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A MESSAGE FROM DEPUTY MINISTER TOKOZILE XASA Business events do more than just contribute to the economy

Tokozile Xasa

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Please recycle me

he year 2014 is a very important year for this country. On 27 April, South Africans will celebrate two decades of freedom and democracy. And what an exciting two decades we have had. In the last 20 years, we have been faced with the challenge of healing a nation, transforming and rebuilding a society and an economy, and re-emerging into a global marketplace from which we had been isolated for so long. As we celebrate the opening of Meetings Africa 2014, we welcome 1000 hosted buyers and approximately 260 exhibitors from countries around the world, all eager to do business with our country and our continent. Thank you also to the buyers who have come from every corner of the globe to see for themselves what makes this continent the most exciting place to host your meetings and conferences. We welcome all 190 of our international hosted buyers from just under 40 countries to our beautiful continent. We are certain that you will leave Meetings Africa 2014 inspired by how far this continent has come. You will go back home energised, inspired and confident to bring your next event to Africa and to put your business in capable hands. Then, to the South African business events industry, what a road we have travelled and what amazing feats we have achieved. To all representatives from the convention centres – from the chief executives to the events planners, the drivers, the cleaning staff, the marketing managers, the waiters, the exhibition coordinators – thank you. You are the people who have built an industry from scratch, establishing South Africa’s excellent reputation in a highly competitive market in a mere two decades. Allow me a few minutes to remind you of where we have come from and what we have achieved in the last two decades: • In 1994, the first year of our democracy, South Africa hosted 12 international association

conferences, in other words, those conferences that had met the International Congress and Convention Association’s (ICCA) ranking criteria. • Those 12 conferences brought a total of 5 950 people to our shores. By 2012, we had grown that number to 97 ICCA-recognised meetings, which attracted 52 587 delegates to the country, injecting an estimated R663 million into the South African economy. For the year 2013, we submitted 130 meetings to ICCA and we are confident of an even greater economic impact on the South African economy. According to ICCA, South Africa has hosted 1 290 international association conferences that met their criteria since 1994. • Furthermore, from having no international convention centres in 1994, South Africa boasts five today. In the last couple of years, the Eastern Cape has added two international convention centres to South Africa’s tally, namely the East London International Convention Centre (in 2010) and, last year, the Boardwalk International Convention Centre in Port Elizabeth. We also have the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria, Gallagher Estate in Midrand, as well as the expo centres at the Coca-Cola Dome and Nasrec. But business events do more than contribute to the economy. Business events create a platform to develop the country’s intellectual capital and showcase fields and sectors where South Africa demonstrates global leadership that money cannot buy. We understand very well that, in the prevailing knowledge economy, convention tourism is about more than direct tourism receipts. It also has a huge indirect impact on the country’s economy and competitiveness. • It stimulates international markets for locally produced goods and services.

•

It builds business contacts and trade and research links. • It also creates access to new technologies, new ideas and new professional networks. But it has also been about more than facilities and infrastructure; it has been about putting in place an enabling environment for growing the business events industry. In the early years of our democracy, the industry was fragmented, with industry participants fiercely competing for international business, often at each other’s expense. This has changed dramatically, and probably our most important achievement in the last 20 years is the creation of a united industry, working together to grow our global reputation for the benefit of all businesses in the sector. In 2012, we established the South African National Convention Bureau (SANCB) to provide an even more structured and focused approach. The SANCB is a onestop business events support facility for South Africa, with a clear mandate to market and sell South Africa as a business events destination. Its goal is clear: to grow business events hosted in South Africa by 50% by 2020, with firm targets in place when it comes to growing the number of delegates attending international conventions and business events, total direct spend, contribution to GDP and job creation. 20 years on since our country attained true freedom, I am proud to say that we are where we dreamed we would be. Together, we have built the infrastructure and the expertise; we have created an enabling environment for growth; we know where we want to go and, importantly, we have an industry and a government committed to taking this sector forward. As Africa grows as a destination, the world’s travel buyers are increasingly demanding one seamless, accessible experience of our continent. People are interested in experiencing as much of Africa as possible.

