The Event issue 6 2014 by Film & Event Media

ISSUE 06 | 2014

+ MARKEX 2014 Get Inspired!

+ YOUTH & EVENTS Shaking Up the Industry

CONTENTS | 01

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2. African Utility Week Names Cape Town Top Municipality

4. Diversity Reigns at DISTREE Africa 2014

5. Explore New Opportunities at WoodEX for Africa

6. Africa Travel Week: An Impressive First Run

Hear How Global Trends Affect SA Business at SAACI Congress

8. Battle of the Big Three 10. The Youth in Business Events 14. Markex: Bringing Innovation and Inspiration

20. Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bright, New Event Locations

Battle of the Big Three

Youth + Events = Innovation

You decided the winner between INDABA, Africa Travel Week and We Are Africa.

How Millennials are kicking butt and taking names.

24. A Chat with Victor Kotze 26. Explore Joburg in 72 hours! 27. Nigeria Announces its Premier Convention Centre

28. Gauteng: A Sure Winner for Business Events

30. Namibia: Idyllic, Intimate and Inspiring

33. IT&CM China Reports RecordBreaking Chinese Delegation

34. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an App for That 35. Event Greening Forum: IMVELO Leading the Green Revolution

Markex 2014

New Locations in Africa

Think you know Markex? Think again.

Event planners know that the location can make or break an event. Let us help!

36. Events 38. Associations 40. Directory

02 | NEWS

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AFRICAN UTILITY WEEK Names City of Cape Town Top Municipality

he City of Cape Town was named top municipality in the African Utility Week Awards announced on 13 May at the CTICC. More than 5000 power and water professionals gathered for the 14th annual conference, where the continent’s leading utility and energy professionals and projects were honoured. The expo focused on energy and water efficiency, back-up electricity supply, clean energy solutions and PanAfrican cooperation. “We’re absolutely delighted”, said the City of Cape Town’s Executive Director for Utility Services, Gisela Kaiser, after receiving the award. “This is thanks to thousands of dedicated and disciplined staff and fearless leadership who only expect the best from us.” African Utility Week’s Programme Director, Nicolette Pombo-van Zyl, said they were glad for Cape Town’s involvement in the conference. “We are so proud to have the City of Cape Town as the official host city to our event as Cape Town is a city that is serious about service

delivery and planning. The City of Cape Town’s infrastructure planning for short-term, medium-term and long-term is at the highest level.” The other finalists in this category were the eThekwini, Durban and Nelson Mandela Bay Municipalities, while Dr Steve Lennon, Group Executive for Sustainability at Eskom, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. He has been with Eskom for more than 30 years and is widely recognised locally and internationally for leadership in areas such as technological innovation and R&D, sustainability management and the triple bottom line and many others. “It is an absolute inspiration to be given this award at a time in the power sector when we are on the brink of a major change and development,” Lennon said, “With over half a trillion rands worth of investment coming into our sector from the public and private sector over the next five years, with unprecedented rollouts and new technologies, including low carbon technologies, with massive developments in the region both in terms of transmission infrastructure as well as generation projects, things are really

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More than 5000 power and water professionals gathered for the 14th annual conference, where the continent’s leading utility and energy professionals and projects were honoured.

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happening in our region.” The global metering giant Itron also won top honours for Community Project for their Water PlayPump Programme at the Relekile Primary School in Kuruman, a very dry and arid area of the Kalahari Desert. The PlayPump was built as part of an innovative collaboration with local utility Ga-Segonyana Local Municipality. As the children play, the merry-go-round’s motion powers the pump, which draws clean water into a 2,500-litre storage tank for drinking, washing, cleaning and watering the school’s vegetable garden. Other winners at the African Utility Week Awards were The Southern African Power Pool’s Zimbabwe-Zambia-BotswanaNamibia (ZIZABONA) interconnector project, which won the African Collaboration Award, while City Power Solar Water Geyser Project in Johannesburg won the Energy/ Water Efficiency Award. The Makeni Project in Sierra Leone won Best Clean Energy Project, Genesis Electricity Limited won Best African Power Utility and Cyprian Chitundu, Managing Director, ZESCO, Zambia won the African Utility Executive Award.

04 | NEWS

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Diversity Reigns at

DISTREE AFRICA © DISTREE

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ISTREE Africa 2014 is preparing for an eclectic exhibition in Nairobi, with a wide range of product vendors and regional distributors already booked for the event. The expo, which takes place from 19 to 21 June, will unite a broad cross-section of technology and electronics vendors focused on developing and managing both business to business and business to consumer channels. DISTREE Africa aims to provide channel partners with the opportunity to meet senior executive from major international brands all under one roof, including exhibitors like Kingston, Sandisk, Seagate, Targus, Toshiba, WD and others. Taking place at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi Kenya, the show will offer a compelling combination of one-onone meetings, a conference programme, exhibition, awards, technology showcases and workshop sessions. “There is much more to DISTREE Africa than just one-on-one meetings,” says Frederic Lestringant, Regional Manager at DISTREE Africa. “The event also includes a strong conference programme featuring senior executives from major brands such as Cisco and Samsung as well as content from expert research companies like GfK.” It will also allow exhibitors to build in-depth relationships with influential channel partners

The show will oﬀer a compelling combination of one-on-one meetings, a conference programme, exhibition, awards, technology showcases and workshop sessions.

from more than 20 countries including key markets like Angola, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria, and will gather multiple distributors looking to further develop their African customer base. “The African market is clearly ready for an independent channel event that allows channel partners to meet multiple suppliers in a professional and business-focused environment,” says Farouk Hemraj, CEO at DISTREE Events. “Our events drive business efficiency and DISTREE Africa 2014 will see

a powerful set of vendors and distributors make maximum use of this opportunity.” Participating exhibitors can research the channel partners attending before the event and pre-schedule one-on-one meetings with the companies that are best suited to their business needs. DISTREE Africa is organised by DISTREE Events and is an invite only event for pre-qualifi ed channel partners. African resellers, retailers, VARs and solution providers can apply through the official event website.

NEWS | 05

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Explore New Business Opportunities at

WOODEX FOR AFRICA S 5 – 7 June – Gallagher Estate – Johannesburg

uppliers, manufacturers and retailers in the timber industry should diarise 5 - 7 June 2014, when the third WoodEX for Africa exhibition will be held at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, South Africa. This show, the only trade exhibition in Africa dedicated to the timber industry, creates the ideal platform for wood and woodworking professionals to be on the frontier of the timber industry and to network with key industry players. WoodEX for Africa Director, Stephan Jooste, says the show is representative of a large part of the South African timber industry and presents a wide range of machinery, tools, fits and finishes, components, equipment, new technology and materials in the timber industry. “The event demonstrates the value of wood as a sustainable, renewable and versatile product, and is a showcase for introducing international trends into the African marketplace. Through WoodEX for Africa exhibitors, project partners and visitors can connect with specialised dealers, catch up with the latest timber trends, secure new business contacts and compare excellent deals. It is definitely the show to visit if you are involved in the timber industry,” says Jooste. The WoodEX for Africa marketing

team has placed a lot of focus on direct marketing this year, with the aim to directly secure quality trade participation, quality exhibitors and visitors to participate in the event. The goal is to attract between 2 000 and 3 000 trade visitors to the event this year, with 100 exhibitors showcasing their products and services. The exhibition is supported by The Wood Foundation, the Timber Frame Builder’s Association, the European Federation for Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers, the Institute for Timber Construction South Africa, the Southern African Wood and Laminate Flooring Association, the South African Wood Preservers Association, the Italian Woodworking Machinery and Tools Manufacturers’ Association, the German Woodworking Machinery and Tools

Manufacturers’ Association, Forestry SA and the Sawmilling Association of South Africa. For more information about WoodEX for Africa visit www.woodexforafrica.com. International Representation in 2013 60% of international visitors came from Africa, representing: • Botswana 17% • Mozambique 10% • Namibia 10% • Swaziland 7% • Kenya 5% • Nigeria 2% • Uganda 2% • Zambia 2% • Zimbabwe 2% • 31% of the international visitors came from Europe.

