Business Events Africa December 2018 Vol 38 No 12

www.businesseventsafrica.com

Voice of the Business Events Industry in Africa

Vol 38 No 12 December 2018

Celebrate | Live | Work | Play

Leandra

2 months ago

The grand reception staircase gives you a wonderful entrance into the hotel lobby. If you need anything, the hosts will make you feel at home.

Don’t fall for online reviews. Whenever you take a Sho’t Left, always book graded accommodation.

Business Events Africa: Serving the business events industry for 38 years

CONTENTS

VOL 38 NO 12 DECEMBER 2018

10

africa.com

vents www.businesse

in Africa nts Industry Business Eve Voice of the

Celebrate

Vol 38 No 11

November 2018

ork | Play | Live | W

About the cover Avianto: A village made in heaven For over 21 years Avianto, in Muldersdrift, has been a beacon of excellence for conferencing, weddings, team building, exhibitions and events.

Starting as a wedding venue, it has evolved to become one of the top events destinations in Johannesburg.

Special Features 10 REPORT BACK | RECORD-BREAKING ICCA CONGRESS CONCLUDES IN DUBAI The 57th ICCA Congress, one of the most prestigious events in the international association meetings industry calendar, recently took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with more than 1Â 150 senior meetings industry professionals and association meeting planners from over 75 countries in attendance.

12 2019 PREDICTIONS Business events industry leaders take a look into the crystal ball to see what 2019 may bring‌

26

10

30

The authority on meetings, exhibitions, special events and incentives management

Published by the proprietor Contact Publications (Pty) Ltd (Reg No. 1981/011920/07)

HEAD OFFICE PHYSICAL ADDRESS: Suite 1, Fields Shopping Centre, Old Main Road, Kloof 3610 HEAD OFFICE POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 414, Kloof 3640, South Africa TEL: +27 31 764 6977 FAX: 086 762 1867 PUBLISHER: Godfrey King gk@contactpub.co.za

Destination focus

MANAGING DIRECTOR: Malcolm King malcolm@contactpub.co.za

30 PILANESBERG: CONFERENCING IN THE BUSH The Pilanesberg National Park in the North West province is amongst South Africa’s most unique national parks. Covering approximately 55 000 hectares, it is the fourth largest in Southern Africa. Perched on the eroded remnants of an alkaline volcanic crater, one of only three such craters in the world with magnificent rugged landscapes and well-watered valleys, this malaria-free park is renowned for its variety of flora and fauna.

Features 4 Editor’s comment: Make 2019 what you want it to be.

8 News Moët & Chandon’s Golden Tree opens SA’s festive season.

One small step towards positive change.

9 BestCities unveil ground-breaking ‘universal accessibility in meetings’ research.

25 A local perspective Conferencing in 2019 needs a different approach.

26 Destination focus: Menlyn Case study: Time Square pulls out all the stops for King Price.

28 Team building Drums and Rhythm: Set your team’s spirit on fire.

32 Executive chef Ross Jurgens: Work hard and be willing to learn.

33 Personality profile

Herkie du Preez: A wizard at events.

Market news 34 Cape Town & the Western Cape launches ‘Nowhere Does It Better’ campaign.

35 Johannesburg remains Africa’s most popular city.

36 Protea Hotels by Marriott to open its second hotel in Ghana.

36 Index of advertisers.

37 Calendar.

38 Directory & associations of interest to the industry.

40 Last word: The risks of doing events.

28

EDITOR: Irene Costa gomesi@iafrica.com PRODUCTION & DESIGN EDITOR: Hayley Mendelow hayley@contactpub.co.za DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Jackie Goosen jackie@contactpub.co.za SALES REPRESENTATIVES: Pierre Grobler | +27 (0)82 900 4026 pierre@businesseventsafrica.com Ruth Baldwin | +27 (0)72 897 6752 ruth@businesseventsafrica.co.za James Seymour | +27 (0)82 925 5508 james@cathkinmanagement.com PUBLICATION DETAILS: Volume 38 No 12 Business Events Africa has 12 issues a year and is published monthly, with the Yearbook in June.

Printed by

, a division of Novus Holdings

52 Mahogany Road, Westmead www.paarlmedia.co.za ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATE: R680 which includes postage, packaging and VAT. Rates for addresses outside South Africa can be obtained on application to the Subscription Department.

publishers of Business Events Africa, is a member of:

Learning | Growth | collaboration

aaxo

Official media partner

Official Journal of the Southern Africa Chapter of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence

Official journal of the Exhibition & Event Association of Southern Africa

www.businesseventsafrica.com

EDITOR’S COMMENT

Make 2019 A

s 2018 comes to a close, I look back on the year that was and look forward to what 2019 may bring to the business events industry in South Africa.

This is probably the most exciting part, the year end and imagining what 2019 can bring.

There is no doubt that 2018 has been another challenging year filled with some uncertainty, but at the same time, there seems to be a new found positiveness in our sector.

In this edition of BEA, industry leaders have shared their predictions for the coming year.

This gives insight to the various sectors of the industry and their professional perspective on 2019, and what we could expect.

I think the biggest concern going into 2019 is the South African national elections. The concern is there will be a downturn in business in our sector over this period. Hopefully it will be another peaceful election. Though we predict a downturn of meetings over this period, the good news is there will be an increase in government and political party meetings in the run up to the elections. This will hopefully balance out the downturn.

Election time is always nerve wrecking because of the uncertainty it brings. It will be a disruptive time but let’s hope that the

outcome will bring greater certainty and a better future for us all. It is very important that each and every one of us vote. If you don’t, you lose your most important right of contributing to the future of our country.

Remember if you don’t vote, you have no right to complain about the outcomes.

The economy remains a concern going into 2019. We can only remain cautiously optimistic that the economic environment will improve.

Technology continues to change the way we do business. Hopefully for the better, though every now and again, I wish my smart phone wasn’t so ‘smart’. It can be very intrusive having emails and social media at your fingertips. However, I do have to add – it is a choice and sometimes I think we all forget that we can actually switch off if we choose too.

I will definitely take some ‘me’ time by turning off devices over the holidays and try to get my family to do the same. Having young children, this is easier said than done.

I think we are all too ‘connected’ to our devices and are missing out on quality time with our family and friends. Take this holiday time to reconnect with your loved ones in person. Your devices will still be there and

Credit: Hein Liebetrau

what you want it to be

I promise you, it will make all the difference.

Talking about connecting, Meetings Africa is taking place in February 2019. Meetings Africa offers exhibitors from across our continent a professional platform to meet in person quality buyers. It offers buyers the cream of our continent under one roof. This remains my favourite show of the year as I get to see all my industry colleagues, clients and acquaintances during the show.

Meetings Africa 2019 takes place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 25-27 February 2019.

As I sign off, I wish you all a prosperous 2019 and look forward to partnering with each and every one of you in 2019.

Irene

Email: gomesi@iafrica.com

NEWS

EN.

A QUE R O F T I F T MEN

RTAIN

. ENTE G N I K A E K I EAT L

VER O A G INCLUDES: A G O L TO G A E M E S R U • 3-CO WTIME O H S ROM F O T T E K C I T • UEEN: Q ’S A I L A R AUST Magic f o d n i K a It’s

R430 N O S R E P R E P

VOID A O T W O N BOOK NT! E M T N I O P P palace.com s r o r e DISA p m e | events@ 3

011 928 110

ply onditions ap Terms and C ared Venue Sh | le 20 peop Minimum of ailable. ut options av Show buy-o

www.businesseventsafrica.com

Business Events Africa December 2018 5

COVER STORY | Avianto

A beacon of conference excellence

For over 21 years Avianto, in Muldersdrift, has been a beacon of excellence for conferencing, weddings, team building, exhibitions and events. Starting as a wedding venue, it has evolved to become one of the top events destinations in Johannesburg.

T

revor D’Oliveira, owner of Avianto, grew up in Northcliff, Johannesburg. His entry into hospitality was somewhat

unusual. “Being in the property development business, we decided to build a wedding venue as my brother was getting married. I did not intend on running it, but the operators did not work out – so I decided to run it myself and that is where it all started.”

Mr D’Oliveira has been in the hospitality industry for over 20 years. “It’s a constant challenge, very dynamic, and it satisfies my need to please people.”

He added: “Never underestimate the value of your reputation and integrity. Be sure that you will be okay if hospitality takes over your life, i.e. being happy to choose the long hours it requires.”

6 Business Events Africa December 2018

COVER STORY | Avianto

Trevor’s wife Helen helps him run

to conference delegates, allowing privacy

Avianto. He said: “Helen is exceptionally

when sharing, a coffee station, desk

creative and spontaneous, so that

space and wireless internet access.

makes up for any lack of dress sense I may have, and balances out any

Functions and Celebrations

over-engineering from my side.”

Whether planning a small birthday

“Helen is an entrepreneur at

breakfast, a luncheon celebration, matric

heart, with an artistic flair and an

farewell or a black tie event, Avianto is

eye for detail. Always up for a new

the venue of choice. The function venues

challenge, she has helped to grow

can seat from two to 350 people.

Avianto as we know it today.”

21 YEARS AGO:

Started with the Banquet Hall & Chapel.

TODAY IT HAS: • Three wedding venues.

• 11 Conference venues.

• Café Cielo Restaurant.

• 35 Hotel rooms.

• Sporting and leisure activities.

• Residential lifestyle estate.

For a relaxed and informal function,

Avianto offers a variety of options

Avianto has different picnic areas set

Renovations to the clubhouse and

from conferencing workshops

alongside the Crocodile River, perfect

general upgrades are now completed and

to product launches and gala

for a small function of up to 80 guests.

catering and bar services are available.

dinners. Avianto provides a relaxed

The chefs at Avianto, managed by

environment with expert assistance,

our own resident chef, are skilled at

Clubhouse was fired up in November

creating a meeting place that inspires

preparing delicious dishes to match

and this is the first step toward turning

constructive thought, camaraderie

the client’s taste, the size of the

it into a fully functional restaurant.

and positive action. Facilitators

function, and their particular budget.

The new pizza oven at Avianto

Achievements

constantly remark on how effective their training sessions are at Avianto.

Leisure

Avianto has once again been

Besides the tranquil Café Cielo coffee shop

recognised and awarded

Accommodation

serving great food under the oak tree,

with a TripAdvisor 2018

Built with love and honesty in mind,

Avianto provides the public a selection

Certificate of Excellence,

the Village has 30 luxury rooms and

of dining facilities and picnic areas.

based on the consistently

five suites that provide an atmosphere

great reviews on this platform.

of unassuming style and luxury,

Avianto Clubhouse

complemented by high levels of

At the Avianto Sports Park, a variety

service. The rooms are all decorated

of leisure activities is on offer,

with understated elegance and feature

including mountain bike trails, cross

individual air conditioning, room service,

country running trails, tennis courts,

mini bars, individual safes, plush bath

squash courts, swimming pools and

towels and luxurious beds and linen. The

sports clubhouse, all set along the

rooms are designed with careful thought

meandering Crocodile River.

www.businesseventsafrica.com

Driefontein Road, Muldersdrift T: +27 (0)11 668 3000 E: info@avianto.co.za W: www.avianto.co.za

Business Events Africa December 2018 7

NEWS

One small step towards

positive change

by Robyn D’Alessandro, Gearhouse

Working in a rental company out of old warehouses located in Bezuidenhout Valley, Johannesburg is just part of life for the Gearhouse Group. Over the years the area has become increasingly derelict and for a group of creatives, it can be a little disheartening to see the dirty streets and neglect of the area that the group has inhabited for at least the past two decades.

