Launch of Best in Business Tourism Marketing Awards

Industry members can either enter the awards themselves or nominate other persons or companies in eleven award categories:

• Best business tourism article
  
• Best venue marketing campaign
  
• Best destination marketing campaign
  
• Best conference
  
• Best special event
  
• Best exhibition marketing campaign
  
• Best incentive travel programme
  
• Best accommodation marketing campaign
  
• Best business tourism ambassador
  
• Best new business tourism product or service
  
• Best BusinessUnusual product or service

According to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), business tourism is "the provision of facilities and services to millions of delegates who annually attend meetings, congresses, exhibitions, business events, incentive travel and corporate hospitality."

According to Angeline Lue, GM: business tourism at South African Tourism, the business tourism industry has grown in leaps and bounds in recent years and increasing emphasis is being placed on its value to the economy. "South African Tourism's BusinessUnusual campaign, aimed at significantly growing business tourism, has also had a tremendous impact on the industry, positioning South Africa as an ideal destination for conferences and events."

Foreign business tourism arrivals in SA have increased by 30%, from 307 000 in 2002 to 398 000 in 2005. It is estimated that 2005 saw some 2.5 million business tourists - foreign and local - in SA.

Lue says Meetings Africa is the ideal platform for presenting these awards, as it has become the region's largest gathering of the business tourism industry. The annual expo, a public/private partnership between Thebe Exhibitions & Events and South African Tourism, is presented by the Gauteng Tourism Authority and is endorsed by the South African Meetings Industry Federation (SAMIF). It showcases the best products and services in South Africa's business tourism industry and is attended by local and international delegates.

Carol Weaving, MD of Thebe Exhibitions & Events, says the Best in Business Tourism Marketing Awards are a natural extension of the exhibition. "We already present a national business tourism conference preceding Meetings Africa each year, local and international industry associations have meetings at the event and all relevant tourism authorities in South Africa are involved.

"Meetings Africa also fully supports South African Tourism's BusinessUnusual campaign and this joint project to award the best in the industry will profile the event and our industry even further," she says.

Entry forms for the Best in Business Tourism Marketing Awards can be downloaded from www.meetingsafrica.co.za or www.southafrica.net. Entries and supporting documents should be submitted by 5pm on 16 February 2007, after which they will be reviewed by a panel of business tourism experts. Three finalists per category will be announced on 21 February and the winners will be announced at an event hosted by South African Tourism on 27 February. Meetings Africa itself will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre, 28 February - 1 March.