06 | NEWS

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AFRICA TRAVEL WEEK An Impressive First Run

two-hundred-plus conference centre was full to the brim and often overflowing, and delegates weren’t the only enthusiastic bunch – speakers and stand owners alike dipped their fingers into the proverbial pot of creativity. City Sightseeing brought a reallife, double-decker bus onto the exhibition floor, while Mangwanani African Spa offered free foot massages to weary passersby. The WTM Africa floor saw over 350 exhibiting companies under one roof and many reported their success. One of the exhibitors, William Cook of Cook Tours, was amazed with the interest he had seen at the show. “My diary is absolutely full and that has never happened before,” he said. WTM’s conference arena saw a slew of interesting, topical speakers, with a strong focus on launching into the digital age. One such session, “How Travel Bloggers Impact the Booking Funnel” was particularly informative, using the insights of local blogger Meruchka Govender (Mzansi Girl) to create a tangible example of how bloggers generate awareness sales and future opportunities. In all, Africa Travel Week was a great success, says Pillay. “This is the first time we have ever undertaken to bring all three of our global brands together in one country in one week. Such a powerful business proposition not only shows the travel industry the diversity of this country’s offering to the world’s leading source markets, but it gives Africa the opportunity to be a global player in the leisure, business and luxury tourism sectors.”

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Speakers and stand owners alike dipped their fingers into the proverbial pot of creativity.

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Images © Kimberleigh Aleksandra

he inaugural Africa Travel Week took off triumphantly on 28 April at the Cape Town Convention Centre (CTICC). This much-anticipated trade show saw over 6,500 one-to-one business appointments by the time it closed on 2 May, providing an impressive economic impact on the continent’s leisure travel, luxury tourism and business travel sectors. It opened with ILTM Africa (International Luxury Travel Market), rolling over into IBTM Africa (Incentives, Business Travel & Meetings) and finished its week-long run with WTM Africa (World Travel Market). “More important than numbers is the impact that these events have had on those involved,” said Sugen Pillay, Business Development Director at Thebe Reed Exhibitions – the company running the show. “The comments from exhibitors and buyers have shown that Africa Travel Week and all three events are clearly a vital component of this continent’s travel industry and we go into 2015 with the support of the exhibitors and buyers for next year’s event.” He went on to say in an official press conference held on Friday, 2 May, that the show currently has a three-year run, which will be reviewed in 2017. Based on the outcome of the show, however, this probably won’t change Africa Travel Week’s current standing, and if it keeps up this momentum, trade shows beware! Overall the event drew a healthy, vibrant crowd and although the expo space was much smaller than similar trade shows, the floor was buzzing with business. Its

NEWS | 07

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Hear how global trends affect South African business at

SAACI CONGRESS G lobal trends and how they affect South African business will be a major focus at the 2014 annual congress of the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI), to be held in St Lucia, KwaZuluNatal from 17 to 19 August. Delegates will be addressed by soughtafter trend analyst Dion Chang, who uses a global perspective to source new ideas and identify cutting-edge trends and then translates them to ensure they have relevance for South African businesses. Described as a walking ideas bank, Chang has hosted three conferences and published three trend books, the most

recent being ‘New Urban Tribes of South Africa’. His trends-analysis company, Flux Trends, specialises in tracking shifting social dynamics and understanding consumer mindset. Congress chairperson Merryl Fairfoot says Chang’s presentation fits in perfectly with the congress theme ‘To the beat of a different drum’. “Our congress destination and venue are unusual and we trust that our speakers will inspire delegates to try new approaches when conducting business. After all, to achieve different results, you must do something different.” Delegates will also be addressed by motivational speaker Mark Berger, who has been described as a prodigy of the

human potential movement. “With his direct, practical, humorous and informal style, Berger will most definitely leave delegates with food for thought on how to improve performance on all levels of life,” says Fairfoot. As August is high season in St Lucia, the organising committee is encouraging delegates to book their accommodation as soon as possible. Accommodation in St Lucia is well-priced and most within walking distance of the St Lucia Conference Centre and Town Hall. For information about sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, or to register online, visit www.saaci2014.co.za.

08 | FEATURE

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We Are Africa

BATTLE OF THE BIG THREE I “ NDABA has long been the ‘go-to’ show for those in the travel trade. Its importance to the marketing of Africa’s tourism sector is well known and deserves due credit, but recent additions to the travel and tourism event calendar has had some exhibitors embracing change. New kid on the block Africa Travel Week is making waves, with some speculating that INDABA might not hold the throne in years to come. The addition of We Are Africa, a bespoke luxury travel show, is further fanning the flames and challenging the establishment. The Event decided to do some digging of its own, and approached exhibitors that have attended the shows. Anonymity was offered to the participants to ensure candidness. Participants scored Indaba, Africa Travel Week and We Are Africa according to aspects such as innovation, quality of meetings held, event greening initiatives, as well as layout, catering and traffic flow. The scores were then counted and an average score given for each aspect.

INDABA - in its own words “INDABA is one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African calendar and one of the top three ‘must visit’ events of its kind on the global calendar. It showcases the widest variety of Southern Africa’s best tourism products, and attracts international buyers and media from across the world. INDABA is owned by South

African Tourism and organised by Pure Grit Project and Exhibitions Management (Pty) Ltd. For two years in a row, INDABA has won the award for Africa’s best travel and tourism show. This award was presented by the Association of World Travel Awards. INDABA is a three day trade event that attracts well over 13,000 delegates from the travel tourism and related industries.” INDABA has partnered with bespoke travel show We Are Africa in a strategic alliance that combines the strengths of the two shows. Venue: Durban International Convention Centre

We Are Africa - in its own words We Are Africa is the genre-shattering new travel trade exhibition from market shaker Beyond Luxury Media Ltd. We Are Africa specialises in high-end, luxury products and services, and offers a “carefully curated selection of outstanding African and Indian Ocean travel brands; from Cairo to Cape Town and Dakar to Port Louis will be given the opportunity to showcase their products and services to some of the world’s finest travel trade buyers directly in charge of sourcing products from Africa.” Venue: Cape Town Stadium

Africa Travel Week - in its own words “Africa Travel Week comprises three co-

Relative newcomer We Are Africa received excellent scores...culminating in a somewhat unexpected win.

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located shows – WTM Africa, IBTM Africa and ILTM Africa, encompassing Africa’s inbound and outbound markets for general leisure travel, luxury tourism, and the MICE/business travel sector under RTE’s established portfolios of WTM (World Travel Market), ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market) and IBTM (Incentives, Business Travel & Meetings). WTM Africa will attract exhibitors from all categories of the leisure travel industry within sub-Sahara Africa as well as North African destinations, aligning itself with sister events, WTM, WTM Latin America, Arabian Travel Market and International French Travel Market – Top Resa. IBTM Africa targets the inbound and outbound meetings, events, incentives and business travel sectors of sub-Saharan Africa, with suppliers from the MICE sector including hotels, venues, convention bureaus, DMCs, technology providers and suppliers of services.

FEATURE | 09

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Description

Maximum Points

Score: INDABA

Score: Africa Travel Week

Score: We are Africa

Impact and quality of marketing materials

13.3

13.2

16.1

Was the marketing campaign innovative?

15.6

13.7

Visual impact of exhibition

17.3

16.9

Staff knowledge

7.6

8.5

Staff professionalism

6.3

8.3

w10

Quality of signage within event

6.9

6.8

Evidence of innovation (new trends adopted etc)

7.6

9.2

Wow factor

14.5

17.6

Attendee satisfaction

13.2

Quality of buyers

17.3

15.2

Quality of matchmaking/meetings held

6.6

13.3

Likelihood of attending show next year

8.2

Quality of workshops/demonstration/conferences etc

6.1

7.7

8.9

Layout of floor plan

4.6

4.8

General traffic flow

2.6

4.2

Abundance/accessibility of restaurants and refreshment points

2.3

Event greening (recycling points/sustainable materials/ organic food etc)

3.2

4.4

Max Total: 220

147.5

161.8

183.7

ILTM Africa targets Africa’s inbound luxury travel market. ILTM Africa is part of a global portfolio of luxury travel events that include ILTM (Cannes), ILTM Americas, ILTM Asia, ILTM Japan and ILTM Spa.” Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre

Africa Travel Week

INDABA

We Are Africa

INDABA, Africa Travel Week and We Are Africa all performed strongly in the ‘quality of buyer’ and ‘quality of workshops/ demonstrations’ categories. Surprisingly, INDABA took a hit in the ‘quality of meetings held’ category, but gained some ground in the ‘visual impact’ category. Relative newcomer We Are Africa received excellent scores in the ‘WOW factor’, ‘attendee satisfaction’ and ‘innovation’ categories, culminating in a somewhat unexpected win and further begging the question, “Is this the beginning of the end for the entrenched leaders?” Questions must now be asked about whether the big, established shows like INDABA really cater to all the needs of their exhibitors, and what can be done to regain ground in years to come.