Moët & Chandon’s Golden Tree opens SA’s festive season As the countdown to the festive season begins, it’s worth celebrating one of the season’s most iconic symbols: the Christmas tree.

A

nd while cities from Belgium to Brazil are famous for constructing trees made from porcelain to those that float, few are more awe-inspiring than Cape Town’s grand Moët & Chandon Golden Tree, created entirely from champagne bottles.

Capetonians and visitors alike are invited to visit this year’s Moët & Chandon Golden Tree at Silo 7, adjacent to the Radisson Red at the V&A Waterfront Silo District.

Sitting at an impressive fourstoreys high and built with over 1 800 recycled champagne bottles collected from all over South Africa, the Moët & Chandon Golden Tree is wrapped in a shimmering gold ribbon created from over 2 000 discs.

Once the sun sets, visitors can look forward to an impressive lighting display, with the 230 metres of LED lights individually programmed to illuminate in sync with themed festive music that most attendees will most definitely recognise!

The Moët Golden Tree will be situated in the Silo District until Sunday 6 January.

O

f late, however, there has been a growing focus on the potential of the area for inner city development, resulting in oases like the iconic Nando’s central kitchen head office, which embodies the brand’s support of the arts and the launch of 30 000 sqm of Victoria Yards, both in Victoria Street, Lorentzville.

Victoria Yards is “a uniquely integrated urban complex that is as much about social development as it is commercial enterprise”, where urban farming, artisanal crafts outlets and creative skills development coexist in a unique ecosystem aimed at benefitting the community.

A few streets over, the Skills Village Community Campus 2030, a secondary co-operative, uses an event framework as a vehicle for local economic development and enterprise development activities.

Even the lush green space at Panache Signage in Frere Road is an example of what can be done by committed businesses in the area to create inspirational spaces.

Located in the reclaimed corner café on 1st street is Gearhouse’s Kentse Mpahlwa Academy, where an annual free-ofcharge technical services learnership educates and empowers youth from underserved communities. The academy has fed just over 450 graduates back into the event industry since 2006.

The groundswell of upliftment initiatives has been slowly but inexorably regenerating the area. There are even plans afoot to clean up the Jukskei River from the source and create a community green space where it flows through the dusty suburbs from Bertrams across Lorentzville, Judiths Paarl and

8 Business Events Africa December 2018

Bezuidenhout Valley. The Makers Valley Collective, a non-profit organisation, is also working hard to change the negative perceptions around the area by working with creative ‘makers’ in the valley and key business stakeholders to make the area a better place to live, work and experience collective wellbeing for all.

The latest move at Gearhouse has been to launch a street cleaning initiative around the area using the services of Clean Village, a BEE level 1 NPO that works off donations and employs locals to carry out the work. Clean Village started out when three like-minded volunteers got together to clean up the streets, removing litter, weeds and illegally posted signage around Kensington.

Gearhouse Group was introduced to the initiative through Splitbeam, the theatre rental company for the group, and has embraced the opportunity to support the initiative and bring it to Bezuidenhout Valley as well. The programme kicked off in Lang Street, Bezuidenhout Valley, with a pilot programme during which the streets around the Gearhouse warehouses and staff housing are being cleaned and restored resulting in at least 30 bags of litter being readied for collection

by Pickit Up in the first few days.

“It is a small step” said Splitbeam’s Alistair Kilbee, “but if we just sit around bemoaning the fact that the area is looking tatty, who do we have to blame but ourselves? So, we believe that this is a step in the right direction and we hope that other companies in the area who see the initiative will also want to get on board. People in the community also have an opportunity to work with the NPO and hopefully also benefit the area with a potential for job creation.”

NEWS

BestCities unveil ground-breaking

‘universal accessibility in meetings’ research BestCities Global Alliance, GainingEdge and Rehabilitation International unveiled new market-leading research into accessible meetings at the recent ICCA congress in Dubai. The outcomes promote awareness among the meetings community on what can be done to enforce universal accessibility for delegates with disabilities.

T

he research was conducted with key venues across the globe, in BestCities destinations that have established an enviable reputation as leading cities for hosting meetings and business events. Each city provided insight on what they’re doing to create a landscape that’s ‘accessible for all.’

The report highlights some best practises in areas that operators may not have previously considered, such as training for disability awareness and sensitivity training, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling requests involving participants with disabilities, and referring to standards concerning accessibility as guidelines. Introducing mandatory training sessions with frontline staff, setting operational accessibility manuals with procedures and regulations to work from, and referring to the standards laid out by the Community Development Authority are examples of how venues can meet the needs of all delegates.

The study details how universal accessibility in the meetings industry means contribution to business growth, knowledge sharing, an improved experience and increasing competitiveness in destinations. It explains how many people will benefit from these www.businesseventsafrica.com

provisions in venues including the aging population, parents with prams, and those with reduced mobility. With an increasing number of venues putting this into practice means the inclusion of participants with disabilities and more diverse opportunities for businesses.

The report makes a number of recommendations including selfeducation, establishing a tangible business case for accessible meetings, and universal accessibility certification. It also provides case studies on how each of the 12 BestCities destinations are promoting accessibility in their regions. Knowledge transfer like this is core to the BestCities Global Alliance mission to deliver exceptional standards in world meeting, conference and destination management.

Another outcome of the research was that more associations should consider incorporating accessibility clauses in their Request for Proposals, and that it should be a key requirement for venues to accommodate barrier-free accessibility for all delegates. In certain cases, planners should work directly with local host committees to make sure that training, especially for frontliners, will be provided, and full inclusion is ensured.

Jeannie Lim, chair of BestCities Global Alliance, said: “It is our intention that BestCities bureaus, as partners of the world’s leading convention bureau alliance, will trailblaze the way for other destinations around the world to make significant improvements in universal accessibility.”

Venus Ilagan, secretary general of Rehabilitation International, said: “Destinations should look into the concept of universal design. Universal design should be looked at from the beginning, not an after-thought.”

Gary Grimmer, chief executive officer of GainingEdge, said: “At GainingEdge, we recognise that building an understanding of the broader issues of delegate accessibility will encourage the industry to cater better for people who have a range of needs.”

The report also offers some recommendations on how bureaus, suppliers and meeting planners can do their part to promote universal accessibility in the meetings industry.

The universal accessibility in meetings report can be downloaded here: www.bestcities.net/universalaccessibility-in-meetings.

Business Events Africa December 2018 9

ICCA REPORT

Record-breaking ICCA Congress concludes in Dubai

The 57th ICCA Congress, one of the most prestigious events in the international association meetings industry calendar, recently took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with more than 1 150 senior meetings industry professionals and association meeting planners from over 75 countries in attendance.

C

ongress delegates descended on the city from across the world to experience a dynamic four-day programme of education, networking and business opportunities. ICCA and Dubai Business Events, the city’s official convention bureau, collaborated to create an exciting offering of forward-thinking education sessions, site visits to Dubai’s most innovative enterprises, and a social programme showcasing the best of Emirati cultural delights and local hospitality.

The 2018 edition of ICCA’s annual flagship event achieved record attendance figures for any ICCA Congress held outside of Europe: a total of 1 156 industry experts from 79 countries travelled to Dubai for the meeting.

Organised with the support of key local partners including Dubai World Trade Centre, Congress Solutions International, Emirates and Dubai Business Events, the city’s official convention bureau, the congress brings together senior meetings industry professionals to exchange knowledge and ideas about the latest trends in international association meetings and business events.

Business events are increasingly being recognised as a crucial driver of Dubai’s economy and positioning

as a global business centre. As a global knowledge hub with a strong reputation for innovation, hosting the ICCA Congress offers Dubai a unique opportunity to present its extensive meetings infrastructure to business events heavyweights from across the globe. This, in turn, optimises international expertise to drive the development of the region’s rapidly-evolving meetings industry.

Nina Freysen-Pretorius, president of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) said: “The number of international association meetings has doubled every ten years since the establishment of ICCA 55 years ago,

James Rees elected as new ICCA president James Rees, Executive Director at ExCeL London, was elected as the new ICCA president at the General Assembly of the 57th ICCA Congress, which took place from 11-14 November 2018 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

10 Business Events Africa December 2018

and we have identified the Middle East as an important growth area. In fact, we now have a dedicated seat for the region on our board, a permanent regional director, and this is our first annual congress in the Middle East.

“We have also noted that the Dubai Association Centre is playing a significant role in growing global associations. In addition, we look forward to 2020 Expo Dubai, because when new ideas and people connect, our industry grows.”

Welcoming delegates to the congress, His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of Dubai Tourism, said: “Business events are a crucial part of not only our tourism strategy, but our wider economic development. Whether through the yearround calendar of home-grown trade shows, or major congresses like the ICCA Congress that we successfully bid for, we understand and use the power of meetings and conferences to facilitate the rapid transition to a knowledge economy, and to grow scientific advancement and key industry sectors in Dubai and the UAE. “I would like to thank ICCA for selecting Dubai to host this congress, and to the Local Host Committee and all stakeholders involved for their role in planning. Our thanks also go to all the sponsors and supporting organisations of this event.”

ICCA REPORT

ICCA celebrates women’s contributions to business events The International Congress and Convention Association shined a spotlight on the monumental contributions of women to the meetings industry at their 57th Congress in Dubai, with ten women from across the association’s global community personally honoured with an Inspirational ICCA Women award

by ICCA President Nina Freysen-Pretorius.

M

s Freysen-Pretorius, the second female ICCA president, has been in the role for four years and finished her tenure at the ICCA congress.

Keen to show her gratitude to her industry partners from across the world for their support during her time as president of the global meetings industry association, Ms Freysen-Pretorius reached out to colleagues in the ICCA leadership for their nominations of women they consider to be the ‘unsung heroes’, leaders, innovators, pioneers and advocates of business events.

Nominated for a variety of reasons, each woman was ultimately chosen for their dedication to the ICCA community

Nina Freysen-Pretorius

www.businesseventsafrica.com

and meetings industry, and because they exhibit the values and actions that the association encourages and upholds.

Ms Freysen-Pretorius paid individual tribute to each recipient of the Inspirational ICCA Women award during her President’s Choice session, presenting the ten women with their awards on stage.

The Inspirational ICCA Women are: •A lice Au, Business Events Toronto, Canada •A nne Wallin Rodven, Honorary Member, Norway •B ettina Reventlow-Mourier, Wonderful Copenhagen, Denmark •C arina Bauer, IMEX Group, UK • J oyce Wittelaar, Rotterdam PartnersConvention Bureau, The Netherlands •K itty Wong, K&A International Co., Ltd, Chinese Taipei •M aria José Alves, Cascais Convention Bureau, Portugal •N onnie Kubeka, Gauteng Convention Bureau, South Africa •R oslyn McLeod, Arimex Pty Ltd (INCON Group), Australia •U lrike von Arnold, Vienna Convention Bureau, Austria ICCA interim chief executive officer Dennis Speet said: “We all know

women amongst our industry colleagues who go above and beyond to share their time, expertise and energy in supporting ICCA’s many initiatives and member opportunities. Without them, we would not be able to provide such a nurturing, welcoming environment for our global membership.

“Too often, the achievements of women in our international and diverse industry go unmentioned. I am proud today to represent our association as we honour these ten fantastic women for their monumental support and work to further our association’s values.

