Meetings Africa 2013 Day 3 by Film & Event Media

“LET’S WORK TOGETHER TO ADVANCE AFRICA” MINISTER TELLS DELEGATES AT OPENING CEREMONY

EETINGS AFRICA 2013 opened yesterday with a strong message from National Tourism Minister, Mr Marthinus van Schalkwyk that there is a great, untapped potential for the regional business events industry, and that potential would best be realised through partnerships and through working together to make Africa the world’s favourite conferences, meetings, incentives and exhibitions destination. The Advancing Africa Together theme of Meetings

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Africa this year has been given substance, the Minister said, through a greater contingent of African exhibitors; in an African Association Day as a special event feature of Meetings Africa 2013; and in fresh resolve by the sector to make optimal use of the valuable business platform that Meetings Africa 2013 offers to negotiate, to partner and to do business. Global business event buyer numbers (at 350 by last headcount) have grown by about 70 percent on last year’s numbers. The business events industry, al-

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ready worth millions to the economy, has the potential to grow that contribution to R2.6 billion by 2017, the Minister told delegates at the Meetings Africa 2013 Opening Ceremony. Already, under the SANCB’s growth strategy, a number of events have been secured over the next few years that will attract more than 126 000 delegates to South Africa. The Minister congratulated the South African Convention Bureau on an excellent first year. When the entity was officially launched at Meetings Africa last year, he said, it announced a bold and ambitious growth strategy. Hard work and collaboration had borne fruit, he said. SANCB has laid a firm foundation for a bidding strategy that had already shown results. And the Win as One strategy that it has taken to the larger industry has united everyone to a common goal and vision for the destination. “This Meetings Africa, that extends that vision and that strategy, gives all delegates, and the entire regional industry, a valuable opportunity to push forward in our quest to make southern Africa the world’s first choice destination for conferences, events, meetings and incentives. It’s a prize that’s waiting to be claimed. And it’s up to us to go out and get it.”

South African Tourism

Published by www.theevent.co.za

Tips

Watch!

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Green Tip Delegates, organisers, visitors, buyers and exhibitors -- sign the Meetings Africa 2013 Green Pledge: http://www.meetingsafrica. co.za/download/greening/Meetings%20 Africa%202013-green%20pledge.pdf

Catch the Morning Live Broadcast from Meetings Africa on SABC2 rom 06h00-08h00

NOT TO MISS!

OPEN TO ALL CNBC-BRICS Debate O8h00 – 10h00, Boardroom 2/3 Registration for Meetings Africa Opens – 09h00, Entrance Foyer, Hall 1, SCC

Attend The CNBC-BRICS Debate from 08h00-10h00 in Boardroom 2/3 – Open to Everyone

Meetings Africa Exhibition 10h00 – 17h00, Hall 1, SCC

Morning Live Broadcast 16h00 – 08h00 , Hall 1, SCC

HOSTED BUYERS AND MEDIA

Great Gift Check out the Meetings Africa gift bags. They are made from recycled plastic bottles!

BY INVITATION ONLY

Educational Session 15h00 – 16h00, Hall 1, SCC

Hosted Buyers & Media Lunch 12h00-14h00, Bill Gallagher, SCC

Exhibitor Stand Drinks 16h00, Hall 1, SCC

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AFRICA’S TIME IS NOW!

Gala Dinner keynote speaker has strong Advancing Africa Together message for delegates

There is a celebration taking hold as this continent and its people grow in confidence. It’s a celebration of identity. And it’s a celebration of culture. The economy of Africa is growing strongly, and the economies of the various African nations are growing strongly, too, he said. “This Meetings Africa gives us all a fantastic platform to unite in our resolve and to bring fresh energy and passion to our work. Meetings Africa gives us each a platform to come together and to showcase our distinctiveness as business offerings, and as continent united, to the world. For here in Africa we offer a truly and uniquely unparalleled experience. Now, we invite the world to come and share it with us.”

STAND AWARDS

Thebe Ikalafeng

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We can inspire the world. We do inspire the world already with our brilliance.

