Taylor follows talk with action - roadshows planned

THE Cape Town Convention Bureau will be going on a roadshow this week to demonstrate how venues and destinations in the Western Cape can tap into the lucrative meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) market. "We will be meeting with Convention Bureau members in Paarl, Worcester, Caledon, George and Oudtshoorn, to outline how venues and destinations can capitalise on the profitable MICE market," says Rick Taylor, chief executive officer of Cape Metropolitan Tourism: Cape Town Convention Bureau. This follows his statement made earlier this week in which he urged industry players to tap into this market. Research commissioned by South African Tourism and conducted by Grant Thornton Kessel Feinstein, revealed that on a macro scale the total MICE industry contributes an estimated R20bn annually to the South African Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This represents some 246 000 jobs, with R6-billion being paid in salaries annually and no less than R4-billion in taxes accruing to the government. "It is clear the MICE tourism market is a highly profitable one," says Taylor. (Adéle Mackenzie)