confidence in our ability. We will not disappoint, but will ensure that it continues to grow to even greater heights.” eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede also welcomed the decision. “Over the years, the Indaba has become synonymous with Durban and we could not imagine it anywhere else. We are humbled that the government has recognised our efforts and promise over the next five years to raise the bar, so much so that Durban will become the permanent home to the Indaba.”

24

IMEX IN FRANKFURT

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SOUTH AFRICAN EXHIBITORS

WOW BUYERS AT IMEX IN FRANKFURT

Stand C500 at IMEX in Frankfurt was a hive of activity, as the best that South Africa has to offer wowed the international conferencing and events industry.

Exhibitors included: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

© IMEX, Frankfurt

I

MEX in Frankfurt took place from the 16th to the 18th of May 2017 and featured 3 500+ exhibitors, close to 9 000 hosted buyers and visitors and over 68 5000 pre-scheduled business appointments

Hosted buyers IMEX works with a worldwide network of around 400 intermediaries to select, invite and qualify their key clients to be hosted buyers to attend the show.

The team then checks these buyers to ensure they have both forthcoming events and an established budget to spend on destinations, venues and suppliers at the show.

The IMEX team regularly receive feedback from hosted buyers saying how invaluable IMEX is to them: three days of face-to-face meetings gets their event planning underway and saves them an incredible amount of time.

For this reason, many of them attend every year, and are always looking for new destinations and ideas.

IMEX in Frankfurt 2018 takes place 15 - 17 May 2018. Visit www.imex-frankfurt.com

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Cape Town International Convention Centre Century City Conference Centre and Hotel Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau Casa Toscana Lodge Crystal Events & Incentives Dragonfly Africa & Green Route Africa Durban International Convention Centre Incredible Tours & Travel Into Africa Joburg Convention Bureau M & M Travel Solutions Destination Management Millenium Travel Pacifi c World Southern Africa Propel Africa Destination Management Rovos Rail Sandton Convention Centre South Africa National Convention Bureau South African Airways Spier Hotel & Wine Farm The Conference Company The Elegant Lodge MenloPark The Westin Cape Town Hotel Tsogo Sun Villas And Hotels For Africa Walthers Destination Business Solutions Wilderness Safaris

Faircity Hotels offers a selection of conference facilities in Gauteng. With attention to detail and experienced empathetic staff to assist companies in organising a conferencing event, delegates will be motivated and pampered from the moment they arrive. All Faircity Hotels’ conference venues are air conditioned and equipped to host both half day and full day functions.

Conferences that run over two or more days, allow delegates to enjoy our selection of three and four star accommodation.

Conference venue packages are available and include a variety of meals, depending on the length of the conference.

FAIRCITY Quatermain Hotel Morningside, Sandton - 011 290 0900

FAIRCITY Mapungubwe Hotel Johannesburg, Marshalltown - 011 429 2600

Faircity Hotels and Apartments is a young, innovative and vibrant hotel group with hotels, conference venues and serviced apartments which form Faircity’s primary service offering.

FAIRCITY Falstaff Hotel Morningside, Sandton - 011 784 8580

FAIRCITY Roodevallei Hotel Pretoria - 012 845 5000

www.faircity.co.za

26

WTM AFRICA

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WTM AFRICA 2017

CELEBRATES MULTIPLE SUCCESSES Don’t miss out on phenomenal business opportunities and book your stand for WTM Africa 2018, taking place from 18 - 20 April today! Visit africa.wtm.com for more information.

F

rom increased visitor numbers, to more media and even greater attendance by trade specialists, World Travel Market Africa 2017 closed with praise from both local and international travel professionals.

“While we are still awaiting the audited figures for WTM Africa 2017, we can report that we have

recorded a total increase in travel professionals of 17%,” says Chardonnay Marchesi, General Manager of Africa Travel Week, WTM Africa.

Marchesi furthered that increases across the board indicate that WTM Africa is fast becoming one of the most popular B2B platforms for travel professionals on the African continent.

“Media attendance increased by an incredible 17% in 2017, while the number of travel professionals in attendance increased too. The number of registered travel agents also grew, increasing by 9%.”

In 2017, 21 different African countries exhibited on the showfloor, while the total number of countries represented grew to 38, a total increase of 5,2%.

WTM AFRICA

www.theevent.co.za

27

All images Š WTM Africa

WTM Africa 2017 opened with over 8 900 self-scheduled and prescheduled appointments on record between buyers and exhibitors, and 140 first-time Hosted Buyers from key and emerging source markets. For the first time, Hosted Buyers from Zambia, Ethiopia and Namibia were also present.

Positive feedback from buyers and exhibitors alike was recorded, while social media indicated a massive interest in WTM Africa 2017, with over 7 000 mentions of the hashtag (#WTMA17) alone.

Highlights of WTM Africa 2017 included the large-scale exhibition

with over 650 exhibitors, exciting speakers and panel discussions, and the announcement that from 2018, the Sports & Events Tourism Exchange will be incorporated into WTM Africa.

Exhibit at WTM Africa Maximise your opportunities and engage with key decision makers and buyers in the travel industry in an unforgettable brand experience.

Excite key travel professionals about your products or services during three days of face-to-face meetings with potential partners and customers.