Congratulations to our Inspirational ICCA Women – to them we owe a large part of our continued success!”

Ms Freysen Pretorius said: “Through my role as ICCA president, I have continuously sought to champion and encourage the achievements of women in business events. Gender equality in the workplace globally remains a challenge with unequal opportunities and remuneration packages a reality.

“Without female role models and champions seen as leaders, presidents and activists as examples, women will not be able to take their rightful place in society at different levels.”

Business Events Africa December 2018 11

INDUSTRY PREDICTIONS

Business events industry leaders take a look into the crystal ball to see what 2019 may bring…

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Nina Freysen-Pretorius, immediate past president of ICCA

LOOKING BACK AT THE YEAR that was 2018, the first thing that comes to mind is the great uncertainty due to constant change and upheaval. Both on an economic and political level, change in what we have come to expect as the norm has been turned on its head. International challenges range from the unpredictability of American politics and economic rhetoric that ranged from the absurd to ridiculous, to the racial division and tensions in Germany and other European countries due to the challenges with excessive immigrants. Brexit discussions, negotiations and uncertainty to the unbelievable onslaught of climate change with devastating earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and fires leaving the most vulnerable destitute – all this is very concerning and is negatively impacting the present and future.

The reality is that such global economic, political and environmental issues have an impact on our South African situation in multiple ways. No longer can we

live in a bubble – globalisation is real, and whatever happens elsewhere has either a potentially positive or negative bearing on what happens on the ground in South Africa.

The negative publicity pertaining to state capture and corruption is followed by the world, and alters how we are perceived as a destination and investment option.

The drought in Cape Town and the poor way the communication was managed had a direct bearing on tourism and business tourism numbers.

Two other key drivers for visitors, be it business or leisure, is ease of access to a visa and safety and security of a destination. While the visa matter is being addressed, we need a clearly communicated plan in place for security improvement both for our citizens and our visitors.

I recently visited Tbilisi in Georgia, and I returned with hope. A small country that until 10 years ago was considered one of the most corrupt nations, it now has a new, young and dynamic leadership, corruption has been dealt with, and Georgia is open for business. There are no visa requirements, it is completely safe, and is considered by the World Bank as the ninth easiest country to do business in. In fact when I say no visas, Europeans can pass through immigration using a driver’s licence. Ease of doing business – you can establish a business in one day, at a central office with everything online. Yes, of course nothing

12 Business Events Africa December 2018

is perfect, and they are a new growing democracy, but with the right political leadership, professional business approach to grow the economy and provide employment, it is possible.

So, what can happen in 2019 in South Africa?

I am going to pray and ask God to guide our leaders and give us peace so this beautiful country of ours with its wonderful people can thrive. May President Cyril Ramaphosa be brave enough to make changes and rid our government institutions of the rot that has set in.

May we truly be a free economy, so that those of all colours, cultures and genders who are honest and hard working are the ones that benefit and build our nation. Without this foundation, attracting business and investment, be it conferences or trade, will be impossible.

Esmaré Steinhöfel,

regional director: Africa, International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) ICCA’S NEWEST INDUSTRY REPORT, A Modern History of International Association

Meetings Update: 1963 – 2017, was released in October to celebrate ICCA’s 55th anniversary, and reveals the results of an extensive study on the 55-year growth of the international association meetings industry.

The number of international association meetings doubled every 10 years from 1963 to 2013.

According to current data, this exponential growth trend seems to have slowly transcended into a more mature, yet still very solid, growth pattern in the last five years. The number of overall participants has increased across the board. The average meeting size has decreased, but more meetings are being held, on a more frequent basis.

In the last 55 years, the number of international meetings in Africa has more than doubled each decade. In the last 20 years, the number of meetings has more than tripled in numbers.

Like the global trend, this exponential growth seems to have evolved into a more mature, but still robust growth pattern in the last five years. The number of meetings in Africa have grown from 294 in 2008 to almost 400 per year in more recent years.

Especially notable is the number of association meetings taking place in South Africa, the host of the 2019 Association Meetings Programme for the first time ever in 2019. They have grown dramatically in the last 30 years, from 18 meetings in the five-year time-period of 1988-1992, to 632 in the fiveyear time-period of 2013-2017.

INDUSTRY PREDICTIONS

In 2018 countries like Ghana, Tanzania and Kenya hosted workshops and seminars to create more awareness and advocacy around the Business meetings industry.

ICCA currently has members in 10 countries in Africa, with all of the countries being in Southern and East Africa. A key focus for 2019 will be to widen ICCA membership in the rest of Africa.

Another focus for 2019 will be to do more advocacy around association meetings and the professional, business, academic and economic outcomes they deliver. A

challenge for the continent to overcome in order to grow the industry is the limited number of Convention Bureaus. The Uganda Convention Bureau under the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife & Antiquities Uganda, was launched earlier in the year, and Tanzania will be launching a national convention bureau in 2019.

With the trend of association meetings becoming more regional, a challenge for Africa is to get African associations to rotate their conferences, and for new associations to be formed.

Infrastructure development on the continent is happening

at a rapid pace. Airlines like Ethiopian Airlines, RwandAir and Kenya Airways started new routes within the continent, as well as adding international destinations. Airport and road infrastructure is also making a positive impact as well as new hotel developments.

Other external factors that influence our industry, for example the General Data Protection Regulation that came into place in Europe in June 2018, will also have an influence on how suppliers do business with the international association industry.

ICCA is proud to host its annual Association Meetings

Programme in South Africa for the first time ever, from 18-20 June 2019 in Durban, South Africa. The event provides a perfect opportunity for all major international meetings suppliers in the African continent to deepen their knowledge about association meetings research, bidding, sales and marketing, and increase their global market share of this fast-growing market. The event is attended by both ICCA member-suppliers and association clients.

I am confident that 2019 will build on the increased awareness of the association meetings market in Africa.

LOCAL TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

Wayne Smith, chairperson of Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI) WHILE WE ARE NOT yet out of the woods in terms of the tough economic climate, I believe there are solid indicators of sustained growth in the business events industry. Hardly a week goes by without news about a successful bid for South Africa, awards won by local businesses and industry professionals, or some significant infrastructure upgrade.

We have also noticed a lot more cohesion in the industry than before, making our 2018 SAACI congress theme ‘It takes a village’ entirely fitting!

We have made progress in bringing more young people into the business events www.businesseventsafrica.com

industry, but we are acutely aware that this remains a huge challenge. SAACI will place a strong focus on this in 2019 with, among others, expanded mentorship programmes, the SAACI Online Academy and new projects. This is an investment in our future – in sustainability and prosperity.

In 2019 our new focus areas – collaboration, learning and growth – will receive our singleminded attention on every level in our association.

With the general election taking place next year, there will no doubt be a certain degree of political and economic uncertainty, which will have a potential effect on all sectors. Armed with accurate information and strong industry relationships, I believe we will be in a position to weather the storm and emerge from it even stronger.

We are also optimistic that 2019 will see the removal of obstacles to industry growth, such as the full relaxation of those visa regulations which still hinder the movement of visitors to our shores.

In addition, our new SAACI membership tiers, which will come into effect in March, should greatly improve access

to industry for small businesses and expand the SAACI ‘village.’

We will continue to engage with our members about their needs and expectations in 2019 and arrange member events that add real value. Planning for our national congress in July in Durban is well underway.

I wish to thank members for their unwavering support in 2018 and look forward to making 2019 a milestone year for business events and everyone who works in this dynamic industry.

Rudi van der Vyver Chief executive officer of SAACI WHAT A YEAR 2018 HAS BEEN for the South African business events Industry; a roller-coaster ride seems to be an understatement for our industry and members, but even with

the downs I firmly believe our ups were higher, and we have again made some huge strides in our industry.

To look back, we have gained some serious traction with tourism being moved much higher on the agenda in terms of focus areas from a government perspective. We have seen this translate into a much closer collaboration between industry bodies, like SAACI and our industry stakeholders. This has been very encouraging as SAACI has become a first point of contact for many of the industry stakeholders, with many collaborative projects in the planning stages for roll out to the industry in 2019.

We have also seen an industry wide adoption of the drive to professionalisation of the business events industry, with the launch of CEPA (Council of Events Professionals Africa) of which SAACI is proud to be a founding member. We have also seen a wider adoption of greening and sustainability practices within the events industry through the guidance of the EGF (Event Greening Forum) of which SAACI again was a founding member. We have also made a concerted effort to

Business Events Africa December 2018 13

INDUSTRY PREDICTIONS

better understand the needs of our members and what drives their businesses forward, to ensure we align our strategy to serve our members and create more value to their business through strategy, operations and lobbying with governing bodies on their behalf. We are the voice of our members.

2019 will again have its challenges, as we can expect from any election year, but this is not all doom and gloom. As we see a consistent increase in Africa and South Africa’s attractiveness as a business events destination, even with the challenges faced especially in terms of safety and security, we still look forward to increased activity within our industry especially after the elections.

We will also see further growth in industry training, capacity building and skills transfer into 2019, which are all factors driving inclusive growth

and transformation, with various projects being taken on and driven by SAACI in partnership with SA Tourism, National Department of Tourism and the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA).

As our membership base continues to grow monthly, we will drive further collaboration within the industry and continue to create enabling platforms for our members to drive not only their businesses forward, but also to effect positive change within the industry.

I believe that 2019 will see a further focus on technology, and the benefit of effective usage of this within the industry to drive the return on investment derived from business events. We will also see an increased focus on strategic design of events to address the client’s needs in a more functional way as well as a heavy focus on creating more experiential events, after

all we are in an industry driven by creating experiences. We will continue to see our international delegates focus on the need for true local and cultural experiences and through creating these effectively, we should see the knock-on effect, where business events drive an increase in leisure travel, more and more as delegates return to our shores with friends and family.

Our focus for 2019 should remain firmly on professionalising our industry through operational excellence, highest level of standards, adoption of technology and ensuring we create sustainability through knowledge and skills transfer as well as adequate capacity building within the industry.

Collaboration should also be high on the agenda for 2019 as we can achieve so much more working together than in isolation from each other. We at SAACI remain fully committed

to drive the business events industry across Southern Africa to new heights during 2019 and onward and in so doing provide our members with tangible value to their businesses.

Greg MacManus, chairperson of the Event Greening Forum (EGF) WITH AWARENESS OF THE EFFECTS of climate change growing (in spite of certain world leaders’ denial), consumers are demanding more from their suppliers and service providers. This in turn is changing the way that

INDUSTRY PREDICTIONS

corporations, organisations and event professionals look at their public and internal meetings and events calendars, and has resulted in heightened demand for more responsible products and services. Based on international trends and local practices in the past year, here are our top four ‘green’ trends for 2019.

1. Corporate demand for green events will continue to grow 2018 saw more companies, especially listed companies, start to take sustainability seriously, which has changed the way they meet and conference. Awareness among event professionals of the benefits of sustainable events has also positively affected client uptake.

While the case for sustainability has been made, the green agenda will be driven by a lower risk appetite as companies become more aware of the reputational and operational risk they face through irresponsible practices.

2. Technology will play a bigger role On-line booking systems, meetings apps, paperless registration and on-line participation will

increase as organisers recognise their benefits – which include being a greener alternative.