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TODAY’S TOP TIPS Don’t miss the Opening Ceremony from 9 - 9.30am. The Deputy Minister will officially begin proceedings. Get Involved - There is plenty to see and do at Meeting’s Africa 2014, so explore! Around every corner is a different exhibit to see. Don’t be alarmed by all the photographers and journalists scurrying around. Meetings Africa is the hottest ticket in town, so the media has descended from all corners. Say cheese! Thirsty? Quench your thirst at the Exhibitor stand cocktails from 4pm to 6pm on the main show floor. See you there!

EVENTS

Not to Miss!

06:00 - 08:00 Morning Live – Outside broadcast 07:45 - 13:00 Local Corporate Buyer Day - Hosted by Unique Speaker Bureau 08:00 - 17:00 Registrations

Scan here for Full Schedule

09:00 - 09:30 Opening Ceremony 09:00 - 18:00 Meetings Africa Exhibition Day 1 09:30 – 10:30 Official exhibition walk-about by the Minister of Tourism 11:30 – 12:30 Meetings Africa Media Face-off 12:00 - 14:00 Hosted Buyers and Media Lunch Venue 16:00 – 18:00 Exhibitor stand cocktails 18:00 – 18:30 Bus departs for hosted buyer dinner 19:00 – 23:00 International hosted buyer dinner

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ISSUE 2 MEETINGS AFRICA 2014 / 03

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EVENT GREENING FORUM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

CONGRESS early-birds can register at Meetings Africa

24th February 2014

Caleb Mabaso from Fedhasa. “Green job creation” it’s not a myth

SAACI

Quinton Naidoo from Food and Trees for Africa. Feed Africa organic farming

Grace Stead from the Event greening Forum (EGF), On behalf of greener festival. Event Greening Forum and greener festivals, are now implementing a greener festival award.

Members of the business events industry can make use of the special early-bird registration offer for the 2014 annual congress and exhibition of the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI) at Meetings Africa. “Simply visit stand E3 in the SAACI pavilion today or tomorrow to qualify for the early-bird discount,” says congress chair Merryl Fairfoot, “and get ready for the beat of a different drum, the theme of the event.” Set to take place in St Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal from 17 to 19 August, the congress will be casual and relaxed. “No stilettos, business suits or ties are needed,” says Fairfoot. “In fact, we encourage delegates to drop off their stress at the R618 turnoff to St Lucia before they arrive!” As August is high season in St Lucia, the congress organising committee is encouraging delegates to book their accommodation as soon as possible to “avoid the alternative of camping with the hippos.” Accommodation in St Lucia is well-priced and most within walking distance of the St Lucia Conference Centre and Town Hall. The programme committee has been hard at work to find topics of interest and relevance to match the diversity of businesses in the industry. “Delegates can expect a truly unique experience – a stimulating congress and exhibition,” says Fairfoot. Visit stand E3 or go to www.saaci2014.co.za for more information.

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NEW SMART MEETINGS & EVENTS FROM PARK INN Connection, Choice and Community

by Radisson guests every time they meet in our hotels,” says Eric De Neef, ‎Senior Vice President of Marketing & CRM, Global Branding Park Inn by Radisson. “We empower them to focus completely on achieving their business meeting ambitions, while we focus on delivering all the essential hardware and software of a successful meeting or event.” Smart Meetings & Events will be rolled out in SubSaharan Africa during the next two quarters of 2014.

n innovative and youthful hotel brand, Park Inn by Radisson, is designed to meet all modern expectations of an international hotel experience. A smart investment. A smart consumer choice. A smart alternative in full-service, midscale arena. A global name that you can rely on wherever you go. Park Inn by Radisson brings you a brilliant new Smart Meeting & Events hospitality concept, offering consistent Connection, Choice and Community to modern business get togethers. Smart Meetings & Events are designed to deliver the right type of smart food, drinks, event spaces and technology to support our guests’ life and work styles. The Smart Meetings & Events concept focuses on Connectivity, providing guests with Surf4Free Internet access throughout all our hotels, on smartphone, PC or tablet. Anytime. Anywhere. Fresh, colorful and engaging, Park Inn by Radisson is passionate about Choice, offering a great selection of beautiful destinations, flexible spaces, a valuable selection

of packages, plus, a uniquely delicious and nutritious Smart Food menu. Smart Food is created with love for delegates who are used to great tastes. The self-service features a selection of beautifully presented modern dishes - all a feast to the eye and soul - reflecting locality, seasonality and healthy options that our guests want. Our lean cuisine is light but truly satisfying, with a low fat, high protein content, featuring Omega 3 rich fish and healthy fruit & vegetables, all smartly designed to ensure optimum, ideas, energy and creativity. In every meeting, from start to finish. Park Inn by Radisson is also a truly Responsible Business focused on making a difference in the Communities we operate in. Through our Think Planet energy saving strategy, all carbon emissions associated with your meetings can now be offset through our Club Carlson for Planners program. “Our Smart Meetings & Events featuring Surf4Free internet is designed to create value and success for our