Exhibiting at WTM Africa will give your company the competitive edge through a unique opportunity to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business with over 5 000 international travel professionals.

Exhibiting at WTM Africa will give your company the competitive edge through a unique opportunity to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business with over 5 000 international travel professionals.

The show is designed to give you a platform to meet with the right buyers and to do business. To provide this visibility the showfloor is grouped according to countries and in some cases product types allowing visitors to easily find your products and services.

If you’re a technology supplier, showcase your product at our Travel Tech Show in 2018!

28

MEDIATECH AFRICA

www.theevent.co.za

MEDIATECH AFRICA Mediatech Africa is a biennial advanced media and entertainment technology trade show held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Sectors on Display: Broadcast In this category, Mediatech showcases equipment for every link in the broadcast value chain from content acquisition to play-out and storage.

The products on offer also cover every possible scale of broadcasting, from ‘channel-in-a-box’ solutions for small operations, to more complex, high-end workflows for major public and pay-TV operators.

Featured equipment includes servers, video and audio switchers, outside broadcast facilities, media asset management, transmission and connectivity technology.

Sound and Light

Film and Video

Suppliers of sound, lighting, video and rigging equipment to the rental and production markets for a range of live events and productions such as touring concerts, musical productions and corporate events.

The specialists in live event and entertainment technology bring a varied skillset to the sector, incorporating, among others, audio engineering; working to stringent safety standards for complex rigging and trussing setups; and conceptualising and designing breath-taking sets and staging to make the event successful.

Mediatech covers a diverse range of technology for the production and post-production sectors. Those who work on set can see all the latest cameras, lights, audio recording equipment and related accessories.

Those who are focused on postproduction will find the best hardware and software to cater to their editing, grading, animation and sound mixing needs.

AV Integration Suppliers of audio visual, networking, control and other equipment for fixed installations in a wide variety of spaces and sectors.

AV integrators install systems and equipment in corporate boardrooms and distributed networked offices, in training and education facilities, in public auditoriums, in houses of worship, in government buildings, and the full gamut of public buildings and spaces where audio visual technologies are required.

Digital Media Keeping up with the continual convergence between digital media and traditional broadcast, with over-the-top (OTT) and video on demand (VOD) services seemingly set to supplant broadcast as we know it, Mediatech exhibits products and solutions that will maximise the viability of these platforms

Studio and DJ Suppliers of pro audio equipment for recording studios, broadcast studio and OB van installations.

Suppliers of DJ and pro music equipment to both the professional

DJ and ‘bedroom’ DJ market.

These audiophile sectors are stringent about sound quality standards and technologies, and the equipment used by both the DJ sector and professional sound engineers in the studio sector meets high-end specifications.

Mediatech takes place from Wednesday 19th to Friday 21st July 2017 at the Ticketpro Dome, Johannesburg, 10am – to 6pm daily.

Website: www.mediatech.co.za

Attendance • • • • •

7465 Visitors 1230 Exhibiting Personnel 706 Brands on Display 145 Exhibiting Companies 87 Media Personnel

SPOTLIGHT

www.theevent.co.za

29

TOURISM

OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS Indaba’s meaty Media Conversations were a popular part of the 2017 programme.

A

ndile Khumalo, presenter of Power Business, explored the opportunities and risks for South Africa and the continent’s tourism industry in a conversation with the media, stakeholders, and Indaba delegates in the first Media Conversation for 2017. The talk was broadcast live on Power FM, with four influential panellists sharing their insights: Thabi Leoka, Economic Strategist at Argon Asset Management; Mmatšatši Ramawela, CEO of the Tourism Business Council of SA; Alan Mukoki, CEO of the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and the South African Tourism CEO, Sisa Ntshona.

Khumalo opened the talk by addressing the ‘elephant in the room’ – South Africa’s recent credit downgrade to ‘junk’ status, and what that means for tourism. According to Leoka, the Rand has not weakened in the same way that currency in other downgraded countries have because fortunately, it took place during a time of global uncertainty in developed countries like the USA and United Kingdom. This in turn attracted investors looking for high returns in high risk regions. Where we do see the impact of the downgrade, however, is in South African society: a rise in protests, inflation, and political uncertainty – and this is what poses a real risk to both tourism and international investment.

Despite this, things are looking positive for tourism. Leoka stressed the importance of identifying industries that support the tourism sector and investing in these businesses, which will in turn, feed into tourism growth. “We need to be creative and take advantage of this status,” she said, adding that South Africa can avoid a recession if we identify these opportunities that can assist the local economy.

Alan Mukoki then explained the focus of the chamber on the ‘Four Ps’: People, Purpose, Politics and Policy. It is no longer

just about big business and government assisting small enterprises into the market, but rather about understanding their role in the economy and how they contribute to it. There must be “a very strong symbiotic relationship between big and small business,” he said.

Ramawela went even further by saying that it should not be about small and big business because this brings us back to the question of market share and competition.

“Why should it be about taking someone else’s cake?” she asked. Rather, we should be asking how we’re truly innovating because a business that takes another’s market share is not being innovative at all. “Do we really take time to go and discover new things in our country? And are we educating people about the sector and its opportunities?” SA Tourism CEO Ntshona echoed her words, saying that South Africa is known for the ‘Three Bs’ – Beach, Berg and Bush – but it is so much more than that. He added that SA Tourism wants “to promote people travelling in their own country” who will eventually become tourism ambassadors in SA and beyond. Ramawela then went on to say that ‘co-opetition’ (collaboration and competition) is the way forward for businesses.