Rising costs and limited time mean we will also see a growing demand for live streaming and even holographic services, web-enabled meetings, and virtual and augmented reality exhibitions. These technologies have the potential to significantly cut event-related travel, and therefore the carbon footprint of events.

exhibitions with shared audiences and themes. These changes can be far more suited to more sustainable outcome. And event greening measures to reduce energy and water consumption, as well as unnecessary waste, will become more popular.

3. Cost containment will become a focus

4. Content-driven events will see a resurgence as organisers and clients look for more memorable, themed, knowledgebased and value-add events

International trends indicate airfares will increase on average 2.6 per cent, while accommodation costs could climb by anything between 3.7 per cent and 7.2 per cent in 2019. Based on projected input cost increases, the cost of venue hire will increase in this country by between eight per cent and 14.2 per cent in 2019. These factors will make it more difficult for event organisers to show realistic profits or motivate clients.

The incentive to cut expenses will further drive the uptake of technologies for live-streamed and internet enabled events, encourage group travel, and lead to the merging of events and

The focus will be on business insights and connectivity rather than celebrity and ‘flash’. On the sustainability front, we will see greater immersive experiences which incorporate traditional, cultural and ethnic themes for international events, while the corporate market will look for experiences that underscore their traditional values and which drive business results.

Most will agree that we are in for a hard year, with elections early in 2019 and potentially harmful disruptions which will lead to consumer and trade caution in the first half. But the meetings sector will continue to grow, particularly in the medium

(250-500 delegates) market.

Now more than ever, sustainability in event planning and marketing makes sense. If not for the environmental and social benefits that greener meetings deliver, then for the cost and risk benefits it offers your clients. Can you still afford to offer and hold the traditional ‘brown’ event in 2019?

Doug Rix, chairperson of the Exhibition and Event Association of Southern Africa (EXSA) 2018 WAS A DYNAMIC YEAR OF CHANGE, ends of eras for some and new beginnings for others. Sometimes our own futures end up being catapulted into a new direction following circumstances beyond our own control, and based on decisions and actions of others who we thought “were in control” at the

INDUSTRY PREDICTIONS

time, but when it comes down to it we should all really look to try and take control of our own futures. We need to positively work towards finding ways of getting ourselves to where we wish to be, without crushing others on route, but rather by including, uplifting and growing others as we stretch to attain our own goals and ambitions.

Following the challenges that 2018 threw at us as an industry, I personally predict that in 2019 we will see a lot more collaborations being put together, from client and contractor relationships, to between contractor and contractor as well as between various industry stakeholders and associations who have a common focus and interest.

I believe that the strength of the future of our industry will be built on ethical partnerships that are able to find effective ways to offer win-win results for all parties that actively and positively engage in working together towards finding sustainable and mutually beneficial results. We are, after all at our foundation, an industry of creative thinking problem solvers, and when we are faced with challenges we need to rise to the opportunity to generate and forge new solutions.

I think we will see a rise of the smaller specialist supplier, who will offer a specific service at an affordable and sustainable rate due to the ability to run with lower overheads and also to draw orders from multiple industry stakeholders, rather than only through a single large entity.

We are seeing this done by design studios that outsource their client’s project requirements back into the industry via an army of specialist subcontractors as and when needed. We are seeing many shop fitting/ stand building type company’s partner with specialist printers, AV technicians, furniture suppliers, flooring experts etc. in a mutually beneficial business partnership even if that entity is sometimes located within, or alongside, their premises, they are now actually independent entities that run their own smaller service company and manage their own expenses and running costs while also being able to take on additional client’s outside of the main partnership.

This compartmentalisation of risk and skills focus will only thrive if there is a healthy working relationship between these various entities in the business

food chain, and the margins are not unnecessarily escalated through greed.

If the smaller service providers offer a discounted service to the larger entity, as most of them do, because they do not have the overheads of needing to pay reps and sales agents to continually find new work, this allows the larger entity the opportunity to still charge industry-related fees for specialist services to their end client so that they can remain competitive in the market place, and not overly inflate costs per project.

The other benefit to the larger entity is that they are in fact now also ‘the client’, and should the smaller specialist supplier not deliver the service that was contracted to them, they would be able to possibly move on and look to forge a new business partnership with another smaller entity that offers the same or better service, without all the HR challenges of having to replace their own internal staff individuals following lack of performance and service delivery.

The successful future of our Industry all comes down to being proactive as individuals: be open to new opportunities and partnerships, but deal fairly and

focus on delivering quality service and product at a sustainable price and ensure that our client’s get the best ROI that they can from each and every exhibition and event they choose to participate in, so that they never need to question whether it would be worthwhile to do it again the next time.

Peter-John Mitrovich, chairperson of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (Site) Southern Africa chapter 2018 - WHAT A JOURNEY to look back onto. However, when we are in the moment of natural, political and currency turmoil, our humanity forces a sense of scepticism for a generous future. But still here we are. If we share our business journey among trade peers it is clear we have not all shared a

What we’re all about: motivational experiences Why we do it? Business results!

Site is the only global network of travel and event professionals committed to motivational experiences that deliver business results.

Site provides insights and connections that inspire the utilisation of this powerful tool across diverse industries, regions and cultures.

Site serves as a source of knowledge and best practices where members can make personal connections that sustain professional growth.

Only one organisation sits at the critical intersection between those who seek the benefits of motivational tools and those who can provide these extraordinary experiences. That organisation is Site...

Contact

Email: info@sitesouthernafrica.com www.sitesouthernafrica.com www.siteglobal.com

INDUSTRY PREDICTIONS

fairy tale year as we did in 2017.

For some it has indeed been like the weather; for some cloudy, for some partly cloudy and for some loads of sunshine. So 2018 is now history and now we push onto 2019 and I have to ask: “Is there not a crystal ball that works?”

2019 – it’s time for Africa From SITE Southern Africa we certainly predict more growth of membership from our East African neighbours. Closer to home, Zimbabwe shot the lights out in tourism growth in 2018 and will definitely show the same growth curve for 2019.

On home ground, our general elections are early in 2019, and it would be welcomed to see our countries leadership give some attention to embracing the ease of access to South Africa through more lenient VISA processes. More foreign flights into South Africa are welcomed, but with growth of travel to Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya, Uganda & Rwanda, more weekly departures into the different destinations can only generate mutual opportunity.

Education still remains a key goal, and not only within our

youth segment but also within our established trade. Our vision for 2019 is to host education summit across South Africa, and hopefully between our continental peers too.

Our vision is also to share knowledge of destinations, products, and of course some healthy networking. We do education of our own cities within the trade community, so 2019 will allow platforms to entice our trade colleagues to share the Johannesburg stories in Cape Town, Cape Town to Durban, Durban to Cape Town and so forth.

The same vision is to see our friends from Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania try and bring their destinations stories to our trade base so we all have a better understanding of the real ‘jewels’ that make each destination special.

SITE Southern Africa is managed by a volunteer base of trade partners, and we wish to extend the invitation to any members who wish to contribute to our 2019 vision to please reach out to our secretary at info@sitesouthernafrica.com I wish everyone a lucrative 2019 for the growth of our vibrant continent.

Leatitia van Straten, chairperson of The Association of African Exhibition Organisers (AAXO) AS AN EXHIBITION ENTHUSIAST, I often wonder if exhibitions still have a place in the modern marketing mix, or whether they will soon be replaced by digital channels. Looking at the results from a global exhibition industry survey done, it seems the industry agrees that it will continue to grow as one of the most cost-effective marketing and sales channels.

The latest UFI Global Exhibitions Barometer Report (published in July 2018) echoes the local sentiment that exhibitions are set to soar. Regarding turnover, for the first time in ten years, all four global regions reported a positive development simultaneously: Everywhere, the

share of companies declaring an increase in turnover is going up, with regard to the second half of 2018. The Middle East and Africa shows the highest growth, and this trend continues into 2019.

The report also surveyed the top issues impacting their business, and the results indicate that it’s mostly the state of the economy in the home market (24 per cent), followed by competition in the industry (18 per cent).

Other issues impacting their business included global economic developments (18 per cent) and Internal Challenges (17 per cent) – where Human Resources are named as the most important impact.

Digitisation of marketing strategy increased massively in global markets, but the Middle East and Africa seems to be following slower, with only 52 per cent of companies adding to their digital services and products around exhibitions. Compared to Europe (73 per cent) and the Americas (68 per cent), we have some catching up to do.

Detailed results for South Africa shows 69 per cent of companies surveyed expect an increase in turnover during the first half of 2019, with 39 per cent of

INDUSTRY PREDICTIONS

The latest UFI Global Exhibitions Barometer Report echoes the local sentiment that exhibitions are set to soar. companies stating the increase will be more than 10 per cent on their operating profit.

According to Dee Reuvers,

chief executive officer of SA Confex Services and also a board member of AAXO, there is a growing trend for conference driven exhibitions (confex) that offer commercial solutions to challenges and problems discussed within a conference.

There are benefits for both the independent conference and exhibition organisers.

In my opinion, exhibitions of all definitions will always have

a place. No other marketing channel can replicate the engagement with all five senses like exhibitions can. In a digital world, face to face sales are more important than ever before! This doesn’t mean the industry will thrive without a little help though.

It means that as an association, we have to market exhibitions as a preferred marketing channel more aggressively. As sales

people, we have to sell harder.

As marketers, we have to work smarter to attract the right audience and work our exhibitors extra hard to invite their clients to the shows.

As long as exhibition organisers continue to add valuable content, innovate and provide a lasting visitor experience, the exhibition industry will continue to thrive despite external challenges.

CONVENTION BUREAUS

Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo, chief convention bureau officer, South Africa National Convention Bureau THERE IS DEFINITELY AN INCREASE in association meetings all around the world, though there is a decline of delegates.

However, with more meetings happening, the numbers balance out. From an association perspective, there is a continuous focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) meetings. Regional rotation is a growing trend.

There is constant interest in Africa for business events, as associations are constantly looking for new memberships in non-traditional markets.

University venues have become more popular, and the usage of hotel meetings facilities has been gradually increasing.

From an exhibition perspective, trade exhibitions are becoming more and more prevalent as a marketing and sales platform, and are definitely

being used strategically to become an economic generator.

From an incentive perspective, there is definitely an uptake from the Asian market into South Africa. The good news is they are bringing bigger groups and increased spend.

Global market barriers have been identified as visa challenges, and the safety and security challenges present for the business events industry.

Having recently attended the ICCA Congress in Dubai, there is definite focus on ‘new outcomes’. It is not only about numbers, although that is something we always want, but it really is more about growing the knowledge economy in the relevant sector. The emphasis is on business outcomes.

Lillian Hlabangane, director: association & international meetings of Tshwane Tourism 2018 HAS BEEN A GOOD YEAR for business events in

18 Business Events Africa December 2018

the City of Tshwane. The new Sun International development in Menlyn (east of Tshwane) has seen a significant growth in the number of business events that have been hosted in the City. Tshwane has enjoyed an increase in number of local associations and regional and international conferences.

Most of the meetings held in the capital city this year have been linked to academic and research institutions based in the city. This continues to position our city as the research hub of the country, and dare we say the African continent.

Being the home of national government departments, the City of Tshwane also saw good numbers in governmentrelated business. We end the year with one of the biggest academic, science and research meetings called “Science Forum”, which attracts about 3 000 delegates, 10 per cent of which are international.

This is a big win for Tshwane, and it is surely befitting to host such a high profile academic and research event in the knowledge hub of South Africa.