Park Inn by Radisson – opening soon in 2014 Brimming with life and a vibrant personality and creating a friendly, down-to-earth sense of welcome, Park Inn by Radisson can now be found all around the world – in capital cities and economic hubs, close to city centers, airports and railway stations. Our portfolio is growing faster than ever with 160 hotels and 31,000 rooms in operation or under development in 35 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The group anticipates four new Park Inn by Radisson Hotels to open in SubSaharan Africa in 2014 in Abeokuta, Cape Town, Kigali and Libreville. For more, visit www.parkinn.com.

JOBURG CONVENTION BUREAU FORGES AHEAD Succession of Global Events Lined Up for Joburg! Joburg Convention Bureau’s winning streak of successful bids continues unabated, as the city continues to make its mark as Africa’s premier business, meetings and events destination. The ever-increasing line-up of high profile international events won for Joburg include: * World Orchid Congress & Exhibition (2014) * Africities Summit (2015) * CIDESCO World Congress (2015) * IPRA World Congress (2015)

An Invitation for Cocktails from the Joburg Convention Bureau team. Please join Joburg Tourism for cocktails at their stand [C1] on Tuesday 25 February from 16h00 – 18h00.

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CITY OF TSHWANE

BRIAN

MCDONALD

Igniting Excellence

ity of Tshwane, seat of government, meeting place of the world and capital of the Rainbow Nation. In Tshwane you will experience an African city of excellence - one which blends the depth of local culture and character with world-class technology and infrastructure - all on the backdrop of natural splendour and architectural diversity. Sport, arts and culture, research and development, industry, learning and the business of running the nation are all captured in the daily lives of the city’s 2.5 million residents who make this city what it is. It is a city with a welcome as warm as its climate and for very good reasons named the best host city for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The City of Tshwane covers 6 368km² of Gauteng’s 19 055km² and stretches almost 121 km from east to west and 108 km from north to south making it the third-largest city in the world in terms of land area, after New York and Tokyo/Yokohama. The City has about 2,5 million residents. Tshwane is indeed a cultural microcosm of Africa and the world. Each of South Africa’s cultures is represented

joins up with African Agenda

here. The original residents of the Tshwane valley were the Ndebele, an offshoot of the southern Nguni people. Today the most common language spoken is Sepedi, from the Sotho group originating from the northern areas of Southern Africa. This is followed by Afrikaans, whose large community in Tshwane dates back to the late 1800s when Pretoria was the capital of a Boer republic. Other dominant local languages are Setswana, Xitsonga, isiZulu and English. There is also a strong influence of cultures brought to the area generations back by immigrants from the Orient and Western Europe who still speak their ancestral tongue and have established mini communities in the city. Alongside the rainbow people live newer arrivals from numerous African and other countries. As the administrative capital, Tshwane is the proud host of the country’s national government and houses the ministry and head office of all the national government departments. The city is thus the heart of policy development, which has changed and will continue

to change the face of South Africa. The Union Buildings, the seat of government and site of presidential inaugurations, is Tshwane’s most iconic landmark. There can be no doubt of its powerful status when one sees the majesty of the sandstone building as it watches over the city. Tshwane, as the hub for science and technology, knowledge and industry, receives a high number of national and international delegations and the city hosts various conferences and conventions related to these sectors every year. The city boasts a number of conference facilities of international standing, such as the CSIR International Convention Centre, situated on the CSIR campus, and the one-stop sports development facility at the High Performance Centre of the University of Pretoria. Tshwane is host to many inbound foreign business missions, sport and medical related conferences, seminars and workshops and government-related strategy meetings. In support of its trade and investment drive, the City of Tshwane continuously engages with international and local investors and also hosts a biannual Tshwane International Trade and Infrastructure Investment Conference. Tshwane’s ideal weather conditions and relaxed cosmopolitan composition make it the city the ideal host.

