Meetings Africa busy with international buyer selection

13 Oct 2008

International buyers to be hosted at Meetings Africa 2009 are currently being selected from South Africa's most important global business tourism markets. To be held at the Sandton Convention Centre 25 - 27 February 2009, the annual business tourism exhibition will see at least 100 hosted international buyers attending.

Meetings Africa will be local delegates, the exhibition will also focus on the international market. “We are determined to make Meetings Africa one of the ‘must-attend' local and international industry events where conference and event organisers can shop for business tourism products and venues.

“Buyers from South Africa's most important overseas business tourism markets will attend Meetings Africa, including the UK, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, the US, Australia, Italy, India and China.

Co-hosted

“They will be co-hosted by South African Tourism and the Department of Trade and Industry - the majority of them representing the association meeting and intergovernmental conference market - and will be hosted on tours of the country's top business tourism facilities and venues.”

Singh says meetings remain the most attractive segment of the business tourism landscape. “Within this segment, we will focus most of our resources on medium- and large association meetings. We have built an extensive database of these meetings, scored them and identified the most attractive meetings to pursue. Our strategy is very focused and aimed at events that will deliver the most return on investment.”

According to Singh approximately 7% - or 652 000 - of all foreign tourists visiting South Africa in 2007 were business travellers, an increase of 7.2% over 2006. “This clearly shows how the country is gaining popularity as a meetings destination,” she says.

“We therefore encourage members of the industry - from event and exhibition managers to incentive travel specialists and convention bureaus - to participate in Meetings Africa.”

Over 200 exhibitors expected

She says some 200 exhibitors are expected to participate in Meetings Africa next year, with a significant number of first-time participants from all sectors of the industry.

“Our products are among the best in the world and Meetings Africa is the perfect platform to show that South Africa offers a unique African experience - hence our ‘Business Unusual' marketing theme.”

Meetings Africa enjoys the support of representative business tourism associations, including the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI) and the Exhibition and Event Association of Southern Africa (EXSA).

For more information, go to www.meetingsafrica.co.za.