When it comes to achieving inclusive growth, much still needs to be done.

Regional cooperation and development is needed. “We need to build the permanent infrastructure needed for tourism,” said Mukoki. For instance, all of SA and Africa need to be on the electric grid, water and sanitation infrastructure is needed across the continent, and fibre connections need to be built. “We need to wire the entire continent, and tourism is always going to be the beneficiary thereof,” he said.

The Media Conversation closed with Leoka urging tourism businesses and stakeholders to write proposals and submit them for review and discussion

at the National Conference in December – or the discussions at the event would not focus on current tourism needs but rather on the fact that SA is not yet taking the tourism economy seriously, and what they can then do about it.

“Let’s do tourism – it’s good for you,” Ntshona concluded.

Media Conversation Roundup •

•

•

Media Conversation 2 was a session on travel technology and how Jumia Travel became the first startup in Africa to have a stock market valuation of US$1-billion.

Their focus is on ‘democratising travel’, which Midy believes ties in with economic growth and opportunities on the continent through tourism. “The economies of Africa will get stronger when we connect,” he said.

Media Conversation 3, Uniting Africa Through the Arts: The Common Thread That Binds Us as Africans, was a panel discussion with Filmmaker Akin Omotoso, Director of the FNB Joburg Art Fair, Mandla Sibeko and Advocate Sonwabile Mancotywa of the National Heritage Council; with Vanessa Marawa moderating.

Media Conversation 4 was a roundup on Indaba and its successes, as well as the official launch of the show under its new name and branding: Africa’s Travel Indaba. 2017 saw over 1 000 exhibitors, 368 international and regional buyers, and over 20 000 meetings confirmed.

The next show takes place from 8-10 May 2018.

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BUSINESS EVENTS MADE EASY

Tsitsikamma National Park © Hendrik Terbeck

www.theevent.co.za

© Radisson Blu Hotel, Port Elizabeth

EASTERN CAPE The Eastern Cape is a growing business-events destination with a host of venues and incentives to keep delegates entertained and engaged.

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he Eastern Cape is a province with much to offer the local and international conferencing and exhibition industries. Not only does it offer a range of high-end convention centres and event venues for hosting world-class business events, but it also has a varied selection of incentive products and natural, cultural and historical attractions for the discerning traveller.

It also has a busy events calendar. The Grahamstown National Arts Festival is the biggest arts festival in Africa and is held in July annually. The region is also known as the watersport capital of SA, with a host of international and local water events. Recent business events that have taken place in the Eastern Cape include the Maritime Summit in October 2016, the South African Cultural Observatory National Conference in Port Elizabeth in May 2016, and the 80th IMESA

Conference at the ELICC late last year. The 25th Congress of the South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology was also held at the ELICC in July 2016.

Still to come are the African Marine Waste Conference in July, and the Manufacturing Indaba Eastern Cape in October 2017.

Key Venues East London International Convention Centre East London International Convention

Centre is a five-star venue with a spectacular view of the Indian Ocean. The state-of-the-art venue has a selection 20 venues of varying sizes, configurations and flexibility, with a maximum plenary of 2 100 in its exhibition hall. It offers convenient, on-site accommodation within the Marine Park Complex through the Premier Hotel EL ICC and the Premier Hotel Regent. www.premierhotels.co.za/el-icc

East London International Convention Centre Venue

Area M2

Cinema

Classroom

Banquet

U-Shape

Auditorium

687

580

-

-

-

Conference Room 1

541

600

300

360

70

Exhibition Hall

1 900

2 100

1 400

1 500

On request

Conference 1 – 3 (total capacity)

809

750

480

460

On request

Regency 1

162

150

80

80

50

Regency 1 – 4 (total capacity)

587

800

450

450

On request

© The Boardwalk Hotel, Convention Centre & Spa

ELICC Exterior © Premier Hotels

BUSINESS EVENTS MADE EASY

www.theevent.co.za

Boardwalk International Convention Centre

10 minutes from the airport. It offers 300m2 of multipurpose space for events and can accommodate as little as eight people in its meeting rooms, or up to 1 700 cinema style. For more information, visit www.suninternational.com/boardwalk/.

Port Elizabeth’s Boardwalk International Convention Centre, operated by Sun International, is ideally located on the beachfront Golden Mile and is a mere Boardwalk International Convention Centre Venue

Cocktail

Cinema

Classroom

Banquet

U-Shape

Boardwalk International Convention Centre

1 600

1 600

900

1 100

-

Ironwood

30

30

20

-

16

Redwood

30

30

20

-

16

Stinkwood

30

30

20

-

16

Tsitsikamma Room

800

800

450

400

-

Yellowwood 1 & 2

-

-

8

-

8

Radisson Blu Hotel, Port Elizabeth

conference rooms for up to 300 guests, as well as a number of boardroom suites to choose from. These are equipped with stateof-the-art audiovisual technology. Radisson Blu also offers free, high-speed Wi-Fi, and dedicated meetings and events staff.