Keith Burton, Managing Director of top Professional Conferencing Organising company African Agenda has announced that Brian McDonald, founder of Global Conferences and conference organising stalwart has joined the African Agenda team This follows on the appointment of Lyrene Zimmermann who recently joined as Marketing and Business Development Director “The conference industry is going through exciting times and we at African Agenda are determined to offer world class Professional Conference Organising services. These two appointments are of major significance in our being more professional and aggressive in signing up new business” Keith’s partner, Kristen Tremeer added “Another major step forward for African Agenda has been our successful application to become a member of The International Association of Professional Conference Organizers (IAPCO), the first company in Africa to meet it’s stringent membership criteria” With over 25 years experience in the conference industry, especially working on large and prestigious events such as The World Summit on Sustainable Development (55000 participants) and the International Diabetes Federation Congress (12300 participants), McDonald said “ Retirement has been fun, my golf has improved and my herb and vegetable garden is thriving but I miss the excitement of the conference industry. I feel that I have a contribution to make in assisting African Agenda in their drive to become the most dynamic Professional Conference Organising Company in Cape Town, South Africa and sub Saharan Africa”

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IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leader’s Forum

Students taking part in the Future Leader’s Forum

esterday, industry experts led a Future Leader’s Forum that inspired and motivated students and youths to aspire to a career in the business events, meetings, conferencing and exhibitions industry, and become future leaders in their own right. Attendees were treated to expert insights from industry heavyweights from many facets of the industry, such as: • Megan Arendse from the Cape Town International Convention Centre (Venues) • Keith Burton from African Agenda (PCO) • Brian Powling from Sugo Projects (Event

The Future Leader’s Forum sparked some interesting debates.

• •

Suppliers) Charmaine Elliott from CME Décor (Event Design) Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo from the South African National Convention Bureau (Exhibition/ Convention Bureau)

Sound Bites: There is nothing as satisfying as saying “I was a part of that” – Keith Burton Find your niche. There are so many elements to this industry; if you are passionate about it, you will find your space – Megan Arendse

Dale Hudson, Events and Projects Director, IMEX Group On what she thinks of Africa’s Future Leaders: “I think they’re amazing. This is the second year now that we’ve been doing the Future Leaders Forum and everybody’s engaged, they’re all eager to learn. The forum helps them put everything in perspective so that they can see where everything links within the industry, which is something that is definitely lacking in the academic world.” How the forum has changed since last year: We’ve actually changed the programme a little bit because we have fifteen future leaders around the world and we thought that the students understood what a

PCO and a DMC were. We realised last year that this was not the case. What we’ve done this year is alter the programme and actually try and explain everything. “It’s kind of confusing because it’s so broad and you don’t know exactly where you will be in the future, or which industry you will fit into. It’s quite hard just to figure out what you want to do. I don’t know yet what I want to do, but maybe I will go into meetings. In the course of the day maybe there will be a lightbulb!” - Serge Hardneck, (one of the fifteen Future Leaders)

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WHY AFRICA IS SET for a period of rapid hospitality industry growth

Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! Menlyn

anny Bryer is Director of Sales, Marketing and Revenue for the Protea Hospitality Group, which is the largest hotel group in Africa with 116 hotels in seven countries, encompassing the Protea Hotels, African Pride Hotels and Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! brands. The hospitality industry in Africa is set for a period of rapid growth that will see the creation of thousands of new jobs and supporting infrastructure on the back of an expectation of approximately 200 000 new hotels rooms in the next five years. As an overview, consider the October 2013 data released by STR Global, which provides hotel statistical information covering performance data, forecasts, annual profitability, pipeline and census information from around the world. According to their Middle East/ Africa hotel development pipeline data, there are 493 hotels being built or in the final planning phase, that in the next two to three years will create nearly 120 000 additional rooms. And that’s not counting the hundreds of hotels that are in the early planning stages in sub-Saharan Africa, the economic region that is arguably causing the most excitement in hospitality and many other industries across the globe. But why are the largest international hospitality brands so keen to expand into Africa, and why have so many of them failed to make the impact they’d hoped in economies that are growing at a substantially faster rate than most other countries in the world? The answer is quite simple: Doing business in Africa is not for sissies. The continent offers up unique challenges to development that are rooted in decades – even centuries