The first half of 2019 looks great. February has an increase in the number of meetings/conferences compared to the same period over the past two years.

We have a number of international meetings taking place in 2019, such as the International

Conference on Psychology in Mathematics (PME), the International Conference on Operational Engineering and Information Seeking in Context Conference, to name a few.

The University of Pretoria will be opening their new venue called, The Javett-UP. The Javett-UP will become a focal point for African art, consisting of nine indoor exhibition spaces, a restaurant, a 117-seat auditorium, a museum square, an art conservation area and an outdoor exhibition venue.

The Javett-UP is set to become an iconic feature on the capital city's landscape, attracting international meetings, local residents and tourists alike and providing a unique resource for academics, researchers, students and learners.

Having hosted the International Tourism Studies Association Congress in Tshwane this year (2018), we are very positive about the future of business events in the City.

Tourism scholars from around the globe were exposed to the offerings the City of Tshwane has for business events.

There has been a trend from a lot of international associations who have shown a shift in preference of conference venue choice. More businesses now prefer to host their meetings at universities and hotels rather than at convention centres. Although travel for leisure

INDUSTRY PREDICTIONS has declined due to the current economic climate, face-to-face conferences are still being held world-wide.

It is our belief and prediction that we will continue to see the growth of business events on the African continent. We also think we see more technology related initiatives in the conferencing industry.

The build-up to the 2019 national elections in South Africa are also likely to produce a demand for business events and as the capital city, Tshwane is expecting to see a lot more domestic business from business events.

Corné Koch, head of Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau THE BUZZWORD WITHIN THE business events sector for 2019, in terms of planning events, will certainly be technology that feeds into the delegate’s experience, data capturing and simpler logistics.

As competition increases on a global scale in the business events sector, meeting planners are more pressured to present unique experiences for their delegates, making competition among destinations fiercer.

The influence of technology will be a key driver for the sector. While technological advancement, connectivity and international communication is transforming the business events industry, one of the biggest challenges that destinations and cities are facing is maintaining the infrastructure that supports it.

Destinations have to be wary of www.businesseventsafrica.com

poor infrastructure for modern meetings. Delegates expect micro-scale infrastructure such as good Wi-Fi to be an absolute necessity in meeting venues.

Unique venues for special events like gala dinners gain more traction annually. Being demand-led, this could push up the price of such venues, with a direct impact on the lead time for planning events versus obtaining special venues. Giving delegates that ‘wow’ factor takes a lot of time and creativity, and provides an additional challenge for the meeting planner. Destination marketers can add value by helping with the creation of ideas and solutions for these events.

Forecasting spend against return on investment is an ever-increasing challenge.

Measuring the economic impact beyond the conference will remain a hot event topic for 2019. Persuading authorities of the real value of the business events sector to a destination will receive greater attention at all international platforms of this sector.

With the current world trends in terms of safety in cities and destinations, the matter of safeguarding delegates during an event, and the type of messaging around safety in destinations for visitors, will gain more attention.

The same goes for handling of natural disasters, for example drought, floods and terrorism attacks. This has an influence on destination choice.

Marketers, as in the case of the Western Cape drought, have to develop responsive campaigns to attract and retain meeting planners during time of crises.

The key lesson here is that destinations cannot be isolated from partnerships with their local tourism community, as this sector no longer operates in isolation. The success of destinations will be determined by how well that destination operates as a unit, and in providing the same message to both travel buyers and visitors.

More and more cities and destinations are creating knowledge hubs and centres of excellence around their key economic drivers. The business events sector will continue to play a crucial role in attracting business events to their destinations and cities which comply with the economic planning for that destination.

Meanwhile, air connections to destinations will remain a key decision-making factor in choosing destination to host events. On the African continent, air connections are improving, especially between sub-Saharan Africa, which will aid connectivity between major economies such as Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria. Cape Town International Airport serves as a key port of connectivity to other cities within Africa, with nine direct flights currently connecting it to the Africa region.

Rendani Khorommbi, deputy director Johannesburg Convention Bureau THE PAST YEAR, WHILE increasingly busy and hectic, has once again borne positive results for the Johannesburg Convention Bureau. Year on year, we’ve managed to keep abreast of developments on the international scene by increasing our bid output to bring more convention business to our city.

In the case of secured meetings, we’ve hosted numerous site inspections and we’re also working with local committees in an effort to offer on-site services. While I’m happy to report that we have a number

of bids in progress for meetings to be held between now and 2021, I’d like to remind our stakeholders that our doors are always open for partnerships that can help increase the number of events we bring to Johannesburg.

As a team, we’re thrilled with Johannesburg’s latest International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) ranking. Using the number of association meetings hosted by a destination, annual ICCA rankings are used as a competitive measure of a destination’s performance in the business events sector.

The latest (2017) rankings, published in May 2018, assessed the period from January – December 2017.

Johannesburg moved up 73 places from position 186 to 113 globally, while moving up two places on the African continent, from position five to position two.

Things are going from strength to strength. We are extremely positive and believe that the trend is set to continue with 2019 being a great year for business events in Johannesburg. Continuous engagements with industry partners is set to play a pivotal role in strengthening the business events sector.

Sonto Ndlovu, chief executive officer of Limpopo Tourism Agency THE TOURISM SECTOR HAS CONTINUED to contribute enormously not only to the economy of the province and country, but also the African

Business Events Africa December 2018 19

INDUSTRY PREDICTIONS

region. There is much more hype and commitment that is likely to yield positive growth in 2019. While domestic tourism in SA has been under pressure in 2018, it is encouraging to see a steady increase in numbers of international tourists flocking into SA and the continent, and this trend is expected to continue.

2018 has been an exciting, yet challenging year for domestic tourism in South Africa, mainly due to the depressed economy. Limpopo as a destination, having held a pole position in domestic tourism, has felt the pinch as consumers remain under pressure given the increase in the cost of living. However, there is a sense of hope and excitement about the prospects of 2019. We have seen improvements in visa policies, particularly in the African region. There is also improved air access, with more countries signing up for ‘Open Skies’. There’s been an increase in travel and tourism investments, an increase in compelling hotel brands like the Marriot Group in the region, as well as better travel technology.

All these developments are likely to yield positive travel numbers into the continent and South Africa, particularly in MICE and business travel. Such positive developments signal a potential increase in intra-African travel, especially business events, in 2019 and beyond.

The new year presents new opportunities, and we envisage that while there may be a slow start to the year, especially on domestic numbers, this is likely to be boosted by the various events which are expected to stimulate new and increase tourism activity.

Events like the Tour de Limpopo international cycle race will be hosted again for the 2nd time in 2019, Mapungubwe Festival, Marula Festival, etc. are expected to have a positive impact on the destination’s domestic numbers.

Limpopo Tourism Agency

(LTA) will continue in its quest to become the leading tourism destination in the country by maintaining and building new partnerships which seek to draw droves of people to the province. The entity will also capitalise on its competitive advantage of sharing borders with three SADC countries (Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique) by intensifying its marketing efforts to

strengthen its relations with these neighbours.

For Limpopo, 2019 is set to be a great year not only for leisure travel, but also for business events. LTA has recently become an ICCA member, and aims to ramp up activity in this area, taking full advantage of its members and starting to bid for small and medium international meetings that can be hosted in the destination.

The tourism sector has continued to contribute enormously not only to the economy of the province and country, but also the African region.

VENUES

Lindiwe Rakharebe, chief executive officer of Durban ICC THE BUSINESS EVENTS INDUSTRY is important to the South African economy as it contributes to a wide variety of sectors. For every individual attending a conference or exhibition, either as an exhibitor, delegate or visitor, there are positive economic spinoffs for local businesses.

According to the South African National Convention Bureau in October 2018, South Africa hosts approximately one million delegates at business events annually, supporting over 250 000 jobs directly and indirectly in this sub-sector alone. The business events industry also contributes an astonishing R115 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) annually.

The Durban International Convention Centre (ICC), as a trailblazer in attracting international events to the country, has a mandate to be a catalyst for economic development and job creation in the city and

20 Business Events Africa December 2018

KwaZulu-Natal, as well as to elevate the profile of Durban as a preferred destination.

Despite an increasingly competitive marketplace both locally and globally, the Durban ICC contributed R4.7 billion to the country’s GDP last year. The vast majority of this impact was felt in KwaZulu-Natal, where R4.6 billion was added to our Gross Geographic Product. The Durban ICC remains committed to broadening the economic impact of the events and tourism sector through contributing to inclusive economic growth as well as social development. As such, over 9 000 jobs were created as a result of the Durban ICC’s activities over the past financial year.

Findings presented by Statistics South Africa in August 2018 revealed that tourists visiting South Africa increased by 2.9 per cent from 852 339 in August 2017 to 876 926 in August 2018. The majority of tourists, 97.3 per cent, were on holiday compared to 2.1 per cent, 0.6 per cent and 0.1 per cent who were in South Africa for business, study purposes and for medical treatment respectively.

South Africa is undoubtedly open for business; however, with regard to business tourism, these results indicate that more emphasis should be placed on marketing the country as a safe and easily accessible destination

which offers world-class facilities and infinite possibilities – not only for African-related conferences, but for international events and conferences as well.

In 2019, South Africa will play host to a number of events across a variety of sectors attracting experts from around the world thus contributing significantly to the country’s economy.

A majority of these events are, however, concentrated in the major business centres in the country.

According to the South African National Convention Bureau, South Africa hosts approximately

one million

delegates at business events annually, supporting over

250 000 jobs directly and indirectly in this sub-sector alone.

The business events industry also contributes an astonishing

R115 billion to the country’s GDP annually.

INDUSTRY PREDICTIONS

These events include Africa’s Travel Indaba 2019; UCLG Conference and Exhibition which will be held at the Durban ICC; Investing in African Mining Indaba; Future Production Technologies Convention; the 442nd International Conference on Science, Technology, Engineering and Management; as well as the 640th International Conferences on Economic and Social Sciences to be held in Cape Town and Johannesburg respectively

year as clients attracted more guests to their events by adding value in terms of a conference providing more educational information and content relevant to the specific industry.

Looking ahead to 2019, we don’t believe that we are going to see much more growth in the business events industry. If we look at next year’s business it will be about seven per cent as per inflation. So we are currently seeing a recovery in both exhibitions and confex business, which will drive growth. In conclusion, we believe that 2019 will be relatively flat. There may be an increase in the government investment sector.

Shaun Bird, general manager of Sandton Convention Centre IN 2018, WE NOTICED A REDUCTION on set-up and breakdown days by clients in terms of preparation for their events.

Clients want better value for money from both venue and service providers. The ‘time is money’ maxim has effectively become a reality. We don’t see this as a negative however, as it opens additional opportunities/ days for other clients.

Cancellations, non-commitments, price sensitivities, and clients unable to confirm bookings well in advance were definitely a challenge. Payment terms from clients of the organisers have become more flexible, therefore organisers’ cash flow is being affected which in turn affects the supplier and venues.

On a positive note, government business came back to Sandton Convention Centre this year, most notably with BRICS and the Presidential Investment Summit, among others. This indicates that government spending has improved. We have also seen huge growth in confex this www.businesseventsafrica.com

Craig Newman, chief executive officer of Johannesburg Expo Centre and president of UFI THINGS ARE CERTAINLY MOVING and shaking in the South African meetings, incentives, conferences and events industry as the country continues to attract major local events and international interest.

It’s a fantastic time to be in this game here in South Africa.