10 | SPOTLIGHT

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THE YOUTH

in Business Events

This month, The Event is looking at the up-and-coming Millennials that are making waves in the industry.

NICO

Vilakazi Age: 26 Company: South Africa National Convention Bureau Job Title: Marketing Services Coordinator Three words to describe yourself: Hardworking, Ambitious, Reliable Which events are you most looking forward to this year? The event I was mostly looking forward to was Meetings Africa 2014 that was hosted on the 24 - 26 of February 2014 at the Sandton Convention Centre. Other events that I’m looking forward to are the SAACI Annual Conference & Exhibition, IMEX Frankfurt and CIBTM What do you do at your company? Please describe a typical day: I provide marketing and administration support for South Africa National Convention Bureau’s marketing services and public relations programs. I always work on different things depending on projects we are working on at the time. I mostly coordinate delegate boosting and Onsite event service activation that SANCB offers to the conference organisers to host a successful event and ensure a return visit to South Africa. I assist with advertising and production of marketing collateral and promotional material that we provide at events to promote South Africa as top business events destination. I usually have two or three meetings a day, sometimes it can even be four depending on the projects we working on at that specific time. My other responsibilities are: • Update and maintain content for South Africa National Convention Bureau (SANCB) website and social media. • Provide assistance with the coordination of trade show participation by SANCB including sales activations and Meetings Africa.

• Assist with the coordination of NCB activities including familiarization trips, site inspections, marketing and sales activations. • Provide support for other business events (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) related activities as directed by Manager: Marketing Services. What do you feel are the major aspects of the events industry that need to change or evolve? There is barrier of entry to the business events industry for the Y generation, especially for the new graduates and this is because of minimum experience required which blocks these graduates from entering the industry. There should be more opportunities open for the Y generation at the University level, such as internships or vacation work so that when they get to the industry, they have knowledge and slight industry experience. This will not only broaden their chances of getting employment but will also provide the employer with employees that have a bit of business events experience.

What are you doing to inject vitality and fresh ideas to an industry that is mainly dominated by the older generations? Because I’m young and new in the event industry, I make sure I learn as much as possible from the business event industry veterans. I always put myself in places where I’m likely to be inspired. This includes spending time with successful Y generationers that are in the business events industry, spending time with inspirational people, watching promotional videos on business events and most importantly reading business events magazines. This motivates me to be creative and bring in new ideas to grow the South African business events industry.

SPOTLIGHT | 11

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Bronwyn Mathias

Age: 32 Company: seatworks Job Title: Managing Director Three words to describe yourself: Left of centre, humorous, with a “never-say-die attitude” (that’s a few more than three, sorry). Which events are you most looking forward to this year? Local: • Markex 2014, our Young Professionals Forum will showcase itself for the first time there! • Inspire trade expo at Gallagher in July 10-12. It’s a first time for this show, and I like to support the newbies! • Decorex is always great fun! • Cape Town, as the design capital of 2014, is an ever-changing design event throughout the year, so anytime to visit would be a great one this year! International: • London Design festival in September 2014. I would love to make it for this whole week worth of festivities! • C star which will happen in Shanghai What do you do at seatworks? Please describe a typical day: Wow, everything! At the moment a lot of creative processes, design work, presentation creation, meetings with clients all over the show, job breakdowns into production (project management), banking, payments accounts, web developing (for our own website, which is currently undergoing a major overhaul into the 21st century, as is our social media side). I fetch my boy every day from school and usually have 100 projects for school to remember as well. I’m also currently getting ready to travel to Austria where I will be presenting a project we created for FNB last year as a best case example at a Young Professionals conference for the International Federation of Events and Exhibition Services. What do you feel are the major aspects of the events industry that need to change or evolve? Most definitely the sketchy grey area about

design and creative content ownership and value! I will be making changes within my industry to better protect the actual creative companies that sit night and day creating and designing spaces and events from those that piggy back on this genius to nick a bob off the top! In my honest opinion, I believe the days of large, cumbersome ‘corporate agencies’ are numbered. Innovative companies don’t see value in paying large retainers anymore. They are turning to initiatives like crowd sourcing, for example, where for a whole lot less money, they are gaining a multitude of ideas from a global community. The trend now is all about the individual artisan. Stay young, stay innovative, and stay small and adaptable! What are you doing to inject vitality and fresh ideas to an industry that is mainly dominated by the older generation? On an individual level, I am constantly keeping up to speed with changes in our

world (almost every day, because that is how fast things change these days). Mostly, I look at how people do things these days, and how can I adapt what I am creating to suit the current human movement or trend. For example, sound: People want to travel with sound these days; lighting innovations such as solar powered lighting, get more effective every day and I believe can be recognised by our industry as actual options for lighting spaces. I look at technical innovations such as at international projects like the Cleveland Art museum, to see what is possible to put on a screen. I like to also push the boundary of the norm to transform the average into new innovation by changing just one or two ways that we do something. On an industry level, I connect with my peers and keep up to speed with goings on, as well as teach younger up-and-coming stars to our industry. I try to be an active part of the changes in how we do business as an industry, like getting involved with the Young Professional Forum of EXSA.

12 | SPOTLIGHT

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CINDY

Wandrag Age: 28 Company: Thebe Reed Exhibitions (Pty) Ltd. Job Title: Senior Marketing and Events Coordinator Three words to describe yourself: Creative, Dedicated and Efficient Which events are you most looking forward to this year? I’m so passionate about the entire events and entertainment industry that I always look forward to each and every event on the calendar but if I had to single out a few, it would definitely be; the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, SETE - Sports and Events Tourism Exchange and Disney on Ice. I’m a huge Disney fanatic! What do you do at Thebe Reed? Please describe a typical day: I do Corporate Marketing for the company from a Group Level perspective. Our portfolio includes a wide variety of trade and consumer shows such as Decorex SA, 100 % Design SA, Sports and Events Tourism Exchange, Gauteng Motor Show, Business and Franchise Opportunities Expo, Investment & Retirement Expo and we have also been awarded the management contract of a well-known venue in Johannesburg, the Coca-Cola dome. What do you feel are the major aspects of the business-events industry that need to change or evolve? I think that technology has changed the events and entertainment landscape – there is currently a huge gap in the South African market for this and we should take hold of this opportunity to make our mark. Our industry is hungry for new thought leaders and even though the business-events industry might have been dominated by ‘the older generation’, I truly believe that we as the youth are the trendsetters of the future. What are you doing to inject vitality and fresh ideas to an industry that is mainly dominated by the older generations? Albert Einstein said: “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to

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I’m so passionate about the entire events and entertainment industry that I always look forward to each and every event on the calendar.

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play better than anyone else.” I do a lot of research because I have found that it triggers my creativity which in turn produces fresh ideas. People are always looking for an easier, better and faster way of doing things and I think that if one can manage solve people’s problems or enhance their experience then you’ve discovered the recipe to success.

SPOTLIGHT | 13

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AIDAN Koen

Age: 30 Company: Scan Display Job Title: National Infrastructure Manager Three words to describe yourself: Determined, Composed, Enthusiastic Which events are you most looking forward to this year? • The Outdoor Eco adventure & Travel Expo taking place at the Waterfall Polo Estate in Midrand from the 30th May to 1st June 2014 • Professional Beauty Expo taking place at Gallagher in Midrand from the 31St August to 1st September 2014 What do you do at Scan Display? Please describe a typical day: Our new philosophy on the infrastructure side is to take as much pressure off the organisers as possible, so a typical day would be doing site visits, briefing design on floor plans and requirements, and following up with my services manager Martina if we on track on the services side. We ensure constant communication with organisers from build up to the event. We believe in the hands-on approach, so we are on-site throughout the entire process. What do you feel are the major aspects of the events industry that need to change or evolve? An industry regulatory board would be ideal, whether you a big or small player in the industry, we all need to provide the organisers and clients with professional and sound service. We also need to provide them with knowledgeable advice that will benefit their show and even the exhibitor as this is a great marketing tool for them. Companies that do not meet the proposed guidelines set out should be held accountable in some way. What are you doing to inject vitality and fresh ideas to an industry that is mainly dominated by the older generations? I think the industry as a whole, both local and internationally, keeps one on their toes; so we are constantly thinking out the box. Paul

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I think the industry as a whole, both local and internationally, keeps one on their toes; so we are constantly thinking out the box.