– of economic depression and these circumstances still shape the thinking and trading practices of many African nations. This cannot be wiped out in a single generation, which makes it very difficult for international companies with cookie-cutter global formulas to walk in and simply set up shop with the expectation of success – no matter what the industry. And business does want to come here. It’s not difficult to see why if one does a quick analysis of the untapped mineral and energy wealth spread across the continent, which in turn spawns a host of supplementary and supportive industries. Add an abundance of cheap labour and the picture becomes very rosy indeed. Africa has in recent years largely woken up to the fact, though, that it no longer wants to simply export raw materials and grow foreign economies with those multi-billion dollar supportive industries. African nations want this development on home soil, and that is starting to be reflected in the reshaping of the continent’s economic policies. In fact the 21st century is the first period in at least 300 years that much of Africa is not only at peace, but politically stable and economically hungry in a way that will see development for countries rather than colonial powers or cronies. For a quick overview, study some of the GDP growth predictions across the continent: • Nigeria, which is poised to take over from South Africa as the continent’s economic powerhouse, has a predicted GDP growth of close to 7% for 2014; • Ghana with its Jubilee oil ﬁelds, is likely to exceed that at closer to 8%; • Uganda, which has discovered oil in the

Albertine Rift Valley, has a GDP growth outlook of around 5.5%; and, • Even Rwanda’s agriculture-based economy is predicted to grow by more than 4%. Coupled with African countries hungry for growth, though, comes the multinational corporates’ insecurity about massive investment in emerging markets, and it’s not unfounded. On January 27 Brazil’s central bank chief Alexandre Tombini predicted that the “vacuum cleaner” of rising interest rates in the developed world would force emerging economies to follow suit. And in the subsequent three days he was proved right; India’s central bank has raised interest rates, as have Turkey and South Africa, which had kept its prime lending rate at 5% since the middle of 2012. Recently, Argentina’s currency has also taken as much of a battering as the Rand. Emerging economies that were previously complacent are being picked off by developed markets while they’re scrambling to defend themselves. And all this brings one full circle, back to my original point that doing business in Africa takes nerves of steel and more than a bit of know-how. There are two ways for international groups to set up shop. The first is dive in and pray that the power and recognition of your brand will bring sustained business to your door. Numerous multinationals have tried that. Some have succeeded, but many have failed miserably. The second is to use local knowledge and create partnerships with African companies that grew on this continent and have thrived here. The Protea Hospitality Group is currently undergoing just such a marriage. Marriott International has bought the hotel management company and intends to retain

the brands that have succeeded in Africa for 30 years. It has recognised that to rapidly expand its market share in sub-Saharan Africa you have to know how to conduct business in a unique economic landscape, and that knowledge can only come from experience. Protea Hospitality Holdings currently has 116 hotels with 10,148 rooms in seven African countries. With the Protea Hospitality Holdings acquisition, Marriott International is becoming the largest hotel company in the Middle East and Africa region, nearly doubling its distribution here to more than 23 000 rooms. At the same time Marriott International is planning to develop 25 new hotels under its various brands in Africa with a total of 4 655 new rooms – 11 of those hotels in subSaharan Africa. Like most other global hospitality companies, Marriott International sees the untapped potential on the continent and wants to put down roots. The “why” is easily explained by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, which reported that Africa saw approximately 52 million international tourist arrivals in 2012 (the latest figures available), a 6% increase over the previous year. In 2012 Africa’s revenue from tourism increased by 2.8% to US$34 billion, which is a desirable pie in anyone’s book. The UN Commission for Africa pegs the continent’s overall growth for 2014 at 5.3% based on “the expansion of agricultural production, robust growth in services and a rise in oil production and mining”. Exports are also expected to grow, says the Commission, along with a resurgence in domestic demand driven by consumption and investment. What this means is that there will be a rapidly increasing number of corporate travellers across Africa in the next five years; not only to the traditional capital city destinations, but also to the regional economic development nodes that are springing up in many countries. And as it is across the world, hospitality in Africa is growing on the back of corporates sending travellers into increasingly prosperous nations. Perhaps the most pleasing result of this process, though, is the rise of the African traveller. The Protea Hospitality Group has already seen a statistically significant increase in the number of domestic, cross-border and cross-continental travellers in the past three years. We expect this upward curve to continue as economies develop and create a growing middle class of millions of people in countries across the continent; consumers with disposable income who will travel for business and pleasure. Other multinationals wanting to enter Africa’s vibrant, exhilarating and sometimes downright scary business environment could do worse than to take a leaf out of Marriott International’s book and seek local partners with African expertise, which will ultimately grow their revenue base and boost Africa’s economic development. That way, everyone becomes a winner.