Looking to the year ahead, there is a lot of excitement especially as we see both local and international confidence in the country rebound as our president engages foreign investments and devotes himself to various road shows with key stakeholders.

We are seeing a growing level of comfort in the international arena to invest in SA, and it is certainly looking more positive.

This of course bodes well for the business events industry in particular. More and more, the

It’s a fantastic time to be in this game here in South Africa. Looking to the year ahead, there is a lot of excitement especially as we see both local and international confidence in the country rebound as our president engages foreign investments and devotes himself to various road shows with key stakeholders. message that is being landed both abroad and locally is that here in South Africa (and of course at the JEC), we can deliver when it comes to the event and conference industry. We have an excellent track record and extensive experience to host large scale exhibitions, events and conferences.

This, coupled with stability being created off the back of our President’s various international engagements, suggests that the next three to five years will be both exciting and crucial with regard to off shore investment in our facilities and expertise.

South Africa is the gate into the rest of Africa, and into neighbouring countries such as the SADC countries. There is so much potential at the moment on the continent, and 2019 promises to be a fantastic year.

Gary Koetser and Glyn Taylor, joint chief executive officers of Century City Conference Centre and Hotel THE FIRST TWO QUARTERS OF 2019 will remain tough as we navigate the aftermath of the drought and the negative sentiment pertaining to the same.

Uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the much anticipated

elections in May have resulted in both national and international markets remaining volatile.

The addition of around 1 000 hotel rooms in the Cape Town central business district (CBD) over the past 12 months has caused Cape Town’s RevPAR’s to plummet as a result of discounted room rates. This will stabilise over the next 18-24 months as the extension to the CTICC gains momentum and will provide a base income for the CBD. The events industry must prepare itself for a slow start to 2019.

Having returned from IMEX in Las Vegas, we are extremely upbeat about Q3 and Q4.

The WESGRO Air Access initiative has made Cape Town an accessible destination globally, with more direct flights into Cape Town than ever before.

Regarding IBTM World in Barcelona, we already have double the number of appointments versus that of last year, which again is a great confidence indicator that Cape Town is back on the radar with international event organisers.

As we enter our fourth year of trading, a large percentage of our business is repeat business which is testament to the quality of catering, service and personal relationships we have with our clients. This is further supported

The WESGRO Air Access initiative has made Cape Town an accessible destination globally, with more direct flights into Cape Town than ever before.

Business Events Africa December 2018 21

INDUSTRY PREDICTIONS

by being voted as the best conference venue in South Africa for 2018 by the South African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI).

Bronwen Cadle de Ponte, general manager of CSIR ICC THE PREMISE ON WHICH the business event industry is founded, the need to address various societal and professional issues through face-to-face discourse and debate, remains a constant.

The current capricious economic and political situation worldwide makes our market that much more unpredictable, with increasingly shortening lead times in some cases, which can be difficult to deal with. However, this volatile world situation also brings with it opportunities for our sector as the need for professional meetings increases.

Financial considerations are propelling consideration for more unique ways of delivering quality, personalised service and memorable experiences as convention centres move away from just being vehicles for hosting events but proactive community builders.

The steady growth and maturing of professional associations in South Africa continues, which bodes well for the increased hosting of regional and international association events going forward.

The efforts of South Africa National Convention Bureau and other professional bodies such as SAACI, ICCA Africa and, more recently, the Association of Associations Executives, in South Africa are starting to yield

increasingly positive results for our country.

The rest of our continent is not lagging behind in efforts to attract association meetings, and South Africa will continue to see increasing competition from other active countries on the continent going forward. This healthy competition bodes well for the continent’s reputation in the global meetings marketplace as Africa rises to takes its place on the global stage.

As we continue to make efforts and inroads in this global market, we need to remain ever cognisant that, in the coming year, general government elections will be taking place. This will bring with it a number of challenges and opportunities and our sector needs to do in-depth scenario planning in preparation for the threats and prospects presented by these political activities.

Not least of all, 2019 should bring with it a resolution to a number of macro-economic influencing local and global situations which will hopefully provide more certainty on factors which influence our planning as an industry and we look forward to moving forward at a greater, and more effective, pace as major political and economic decisions are taken at home and around the world in the coming year.

Charles Wilson, chief executive officer of Gallagher Convention Centre I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN of the opinion that the business events industry is made up of the strongest and most resilient

22 Business Events Africa December 2018

people. It is certainly a case of strong individuals wrangling a very unpredictable but exciting field.

Before we look ahead, I think it is very important to first take a look at the past year. 2018 Proved to be a year filled with changes and some challenges, but most importantly we saw growth within the industry. In our organisers, we experienced greater ingenuity and creativity to continue to improve upon the quality of their events despite budget constraints. We saw a collective awakening of a greater social conscious and the realisation of the impact this industry has on the environment, the economy and in the development of the people that the industry is made up of. In the interns that Gallagher takes in as part of our development projects, we noted a greater hunger for practical training and experience.

Having learned from 2018, 2019 is a chance for the industry and its people to embrace the opportunities that the New Year brings. In my opinion, we will see a lot of innovation from long-standing events in 2019 as organisers will continue to look for smart and creative ways to grow their events while keeping their costs down.

As South Africans will be vehemently following politics during the election year, we can certainly expect the sixth democratic general elections to have some influence on the events industry.

Venues such as Gallagher Convention Centre can expect to see a greater focus from organisers on the social and environmental impact on their events. I expect the industry will come to the same conclusion as Gallagher that due to the reach of our impact we need to find more innovative ways to reduce our footprint and be conscious of our surroundings, like removing plastic straws and only offering the alternative when delegates and guest request it.

The efforts of South Africa National Convention Bureau and other professional bodies such as SAACI, ICCA Africa and, more recently, the Association of Associations Executives, in South Africa are starting to yield increasingly positive results for our country.

Technological innovation will continue to influence the business events industry as well as exhibitions as connectivity continues to be paramount and the applications for Virtual Reality and AI gains traction.

As a service-orientated company with a realisation of the importance of its people and the quality of the offering to the client, we have renewed our commitment to continue to upskill our staff and to reinvest in our property and facilities.

A “one size fits all” approach to the business of events can certainly no longer be tolerated as organisers and consumers have an expectation of a customised, specialised approach and offering by venues.

2019 will be a year of growth for those in the industry with the passion to innovate and adapt.

We will see a lot of innovation from long-standing events in 2019 as organisers will continue to look for smart and creative ways to grow their events while keeping their costs down.

INDUSTRY PREDICTIONS

SERVICES

Alexia Swart, managing director of Barmotion 2018 HAS DEFINITELY been a challenging and busy year for us. We have had a more rushed feel with confirmations coming in from clients mostly last minute – however we have made it all work. Nothing like a bit of pressure to make the magic happen. We have seen an increased focus this year on road shows across the different regions and a move towards

client appreciation activations, with a heavy focus on delivering the client’s brand across all elements.

2019 looks to follow on 2018 trends with pushing the clients brand and message across all available platforms.

We are looking into new areas and ways to create full customisation and branding of our services for our clients as we need to become an extension of our client’s brand, and offer all the platforms that can facilitate this.

The trend is also moving towards more unique, interactive and creative ways of delivering the ‘normal’, for example having our baristas produce a top class cappuccino with our client’s logo imprinted onto the froth, or - turning a doughnut bar into a colour coordinated, customised doughnut wall, where delegates can pick and choose their confections and

refreshments while interacting and having an experience.

Humans crave interactions and experiences, and this is what we give them, while delivering the targeted message of our clients – allowing them to focus on building the relationships at their exhibitions and events.

There is also a big drive and call to move towards being more environmentally friendly, than we already are. Barmotion hopes to be able to deliver completely eco-friendly setups during the first quarter of 2019 – with our first project focusing on introducing and offering edible straws.

Philip Zietsman, managing director of Folio Online & Folio Translation Consultants 2018 WAS A DIFFICULT YEAR in terms of turnover for those who remained devoted to old translation methods. The struggling South African economy put many companies in a position where they had to reduce marketing and packaging costs by making it available in a smaller number of languages. This in turn caused a slump in the requests for language services.

Unlikely languages such as Chichewa/Nyanja have dethroned Xhosa and Shona in telephone interpreting. People became increasingly aware of the available interpreting services resulting in a sharp upward curve in interpreting requests. South African Sign Language Interpreting (SASL) 24 Business Events Africa December 2018

has followed suit.

The water crisis and fears about Day Zero had a severe effect on the tourism, conference, and film industries in the Western Cape. Even though the crisis has been largely averted, it will take time and effort to change international perceptions of the Western Cape as an event and tourism destination.

The weak rand benefited our overseas clients. Current attempts to curb state capture and corruption may result in a strengthening of investor confidence in South Africa.

In 2019 the automation of the translation process will increase further in 2019. As AI and neural networks take over translators will increasingly fulfil a post-editing role as opposed to translation from scratch.

However, this trend won’t yet affect the smaller, less global languages (including the South African languages) as much, since machine translation software is not as developed for these languages and human translators still very much rule the roost.

Upward trends in terms of professional sign language interpreting to medical institutions will continue. South African exporters will continue to look to other African countries as markets for consumption of their products. This will drive requests for translation and other language services in indigenous African languages such as Swahili, Amharic, and Yoruba, as well as colonial languages notably French, Portuguese, and Arabic.

According to early predictions by Cisco, online videos will comprise 80 per cent of the internet’s traffic in 2019. From this we can deduce that the demand for audio-visual translations, subtitles, dubbing, voice artist, and video interpreting will likely increase further.

SEO will become even more indispensable in all spheres.

A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE

Conferencing in 2019 needs a different approach Marc Wachsberger, managing director of The Capital Hotels and Apartments

The Capital Hotels and Apartments shares insights gleaned across its seven South African conferencing venues.

E

ven though budgets are under increasing pressure, the business benefits of conferencing are priceless: education and skills sharing opportunities, networking, and an off-site environment for colleagues to learn more about themselves and one another by participating in fun activities.

The days of multi-day, multievent international conferences are, however, on the decline for South African companies, said Marc Wachsberger, managing director of The Capital Hotels and Apartments.

“Tighter budgets and an increased expectation of value for money and return on investment have seen more and more South African companies looking for conference venues that offer everything that they need in one venue, and at a reasonable price,” he said.

“Across our 51 conference venues, we’ve noticed that multi-day events are less popular than before, while clients are choosing venues that are adaptable to allow for full audience plenaries or small group breakaways, all at one location.”

The conferencing team at The Capital Hotels and Apartments has www.businesseventsafrica.com

identified these seven trends that will shape the industry in 2019: • Companies are seeking maximum output from delegates at conferences, and a small bowl of chewy mints and a bottle of water to last between breakfast and lunch isn’t going to cut it if they’re to keep energy levels high. A range of healthy and nutritious snacks that are going to keep energy high and creativity on form is essential.

• Business professionals at all levels are placing greater emphasis on health, with menus needing to offer options that cater for various eating plans and religious needs. While many of these requirements can be met with a carefully planned buffet menu, venues that respect diverse dietary needs and integrate them as seamlessly as possible will be conference organisers’ first choice. A buffet or finger fork lunch is also a great way to manage high-pressure schedules and diverse dietary needs.

• Even though many conferences have a focus on digital with on-site free Wi-Fi being as essential as comfortable seating, secretariat rooms are still in high

demand. Offering the space for this at no charge is a great value add, whether the conference organiser brings in their own copier and printing facilities or not.