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Hugo from our Cape Town branch is great when it comes to thinking out the box, and working with him has allowed us to improve our stand lighting from the old spot lights to new LED lights, that not only look great but fit into our greening profile as well. We have also developed new slim-line DB boards along with slim-line plug points. We have also moved away from the vinyl cut lettering on fascia name boards to full printed fascia name boards. This allows us to print in full colour as well as add in any design elements that have transformed shows greatly.

14 | FEATURE

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MARKEX: BRINGING INNOVATION G Each year, Markex strives to present innovative design elements

and Inspiration

et ready for Markex – South Africa’s most definitive marketing, promotions and special events expo. Taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Gauteng from 10-12 June and at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 14-15 August, the exhibition will showcase the latest trends, products and innovations of the marketing industry. Ideal for representatives of all business sectors, creative agencies, PR companies, event organisers and resellers, it allows participants to keep abreast of new technology and industry trends, see, test and compare the latest products and acquire technical and brand information. “Markex this year will truly live up to its name as the hottest marketing, promotions and special events expo,” says Gary Corin, Managing Director of Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery, the show’s

organisers. “The quality and innovation of products and services that the exhibitors will be showcasing is outstanding, the creativity that always comes out of the show is extraordinary and the attractions that visitors will experience add real value to virtually every level and job scope within the marketing industry. It’s an event that every person involved in any aspect of marketing should visit.” This year, Markex is all about innovation and this is never more visible than in the vast number of stands displaying the latest branding, promotional products and events. “We have been exhibiting at Markex for 12 years,” says Justin Hawes, Managing Director of Scan Display, “and it is our largest marketing activity of the year. Face-to-face marketing really works, and we get excellent returns from this show – both from connecting with current clients and new ones.”

The show is set to see over 10,000 visitors in total, with up to 61% of them making a purchasing decision and 31% influencing purchasing decisions. This is also a great show for connecting with Pan-African delegates and clientele as 95% of the visitors are from South Africa and the wider continent. Brad Hook, the expo’s Event Director, believes that Markex is much more than a marketing exhibition. “It’s a platform where innovative thinking and the development of ideas can be nurtured and encouraged through the extremely wide range of activities and features available at the show, and through the opportunity for networking and interacting,” he says. And in order to nurture that development of ideas, the show has a few plans of its own. First up is the Loerie Awards Travelling Exhibition, which has cemented itself as an exhibition feature in recent years.

FEATURE | 15

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Face-to-face marketing really works, and we get excellent returns from this show – both from connecting with current clients and new ones.

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16 | FEATURE

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“This year, we will be celebrating South Africa’s design exhibition stand talent by encouraging exhibition stand designers to enter their work over the last 12 months and stand the chance of winning a ‘free’ entry into next year’s Loeries,” says Hook. The competition is now open and entry forms and guidelines will be available on the Markex and The Event websites. Entries are limited to two per company, and five finalists will be shortlisted for free entry. The shortlist will be announced at Markex and winners will be notified a week before the show.

It will once again be showcasing the best of brand communication, with innovative campaigns for winning brands and businesses across a range of disciplines. 2014 marks a slight change in the Travelling Exhibition – a new collaboration between the Loeries, Markex and The Event magazine, which will see stand builders winning a chance to be recognised within the Loeries award programme for the very first time.

The popular USB (Unique Speaker Bureau) Speaker’s Pavilion will be a special attraction at the expo, hosting top international and local experts who will be sharing their knowledge and insights with delegates in a free-to-view theatre. This year, the programme will include presentations on marketing-related topics by industry gurus, presented by the Institute of Marketing Management (IMM).

18 | FEATURE

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2014 marks a slight change in the Travelling Exhibition – a new collaboration between the Loeries, Markex and The Event magazine, which will see stand builders winning a chance to be recognised within the Loeries award programme for the very first time.

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“Unique Speaker Bureau had the pleasure of facilitating the Speaker Theatre at Markex [last] year as well as having our own stand… The Speaker Theatre was well attended and, as always, we were completely satisfied with the feedback and the leads that resulted,” says Paul Mc Connon, Managing Director of USB. Markex also recently announced a new partnership with the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) Academy. Together they will launch the MICE CPD (Continuing Professional Development) programme, adding value to the exhibition and enabling people in the industry to accumulate verifiable credits. The Promotional Product Professionals of South Africa, formerly known as Corporate Gifts Association of South Africa, has also partnered with Markex this year to showcase the full spectrum of offerings in the corporate gift sector, in the form of a trade-only hall.

The show’s reputation as a networking hub gives delegates and exhibitors a host of opportunities to engage with the full spectrum of industry colleagues. “Markex is about building relationships and making connections based on trust and understanding, like-minded thinking, and face-to-face meetings in real time,” says Hook. “Now we’re adding to this valuable experience by making it more attractive and rewarding for participants in this hardworking industry.” “We’re proud of what we’re bringing to Markex this year and believe it will complement both Johannesburg and Cape Town’s array of offerings,” he continues. “We are looking forward to sharing the experience of the pursuit of marketing excellence with our colleagues as we present to them the place to come and meet, to learn, to buy, to source, and to experience the best that the marketing industry has to offer.”

PRODUCT SHOWCASES | 19

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20 | FEATURE

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AFRICA’S BRIGHT, NEW V © Zaha Hadid Architects’

enues make up a large portion of the meetings industry’s multi-billion dollar business, and new locations are always clamouring for their share of the market. But this is not without reason. An event planner’s venue decision will have not only the biggest impact on his or her budget, but will also affect the overall performance of the event. “Choosing a venue is without a doubt a decision that can make or break your event. It is that one decision where event professionals feel the pressure,” Julius Solaris writes in an article on the Event Manager’s Blog. “To captivate event professionals’ preference, venues gained control of catering, audio visuals and technology at large. They offer inclusive packages that cover most requirements associated with events. Such service convergence makes the bill bigger and the weight associated to the decision heavier.” Solaris goes on to say that when organisers make such an important decision, meeting

Event Locations

room information has the strongest influence on the final decision – more than the cost of the facility. With this in mind, Africa has begun to realise its potential in the industry and has been investing in some impressive convention structures over the last few years. Although South Africa has long been the continent’s biggest calling card when it comes to hosting exhibitions, a number of nations are now rising up and rearing their heads – raising the bar and creating their own world-class convention and conference attractions.

Tanzania: Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre and Others The Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) in January announced that it would soon be acquiring land in Iringa to build a “major convention centre to serve the southern circuit”. This comes after the AICC’s acquisition of the

Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre in Dar es Salaam. “We are continuing with talks with Iringa municipal officials to build a new conference centre there so as to open up the southern corridor,” Elishilia Kaaya, Managing Director of the AICC said in January. No further details are available yet. The Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC), which has only recently been built, is a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of the city. It has 12 flexible conference rooms that seat between five and 300 delegates. Its largest hall can hold around 1,000 people theatre style and its amenities include translation services, audio visuals, LCD projectors and a fully equipped business centre. Making the JNICC even more attractive are 2,200 adjacent hotel rooms as well as a range of traditional and international restaurants within walking distance. Visitors can also visit exotic tourist locations like Zanzibar, the Serengeti National Park and Mt Kilimanjaro.

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Nigeria: Calabar International Convention Centre Nigeria recently announced the opening of the Calabar International Convention Centre (CICC) at the World Travel Market in Cape Town. This stunning conference venue was designed by Danish architect Henning Larsen and is set to be the first major convention centre in West Africa. It is located in the south eastern state of Cross River, an exquisite coastal region famous for its friendly natives, unique cuisine and rich, cultural heritage. Part of a mixed-use, lifestyle development called Summit Hills, the CICC will be a multifunctional centre with an “almost unlimited scale capability to host a wide range of events”. It has a total floor space of 35,000 square metres, with 21 conference rooms including five conference halls for between 220 and 2,000 delegates and three meeting suites. The CICC also has three large banqueting spaces and boasts the largest kitchen in Nigeria. An additional 8,000 square metres have been allocated to outdoor exhibition space, while the Four Points by Sheraton adjacent to the venue offers 300 hotel rooms for conference-goers. Other perks include an 18-hole golf course, the Calabar Specialist Hospital and the Carnival Calabar village. The CICC will open its doors to the public in February 2015.