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SEEN AT Bond Day Meetings Africa 2014 - 24th February

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WHAT YOU’RE THINKING At Meetings Africa 2014

od Cameron, Executive Director of IACC (International Association of Convention Centres) and Executive Director of the Joint Meetings Council, explains his enthusiasm about Meetings Africa 2014. The importance of Meetings Africa is that this event is happening in a really exciting time of growth and development in the industry in Africa. One of the things I’ve seen in the time I’ve been here is the industry in Africa is doing a wonderful job of taking advantage of the mistakes that we in the industry have made in other parts of the world over a long period of time. By skipping over the mistakes and learning from past lessons, Africa can take advantage and develop the industry immensely. Many of the challenges faced and overcome means that Africa can conduct itself more effectively. It reminds us of the huge potential and huge growth in the industry in Africa over the past few years, and by having an event like this, it allows people from all over the world who have perhaps gone through some of these stages of growth and development to share what they learned with people who are going through that process now in this country, and enabling them to take advantage of that learning. This is very exciting at any time, but particularly exciting when it’s happening at a phase of growth as intense as it is here in this industry in Africa.

“

Rod Cameron

LINDA PEREIRA

Meetings Africa is happening in a really exciting time of growth and development in the industry in Africa.

“

Fires Up Association Leaders

A Linda Pereira

ssociation Day began with attendees sharing their issues and solutions for the industry, after which Linda Pereira, Executive Director at CPL Events in Portugal, fired them up with a bold and confident keynote address. She called on associations and their leaders to rise up and market themselves to the international meetings industry as opposed to waiting on their respective countries, convention bureaux and tourism boards to take action. When asked how South Africa could better itself as a meetings and business events destination, she said it was already well on its way to success. “I always think that South Africa is doing really well. South Africa is an engine for the rest of Africa so it’s actually a way of knowing how Africa is doing when you know how South Africa is doing. However, I do think that

although South Africa is very much present in forums that involve suppliers or that involve ICCA, they are not often present; I don’t see associations themselves as being very proactive. I don’t see them in the meetings we go to. I don’t see them competing and bidding. I don’t see them on international committees and taking leadership roles within associations. And I think maybe that is where convention bureaux and the community and the governments should focus for the future so that associations are self-confident enough to take a proactive leadership role internationally. To volunteer to sit on international committees. To volunteer to sit on international boards. That way, they will have a voice of influence and when one voice is influential, the rest just follow.”

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE TWITTERSPHERE Meetings Africa @SA_NCB #Didyouknow: Exhibitors to #MeetingsAfrica14 can buy a tree from Food and Trees for Africa to oﬀset their carbon footprint.

Sandton Convention @SandtonEvents @SA_NCB Welcome to Sandton Convention Centre. We look forward to hosting #MeetingsAfrica14

Allison MacDonald @AllyMacDee Hive of activity at #MeetingsAfrica2014 #BondDay is going to be fantastic. Go check out the lineup here http://www.meetingsafrica.co.za @SA_NCB

Kim Friend @ISO_Q_Events @SA_NCB starts today. Really looking forward to this phenomenal event

African Agenda @AfricanAgenda Loving the talk around #greenmeetings at #MeetingsAfrica14 @SA_NCB, next year there should be an award for the Greenest Exhibitor/ Stand!