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outh African Tourism Board Member, Thebe Ikalafeng had delegates mesmerised and transfixed on Monday evening when he delivered his keynote address at the Meetings Africa gala dinner. He delivered a strong message to all Meetings Africa 2013 delegates and the sector they represent: Our continent brims with ideas that inspire the world. We produce excellence here in Africa, and the time is ripe – right now – for each of us to take that excellence, take ownership of it and stand up to proclaim it loudly and proudly to the world. “We can inspire the world. We do inspire the world already with our brilliance,” he said.

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Large Stand TSHWANE CONVENTION BUREAU

Medium Stand CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE

Small Stand PROTEA HOTEL BALALAIKA

Green Stand SELBY’S PRODUCTIONS

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Twitter

WHAT YOU’RE THINKING AT MEETINGS AFRICA 2013

What You’ve Been Saying

We asked you what the most important topics, meetings and networks are that you’ve been involved in at Meetings African 2013

“The department of education in South Africa and other African countries should make universities understand the importance of engagement with the private sector that could result in third party income streams. That would make universities feel more of a need for public experience and stimulation of academics to bring events to South Africa” Dirk Elzinga, Consultant “A great platform to leverage business event opportunities. At the association meeting I noticed the buyers were of a good quality, which is the key ingredient for a great trade show. The gala dinner showed diversity and presented South Africa in a tangible way. It showed ‘lekgotla’ in Africa. How ‘lekgotla’ can be done, this is innovation at its best.” Nonnie Kubeka, General Manager, Gauteng Tourism Authority

@CapeTownCBD: “Great keynote speech by @ThebeIkalafeng @MeetingsAfrica – be proud of being African… Advancing Africa Together” @bruceybid: “Welcome to a place where a helping hand comes standard with a warm smile” @GoToSouthAfrica #MeetingsAfrica” @TashZoe (Natasha Zoe Marot): “The worker fairies were here last night! @MeetingsAfrica looks amazing! @GoToSouthAfrica

“Hosted buyers are top notch. The exhibition has raised the bar, mostly designer stands, custom built, which showcases the industry in Africa at its finest level.” Sue Gannon, General Manager, EXSA

@ThebeIkalafeng: “Thank you @MeetingsAfrica. I was inspired to speak to 50 guest nations abt Africa in Africa. Ours is the most inspiring continent” @Adriaanjl (Adriaan J Liebetrau): “On my way to #MeetingsAfrica from the Hatfield Gautrein Station - be ready to talk Business Africa...”

“The show has matured since the first time I attended. The fact that we are selling ourselves as a continent, it is brilliant that we attract more people who want to buy Africa, not just South Africa.” Muhammad Kahn, Managing Director, Tribal Meetings

@William_Price: “On my way to #MeetingsAfrica this morning! It’s going to be great! See you there! #SATravelTrade”

“Strong association diary, back to back meetings. Good leads that will turn into good business. Great potential to convert.” Neil Nagooroo, Sales and Marketing Manager, Sandton Convention Centre

@rainy_nomi (Nomvula Prusent): “@MeetingsAfrica - be proud of being African... Advancing Africa together!” @ThulileMahonga (Thuli Mahonga): “@MeetingsAfrica great event. Well done.” @joburgtourism: “@MeetingsAfrica taking place in Jozi, Advancing Africa Together in the business hub of the continent”

“Online diary is fantastic, the professionalism of the show is great. It’s a well organised business-focused trade show. As a first time exhibitor we are happy with our return on investment.” Conrad Kullmann, Sales and Marketing Director, 3D Group

@AllieMacDee (Allison MacDonald): “Before trade shows were simply where demand met supply. Now they’re a platform for profound positive change. Gary Grimmer at #MeetingsAfrica”

“As a local hosted buyer, it’s good to be included. This is a great platform to network and profile oneself in the region. We’ve been treated extremely well, and congratulations to NCB on a well put together hosted buyers program.” Andrew Binning, Owner, Inkanyezi Event Organisers

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Seen at Meetings Africa 2013 Kievits Kroon

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Gala Dinner

NEED TO KNOW •

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You can make a photocopy in the Business Centre which is next to the Restaurant in the main hall Exhibitors may access the free wireless internet with: Username: Meetings_Africa Password: GoRentals101 There will a discussion in the main hall from 15h00-16h00 (open to all) featuring four speakers:

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• Linda Pereira, the Executive Director of CPL Events • Bruce Rador, Gaining Edge • Dirk Elzinga, Consultant • Mati Nyazema, Executive Director, Sandton Convention Centre Exhibitors may have drinks at their stands from 16h00 for networking, but will need to organise their own catering.