Egypt: Cairo Expo City Egypt has long been known as a leader in conferencing in North Africa, with a favourable location on the Mediterranean coastline and a host of exceptional tourist attractions to go along with it. Building on these pros, the CEO of the General Organisation of International Exhibitions and Fairs, Sherif Salem, announced in 2009 that the nation would be building Cairo Expo City. This exquisite facility is set to cover

a whopping 450,000 square metres and is located between the city centre and the airport. The project comprises a major international exhibition and conference centre along with a business hotel. Designed by world-renowned Zaha Hadid Architects, the Expo City is inspired by the natural confluence patterns of the Nile delta. “Along the great rivers of the region, most particularly the Nile, there is a powerful dynamic,” says Hadid, “a constant flow between the water and the land – which extends to incorporate the neighbouring buildings and landscapes. For the Cairo Expo City design, we worked to capture that seamlessness and fluidity in an urban architectural context.” The exhibition hall is set to cover 132,586 square metres, while the conference centre will cover 11,600 square metres. “This is a truly national project for Egypt,” Salem said in a statement, “the current exhibition halls for Cairo do not meet the standards now required by the international conference and exhibition industry. With this exceptional design by Zaha Hadid Architects, Cairo will be among the world’s top cities for conferences and fairs.” A further office tower and shopping centre are also proposed.

Stretch Tents: The Other Alternative Stretch tents have become an enormous trend for both large and small events in recent years. The use of versatile, stretch fabric tents can allow smaller venues with larger outdoor areas to attract conferences and event planners. Even larger event locations benefit from these gems, a demonstrated by the Cape Town International Convention Centre in hosting the annual International Jazz Festival. “Top bands and stage performers have played and performed under a Tentickle Bedouin Tent at some of South Africa’s most prestigious music and cultural events,” says Marco Slunder, Director of Tentickle Bedouin Tents & Canopies. He goes on to say that “there is no better way to get your product or company noticed at an event than when you use a…Bedouin tent.” The tents can either be bought or hired and are easy to set up and store. The structures are unique, flexible and have an “unsurpassed ability to transform ordinary venues into spectacular spaces”, according to Nomadik Stretch Tents. Branded stretch tents are also wildly popular, with a host of tent fabric colours available. Many suppliers also offer full-colour digital printing options, as well as a range of sizes to suit each occasion.

24 | ‘PRO’ SPECTIVE

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A Chat with Victor Kotze The Event sat down with Victor Kotze, Managing Director of Prosperis Technology, to discuss tech in the business-events sector. was established in 1999. Starting at the beginning with smaller events, we grew with the immediate demand into the market leader we are today.

Please give a brief career history. How did you get started in this industry? Our aspirations of creating an exceptional event by using technology solutions and shifting the focus to client needs are the core reasons why Prosperis Technology

Please give an overview of technology in the business events industry. What is currently being utilised? Free Wi-Fi services have become the biggest need in the business events industry. Delegates need to be connected 24/7. A single interactive cloud-based solution for events, from creating the website to full registration, CRM and reporting, is growing in popularity. What are the upcoming tech trends? Mobile event apps which keep delegates up

to date with safety, destination and event information will become a must have. This will also increase revenue for organisers selling sponsorships. A responsive and adaptive web design will become mandatory. An attendees need to better connect with their fellow attendees will open the door for increased development of mobile social media networking tools. What sets Prosperis apart from other companies oﬀering similar products? Prosperis Technology Collaboration has a slogan which says ‘Getting IT done.’ We believe in striving to get the job done the first time as this is one of the key components of providing an excellent service.

ZITE 2014

Tourism Begins at Home

he 7th Zambia International Travel Expo (ZITE) took place on the 25th to the 27th of April 2014. ZITE is a SADC tourism networking event that adopted the theme “Tourism Begins Here – At Home”. Zambia and the neighbouring countries are a catchment area for local, regional and international tourism. Creating travel itineraries that extend between the neighbouring countries will give the traveller and tourist more choice and will increase tourist arrivals. International, regional and local tour operators are an integral factor and Zambia is well positioned to be the hub for the region. ZITE 2014 therefore provided the much needed catalyst for this. Editor of The Event Katie Reynolds and SAACI national chairperson Zelda Coetzee led a panel discussion on increasing

travel trade to SADC countries, and the importance of leveraging on the skills and experience of friends and colleagues in more developed tourism economies such as South Africa. The expo opened shortly after and was well-attended by local and international buyers and visitors. The Lusaka Carnival rounded out the event, with local celebrities and performers providing entertainment for visitors and guests.

Exhibitor Profile Hotels Tour Operators Game Lodges Industry Associations Adventure Companies Conservation Destination Management Companies

Boats & Accessories Safari Companies Car Hire Regional Tourism Boards/Authorities Adventure Travel Sports Tourism Airlines & Charters Tourism Software, Products & Services

26 | SPOTLIGHT

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How to

EXPLORE, EXPERIENCE & ENJOY JOBURG IN 72 HOURS! A s an extension and amplification of their Explore, Experience & Enjoy Joburg campaign, the Joburg Tourism team is utilising its Indaba platforms to promote the richness of the City’s urban tourism offering. “Given the time and budget constraints of modern life, this “72 hours” tagline is intended to communicate why visitors need to spend more time in Africa’s most vibrant and exciting metropolis to best discover its fascinating, complex and colourful appeal,”

explains Tshidi Mlaba, Deputy Director, Destination Marketing. While the majority of visitors to Joburg arrive for business reasons or events, ever increasing numbers are staying to sample and experience the city’s fascinatingly diverse, urban tourism and lifestyle scene. However, given the competitive nature of global economics, the challenge remains to continually grow visitor numbers, while increasing length of stay, spend and the spread of tourists throughout the City.

During the past 20 years Joburg has experienced phenomenal tourism growth in areas like Vilakazi Street in Soweto, the Maboneng and Braamfontein Precincts, to mention a few. All this creative development has added enormously to Joburg’s colourful heritage and cultural vibrancy, which is fascinating in its complexity. Added to this are massive infrastructural advances like the Rea Vaya and Gautrain, which are facilitating new and exciting ways for both locals and visitors to explore and experience the city.

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Calabar International Convention Centre will open its doors in February 2015

NIGERIA ANNOUNCES N its Premier Convention Centre igeria recently announced its very first ICC at the World Travel Market on Friday, the 2nd of May. The Calabar International Convention Centre (CICC), situated in Cross River State in southern Nigeria, will open its doors in February 2015 and is scheduled to host its first event on the 16th of the month. This is a major step forward for the country and the West African region as the nation is already well on its way to becoming a popular host for important international conventions. Designed by Danish architect Henning Larson, the CICC hopes to become the “venue of choice” for both national and international meeting planners, offering “maximum flexibility in a distinguished, state-of-the-art facility”, according to their official release. The centre can host up to 5,000 delegates across 21 different venues at any one time and is an ideal place for meetings of a dozen to over 2,000 in the Main Hall. Its spacious, jungle-green grounds offer 8,000 square metres of floorspace, while terraces overlooking the Calabar River provide an idyllic spot for early evening mixers. The CICC is also easily accessible. It is only an hour’s flight out of Lagos or Abuja and 25 minutes from the Margaret Ekpo International Airport. Accommodation is also easy, with 300 hotel rooms at the Four Points by Sheraton, just 50m from the CICC. Nigeria is a mere sixhour flight from London or Johannesburg. Other drawcards include the 18-hole golf course, which, along with the CICC, is

also part of the prestigious Summit Hills development north of the city of Calabar. Summit Hills is also developing a specialist hospital and a residential estate. This extensive real estate project aligns with the vision of regional Governor Liyel Imoke “to build an economic engine that creates jobs, increases economic potential and builds on the strength of Cross River State”. All of the CICC’s 21 meeting rooms can be used individually or in combination and are separated by soundproof partitioning walls. Two large foyers offer spectacular

views of the indigenous forest and the nearby river and can be transformed into banquet halls. Delegates will have access to free broadband Wi-Fi, whilst the CICC’s in-house business partner can assist with sound, lighting and video projection, including working with external radio and television stations or web streaming providers. Although the parking area is limited to 700 vehicles, it does have number plate-recognition cameras at the entrance as an additional security boost for visitors.