The Radisson Blu Hotel, Port Elizabeth offers guests beautiful ocean views, and is only 300m from Blue Flag beaches with easy access to shopping, golfing and other entertainment. This chic venue has 173 rooms and suites, and eight multi-functional

Climate The Eastern Cape has a varied climate with higher humidity and rainfall in the east, and dry conditions in the west. The coastal region from Tsitsikamma to inland Grahamstown receives more precipitation and has mild temperatures.

Currency South African Rand (ZAR)

US Dollar (USD)

Euro (EUR)

Chinese Yuan (CNY)

50

3.96

3.67

27.30

www.radissonblu.com/en/hotel-portelizabeth

Access

Radisson Blu Hotel, Port Elizabeth Venue

Area m2

Cinema

Classroom

Banquet

U-Shape

Bay Suite I

112

100

54

60

38

Bay Suite II

83.5

80

50

50

32

Bay Suite III

106.5

100

54

60

38

Bay Suite I - III

337

300

150

200

-

Sardinia Beach Suite

57

40

24

30

21

Hobie Beach Suite

35.28

25

18

16

20

Incentive Travel Products A province packed with scenic beauty and natural wonders, incentive travellers can enjoy a selection of coastal and inland activities. It is home to the Big Seven: buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, rhino, great white shark, and the southern right whale. Tsitsikamma National Park has picturesque hiking and otter trails, and adventurers can try their hand at the world’s highest commercially operated bungee jump at Bloukrans Bridge. Addo Elephant National Park is home to hundreds of elephants, and Port Elizabeth boasts the Donkin Heritage Trail and beautiful beaches. Port Alfred and Jeffreys Bay are ideal for surfers, while game reserves, golfing, fishing, and hiking abounds in areas like the Drakensberg, Grahamstown, Port St Johns, Uitenhage, and Graaf-Reinet. .

The Eastern Cape is the birthplace of Xhosa traditions, with unique township tours and village experiences to explore.

East London Airport and Port Elizabeth Airport are the main ones serving the region through connections to the main air hubs like Johannesburg and Cape Town. A number of other commercial airports are also operational. Carriers flying to the Eastern Cape include: • British Airways • Emirates • FlySafair • Kenya Airways • Kulula • Lufthansa • Mango • Qatar Airways • South African Airways

Contacts Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency Head Office: 17 Fleet Street, East London CBD, 5201 Tel: +27 (0) 43 705 4400 Email: info@ecpta.co.za Web: www.visiteasterncape.co.za © Radisson Blu Hotel, Port Elizabeth

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THE TRAMWAYS

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THE TRAMWAYS CELEBRATE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY AS ONE OF THE BAY’S TOP EVENTS VENUES The revamped Tramways building in Port Elizabeth has proved to be a major catalyst to economic development and has livened up the Baakens Valley.

T

he R40-million investment in the rejuvenation and redevelopment by the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA) has hosted more than 40 000 visitors, held close to 100 events attended by numerous people in just one year since opening its doors.

“There is a lot of demand out there for big venues and this building provides a unique advantage whereby the client can create their own masterpiece with the open space. A lot of people have been disappointed that most of the dates are already booked from last year and we are busy with 2018 booking already,” said Luvuyo Bangazi, MBDA spokesperson.

The Tramways offers four floor spaces to hire. The exhibition hall boasts a 1 000m2 floor space, the foyer area offers almost 200m2, there is a 16 seater boardroom, and the latest addition is a new Left Wing which is about 300m2.

The spaces cater for conferences, exhibitions, food markets, night markets, craft shows, music events, cocktails events, product and service launches among others.

Traders at the Tramways agree that the venue has added value to their investment.

Grant Foong, the owner of Foong’s, said, “As a small caterer trading during the Valley Market, the Tramways has given us a platform to show off what we can do. The venue itself provides a more professional environment and gives credibility to traders operating from there.”

The venue offers different spaces that bring people together from all walks of life through commerce, technology, entertainment, arts/ creativity and development.

Bangazi adds “We have hosted many memorable and dynamic events like the Singles Soiree in March, NMB Fashion Week in October, Mainstream Crew Car Show and Markfees. We also had The VW Naledi Awards with directors from all over the country, Pam Golding had their Golden Club Awards here, as part of the NMB Summer Season programme 2016 we hosted Vusi Nova in December, Zemvelo Hair and Beauty Festival celebrating black natural hair, among others.”

“What is most exciting for us is the catalytic nature of this investment which has led to a number of property upgrades in the valley, new eatery and lifestyle

establishments, youth skills development initiatives, new and unique events ranging from food truck to motoring festivals. We also know that the valley has not yet reached its potential and that makes us excited at what the future holds,” concludes Bangazi.

The current tenants at the Tramways building include the MBDA and The Wilderness Foundation Africa, who runs a development school in the hospitality industry for youth.

Upcoming events include: • • •

Marktfees in September East Cape Championships for CrossFit and fitness facilities in September The NMB Fashion week in October

Follow The Tramways on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheTramwaysNMB/

SPOTLIGHT

www.theevent.co.za

33

KZN FLIES HIGH

WITH DIRECT FLIGHTS BY SIX INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES Six international airlines are now flying directly into KwaZulu-Natal, with a total of 11 international destinations being connected to King Shaka International Airport, the province’s tourism MEC, Sihle Zikalala, revealed at Indaba.