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THE FLAVOUR OF MEETINGS AFRICA

- By Lesley Stones

Kefiloe Masemola

WINNER!

K “

I think 2013 will be a lucky year for the incentive industry because there seems to be a liveliness in the industry for a bright future.

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he buzz on the floor at Meetings Africa is hopefully a great indication of a bright year ahead for the business travel and conferencing industry. There’s a sense of optimism and a sense of renewed energy in the air, largely fuelled by some excellent speakers who are making this year’s Meetings Africa a memorable event. “I think 2013 will be a lucky year for the incentive industry because there seems to be a liveliness in the industry for a bright future,” said Peter John Mitrovich of the incentive travel association Site. It’s just a year since the National Convention Bureau was launched, and it appears to have had a tangible impact. At the opening ceremony, South African Tourism CEO Thulani Nzima said the bureau was meeting its very lofty goals. The theme of the conference, “Advancing Africa Together”, wasn’t so much by choice as by necessity, he said. “We are completely bound to each other economically and to a large extent politically as well,” he said. “Putting Africa first then focusing on South Africa will help us as a continent,” he said. About 70% of the 350 hosted buyers attending have never been to South Africa before, which means exhibitors are being exposed to potential business from a whole new market. If each of those buyers brought one

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business meeting to Africa, that would result in about 62,000 delegates, Thulani added. Foreign media watching the opening ceremony were fascinated by Africa’s traditions, especially opening the ceremony by blowing a kudu horn and welcoming Tourism Minister Martinus van Schalkwyk on stage with a praise singer. Yet despite the pan-African focus, many stands were promoting South Africa specifically, including major hotel groups, boutique hotels, city-specific convention bureaus and attractions including the Cradle of Humankind. For many people the Gala Dinner was a highlight, thanks to speaker Thebe Ikalafang, the founder of Brand Leadership. His entertaining speech was delivered with images showing the growth of African economies, and he stressed that Africa must stop being seen as a country in need of aid. Africans must be proud of being African and build its brand, he said. Another highlight came during the AGM for Site, from motivational speaker Robin Banks. Robin gave a very funny presentation of the power of a positive mindset. Every day you wake up with the ability to think whatever you like, and thinking positive thoughts translates into self-belief and ultimately, self-fulfilment,

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efiloe Masemola , a student at Tshwane University has won the opportunity to travel to Germany to compete in the International University Challenge in Frankfurt in May. At the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum at Meetings Africa students took part in a speaking competition. They were asked to prepare a 10 minute presentation about staging a meeting with cultural relevance. Judges selected the most impressive three entries and those students made their presentations during the Future Leaders Forum. Kefiloe was the winner. Congratulations!

he said. Let go of your baggage, he urged, stop blaming other people for your woes, and take charge of your own destiny. Then go out onto the conference floor as a warm breeze of positive energy, not an icy blast that people want to avoid. Speaker Linda Pereira was another highlight, having youngsters at the Future Leaders Forum doubled over in laughter as she recalled her own shaky career start before she found her wings. Linda was also speaking at The Big Debate, a panel discussion on subvention funds that help cities to win bids for business tourism events by paying for incentives to attract the organisers. On the exhibition floor the Matchmaking area was busy as potential buyers met representatives of local venues and services. Leighanne Dawkins of Inyati Game Reserve had 10 meetings yesterday with four more planned for today. She used the Matchmaking service to schedule appointments with international buyers attending the event. “It works fabulously,” she said. “As a private game lodge we target international buyers, but now I don’t have to do five trips to Argentina or Spain. I can see the decision-makers here and it’s really productive,” she said. “You can sit at a stand all day and not see anybody but that’s your own fault for not being proactive.”

South African Tourism

SITE PREPARES FOR THE FUTURE

- By Lesley Stones

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Procuring new, We have to think about the bigger picture, and Site is a mechanism for building relationships with people elsewhere in Africa for business opportunities.