Rashid Toefy @Rashid_Toefy Good morning folks - Africa is the new meetings, events and conference frontier, let’s make it happen at #MeetingsAfrica14

Trendsmap SthAfrica @TrendsSthAfrica #meetingsafrica14 is now trending in South Africa http://trendsmap.com/za

Meetings Africa @SA_NCB Communities and government want to see more than just the money coming into the industry. Rod Cameron. #MeetingsAfrica14

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ISSUE 2 MEETINGS AFRICA 2014 / 13

STAND DESIGNERS Bringing Fresh Innovation to the Events Industry

3D Design

The Exhibitionist

Pro Group

very real business event or trade show has a variety of stands – be they large, small, original or boring. Yet we regularly forget how important they are to the industry and how much they impact business. “A beautifully designed exhibition stand is an essential tool in face-to-face marketing scenarios such as exhibitions,” says Jennifer Gibson, owner of The Exhibitionist, a specialised exhibition-stand company. “It creates an opportunity to differentiate your brand from your competitors and brings an innovative and creative medium to marketing your brand in a 3D form.” Progroup Manufacturing’s General Manager, Jaques Swanepoel, agrees. “Your exhibition stand creates a first impression with prospective clients on the show floor,” he says, “An inviting stand will encourage traffic flow onto your occupied space.” An immense amount of effort and design goes into constructing the perfect stand. The Exhibition Association of Southern Africa (EXSA) recognises this effort through its annual awards for the best and most innovative stand design. In 2013, 3D Design, The Exhibitionist, Progroup, SSQ Exhibitions and Scan Display won multiple EXSA Best Stand awards for custom-built stands ranging in size from 12 square metres to 201 square metres and over.

“Scan staff regularly visit overseas shows and conferences for inspiration and to keep abreast of the latest trends in the global industry,” says Heather Hawes of Scan Display. “Scan takes a group of designers and senior staff members to Euroshop, the world’s leading retail trade fair, which is held in Düsseldorf, Germany every four years. The Scan team always returns from Euroshop inspired with new ideas.” Swanepoel says that focusing creativity around the exhibitor’s needs also plays a huge role in finding the perfect idea, and SSQ Exhibitions’ Marketing Executive, Laurette Sibiya agrees. “We dedicate hours of strategic planning and research towards understanding the client brand, exhibition marketing objectives, and the message they intend to communicate. This understanding is then translated through customised and innovative exhibition designs.” Budget, clients and sustainability also play a part in the design and often stand between the designer and the final product. “The biggest challenges in sustainable stand building in the custom built sector are primarily in the entrenched nature of the industry,” says Swanepoel. “We are constantly chafing against equation of innovation versus time or site versus budget. Recyclable materials are generally pricey, and would need to be reused in the identical structure. Alternatively, many

sustainable structures are time consuming.” He goes on to say that Progroup is “tackling this conundrum stand by stand”. Global and local trends also play a huge role in the design. Many stand designers have noted that 2014 is the year for LED displays. “LED lighting makes it easier and more convenient to backlight and enhance effects on stands in almost any colour,” says Jacques Jacobs, Head of Design at 3D Design. Hawes echoes his words of wisdom, as does Swanepoel, “Some forthcoming trends we anticipate are printed fabric in invisible frames, LED and halo lighting, matte finishes rather than gloss in paints and laminates, 3D textured finishes to panels and surfaces, amongst others.” Greener designs are also being adopted more and more often. Hawes explains Scan Display’s greening initiatives at Meetings Africa 2014: “After the event, carpeting will be donated to charities, waste will be sorted for recycling and Bokashis will be used to recycle food waste. Renewable energy will be used to power the event and trees will be planted to offset the event’s carbon footprint.” Initiatives such as the Events Greening Forum also tackle sustainability issues in stand design. A number of events companies and associations monitor and create incentives or awards to promote greener stand design. International associations such as IFES (International Federation of Exhibition and Events Services) and EDPA (Exhibit Designers & Producers Association) also keep design companies abreast of international developments. Another major trend in the industry is the use of more and more fabric graphics and stretch fabrics. “Fabric is lightweight, making transportation easy. It is easy to store and less likely to be damaged,” says Hawes. Jennifer Gibson, owner of The Exhibitionist expects more unprocessed products such as raw wood this year, as well as “more versatility in general lighting, task lighting and detail lighting,” she says. “It seems as though a lot more corporates will be exhibiting in 2014 so I think our challenge is to keep creative in designing more mature looking stands while bringing innovation into the existing CI of our clients’ brands.”

