SA Tourism’s National Convention Bureau (NCB) says the 20th edition of Meetings Africa will proceed as planned despite industry concerns about delays and participation.
Speaking at a Meetings Africa pre-event media briefing on February 19, Corne Koch, Head of the NCB, said the show may have been “late out of the blocks”, particularly in appointing the event management company (EMC). “We are very well aware of the concerns and delays,” she said.
Registrations for exhibitors and attendees opened in November last year. Synergy Business Events was announced as the EMC in late January, just three weeks before the show.
However, Koch said the EMC was appointed through a tender process for a period of more than one year and will be the service provider for Meetings Africa through to 2030. The long-term appointment aims to improve continuity and sustainability, allowing the organisers to build on insights and intelligence from one edition to the next, she added.
Hosted buyer numbers
As of February 18, among the 385 confirmed hosted buyers, 308 are international participants. Koch said work is underway to attract more local hosted buyers to future editions.
The vetting process includes two levels of assessment by an external company and SA Tourism/NCB to ensure buyer quality.
In line with SA Tourism’s broader market diversification strategy, this year’s show includes a strong contingent of buyers from China and India alongside traditional core markets such as the US. Organisers aim to limit repeat attendance in order to introduce new buyers to the African market, Koch added.
Exhibition floor reconfigured
One of the main operational changes this year is a single exhibition floor. The second-floor exhibition space will not be used as all exhibitors will be accommodated on the main floor.
Koch said this will keep buyers and exhibitors in one centralised space while still allowing room for expansion in future editions.
“If the platform is created and opportunities are there, and there is conversion between buyers and exhibitors, then the show does what it’s supposed to do,” she said.
