No conventional centre

"Moving Decorex from Spier Estate at Stellenbosch to the CTICC in Cape Town has made this, the fourth Decorex experience in the region, much more accessible," said Carol Weaving, Managing Director, South Africa RAI, "visitors were keen to be part of a show undeniably on a par with international décor and design trade shows held in Stockholm, Milan, London and Frankfurt."

Incorporating Kitchens, Bathrooms, Etcetera, visitors were treated to the best in design and practical innovations for these important living spaces. Additional innovations were the "Sanlam Contemporary Living Housescape", which showed off room settings from leading design companies, a mini-exhibition by the Cape Craft Design Institute (CCDI) and a champagne bar.

The next event to be hosted by South Africa RAI at CTICC will be the Cape Tourism Showcase, which will run from 15-17 August. Also known as the Mini Indaba, the Cape Tourism Showcase will form part of an exciting trio of tourism experiences that will also include the Flight Centre Expo and Shirley Shearer's Outdoor Adventure Expo. The shows will together fill the venue to capacity.

"The fact that we can run three exhibitions concurrently demonstrates the versatility of CTICC," adds Weaving.

She explains that South Africa RAI is particularly pleased to be involved in the Cape Tourism Showcase. The show is dedicated to the offerings of Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) who have traditionally been precluded from exhibiting in shows because of the costs involved.

To overcome this limitation, an idea evolved among the South African Tourism Services Association (SATSA), Western Cape Tourism, the Tourism Enterprise Programme (TEP) and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, to join forces to assist SMMEs to market their travel and tourism offerings at such a show.

"South Africa RAI was approached to provide logistical support to SMMEs and we gladly took this on as a worthy social responsibility project," says Weaving. "By giving SMMEs a step-up, we are giving them a chance to grow and, in due course, participate in the main Indaba event."

The organisation is providing logistical support for the 145 SMMEs who will participate in the show. This will include call centre advice seven days a week, intensive pre-show training and setting up basic shell schemes for exhibitors.

The Flight Centre Expo, also managed by South Africa RAI, will offer a veritable feast of holiday packages and airfares at cut-throat rates. Many of these will be available only for the duration of the show, which Weaving expects will attract a large number of visitors to the exhibition.

Weaving believes the CTICC will also excellently serve the broader Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector, which annually pulls in a host of international visitors and hence, presents great opportunities for the tourism and travel sector.

"We have identified Cape Town as a major growth area for South Africa RAI and believe there are many new and exciting opportunities for the event and exhibition industry in this area. The opening of the Cape Town Convention Centre provides a prestigious venue ideally suited to facilitate this expansion. Consequently, we intend to make the fullest use of the centre and intend hosting and developing many additional events and exhibitions, which have not been hosted in Cape Town before. To reinforce our commitment to the area we have plans to open an office in Cape Town," she concludes.