South African Tourism will participate at one of the world’s leading exhibitions for the global conference, incentives, events, business travel and meetings industry – EIBTM that takes place in Barcelona, Spain in December.
EIBTM
gives exhibitors a platform to promote their meetings destination capabilities to international hosted buyers, other exhibitors and trade visitors.
The South African Tourism pavilion will have a twofold focus: firstly, it will create awareness of South Africa as a prime business tourism destination by marketing the upcoming Meetings Africa exhibition in 2010, and secondly it will highlight the impact of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World CupTM on the business tourism landscape in South Africa.
“We want to create awareness about South Africa as a more than capable destination for global meetings and incentives. We also want to invite international buyers to participate at Meetings Africa 2010 where they will get a first hand opportunity to experience what South Arica offers as a business tourism destination,” says Nomasonto Ndlovu, Global Manager of Business Tourism at South African Tourism.
Meetings Africa is the largest annual gathering of delegates, exhibitors, journalists and tourism product buyers on the African continent. It is a B2B business tourism exhibition that is supported by professional educational programmes, networking and is underpinned by an international hosted buyers programme.
South African Tourism, Ndlovu says, is intent on growing the Business Tourism sector as it is already lucrative and shows huge potential for growth.
“In 2008 Business Tourism represented 6 percent of total foreign arrivals to South Africa and this figure is increasing year on year. In 2007 Business Tourism contributed R2.6bn to the South African economy, in 2008 the figure had grown to over R3 billion. Meetings Africa is our biggest marketing initiative to grow this market and we will be promoting it heavily at EIBTM.”
Furthermore, South African Tourism wants to take full advantage of international soccer fever during this time, as the EIBTM event takes place just before the 2010 FIFA World CupTM final draw in Cape Town.
“Our brightly coloured pavilion, with diski dancers, vuvuzelas sounding and our exhibitors wearing their Bafana Bafana shirts, will be a hub of excitement. EIBTM is an excellent opportunity to showcase not only our fantastic capability to host big events and conferences, but also to show the warmth and incredible beauty of South Africa – all the crucial elements for a premier business tourism destination.”
Ndlovu goes on to say: “We want to focus on the impact that 2010 developments are having on our destination: the modern hotels that accommodate big groups easily; the upgraded infrastructure such as the US$1.16bn revamping of our airports and the US$5.7bn invested into creating state of the art facilities such as the Gautrain, the new rapid rail system that gives commuters easy and rapid access to numerous key points in the Johannesburg/Tshwane commercial and industrial hub of South Africa."
"Combine these elements with South Africa’s breathtaking natural beauty and we have a more powerful meetings destination to take to EIBTM.”
In addition, the South African embassy in Spain is coordinating a press conference on Tuesday 1 December at which Tourism Minister, Mr Marthinus van Schalkwyk will address the global media on the infrastructure developments in South Africa in anticipation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and its impact on making South Africa a prime business tourism destination.
Minister van Schalkwyk will also be present at a networking and cocktail function for exhibitors and visitors that will be hosted at the South African Tourism pavilion.
For more information, visit Meetings Africa
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