“

T

his is a major achievement considering that when we hosted the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup, we had connections to only two international destinations,” he said.

The growing number of direct, non-stop international flights into Durban – from Turkey, Ethiopia, Qatar, Mauritius, Zambia, Namibia and now the Seychelles – is evidence that the province is prioritising the tourism sector as one that holds immense growth, MEC Zikalala said.

This was largely thanks to the efforts of the province’s route development committee, which was created to help improve international air connectivity to KwaZulu-Natal.

This increased accessibility by air, he said, would help make the province “a major force to be reckoned with as we compete against other top-flight international and African tourism destinations”, and would help trigger sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

This was particularly important, he emphasised, in light of the need to transform the tourism sector in South Africa. “We need to transform this sector precisely because it makes logical sense to get more people into the mainstream economy, rather than to have a majority that sits on the periphery or only occupies the lower rungs of the economy.”

Initiatives in this regard included empowering black-owned businesses, but he added that buy-in from both the private and public sectors was needed.

Key to the province’s tourism

We need to transform this sector precisely because it makes logical sense to get more people into the mainstream economy, rather than to have a majority that sits on the periphery or only occupies the lower rungs of the economy.

growth strategy is transforming the business-events industry and ensuring it is a catalyst for boosting tourism to KwaZulu-Natal by attracting more major international events and conferences.

The province hopes to increase the number of legacy projects facilitated by event organisers, while mentoring small businesses, creating job opportunities and using business events to promote township and rural tourism. To this end, an incubation programme has been developed to benefit black-owned

Unsplash © Edho Pratama

SMEs operating in the MICE industry.

The MEC also said the province would be positioning itself as a value-for-money destination to attract mid-market local and international travellers. In addition, it will be overhauling infrastructure and developing more world-class resorts.

“Emphasis will be placed squarely on constructing internationally branded hospitality facilities so as to ensure that both our destination and available infrastructure appeals to the mass-market traveller,” he said.

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BUSINESS EVENTS MADE EASY

www.theevent.co.za

Sossusvlei © Heribert Bechen

NAMIBIA A land of dramatic scenery, incredible wildlife experiences and excellent conferencing and incentive offerings, Namibia is the perfect Southern African destination for your next business event

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here’s a host of reasons why your next incentive trip or conference should be held in Namibia. Not only is it one of the safest and friendliest countries in Africa, but it also provides a myriad exciting leisure activities, striking natural scenery and world-class hotels and conference venues in its capital, Windhoek.

Some of the recent events held in Namibia include the Invest in Namibia International Investment Conference in November 2016 which saw over 1000 delegates in attendance. Others were the OESAI Annual Conference in September 2016, and the African Association for Rhetoric Conference in July 2016. The Environmental Compliance Namibia Conference takes place annually, and thanks to its strong mining industry and educational focus, it attracts a number of events of this calibre such as IST Africa 2017, the Uranium 2017

International Conference, and the UNAM Education Conference, among many others.

It has some of the most beautiful natural landscapes and is rich in ocean life, desertscapes, wildlife experiences and national parks. An added bonus is that the Namibian Dollar is pegged to the South African Rand and as a result offers competitive prices for internationals and regional event and incentive planners.

Key Venues Safari Court Hotel and Conference Centre The Windhoek-based Safari Court Conference Centre is Namibia’s largest conferencing venue, with 16 state-of-the-art meeting rooms. These can be flexibly configured to accommodate between 10 and 2 400 delegates. 12 additional spaces in the Safari Court Hotel can hold between 10 and 90 delegates. www.safarihotelsnamibia.com

Safari Court Hotel and Conference Centre Venue

Cinema

Classroom

Banquet

Cocktail

Boardroom

Grand Ballroom

2 400

1 700

1 200

3 000

-

Kuiseb Room

1 200

800

600

1 000

-

Omatako Room

1 200

800

600

1 000

-

The Ugab

40

20

-

-

20

The Brandberg

80

40

-

-

30

The Gamsberg

50

20

-

-

20

BUSINESS EVENTS MADE EASY

www.theevent.co.za

The Dome, Swakopmund - Indoor Sport Centre © Rohan Louw

Safari Court Hotel Pool © Safari Hotels The Dome Conference Centre The Dome Conference Centre in Swakopmund, offers a high-end venue for up to 2 000 delegates cinema style, with spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean. It has several spaces ideal for launches and trade expos, while the centre itself provides a

range of amenities including event design and marketing, catering and an events coordinator and the four-star Bon Hotel. A separate business hub can host up to 600 delegates with 10 breakaway suites, meeting rooms and lounges for smaller gatherings of up to 30 delegates. www.swakopindoorsport.com.