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he local chapter of Site (Society of Incentive and Travel Executives) is launching a new training scheme to sponsor youngsters keen to enter the industry, believing its members can give them better training than the courses being run by tertiary education institutes. College and university courses in tourism are not equipped to give newcomers the skills they need to work in the incentive industry, members of Site agreed at the AGM yesterday. Last year Site sponsored a bursary, but this year members want to ensure the training the chosen student receives is properly tailored for the industry. “We are rethinking the whole programme this year so we have control of how it gets done,” said Site member Robin MacLeod. Members will be invited to nominate a student they feel will be a benefit to the industry. Several candidates will be chosen for six months of learnership, moving between various jobs to get exposure to the industry. “After six months we will select the candidate we think should have a full year working bursary,” Robin said. “We have looked at all the educational institutes and they have hospitality and tourism programmes, but nothing matches what we do. So they will work with us at incentive companies, transport companies, adventure companies and hotels.” The bursary will not lead to a recognised tertiary certificate, but the student will get a Site certificate, Robin said. “It will be invaluable to them going forward and getting a job. We think that is more valuable than subsidising tertiary education that doesn’t benefit anyone.”

Geoff Sager told the AGM that the Site chapter was solvent and had money to support this bursary scheme. Money was also available to fund additional training for members or to train non-members who would benefit from knowing more about the incentive travel industry, such as hoteliers, restaurateurs and the media. A Certified Incentive Specialist (CIS) course would be run as soon as 25 people had signed up, then trainers from Site headquarters would come to South Africa to run the two-day seminar, Geoff said. He also reassured the AGM that the small membership number in South Africa was nothing to worry about, and once it reached 60 members it would rank as one of the 10 largest country chapters in the world.

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Peter John Mitrovich gave an update of membership figures. In 2010 its membership was just short of 70, but fell to 48 in 2011 and fell even further in 2012. “The good news is that we are back up to 54 and have another five pending membership approval,” Peter said. About 70% of members are in Johannesburg and the rest in Cape Town, so a membership drive is planned for the Garden Route to broadcast the benefits of membership, he said. David Sand, the first African to serve as the Global President of Site, said his leadership role had been a hugely beneficial learning curve. It had also benefitted his business through new connections formed with other members. “Our association is a platform for buyers, sellers and suppliers to come together and connect and network,” David said. “We are focusing heavily on how to attract more buyers because at networking events it’s all very well as suppliers to smile at each other, but you want to meet potential new business people who you can attract to our destinations. So we have some really clever ideas we are going to be rolling out.” David said it was important to highlight Africa as an incentive destination, and Kenya was one particular place worth pushing. “It’s really important that business enterprises in this part of the world start looking beyond our own borders for growth. South Africa is like a fishpond with too many fish,” said David. “We have been competing and cutting each others throats for so long. We have to think about the bigger picture, and Site is a mechanism for building relationships with people elsewhere in Africa for business opportunities,” he said.

South African Tourism

EVENT PLANNER’S GUIDE TO AFRICA TAKES OFF

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he Event Planner’s Guide to Africa (EPG), a new publication providing an overview of the continent’s world-class infrastructure and events sectors, has been launched at Meetings Africa. In EPG information is available on meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions, events, and tourism. Event planners can find reasons to bring events to Africa, location information, venue spotlights, government contacts, and events industry highlights all in a stylish, easy-to-use format.

The Event Planner’s Guide to Africa is a publication of Film & Event Media, the award-winning team behind products including The Event Magazine. Publisher Lance Gibbons says, “EPG is a collective voice for the African content, showcasing the best of the best of what Africa has to offer the world in terms of Business Events. The book is designed to give a visual spectrum of services accompanied with bite-size vital information blocks. The regional spreads explain the infrastructure and capability of the location’s offering and the profile pages give companies the opportunity to highlight their value with a flare of visually appealing imagery. This being our first book launched at Meetings Africa 2013 we believe it can only grow. The distribution will prove to be the key to our success so media partnerships with all major local and international events and trade shows have been brokered. We look forward to advancing Africa together.” Film & Event Media is proud to celebrate the continued rise of the African events industry, and showcase everything Africa has to offer.

EPG is a collective voice for the African content, showcasing the best of the best of what Africa has to offer the world in terms of Business Events.

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