Meetings Africa 2009 to focus on local corporate market

In 2008 it was attended by close on 3000 visitors, including local corporate buyers, hosted international buyers and media representatives.

Comments Roshene Singh, chief marketing officer at South African Tourism, “The majority of this year's exhibitors have already indicated that they will return in 2009 and there is huge interest from first-time exhibitors.”

She says while Meetings Africa will once again incorporate a hosted international buyer programme, there will be a strong focus on attracting local corporate buyers in 2009. “Our plan is to grow Meetings Africa into a top international business tourism marketing platform, but in order to achieve this, we need to have a solid base of local delegates at the show, in response to the needs of the industry.”

The hosted international buyer programme, hosted by South African Tourism and the Department of Trade and Industry, will have more buyers than before, from SA's key overseas business tourism markets such as the UK, the US, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, China, Japan, Italy and India.

Meetings Africa is the only exhibition on the continent that offers marketing solutions for the entire business tourism industry - venues for meetings of any size, incentive travel packages, innovative ideas for events and exotic meetings destinations.

Exhibitors include airlines, conference, event and exhibition management companies, convention bureaux, destination management companies, destination marketing organisations, hotels, venues and incentive travel specialists.

Singh says South African Tourism is growing Meetings Africa in line with the Business Tourism Growth Strategy and the organisation's current marketing thrust - Moving Forward.

Meetings Africa enjoys the support of all 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.