The Dome Conference Centre Venue

Area m2

Cinema

Indoor Sports Centre

6 175

4 500 - 5 000

Indoor Sports Conference Centre

-

2 000

Locker Room Sports Bar & Whiskey Lounge

669

100

Bon Hotel Conference Centre

-

600

10 Breakaway Suites

-

30

NamPower Convention Centre NamPower Convention Centre, ideally located in Windhoek’s central business district, is an ideal venue for small to medium-sized events

and corporate conferences. It has a variety of venue options that can accommodate between five and 450 delegates cinema-style.

www.npcc.com.na

NamPower Convention Centre Venue

Cinema

Classroom

Banquet

U-Shape

Boardroom

Ruacana 1 + 2

450

250

330

250

-

Ruacana 1 or 2

200

120

150

130

-

Kokerboom

120

80

80

60

30

Otjikoto

20

16

-

16

20

Auas

30

-

-

-

-

Omatando

12

8

-

8

12

Incentive Travel Products Namibia is ideal for those in search of a safari incentive experience that’s out of the ordinary. Some of its incredible natural features include a 1 570km coastline running the length of the country – offering easy access to rich marine wildlife. Two species of dolphins, Cape fur seals, orcas and humpback whales can be spotted.

Its night skies, too, are a sight to behold.

Namibia is one of the top three destinations in the world for stargazing; while on the

35

banks of the Chobe River about 50 000 elephants make their home.

Another popular natural attraction is Sossusvlei, a salt and clay pan located in the largest conservation area in Africa, surrounded by dunes, while the abandoned mining town of Kolmanskop is a surreal and eerie gift to photography fundies. Swakopmund is a Mecca for adrenaline junkies, and activities include sand boarding, quad biking, dune carting, parachuting and skydiving.

Climate Namibia has an average of 300 sunshine days a year, with an arid climate and low humidity. The best time to view wildlife is from June to October during the dry season, when animals congregate around the watering holes.

Currency Namibian Dollar (NAD)

South African Rand (ZAR)

US Dollar (USD)

Euro (EUR)

Chinese Yuan

50

50

3.67

3.35

25.35

Access Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport is the main air access point for Namibia. Walvis Bay International Airport is also popular. Airlines flying into Namibia include: • KLM • Qatar Airways • South African Airways • British Airways • Ethiopian Airlines • TAAG Angola Airlines

Contacts Namibia Tourism Board Head Office: Corner of Haddy and Sam Nujoma Drive, Windhoek Tel: +264 (0) 61 290 6000 Email: info@namibiatourism.com.na Web: www.namibiatourism.com.na

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EVENTS TO DIARISE

JUNE COMRADES MARATHON EXPO 1–3 DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA SAACI CONGRESS 2–4 TSHWANE, SOUTH AFRICA GOOD FOOD AND WINE SHOW CAPE TOWN 2–4 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA KENYA INTERNATIONAL TRADE EXHIBITION 2–4 NAIROBI, KENYA MEDEXPO AFRICA 2–4 NAIROBI, KENYA FOODAGRO KENYA 2–4 NAIROBI KENYA BIG 3 AFRICA SHOW 2–4 NAIROBI, KENYA SAPICS 2017 4–7 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA AFRICA AUTOMATION FAIR 6–8 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA POLLUTION AND WASTE TECHNOLOGY AFRICA 6–8 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA MARKEX 7–8 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

www.theevent.co.za

MADEX 7–8 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

INTERNATIONAL FAIR OF LISBOA 24 – 2 JULY LISBON, PORTUGAL

AFRICA HEALTH 7–9 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

RETAIL SOLUTIONS AFRICA 25 – 27 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

THE WINE SHOW 8 – 10 DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA

SAITEX 25 – 27 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

THE WEDDING EXPO 10 – 11 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

AFRICA’S BIG 7 25 – 27 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

AFRICA RAIL 13 – 14 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

THE HOTEL SHOW AFRICA 25 – 27 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

IBTM AMERICA 14 – 16 SOUTH FLORIDA, USA

DAKAR INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION ON HEALTH AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT 28 – 1 JULY DAKAR, SENEGAL

WATER AFRICA 14 – 16 ACCRA, GHANA IFSEC INTERNATIONAL 20 – 22 LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM SAPOA CONVENTION 20 – 22 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA IFSEC INTERNATIONAL 20 – 22 LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM FIREX INTERNATIONAL 20 – 22 LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

EVERYTHING ABOUT WATER EXPO 29 – 1 JULY NEW DELHI, INDIA CHINA TRADE WEEK KENYA 29 – 1 JULY NAIROBI, KENYA CEBU INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL EXPO 30 – 2 JULY CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES INDIA INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL EXHIBITION 30 – 2 JULY RAJKOT, INDIA

EVENTS TO DIARISE

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AUGUST

WORLD CONFEDERATION FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY CONGRESS 2–4 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

NOCCI BUSINESS EXPO 3–5 KIMBERLEY, SOUTH AFRICA

AIPC ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2–5 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA EDU WEEK 4–5 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA GLOBAL TRAVEL MARKETPLACE 9 – 11 HOLLYWOOD, USA AFRICAN MARINE WASTE CONFERENCE 9 – 13 PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA OIL & GAS AFRICA 11 – 13 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA POWER-GEN AFRICA 18 – 20 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA MINE ENTRA 19 – 21 BULAWAYO, ZIMBABWE MEDIATECH AFRICA 19 – 21 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA KZN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION 26 – 28 DURBAN, SOUTH FARCE THE MONEY EXPO 28 – 29 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA GOOD FOOD AND WINE SHOW JOHANNESBURG 28 – 30 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA AFRICA WORLD EXPO 30 – 1 JULY JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