28 | REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT

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GAUTENG: O

ften referred to as the province of gold, Gauteng is rich in so many things. Pretoria, South Africa’s executive capital, houses the government administration, while right next door and close enough for suburbs to merge is the commercial centre of Johannesburg. Once the world’s greatest gold-mining centre, the bustling, cosmopolitan city is now increasingly dominated by modern financial and service sectors. The province is a vibrant hub for business events, with most companies basing their operations from Johannesburg. It also holds four of South Africa’s biggest exhibition spaces – Sandton Convention Centre, The Expo Centre at Nasrec, The Cola-Cola Dome and The Gallagher Estate, among others.

What’s Happening Now Africa’s Big Seven 2014 The continent’s largest food and beverage industry trade expo, Africa’s Big Seven takes place at the Gallagher Convention Centre from 22 to 24 June. The event’s seven specialised sectors cover everything from fresh produce and ingredients to manufacturing technologies, processing and packaging equipment, retail-ready products and hospitality. Trade buyers traditionally attend from over 50 countries. WoodEX For Africa 2014 WoodEX For Africa is the foremost trade event in Africa focused exclusively on the timber industry. The show creates an ideal platform for woodworking professionals to connect and network with key industry players. Now in its third year, WoodEX will showcase European trends to the African market place and demonstrate the value of wood as a sustainable, renewable product. The expo takes place on 5-7 June.

Key Venues The Coca-Cola Dome An impressive structure that can be seen protruding over Johannesburg’s skyline, the Cola-Cola Dome occupies some 30,000 square metres of space. It accommodates up to 16,000 people with a number of smaller

A Sure Winner for Business Events

areas for hosting more intimate conferences and exhibitions. Added to these is an openair amphitheatre alongside the main arena that can hold up to 500 delegates. The Expo Centre, Nasrec Near the Gold Reef City Casino and the Apartheid Museum lies The Expo Centre at Nasrec. This easily accessible venue has massive facilities with 42,000 square metres of open space. The centre is rather flexible as well and can hold between 15,000 and 10 people once configured accordingly. The main arena can accommodate up to 20,000 with excellent sound and lighting, while the Bateleur easily divides into two and can seat 1,000 delegates cinema style.

Getting to Gauteng by Air It is incredibly easy getting to Gauteng. The province has two major airports, OR Tambo International Airport and Lanseria, both of which have stellar, world-class facilities. Most international carriers fly into OR Tambo, and the nation’s flag carrier, South African Airways offers both regional and international flights to and from Johannesburg.

Population 12.3 million (Statistics SA, 2011 National Census)

Climate Gauteng has a climate with warm, windfree summers and chilly winters with clear skies. Johannesburg is never too humid and temperatures hover between 17 and 28 degrees Celsius in summer. July and August are the coldest winter months, reaching lows of around five degrees Celsius.

You Need to Know About Because of its mild weather, Johannesburg is home to some impressive golf courses, many of which have won international awards. The Blair Atholl Golf Course opened to rave reviews in 2007 and won the Platinum Clubs of the World award in 2013, while the Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club has been around for almost 130 years and is without question one of most prestigious courses in South Africa.

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REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT | 29

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Gauteng holds four of South Africa’s biggest exhibition spaces – Sandton Convention Centre, The Expo Centre at Nasrec, The ColaCola Dome and The Gallagher Estate, among others.

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30 | COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT

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ÂŠ David W. Siu

NAMIBIA Idyllic, Intimate and Inspiring

amibia is one of the largest nations in the world according to size, but has one of the smallest populations with a little over two million natives. Thanks to its sheer size and ratio of 2.5km to each person makes it an ideal place for dramatic landscapes, plenty of wildlife and captivating experiences. Most of the land makes up conservations or national parks, with the most prominent

ones attracting droves of tourists for unequalled, semi-arid safaris. Some, like the wide open expanses of the Etosha National Park, focus primarily on wildlife, while others like the Namib-Naukluft Park and Fish River Canyon are more landscapeoriented, their natural beauty easily upstaging the game. Namibia has been called many things â&#x20AC;&#x201C; vast, endless, magnificent, and many more.

There is nothing that comes close to seeing the sunset a Sossusvlei, spending a day at Swakopmund or visiting the Himba people of Damaraland. This beauty can easily be conveyed to event delegates through pre- and post-tours or by having small conferences within game reserves or lodges. Companies like Wilderness Safaris provide specially tailored, luxury trips for tourists, incentive travellers and business folks alike.

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“

The Namibian Tourism Expo hosts exhibits by local, regional and international establishments and also features interactive Chef Demonstrations, arts and crafts exhibitions, food, beer and wine tasting and a host of other fun activities for travel enthusiasts.

What’s Happening Now Namibia Tourism Expo The 16th annual Namibia Tourism Expo takes place from 4-7 June 2014. Since its inception, it has provided a platform for the country’s hospitality industry to promote and market their products and services to all involved in the industry – including the general public. The expo hosts exhibits by local, regional and international establishments and also features interactive Chef Demonstrations, arts and crafts exhibitions, food, beer and wine tasting and a host of other fun activities for travel enthusiasts.

Venues Safari Court Hotel & Conference Centre The country’s largest conference centre is part of the four-star Safari Court Hotel in Windhoek. This state-of-the-art centre offers 16 flexible venues ranging from 10 to 2,400 participants. On the Ground Floor and Lower Ground Floor of the Safari Court are additional rooms which can accommodate between 10 and 90 delegates. The venue includes a Grand Ballroom that can host up to 1,200 banquet style, while the preassembly area can accommodate up to 1,000 guests and also has a private Presidential Entrance for dignitaries. The venue also has ample parking on the premises.

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NamPower Convention Centre The NamPower Convention Centre is located close to Windhoek’s central business district and provides a multitude of opportunities for locals and guests from abroad. The complex boasts a number of venues which vary in size. The largest, Ruacana, can accommodate up to 300 banquet delegates and 450 delegates cinema style. The other venues – Kokerboom, Otjikoko, Omatando, Paratus, Auas Auditorium and Omburu – can hold between 30 and 120 participants.

Getting to Namibia by Air The Hosea Kutako International Airport just outside Windhoek is where most travellers disembark, however there are six additional regional airports for connecting flights and countless other chartered options to private game reserves and five-star lodges. Air Namibia is the country’s official carrier, while a number of regional and international airlines offer trips to and from the capital.

Climate Namibia is predominantly arid, but can be divided into four main topographical regions: the Namib Desert and coastal plains in the west, the eastward-sloping Central Plateau, the Kalahari along the borders with South Africa and Botswana

and the densely wooded bushveld of the Kavango and Caprivi regions.

Population 2,198,406 (July 2013 estimate, CIA World Factbook)

You Need to Know About Namibia is the first country in the world to incorporate environmental protection into its constitution. From this commitment many community-based tourism options have sprung forth, each providing real monetary and social benefits to the local communities who provide them. Namibia also offers a number of volunteer opportunities – also known as ‘Voluntourism’ – focused on wildlife conservation, healthcare, the environment and teaching.

Did You Know? The first genocide of the 20th century took place in Namibia between 1904 and 1907. The Herero people rebelled against the then-German colonial rule. The genocide was characterised by widespread death from starvation and thirst because those who fled the violence were prevented from leaving the Namib Desert. In total, between 24,000 and 100,000 Herero and 10,000 Nama died.

32 | 3D DECO

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3D Sculpture at the Forum in Bryanston for AECI

5D SENSORY DELIGHTS by Helen Hansen

hen I was a little girl, I would delight in donning my mother’s long dresses, heels and pearls. I would twirl around in front of the mirror, amazed at the transformation. Is this really me? On very special occasions I would add a touch of orange to my lips, drop scent on my wrists and sing a song that would carry me far, far away.

Magnificent Transformations When you enter a function and feel as though you are stepping into another world then you know that a true transformation has taken place. This all starts week before when the Creative Director conjures up new ideas and designs and then swirls them around so that everything falls perfectly into place in what appears to be effortless action. A Creative Director of note in the Events and Exhibitions Industry is Alosha Lynov of 3D Deco. He says, “I love the element of surprise when a client pushes my creative and mathematical abilities with a challenging brief”. He adds that a magnificently memorable moment will entice all of the senses leaving the recipient holistically inspired.

