You are on page 1of 4

Knowledge economy and innovation - A firm focus for

Meetings Africa 2016

28 January 2016

Meetings Africa 2016


Meetings Africa, the premier business events trade show hosted annually by South African Tourism,
has, this year, attracted the best minds in the global business events industry for its eleventh edition
due to take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from the 22nd to the 24th February. With a bevy
of global business events experts and top-calibre international speakers ready to share valuable
insights into global best practises and trends, Meetings Africa 2016 is gearing up for its most
prestigious edition yet and is set to be of immense value to all attendees and to the overall growth of
this tourism sector.
The business events industry cuts across the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events (MICE)
sectors. Positioned as, Advancing Africa Together, Meetings Africa is the perfect platform hosted by
the South Africa National Convention Bureau (SANCB), a unit of South African Tourism. The trade
show is designed to contribute to the growth of Africas potential as the worlds fastest growing and
most sought-after business events destination.
The business events industry is a great driver of economic development and South Africas business
events strategy is focused on building and accelerating its knowledge. South Africa is leading from
the front in continental collaboration and partnerships to grow our own industry and contribute
towards growing continental capacity and ultimately spearhead profound transformation in Africa,

says Acting Chief Executive Officer at South African Tourism, Ms Sthembiso Dlamini.
The SANCB has over the past few years, increased and continued its investment in utilising
Meetings Africa as a strategic vehicle to unearth opportunities for the country and the rest of the
continent.
A new and exciting element at this years Meetings Africa is the addition of the European Cities
Market (ECM) Summer School scheduled to take place just ahead of Meetings Africa from the 19th
to the 21st of February. Keenly anticipated, this will be the first time that this initiative happens in
South Africa. Usually hosted only in Europe, the Summer School in Johannesburg is a tailor-made
course for partner organisations in the business events industry such as convention bureaux, hotels,
DMCs and convention centres. It will cover topics and subjects aimed at improving South Africas
global competitiveness and will showcase the most up-to-date trends in the Meetings Industry.
Speakers include:
Jonathan Cohen, owner of the destination marketing specialist company Azimuth Marketing
Communications in the United Kingdom(UK)Barbara Jamison, Head of Business Development at the
London Convention Bureau;Mark Spivey, Director of International Sales at Maritim Hotels in the
UKAnja Loetscher, Director of the Geneva Convention Bureau in SwitzerlandAnne Wallin Rodven,
Convention Director of Oslo Promotion Visitors and Convention Bureau in NorwayItalys Pier Paolo
Mariotti, Meeting manager at EURAC Research and managing director of the EURAC and TIS
Convention Centre
With knowledge economy and innovation top on the agenda, Meetings Africa 2016 also boasts a high
number of international and regional buyers under one roof. We are very thrilled by this. By learning
from our global partners, we can gain great insights into the structure and functioning of our
industry, and advance the global competitiveness of the Africa continent as a whole, says Amanda
Kotze-Nhlapo, Chief Convention Bureau Officer at the SANCB
On Sunday, February 21, the African Society of Association Executives (AfSAE), which was launched
at Meetings Africa last year, will officially open its Johannesburg office in a ribbon-cutting ceremony
with hosted buyers and stakeholders.This is one of the many ground-breaking and innovative
developments at this years show because through this association, we will be able to encourage
meetings to be held and rotated across our own continent and thus benefitting our African economy.
The first official day of the actual trade show (22 February) also known as BONDay (Business
Opportunities Networking Day) will be held and features a variety of global, regional and local
speakers imparting knowledge on an array of topics affecting the business events industry.BONDAY
is designed to equip the industry, providing educational sessions for them to learn news trends and
therefore further their business. BONDay is also about networking.
Other events on BONDay include:

IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leader Forum Africa,


encouraging the best performing students in travel and
tourism to make a career in business events, find
mentors and untap their innovation, enthusiasm and
passion for the benefit of the industry. It is important to
mention here that last years winner of this title then
went on to win the international title at IMEX Frankfurt
in Germany. She really did us proud and once again,
showed that Africa is more than capable of hosting big
events.AIPC Africa Summit. AIPC, AIPC represents a global network of more than 175 leading
convention centres in 57 countries with the active involvement of more than 900 management-level
professionals. This is the second AIPC Africa Summit taking place in collaboration with Meetings
Africa. The AIPC Africa Summit at Meetings Africa is structured as a one-day event featuring a
combination of formats to address key topics of interest to this rapidly developing region in a global
context, drawing on the knowledge and expertise that will be participating in Meetings Africa
supplemented by specialist presenters.At the Business Events Associations Joint Conference we will
be Advancing Africa Together by inspiring an industry. This full day workshop is a collaboration
between EXSA, EGF, IFEA Africa and SAACI bringing together top international and local speakers
offering a new and exciting glimpse in on their field of interest and expertise. This is the second year
that the business events associations have joined forces to offer the industry a unified BONDay
programme. The theme for 2016 is inspiring an industry, together with representation off all the
associations our speakers line-up includes five international speakers and four local speakers
covering topics such as the important of delivering a wow site inspection to using your branding
correct all with a strong entrepreneurial focus.Aimed at Professional Conference Organisers
Convention Bureaus, Convention Centres and large Conference Hotels the IAPCO Bespoke Seminar
(International -. IAPCO, deliverers of industry training worldwide, present a Seminar on Winning
Tactics with speakers representing IAPCO and PCMA.Event Greening Forum AGM. The Event
Greening Forum (EGF) is hosting their annual general meeting during BONDAY at Meetings Africa
2016. As Meetings Africa we would like to set an example and show our commitment to educating
and transforming the business event industry to contribute towards greening and
sustainability.Corporate Business to Business Speed Marketing Sessions - Meetings Africa will host
yet another meaningful opportunity for exhibitors to participate in the VIP Local Corporate B2B
Session at the 2016 edition. We have again partnered with Unique Speaker Bureau to host local
corporate buyers at the 2016 show targeting 45 VIP Local Corporate Hosted Buyers to meet up with
45 participating exhibitors. Each participating exhibitor will have an opportunity to meet with each
Local Corporate VIP in one day at Meetings Africa 2016.Local Corporate Buyer Event - this Unique
Speaker Bureaus flagship event at Meeting Africa 2016, will showcase exciting new local talent as
well as International speakers who are todays thought leaders. In addition, Unique Speaker Bureau
will be leading the speaking industry by launching exciting new emerging speakers.
On Tuesday, February 23, Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom will officially open the show, and in his
address will set the tone for what Meetings Africa 2016 hopes to achieve. This will be followed by a
panel discussion where the impact of a countrys image on its business events industry will be
discussed.
The final day of Meetings Africa features the Green Stand Awards ceremony for the top green stands
at Meetings Africa.
Meetings Africa 2016 is expected to attract over 600 international, local and regional buyers looking

for venues to host everything from high-level exhibitions and conferences to small corporate
meetings.

For more information on Meetings Africa 2016, please


visit www.meetingsafrica.co.za to register to attend.
For any queries please contact:
Thandiwe Mathibela
Communications Manager at South African Tourism
Email: thandiwe@southafrica.net
Telephone number: (011) 895 3177
http://www.southafrica.net/za/en/news/entry/news-knowledge-economy-and-innovation-a-firm-focus-f
or-meetings-africa-2016

You might also like