EMPIRE MONEY EXPO 4–6 SOWETO, SOUTH AFRICA WEDDING EXPO DURBAN 5–6 DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA 100% DESIGN SOUTH AFRICA 9 – 13 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA DECOREX JOBURG 9 – 13 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA CAPE CONSTRUCTION TRADE EXPO 15 – 16 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA OPEN DESIGN FESTIVAL CAPE TOWN 16 – 26 CAPE TOWN INFRASTRUCTURE AFRICA 21 – 22 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA THE COMMERCIAL UAV SHOW AFRICA 23 – 24 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

MY BUSINESS EXPO CAPE TOWN 24 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA SARDCA INTERNATIONAL 24 – 27 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA MAMAMAGIC DURBAN 25 – 27 DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA THE WEDDING EXPO JOHANNESBURG 26 – 27 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA MERCURY WINE WEEK 30 – 1 SEPT DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA CHINA HOMELIFE FAIR SOUTH AFRICA 30 – 1 SEPT JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA BUY A BUSINESS EXPO 31 – 2 SEPTEMBER JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA 18TH CAPE HOMEMAKERS EXPO 31 – 3 SEPTEMBER CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Boulders Beach, Simon’s Town, Cape Town, South Africa © SA Tourism

JULY

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38

ASSOCIATIONS NEWS

Phumulani Hlatshwayo EXSA General Manager

COME CELEBRATE GLOBAL EXHIBITION DAY 2017 WITH EXSA Exhibition organisers, venues, associations, and service providers from around the world are uniting behind a global initiative to stage Global Exhibitions Day. Driven by Paris-based UFI (The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry) and Dallas-based IAEE (The International Association of Exhibitions and Events), a growing list of associations and industry players have pledged to join forces for Global Exhibitions Day to promote the industry and highlight its achievements.

“We are amazed by the support that this idea has received already,” says Kai Hattendorf, UFI Managing Director, and David DuBois, IAEE President, and CEO. “As preparations progress, we are inviting every player in our industry to get involved.”

“To make our activation a truly South African experience, we invite all industry

www.theevent.co.za

players and stakeholders to join us at the Johannesburg Expo Centre on 7 June 2017 for a poitjie competition.

Team up and produce your tastiest potjie creations!” says Phumulani Hlatshwayo, EXSA General Manager. “The competition mechanics will be shared with the industry closer to the time. The aim is to come together to network and celebrate our industry in a fun, relaxed and informal way,” he concludes.

Programme: 09:30 – 10:00 Guests arrive 10:00 – 11:00 Welcome address and competition rules 11:00 – 15:00 Potjie cooking, networking, and entertainment.

15:00 Judges select winners and teams get to sample each other’s creations Kindly RSVP to Thuli Ndlovu at info@exsa.co.za

EGF CONFERENCE TO BE HELD AT GREEN VENUE The fifth Event Greening Forum (EGF) Conference will take place on 27 July 2017 at Valverde Eco Hotel in Muldersdrift, Johannesburg.

“As the Event Greening Forum, we felt that it was important for us to walk the talk” says Greg McManus, EGF Chairman, “We wanted not only to support one of our members but also a venue that has gone the extra mile in promoting and implementing sustainable practices into its organisation. We feel this should be one of the first things that organisers ask venues when making a booking or enquiry”.

This year’s conference aims to inspire and equip business leaders to pave the way for a better, more sustainable future. It will delve into issues surrounding carbon offsetting, the risks of greenwashing, and business best practices, as part of the theme Sustainability: The Business Case.

EGF will be introducing the Sustainability Village concept at the 2017 conference. Tickets can be purchased on www.eventgreening.co.za.

ASSOCIATIONS NEWS

www.theevent.co.za

Chief Executive Officer at SAACI

DATA IS CRUCIAL Three months have flown by since I’ve joined the SAACI team and we’ve achieved so much already. We’ve focused on reevaluating projects and decluttering our projects list with the base principle of members first. The annual SAACI Congress is planned and now it’s time to look forward.

SAACI will have a few major areas of focus for the next two years and these areas were identified based on the impact on our industry and the value to our members. We’ll be focusing on education, accreditation, providing networking and business platforms, partnering and aligning more closely with government and other industry bodies, and lastly, but vitally important, constant data collection and analysis for the industry and more specifically our members. All our projects will be worked on through a collaborative process between SAACI, our partner industry associations and our key stakeholders in order to gain the most valuable results. The focus areas have been extremely well received and we look forward to the involvement of all our members on these initiatives.

We also believe these projects will create new and differentiating value for SAACI members as they operate within the business-events industry. These initiatives are longerterm projects, but with dedicated milestones, we will be able to measure the outcomes and ensure they deliver on the ultimate goal of increased benefits for our SAACI members.

UFI GLOBAL CEO SUMMIT 2018 MOVES TO CANNES

IAPCO INFOGRAPHIC LAUNCHED ON #GMID17

The 2018 edition of the “Global CEO Summit” (GCS), the exhibition industry’s global annual curtain raiser event for C-level executives, will move to Cannes, France for 2018, and take place 24 to 26 January, at the prestigious Hotel Majestic.