Building Relationships According to Microsoft’s Canadian insights lead, Alyson Gausby, when all of our senses

are engaged, the whole brain is stimulated providing the opportunity for total recall. How does this affect the eventing arena? When guests leave your function having had a fulfilling experience, they will associate a connectedness with your brand and/or company. This is what building relationships is all about and this is why Lynov says his business is foremost a link between people, bridging gaps, forging ties and making the impossible possible. It is no wonder that when 3D Deco launched their ‘Sensory Range’ in April 2014 it received a ‘high five’ from event coordinators who are looking to take their business to a new level.

transporting guests along their journey.

Remember My Name Whether you want to leave a lasting impression on staff members, potential clients or suppliers, entrance them all with your originality and panache. 3D Deco is available to transform your next event or expo into a 5D space of sensory delight. You can reach them on 0861333326 or sales@3ddeco.co.za or visit them online at www.3ddeco.co.za.

Touch Me At any event or exhibition, decor is an obvious visual statement that can entrance the mind from near or far; then there is the Chef to indulge the taste buds and the Musical Director to scoop one along through enchanting sounds that establish a theme. What about the other senses? Here, 3D Deco returns. They have added signage onto certain décor items that boldly states ‘Touch Me’ and ‘Smell Me’. “Many people are drawn to touching our smooth, stretch products,” says Lynov, “this encourages them, and others, to make the most of it”. These pieces are also lightly fragrant with the finest natural oils, used in minimal proportions,

Alosha Lynov - CEO, Inventor & Creator

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IT&CM China Opened with Record-Breaking Chinese Delegation The Event would like to thank the organisers and everyone else involved in making IT&CM China such a fantastic event. We are especially grateful for our media appreciation award, and look forward to a long and prosperous partnership going forward.

he 8th installment of Leading International MICE Event In China, IT&CM China, opened on 15 April 2014 with its strongest Chinese delegation to date. The unprecedented strength of the local participation was evidenced most significantly in the Chinese buyer numbers where close to 480 attended over the 3 days. Total International and Chinese buyer attendees exceeded 600. This surged the ratio of Chinese buyers to an alltime high of 70% of all buyers’ delegation. Collectively, buying responsibilities of the attending local buyers spanned across all 31 administrative divisions of Mainland China, and encompassed both outbound and domestic MICE procurement. Through CITS’ 30 buyer representatives alone, they represented a wide and diverse range of corporate, government and association clients in China with connections to more than 1,400 tour operators and travel agencies in all parts of the world. IT&CM China’s collaboration with the newly formed MICE Committee of China Association of Travel Services (CATS) was also credited with delivering some 50 MICE buyers from close to 40 established travel agencies across China. “IT&CM China 2014’s achievement in attracting both quality and quantity

of Chinese buyers is not just a reflection of the massive buying interest from Mainland China, but also the strength of the organisers’ network and resources to reach valuable segments that both our International and Domestic exhibitors deliver,” commented Zhang Jian, Executive GM of CITS International MICE, one of the show’s three co-organisers on this year’s dominance of Chinese buyers. The overwhelming potential of fresh procurement opportunities made tangible as a result of a whopping 65% new buyers across the board, had scored top marks among exhibitors and other stakeholder delegates. This was made possible through several initiatives including the partnerships with CATS, as well as an advisory board of proactive local corporate travel authorities that led to the Corporate Travel Roundtable road show series launched last year in Shanghai and Chengdu. These efforts contributed to new Chinese MICE and Corporate buyer faces at IT&CM China 2014. International buyers also witnessed new buyer pools in its mix this year, where 15 international Media Affiliates, as part of a revamped media partnership programme, introduced close to 50 new hosted buyers from the MICE, Associations and Corporate Travel sectors from around the world.

Another exciting highlight of this year’s show included the launch of Corporate Travel World (CTW) China beginning in 2015. Co-organised by TTG Asia Media and Carlson Wagonlit Travel, China, Chinese Corporate Travel professionals can finally look forward to a much anticipated Conference dedicated to building the body of industry knowledge and cultivating best practices relating to China’s business travel policies and decision-making process. Branded and modelled after TTG Asia Media’s Corporate Travel World (CTW) Asia-Pacific, the newly launched edition in Shanghai is aptly named CTW China to reflect the show’s focus on the interests and requirements of this geographical region. On the exhibition front, IT&CM China attracted the official representation of over 20 leading NTOs and CVBs from China, Asian regions and beyond including Guilin, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Jeju, Korea, Malaysia, Macau, Ningbo, Philippines, Sanya, Shanghai, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suzhou, Taihu, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Xiamen. This year’s showcase also featured 154 new exhibiting organisations, as well as new representatives from the cruise and airline sectors and offerings from the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and made this IT&CM China 2014 exhibition edition the largest in its history. IT&CM China 2014 welcomed some 3,000 MICE professionals from sectors including DMCs, PCOs, corporate travel and associations from both International and Chinese regions. Other event features included more than 600 registered buyers, 400 hosted delegates, over 12,000 on-site business appointments and more than 70 business, education and networking sessions over the three days. IT&CM China 2014 pre-event activities kicked-off with city tours of Shanghai and on-site registration of pre-registered delegates. Shanghai Business Events Week ran from 14 to 19 April 2014.

34 | TECH TALK WITH KIM

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THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT! 1. Olalashe

Some parts of Africa are not the safest, and now there’s an app to help you when you’re caught in a spot of trouble. Olalashe, which means “brother” in Maasai, is an Android app which sends an SOS message to all emergency contacts on the user’s mobile, alerting them that the owner needs help. It’s available for free download at www.capefield.com/olalashe.

2. Aweza

by Kim Muller

3. Wild Africa Live This unique app won the 2013 Africa App Quest challenge. It is ideal for pre- or post-tours while visiting game reserves and the like. A live gamesighting map, it enables nature-lovers to bear witness to raw Africa as it unfolds every day. You can find, share and enjoy wildlife sightings and photos as they happen all over the continent. Wild Africa Live is free for download at www. wildafricalive.com.

4. Rez Live Always on the go? Booking your hotel and tour tickets all at once? Well, now you can do it on one easy platform with www.RezLive.com. The website – and now the mobile app – is a global reservation system exclusively for tourism professionals. It has access to over 125,000 hotels, 45,000 sightseeing attractions and private transfer in over 900 cities.

5. Ffene

For small and medium-sized businesses with minimal know-how, Ffene has the ultimate accounting solution. The app provides an excellent business platform that owners can view from any mobile device at any time. From accounting and manage customers to track inventory and analytic reports, this reasonablypriced software package ideal for SMEs. Available on www.ffene.com.

vent apps seem to be the new arrival on every conference planner’s menu. But there’s a fierce debate as to whether these apps are useful for both delegates and organisers. Return on investment is unproven and unclear, and although there are numerous white papers from app providers, “there is little independent research that shows a positive correlation between the use of apps and increased attendee satisfaction or event engagement” according to the Event App Bible. Enter Africa. This continent has made some incredible technological developments in mobile advancement, from farming and multi-lingual apps, to mobile money. The sheer number of mobile phones in Africa is a huge contributing factor, with more users than the US or the European Union. According to the World Bank, the mobile phone market has grown 40-fold since 2000, with over 650 million cellphone subscribers in 2012. Most East and West African business folk have more than one phone, and this trend is set to continue thanks to the advent of the US$100 smartphone and its soon-to-be-released US$50 counterpart. The app world has naturally exploded on the back of this growth in mobile connectivity. Most international events now have their own app, with a number of exhibitors on the trade floor offering a range of mobile options to their potential clients. To help you make sense of it all, The Event has compiled a list of our favourite apps that we think can benefit the continent’s meetings industry.

Aweza is the first truly multi-lingual South African language phrase translation app for Android & iOS. It covers all eleven official languages and includes crowd-sourced audio pronunciations. Its creators were listed as one of the top-10 innovative companies in Africa by Fast Company. The app is available for free download at www. aweza.co.za.

EVENT GREENING FORUM | 35

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EVENT GREENING FORUM T IMVELO leading the green revolution he Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (FEDHASA) represents the South African hospitality industry on a local, provincial, national and global level. The organisation was founded in 1949, making it one of South Africa’s oldest business associations as it celebrates its 65th birthday this year! With the industry’s support, FEDHASA remains the umbrella association for hotels, restaurants, conference centres, caterers, self-catering accommodation, home hosting establishments (B & B’s and guesthouses), clubs, taverns, shebeens, and suppliers, trainers, consultants and service providers to the hospitality industry. FEDHASA’s mission is to grow an inclusive hospitality industry by providing a unified voice to promote the development and growth of a sustainable South African hospitality trading environment.