• Most conferences still have a fun or team-building element in them, and the venues that offer a blank canvas that welcomes any kind of creative activity are the ones that will enjoy more bookings. Popular events include chocolate making, MasterChef-type competitions or even canvas painting, but there really should be no venue-imposed limit on what event organisers can do to inspire creativity among attendees.

• Venues that have spaces which can be dressed up or down or easily reformatted to accommodate the agenda will also be the most popular. Being willing to transform a daytime pool area into a night-time ballroom under a Bedouin tent, for example, will win an event organiser’s heart (and business).

• While overnight conferencing has been affected by budget constraints, venues that offer comfort and value for money will be first choice. Conference delegates don’t need night time turn downs or toiletries that they’ll never use – but they do need free high-speed Wi-Fi, and some may even need free laundry services. Free parking should be a nonnegotiable, and free shuttle services within a 5 km radius of the venue for overnight guests is a great value-add.

• Excellent customer service is top of mind for conference organisers, who want the comfort of working closely with an efficient and readily available expert banqueting team. This includes being available on call at any time to discuss event plans, while emails should only be a back-up to face to face meetings and telephonic updates.

“Conferencing is all about creating, curating and sharing conversations, and the venues that offer or create the most appealing environments where organisers’ outcomes are effectively achieved, are the ones that will welcome repeat business, even in the current tough economic climate,” Mr Wachsberger said.

Business Events Africa December 2018 25

DESTINATION FOCUS| Menlyn

THE CASE STUDY

Time Square pulls out all the stops for King Price

With one day to go to their year-end event, King Price had to change venues due to an unforeseen situation. Time Square pulled out all the stops to ensure the event ran as planned and made it all happen in just one day! Stephan Bredell, King Price’s next-level events dude, had this to say...

Setting the scene Last year, we had our year-end function arranged and ready to rock for Thursday 7 December. More than 500 royal family members had their outfits planned and babysitters booked, to celebrate our year together.

Our theme was Havana Nights, and we wanted it to be an open-air event, so we booked a ‘beach’ venue – hard to find in Pretoria! We also booked a closed hall for backup in case the weather changed.

On the Tuesday, we realised the weather wasn’t going to be in our favour. When we called to change our venue from the beach to the hall, the venue owners told us that they’d booked the hall for another company… which left us in a bit of a predicament, as we couldn’t risk having our party in a thunderstorm.

Time Square steps in De Wet van Deventer, general manager: dealerships and events, made some calls and, luckily, got hold of Brett Hoppé, general manager at Time Square. We met with the entire Time Square team,

including the chef, bar manager, and the events and logistic manager, on the Wednesday morning. In all, there were about 10 people sitting at the table asking how they could help. Bear in mind, this was one day before the event!

Time Square had a Bryan Adams show booked for Sunday 10 December and had already set up for it, but they rearranged their venue to suit our needs. They even put curtains up all around the arena so it was more intimate, and laid floor tiles for us.

www.suninternational.com/time-square

The outcome Our year-end party was amazingly well organised, with not one hiccup. The food, the drinks, the sound, the furniture and décor – everything was on point.

Brett Hoppé and Nicky Nel really went out of their way to make it an epic night. Their professionalism, enthusiasm and work ethic is something Sun International can be really proud of.

“It really was mind blowing that they managed to organise a whole year end function for over 500 people in one day.

26 Business Events Africa December 2018

www.businesseventsafrica.com

DESTINATION FOCUS| Menlyn

Time Square,

situated in Menlyn Maine, Pretoria, is Sun International’s flagship property, comprising a state of the art casino; luxury hotel; conference facilities; restaurants and upscale retail outlets.

Time Square also boasts The Sun Arena, which opened in November 2017 and is the first venue of its kind in the province, and is easily accessible from The Maslow at Time Square. The Sun Arena spans over 6 300 m2 of combined seating and mixed use performance space on two levels.

With capacity to host 8 500 guests at a seated event and 10 500 for a standing

www.businesseventsafrica.com

concert, the Sun Arena provides an unprecedented platform for staging grand scale events.

The venue boasts an international award winning digital audio system for spectacular sound and acoustics, as well as a high definition, audiovisual system complete with large format LED screens.

The design and layout of seating on two tiers deliver unobstructed views from all positions.

The only venue of its kind in the country, the Sun Arena plays host to international and local concerts, exhibitions and lifestyle events.

Business Events Africa December 2018 27

TEAM BUILDING | Drums and Rhythm

SET YOUR TEAM’S SPIRIT

ON FIRE

Experience the magic of a team fire dancing to motivate and empower your team with Drums and Rhythm. Delegates get to express themselves through dance while building trust with fellow colleagues.

GREAT FOR:

• Opening and closing of conferences • Product launches • Company entertainment • Team building • Incentives • Office parties • Yearend functions

28 Business Events Africa December 2018

www.businesseventsafrica.com

TEAM BUILDING | Drums and Rhythm

F

ire dancing is the coming together of performance arts and skills that involves the manipulation of fire. Fire dancing typically involves apparatus made with one or more wicks, which are designed to sustain a large enough flame to create a visual effect.

Our professional team of facilitators will teach a very basic but powerful dance routine, using fire staffs with a flame burning on either side and then weaving, spinning and stepping to the rhythm of the music.

Your team will need to communicate in synergy with enthusiasm to get the full effects of this thrilling activity.

If you can dance as a team, you can work as a team!

INTERACTIVE BENEFITS OF TEAM BUILDING: • Breaks down the barriers of race, language, gender and hierarchy.

• Builds personal and team confidence.

• Builds group synergy.

• Is co-operative rather than competitive.

• Releases stress.

• Promotes team motivation.

HOW DOES IT WORK? • We will provide a fire staff to each delegate.

ENTERTAINMENT AND OTHER SERVICES AVAILABLE:

• Promotes group awareness.

• Encourages self-exploration.

• Promotes group communication.

• Creates spontaneity, fun and laughter.

• The burn wick is covered in a ribbon sock for practicing during the beginning of the session.

• Drummers • Dancers • Bands • Acts • Shebeen theme • African music shop • Memorabilia.

MORE THAN 20 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE IN THE INDUSTRY!

• Our facilitators will then teach a few basic dance movements like the “Weave” and “Spin”.

Get in touch now and book your event with Drums and Rhythm! +27 (0)82 843 7118 info@drumsandrhythm.com www.drumsandrhythm.com

• By combining these steps and movements the group builds a dance routine choreographed by our facilitators.

• When the facilitator is confident that everyone is able and ready, we remove the ribbon socks, dowse each wick in a bowl of paraffin and light the wicks on both ends.

• The team will then perform the choreographed dance together.

• Each delegate must face their fears, hold their own and trust their colleagues while communicating and performing in synergy.

• Depending on the size of the group, we will split you into smaller groups, each group performing to the other.

• The event ends with the entire group performing the sequence together, as OTHER TEAM a team, co-operating BUILDING ACTIVITIES rather than competing INCLUDE: against one another.

Drumming, belly dancing, • At the end of the event each delegate is motivated and has experienced a sense of achievement.

www.businesseventsafrica.com

African dancing, salsa dancing and gumboot dancing as well as learning how to build your own drum.

Business Events Africa December 2018 29

DESTINATION FOCUS| Pilanesberg

Conferencing in the bush

The Pilanesberg National Park in the North West province is amongst South Africa’s most unique national parks. Covering approximately 55 000 hectares, it is the fourth largest in Southern Africa. Perched on the eroded remnants of an alkaline volcanic crater, one of only three such craters in the world with magnificent rugged landscapes and well-watered valleys, this malaria-free park is renowned for its variety of flora and fauna.

T

he park boasts Africa’s legendary ‘Big 5’ with a wide range of species such as the brown hyena, the fleet-footed cheetah, sable, giraffe, zebra, hippo and crocodile, to name a few.

Accommodation in the Pilanesberg is varied and ranges from exclusive lodges, resorts, safari tents, bush lodges to self-catering chalets.

There’s a variety of conference and accommodation options available.

Ivory Tree Game Lodge Ivory Tree Game Lodge, winner of the coveted Sanlam Top Destination Awards 2017, is famed for its expansive luxuriousness and privacy. aha Ivory Tree Game Lodge is situated in the north-eastern region of the wildlife-rich Pilanesberg Game Reserve. The luxurious accommodation offers four luxury suites, two family suites and one executive suite, 60 standard rooms and a four-room villa.

30 Business Events Africa December 2018

Conferencing is done seamlessly; two state-of-the-art conference rooms’ presents a variety of configurations, customised to suite clients’ particular requirements.

Larger groups can be accommodated in the main conference room, through various options such as cinema-style seating for 120 delegates, banquet and schoolroom style seating to accommodate 50 delegates. Boardroom style seating can accommodate 40 delegates.

The more intimate Durga Meeting Room accommodates 30 delegates in both cinema and banquet style arrangements and a total of 20 delegates for boardroom, U-shape or schoolroom style seating.

The conference rooms offer Wi-Fi to all conference delegates, flipcharts and markers, writing pads and pens, digital projectors, pull down screens (projection), surround-sound audio system, audio visual

DESTINATION FOCUS| Pilanesberg

Ivory Tree Game Lodge

equipment, PA and microphones, LCD projector and a PC compatible interfacing with all equipment (LCD Projector).

Shepherd’s Tree Game Lodge Located in the wildlife-rich Pilanesberg Game Reserve, Shepherds Tree Game Lodge is an award winning five star lodge concession in an exclusive-use zone in the south-western portion of the 57 250 ha reserve, awarded by the North West Parks and Tourism Board.

The lodge offers 26 standard rooms (or 13 family suites) with a patio overlooking

the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. The standard room comprise a main bedroom with en-suite bathroom and outdoor shower. The room can be converted to create a family room, which includes two sleeper couches. The lodge’s four spacious executive suites are situated adjacent to the magnificent main lodge, and there is one villa with two bedrooms and a plunge pool.

Shepherd’s Tree has a dedicated state-of-the-art conference facility and function centre, offering several layouts.

The schoolroom style arrangement can accommodate larger groups up

Shepherd’s Tree Game Lodge

to a maximum of 70 delegates. The cinema style set-up and banquet style easily accommodates a maximum of 60 delegates and for smaller, more intimate arrangements, the u-shape style and boardroom arrangement is ideal, accommodating from up to 28 delegates.

The main conference centre offers pull down screens (projection), PA and microphones, digital projectors surround-sound audio system, audio visual equipment, flipcharts and markers, writing pads and pens, and offers free Wi-Fi to all conference delegates.

Discover the splendour of the Pilanesberg Ivory Tree Game Lodge & Shepherd’s Tree Game Lodge offer state-of-the-art conference facilities.

Experience exclusive bushveld conferences, corporate workshops, meetings & team-building sessions at our award-winning 5 star lodges.

For Bookings Contact: ivory.shepherds@aha.co.za | www.aha.co.za

EXECUTIVE CHEF

Work hard and be willing to learn Ross Jurgens, 38, executive chef of Premier Hotel Midrand, has over 16 years of experience in the hospitality industry. His entry into the industry was by chance, but then the passion for food took over.

H

e started his career in the United Kingdom, initially as a kitchen porter. “One day, the executive chef pulled me in with hands on kitchen duties. I then returned to South Africa where I furthered my studies in hospitality at the International Hotel School in Durban.”

Ross grew up in Durban, but was born in Zimbabwe. He has worked at the Royal Hotel in Durban and various other hotels throughout KwaZulu-Natal.