René Kamm, CEO of the MCH Group, will be the Chairman for the Summit, and planning of the programme is already underway, with an attractive mix of sessions and networking opportunities.

The Global CEO Summit is an invitation only event for CEOs and C-level executives from international exhibition organisers and venue operators. The number of participants is capped to allow for an intimate atmosphere.

“We are thrilled that we can answer the call from the international community to provide an inspiring and relaxing location again for the 2018 Summit, and also to move the Summit back to its original date in January. And we could wish for no better Chairman for the summit than René Kamm, CEO of MCH Group, home of some of the world’s most prestigious B2B show brands”, says Kai Hattendorf, UFI’s Managing Director.

Designed to publicise the good news of growth for IAPCO members on Global Meetings Industry Day, an infographic from the International Association of PCOs highlighted the fact that employment figures have recovered to an all-time high after the financial crash of 2008. Launched under the hashtag #GMID17, the IAPCO Twitter feed received over 16 000 impressions in the first 24 hours.

Key statistical takeaways were: • 5 5761 members compared with 5 429 in 2015 • 114 company members from 41 countries • Members were responsible for 27 meetings a day • A total of 9 860 meetings were organised • 38% were association meetings • 53% were corporate meetings • 9% were governmental meetings • A total of 3 913 848 participants were managed across 978 962m2 of floor space • Members are estimated to have generated around €6.3-billion

Unsplash © Alex Blajan

Rudi Van Der Vyver

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DIRECTORY OF ADVERTISERS

ADVERTISERS AAXO

IMEX Frankfurt

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T.

T.

+27 11 549 8300

+44 1273 227 311

E. info@aaxo.co.za

E. emma.ward@imexexhibitions.com

W. www.aaxo.co.za

W. www.imex-frankfurt.com

ATKV Resorts

Inspire Furniture

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T.

T.

+27 11 919 9000

+27 76 644 0271

E. ministerk@atkv.org.za

E. chad@inspirefurniture.co.za

W. www.atkvresorts.co.za

W. www.inspirefurniture.co.za

Eastern Cape Parks

Johannesburg

and Tourism Authority

Stock Exchange

OUTSIDE FRONT COVER

OUTSIDE BACK COVER

T.

T.

+27 43 705 4400

+27 11 520 7000

CONTACTS Cover Image: Radisson Blu Hotel, Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape. Courtesy of Adventure Province Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency © Patrick King Photography.

Publisher: Lance Gibbons lance@filmeventmedia.co.za Editor in Chief: Katie Reynolds-Da Silva katie@filmeventmedia.co.za Head of Design: Sheree Steenkamp sheree@filmeventmedia.co.za Assistant Editor: Kim Crowie kim@filmeventmedia.co.za Special Projects Designer / Illustrator: Lauren Smith lauren@filmeventmedia.co.za

E. zukiswa.ntwasa@ecpta.co.za

E. shavanib@jse.co.za

W. www.visiteasterncape.co.za

W. www.jse.co.za

Business Manager: Coleen Tapson coleen@filmeventmedia.co.za

EXSA

Loeries

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Brand Manager: Redoh Kimmie redoh@filmeventmedia.co.za

T.

T.

+27 11 805 7272

+27 11 772 1220

E. info@exsa.co.za

E. info@loeries.com

W. www.exsa.co.za

W. www.loeries.com

Expo Centre

Mediatech Africa

INSIDE BACK COVER

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T.

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+27 11 494 1920

+27 11 025 3180

E. info@expocentre.co.za

E. sales@mediatech.co.za

W. www.expocentre.co.za

W. www.mediatech.co.za

Expo Guys

SAACI

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+27 11 433 3260

E. info@saaci.org

W. www.expoguys.co.za

W. www.saaci.org

Faircity

The Tramways

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+27 41 811 8236

E. info@faircity.co.za

E. tramways@mbda.co.za

W. www.faircity.co.za

W. www.mbda.co.za

Folio Translation

World Travel Market Africa

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+27 21 426 2727

Production and Traffic Manager: Natasha O’Connor natasha@filmeventmedia.co.za Data Capturer: Ricky Ortell info@filmeventmedia.co.za 57 2nd Avenue, Harfield Village, Claremont, 7708, Cape Town, South Africa Tel: +27 21 674 0646

+27 11 880 5883

E. info@expoguys.co.za

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Brand Manager: Jerome Dyson jerome@filmeventmedia.co.za

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E. wtmafrica.helpline@thebereed.co.za

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Let your imagination take ight Flexible multipurpose conferencing facilities encompassing 4000 m2 Over 50 000 m2 multipurpose exhibition halls World-class corporate facilities with ďŹ ve-star catering facilities and 24/7 security A multi-purpose arena that can accommodate 20 000 guests Home of the Ultra Music Festival with an outdoor space of over 100 000 m2 Winner of the PMR Africa Award in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016 Conveniently located and just 30 minutes from all major airports

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Looking for a prestigious location to host your corporate event?

Our premier locations in Sandton and Cape Town boast world class facilities, advanced technical equipment and professional event teams, that will enhance your experience and impart the JSE gravitas to your event. In addition you can raise your brand proďŹ le through our one-stop media and business hub with access to CNBC, SABC, Power FM and CIPC. For special rates*, please use promo code: EventJune when making your booking.

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