The Imvelo Awards for Responsible Tourism As part of its drive to promote sustainability in the tourism sector, FEDHASA is the custodian of the Imvelo Awards for Responsible Tourism. Imvelo means ‘nature’ in South Africa’s Nguni languages and the Awards recognise and celebrate tourism and hospitality businesses that practice exemplary responsible, sustainable and fair business practices. The Awards cover a range of aspects including social, environmental and economic practices. The Awards were initiated in 2002 during South Africa’s hosting of the World Summit on Sustainable Development. That event had a positive impact on South Africa’s tourism industry and catapulted sustainable tourism in South Africa into the global spotlight. In order to recognise both big and small operators in the tourism sector, the Imvelo Award categories now each have sub-categories for large and small (annual turnover not exceeding R5million) businesses. The Imvelo Awards have made a huge

DDG Morongwe Ramphele and Mr Eddy Khoza handing over certificate and award to Riverside Sun Resort representatives

impact on tourism in South Africa, creating awareness of environmental management issues in the industry. An Imvelo award has become a sought-after accolade - one business reported an almost 60% increase in occupancies after being published as a finalist in the competition.

Responsible Tourism Standard Through the National Department of Tourism, South Africa has become a forerunner in sustainability. We are the second country to publish a National Minimum Standard for Responsible Tourism (SANS 1162) – which establishes a common understanding of Responsible Tourism and guides the country’s efforts in this important area. It is very helpful that we now have a standard that we can use for assessments and benchmarking, and the Imvelo Awards are in line with this Standard.

Greening Makes Good Business Sense Businesses that have gone on aggressive drives to do business in a more eco-friendly matter have found that the outcome often includes savings that were not forecasted.

There is definitely strong commercial merit for businesses to adopt Responsible Tourism practices. Visitors to South Africa, especially European guests, have been demanding eco-friendly products for a long time. For them, eco-friendliness has replaced price as the deciding factor in consumption. South African establishments have caught on and realise how valuable it is for them to market their Responsible Tourism efforts. There is definitely money to be saved and made if you adopt green business approaches. With thanks to Caleb Mabaso, Head, FEDHASA and MD Candid Colours Consulting. FEDHASA is one of eight Founding Members of the Event Greening Forum.

36 | EVENTS

JUNE WOODEX 5-7 Joburg MTV AFRICA MUSIC AWARDS 7 Durban 4th SOUTH AFRICAN TB CONFERENCE 10 Durban MARKEX 2014 10 - 12 Joburg SOUTH AFRICAN BOOK FAIR 13 - 15 Cape Town SOURCE AFRICA TRADE SHOW 19 - 20 Cape Town TOP GEAR FESTIVAL 21 - 22 Durban AFRICA’S BIG SEVEN 22 - 24 Gauteng SAITEX 22 – 24 Gauteng

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JULY AFRICA PORTS AND HARBOURS SHOW 1-2 Joburg AVIATION OUTLOOK AFRICA 1–2 Joburg CAPE INDUSTRIAL SHOWCASE (CIS) 2-4 Cape Town CFESPA Africa 2014 2-4 Joburg Inferno LAN Expo 11 – 13 Joburg iPAD Mozambique 16 – 18 Joburg INFRASTRUCTURE AFRICA 21 - 22 Joburg INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CHEMICAL THERMODYNAMICS 27 – 01 Durban THE WINE SHOW 31 – 02 Port Elizabeth

EVENTS | 37

38 | ASSOCIATIONS

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SATSA: SAA Remains Best Airline in Africa

Paris New Number One City, Says ICCA

South African Airways (SAA) has been awarded the 4-Star Airline ranking for 2014 by Skytrax, the independent, global airline-rating organisation, for the 12th year in a row. The government owned and run airline remains the only carrier on the African continent to achieve this high level rating. Providing excellent customer service is one of five strategic objectives of SAA’s Long-Term Turnaround Strategy, named “Gaining Altitude”. Skytrax is the leading, independent authority on airline quality and assessment. In quality audit checks of SAA the organisation examined all product and service delivery areas across both international and domestic routes. “SAA staff is dedicated in providing our customers the best service possible,” Monwabisi Kalawe, SAA Group CEO said in a recent statement. “We have worked hard to ensure this ranking and will implement further improvements. Our position as the leading carrier on the continent is confirmed by the fact that we are still the only carrier on the African continent to have achieved the high level 4-Star airline rating.” Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax added: “SAA has both maintained and improved quality levels throughout the past year, and continues to delivering world-class product and service standard to their customers, making their 4-Star ranking well-deserved.”

With the release of the 2013 Top 20 Rankings for countries and cities, ICCA has reported another year of “continued strength in the international association meetings market”. According to a recent press release, 11,685 regularly occurring association events that rotate between at least three countries were identified by ICCA members and ICCA’s in-house research team as having taken place during 2013. This is 535 more than identified a year previously. At the top of the rankings were the USA, Germany, Spain, France and the UK, with Paris, Madrid, Vienna, Barcelona and Berlin taking the top five city rankings respectively. “It shouldn’t be surprising that our 2013 figures have demonstrated the strength of the international association meetings sector,” said ICCA CEO Martin Sirk,“since the overall picture for our industry is significantly better than has been the case for quite some time. But it should be remembered that this is a sector that has shown significant growth in every single year since the financial crisis hit the world economy in 2008. The international association meetings sector is a solid, reliable performer, in good times and bad, and the longer term trends are the most critically important factors when preparing strategic plans and investment decisions.”

ASSOCIATIONS | 39

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UFI Announces Global Competition Winners UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, brought its annual, industry-wide competitions to a close last month. The ICT and Operations competition winners were selected at recent UFI Focus Meetings held in Pozan. IFEMA from Madrid was chosen as the 2014 UFI ICT winner, while Fira Barcelona, in a tight contest with Freeman XP (USA) and UBM Tech (USA), was selected as UFI Operations & Services award winner for its entry meeting this year’s topic, “How to create an excellent attendee experience on-site.” The IFEMA winning ICT entry focused on a balance between internal corporate development and outsourcing management. The right selection of new apps, systems and tools combined with the updating of IT personnel skillsets are at the core of IFEMA’s efforts to anticipate the company’s evolving technological needs. Fira Barcelona’s winning UFI Operations & Services entry focused on the creation of an “mPowered experience” where the “m” in mPowered emphasizes the importance of mobile technology to the event experience, and “powered” highlights the active, event “experience” of the visitor. “It’s our objective with these competitions to give exhibition professionals the opportunity to exchange interesting and innovative ideas and techniques,” said Paul Woodward, UFI Managing Director, “We are always pleased to award exhibition organizations from around the world for their high-level contributions to our industry.”

ASATA Partners with the ABTA The Association of Southern African Travel Agents (ASATA) and the African Business Travel Association (ABTA) have signed a partnership pact aimed at fostering a healthy, professional business-travel sector in South Africa. The deal will allow ASATA to educate ABTA members on the importance of engaging with ASATA members when they procure travel on behalf of their corporates, while providing greater access to the association’s Travel Management Companies (TMC). “The partnership opens up exciting possibilities for the TMC and Travel Buyer sectors across South Africa, allowing greater engagement more regularly,” says ABTA founder Monique Swart. “We believe this is the foundation for a successful and thriving business-travel industry.” ABTA also shares ASATA’s vision to educate and promote professionalism within its respective community, says Otto de Vries, ASATA CEO. “The partnership will connect and strengthen the relationship between the Travel Buyer and Travel Management Companies, resulting in greater understanding of each other’s challenges and viewpoints.”

40 | DIRECTORY LISTINGS

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Cover Image: Blu Cube Exhibition Design Studio Publisher: Lance Gibbons lance@filmeventmedia.co.za Executive Editor: Katie Reynolds katie@filmeventmedia.co.za Head of Design: Sheree Steenkamp sheree@filmeventmedia.co.za Editorial & Design Co-ordinator: Kim Muller kim@filmeventmedia.co.za

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To transform your special event into an extraordinary experience contact CTICC: +27 21 410 5000 sales@cticc.co.za www.cticc.co.za