CONFERENCES & EXHIBITIONS

New-look Meetings Africa attracting wide interest from key players

By our News Team | 2023

More than 300 exhibitors representing 15 African countries are already registered, along with 275 buyers from 45 countries.

Meetings Africa, a gathering of Africa’s various stakeholders in the meetings, incentives conferences and exhibitions sector, will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 27 February to 1 March 2023.

Speaking at the Meetings Africa 2023 media launch, South African Tourism Acting CEO, Themba Khumalo, said: “The entire global tourism sector has been through a really rough time in the last two years due to the [pandemic], but we are back with a renewed energy and we are motivated to build and grow our sector to pre-pandemic levels and beyond.

Photo courtesy of SA Tourism

“Meetings Africa aims to contribute to helping African business events players restart and grow. We want to create opportunities for Africa’s business events sector so that we can all grow back more vital than ever before. Our new look represents this new injection of energy and is an emphasis on the importance that we place on connections.

”Meetings Africa has a global, hosted buyer programme that aims to provide optimal interaction between buyers and exhibitors.

Familiarisation tours for travel buyers and mediaIn addition, SA Tourism has partnered with all nine provinces within the country to host Meetings Africa familiarisation tours for hosted buyers and media. This will enable key players in the sector to experience SA’s business events facilities and establishments.

In keeping with the spirit of renewed energy, the 2023 Meetings Africa will also, for the first time, host the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC) Summit.

“This summit will help African venues to benchmark themselves against the global standards, to brand and position themselves based on what people are looking for in an internationally recognised venue,” Khumalo explained.

To date, 275 buyers representing 45 countries have been approved to participate at Meetings Africa 2023, with almost 450 applications being vetted. A total of 305 exhibitors representing 15 African countries are currently registered to showcase their wares.

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