TIPS FOR CREATING AN ORIGINAL DESIGN • • •

• • • •

Always look around and stay open to what is new and current Research emerging trends and techniques Allow for adequate brainstorming time Accurate and detailed client brief, with all details and objectives clarified Good lighting is critical for a successful stand Engaging graphics make a big diﬀerence to the stand’s impact Often the simpler the solution is the more striking one Don’t be afraid to try something new – there has to be a way to create it somehow

NOTABLE STANDS OF 2013 • • • • • • • • •

Scan Display at Markex Johannesburg Standard Bank, commissioned by Eventworx for Euro Finance (Scan Display) Tadbik CLP Group at Propak Africa 2013 (SSQ Exhibitions) Tsogo Sun at Tourism Indaba 2013 (SSQ Exhibitions) Infiniti at JIMS 2013 (SSQ Exhibitions) ERNC at Mining Indaba (2013 and 2014 – Progroup Manufacturing) Elvey Security at IFSEC SA 2013 (Progroup Manufacturing) Konika Minolta at Propak 2013 (The Exhibitionist) Sandvik outdoor stand at Bauma Africa (The Exhibitionist)

14 / MEETINGS AFRICA 2014 ISSUE 2

THE EVENT PL ANNER’S GUIDE TO AFRICA IS THE WIDELY ACCL AIMED PREMIER MARKETING TOOL FOR AFRICA’S BUSINESS EVENTS INDUSTRY.

VISIT US AT STAND A6

CONTACT SHAUN ROSS Tel: 021 674 0646 | email: shaun@filmeventmedia.co.za

www.meetingsafrica.co.za

ISSUE 2 MEETINGS AFRICA 2014 / 15

WHAT’S NEW At Sun International A new plume for The Palace The Palace of the Lost City, opened in December 1992, has always been luxurious in every facet of its fabulous design. It now offers discerning guests two new restaurants conceived under the watchful eye of executive chef Nicholas Froneman and food and beverage manager Crawford Day. Plume and Grill Room at the Palace were opened this past October. Arguably the highlight of these two is Plume, a modern Afro-chic restaurant with AfroFrench fusion cuisine that both reflects our heritage and takes inspiration from French modern cooking with techniques and presentation like sous-vide and elements of molecular cuisine. Table Bay Hotel’s Camissa the new social hotspot this summer You’ve seen the splendour of Cape Town, heard its lively beat and felt the warmth of its people. Now complete the experience by tasting the best the region has to offer at the Table Bay Hotel’s newest brasserie Camissa. The brasserie is named after the Khoisan word for Cape Town, offers diners a relaxing and sensory experience while overlooking the busy, working harbour inside the scenic V&A Waterfront. Camissa also includes a separate wine bar and wine tasting room and an elegant private dining space for those special occasions. The Royal Livingstone Hotel For the seventh year running, Sun International’s Royal Livingstone Hotel has been awarded the World Travel Award for Leading Hotel in Zambia. The award is regarded as the highest achievement in global leisure. “We are obviously delighted to be voted as Zambia’s leading hotel again,” says General Manager

Joanne Selby. “Winners of the World Travel Awards are regarded as very special brands that commit themselves to being the very best in every aspect of the customer experience.” This latest award follows the Royal Livingstone being recognised as one of the Best Hotels in the World according to the 18th annual edition of the Travel + Leisure’s 2013 World’s Best Awards. It’s Business Unusual at The Maslow - an oasis of luxury in the heart of Sandton’s financial district At The Maslow, we believe in the power of the meeting. It’s where connections are made and where conversations are started. That’s why no effort has been spared to ensure that every business occasion at Sun International’s new 281-room specialist business hotel is a guaranteed success from concept to completion. Twelve state-of-the-art meeting rooms are the ideal venue for business meetings and smaller conferences, while the beautifully appointed multidivisional ballroom offers a range of seating and catering options accommodating up to 400 people seated ballroom style, and up to 600 people seated cinema style. For added convenience, complimentary shuttles to and from the Sandton Gautrain station and the iconic Sandton City shopping centre are available to all guests. Guests in transit can while away a few hours in the comfortable Wayfarer Lounge while reading the complimentary daily newspapers, or filling up on a selection of complimentary teas, coffee, muffins and fresh fruit. There is also a rejuvenating rain forest shower, fresh clean towels and luxurious bathroom amenities where one can wash away fatigue after a long trip, or freshen up before a late flight. Visit us at Stand D9

ICCA AFRICA CHAPTER Client Supplier Workshop 24th February 2014

Martin Sirk - ICCA CEO