“I also spent some time in Cape Town at Milnerton and Le Franschhoek before moving to a property in the Drakensberg”.

He then worked at the Orion Safari Lodge in Rustenburg before joining Premier Hotel Midrand.

His goal for the next five years is to become group executive chef.

Ross said: “Being a chef is accepting the different daily challenges, meeting new people, enjoying the buzz of the kitchen when it is pumping, creating new dishes, and learning recipes from anybody and everybody.”

Ross said the current trend he is seeing in the industry is definitely molecular gastronomy food. Globally,

he said the trend is towards healthy and sustainable products.

In terms of conferences and events, he said PCOs can assist chefs through effective communication with the conference co-ordinator. “Try to find out more about your clientele – what their preferences and needs are – so we can understand and plan accordingly, as not everyone likes healthy food, etc.”

One of the challenges Ross has encountered is the lack of qualified chefs.

He said: “Getting unqualified chefs who are brilliant and great qualified with papers behind them so they can earn their true potential is rewarding.”

Ross is married to Candice. They have been married for 12 years and have two beautiful daughters named Khloe and Mia. For leisure he enjoys baking and spending time with his daughters.

His advice to newcomers to the sector is: “It isn’t what you see on TV. Be passionate in what you do and be prepared to work long hours, weekends and holidays – this is ultimately what your hours would be like in the hospitality industry. Work hard, always be willing to learn and thereafter, work cleverly.”

32 Business Events Africa December 2018

What is your signature dish?

Rib eye marinated in chimichurri, with a chimichurri salsa, piquillo pepper sauce, balsamic roasted baby onions and glazed baby carrots. To be paired with a mojito or margarita and good company.

What trends are emerging in the conference industry in regards to food? Fun entertainment and action food stations.

What has remained constant in this industry? Quality, wholesome food.

What is your favourite beverage? Mojito.

What is your favourite food?

Mexican.

What is your pet hate? Chefs arriving late or not coming to work.

What is your great love? Family and food

Are you adventurous? I baked a unicorn cake.

PERSONALITY PROFILE

A wizard at events Dynamic Herkie du Preez, 29, senior event manager at Event Wizards loves making ‘magic’ happen. “I have always had this fantasy to wave a wand and fly around on a broom and now that is almost exactly what I do.”

“W

e at Event Wizards believe that statements such as ‘trusted’ and ‘well-established’ go without saying when you dare call yourself an events production company.

“The quality that really sets us apart is embodied in the essence of our name – efficiency that almost verges on wizardry.

We have become renowned for pulling magic out of a hat to deliver on requests that others may deem impossible or too demanding. In short, we are ultimate trendsetters and showstoppers!”

Where did you grow up? I was born and bred in Pretoria.

Where did you study? I completed studies in conference, exhibition and event management at Damelin in 2008. In 2009 I obtained a certification for a START course.

In 2010 I started studying part-time for the Diploma in Culinary Arts and Food and Beverage Management at the South African Chefs Training and Innovation Academy. I have also attended short courses in event greening and event architecture. I will continue with as many of these as possible, as they are quick and effective.

What do you enjoy most about it? I love this quote from an IMEX report I recently read: “Event professionals are now at the core of a live industry revolution. They are the soul, the orchestra conductor with a vision, making ideas take shape and form, so we can touch, experience and pass them along to future generations.’’

What has been the biggest change you’ve seen in this sector? Technology is by far one of the most active drivers in bringing change to the industry.

Were you always involved in this sector? From the age of 19 I was either managing a restaurant or busy planning an event. I have been more actively and professionally involved for the past four years, working at Event Wizards. www.businesseventsafrica.com

Are you married? No, but I do have a pug called Dobby.

What would you change in your life if you could when looking back? Nothing. I believe

What are the current top trends?

everything that happens prepares us for what is to come.

Do you have any hobbies? Isn’t eventing a hobby? My favourite hobby is being part of the Secret Sunrise Global Movement. Secret Sunrise is a guided dance which celebrates each day as a gift – I am one of the wacky instructors.

Do you play any sports? I teach weekly group fitness classes.

What do you do for leisure? I love to ‘pug’ around, exercise, laugh with friends and family and eat good food.

What is your secret to success?

A healthy work-life balance, proper planning – but most importantly, have fun doing what you are doing. If you are not having fun, what is the purpose?

What has been your biggest challenge in this sector? The last-minute request for big events. It’s not so much a challenge, but more a frustration.

What is the most memorable place you have ever been to, and why? To be honest, I haven’t

1. Incorporating event technology tools, whether through event apps, virtual/augmented reality, live streaming, digital invitations and registrations.

Even Wi-Fi access at your event is a step in the right direction. The hype is here already, and we will definitely see more digitalisation in the meeting and event space. PS. If you don’t have a digital or social media strategy in place for your company or event, then you will get caught sleeping.

2. Enhancing the event experience through all the senses. You can achieve your event objectives in unconventional ways on a psychological as well as physical level if designed smartly.

3. The current economic problems force companies and government to be very careful when spending money. This sometimes leads to last minute requests and tenders, formulated by staff with no training or experience, resulting in additional costs instead of savings.

4. Collaboration. Yes, this is a sensitive subject for some, but collaborating with other industry professionals and associations can be a huge advantage by adding additional fields of expertise and technology to your company portfolio.

5. Sustainability is here to stay, and is growing through constant client education. It is also rapidly becoming an expectation.

travelled much – yet. My life has always been work, work, work. But I LOVE SouthAfrica.

6. Standards in the industry. There should be a facility for measurement. This will increase efficiency and the need for education and constant improvement. It could also serve as a platform for sharing information and trends.

What is your favourite book and film? Harry Potter.

passionate about working all the time as it becomes a lifestyle, not a job.

What advice do you have for anyone starting out in this industry and hoping to follow in your footsteps? This is not an

What is your dream for the future? I obviously live a life of planning,

easy industry. You must be on top of your game 24/7. Double check your bucket list before you start and make sure you are

but I do not plan my own life much in advance. I like to keep it realistic, so my 2019 plan will be to start and complete the Certified Meeting Planner course. And then… watch this space!

Business Events Africa December 2018 33

MARKET NEWS

Cape Town & the Western Cape launches

‘Nowhere Does It Better’ campaign Wesgro’s Destination Marketing Unit in partnership with key stakeholders at all levels of government and the tourism industry, recently launched the #NowhereBetter campaign.

F

ollowing a perfect storm of negative messaging, the local tourism industry took a downturn with international arrivals declining in 2018, compared to those in 2017.

The challenge faced was that potential visitors were delaying their trip or not considering Cape Town and the Western Cape as their holiday destination.

Identifying that it was a shared responsibility to change the narrative and the power of a single voice, government and key tourism stakeholders came together in a historic first to devise a plan to put the province back on the international tourism consideration list.

Through research and numerous discussions, the question was posed: Where else in the world can you experience breathtaking landscapes, rich cultural experiences, world class food and wine, art, marine life, beaches, nature and much more, all within a few minutes or hours from a vibrant city centre?

To this end, it was agreed that ‘Nowhere Does it Better’ than Cape Town and the Western Cape.

Showcasing the breadth and depth of various activities within the Western Cape and the proximity these are to one another, the globally focused, white label marketing campaign is comprised of compelling videos showcasing the extraordinary offerings of the destination.

With phrases including “Where the French come to fall in love” and “The English come to drink tea,” the campaign adopts a cheeky twist compelling travellers to come visit Cape Town and the Western Cape to experience activities synonymous with other countries – because we just do it better.

Judy Lain, Wesgro’s chief marketing officer for tourism, stated: “The purpose of this campaign is to reignite people’s passion in the destination. We

need to go back to basics and remind people why we are great and why they need to come and visit us!”

The video, which beautifully displays the diversity of the experiences available in the province, have been curated into shorter scenarios which will be boosted to the Cape’s top three source markets (United States, United Kingdom and Germany) via Facebook, Instagram, Google, programmatic marketing and remarketing.

During the launch, it was stressed that a recovery plan is not a silver bullet solution to a complicated problem – it is an active response to addressing the challenges with the power of a single voice to create a meaningful impact.

The campaign boasts two microsites: one for trade and the other for the consumer.

On the trade website, www. nowherebetter-campaign.com, tourism stakeholders can download complimentary marketing assets for use of individual companies marketing initiatives. The collateral has been specifically designed to include a white space at the bottom for individual companies to insert their own branding.

The consumer website, www. nowherebetter.co.za gives interested visitors an overview of the scenic, cultural and outdoor experiences on offer in the destination.

34 Business Events Africa December 2018

Executive Mayor, Dan Plato, stated: “We cannot rest on past successes and need to continue marketing Cape Town as the top destination that it is. Our city should be top of mind when travellers and event organisers are thinking about their next destination, so I am very pleased to see that we are doing exactly that today – finding new and innovative ways and messages to showcase Cape Town to the rest of the world.”

Minister of Economic Opportunities, Beverly Schäfer, said: “Tourism is a vital sector in the Western Cape economy, sustaining over 300 000 direct and indirect jobs. In the same way this industry came together during the worst of the crisis, it's come together again as we find solutions. This campaign, funded from across the various spheres of the industry, is a reminder of everything the Western Cape and Cape Town have to offer.”

South African Tourism chief executive officer, Sisa Ntshona, added: “Cape Town will always remain an iconic global destination. Through the difficult times over the last 18 months, we have displayed resilience and a willingness to challenge ourselves in coming up with innovative solutions to address the drought. We are excited at what the future holds for Cape Town and South Africa. The #NowhereBetter campaign is another encouraging step in leading the way to show to the world that Cape Town and South Africa is always open for business as we welcome visitors to our wonderful country.”

Wesgro chief Executive Officer, Tim Harris, concluded: "We're inviting the world to come experience all we have on offer.

Nowhere in the world will you find such a diverse range of experiences in such close proximity to each other. There quite simply is nowhere in the word that does it better.”

MARKET NEWS

Johannesburg remains

Africa’s most popular city Johannesburg has emerged as the most popular destination city in Africa for the fifth consecutive year, according to the annual MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index.

T

he City of Gold attracted 4.05 million international overnight visitors in 2017. Close on its heels, Marrakech in Morocco is the second most popular African destination city, welcoming 3.93 million international overnight visitors last year. Polokwane (1.88 million), Cape Town (1.73 million) and Djerba in Tunisia (1.65 million) rounded out the top five African cities ranked in the Index.

Johannesburg also recorded the highest international overnight visitor expenditure among African cities with travellers spending US$2.14 billion in 2017, well ahead of Marrakech (US$1.64 billion). On average, international visitors stayed 10.9 nights and spent US$48 per day in Johannesburg, with shopping accounting for more than 50 per cent of their total spend.

“The City of Gold has once again topped the ranks of this year’s African index, with its mix of shopping and tourism offerings still hitting the mark with international travellers,” said Mark Elliott, division president of Mastercard Southern Africa. “The ranking is significant for Joburg’s economic prospects as visitor expenditure contributes an important source of revenue to the retail, hospitality, restaurant and cultural sectors.”

The Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index ranks the world’s top 162 destination cities in terms of visitor volume and spend for the 2017 calendar year. It also provides insight on the fastest growing destination cities, and a deeper understanding of why people travel and how they spend around the world. This year’s Index ranks 23 major African cities including Cairo,

www.businesseventsafrica.com

Nairobi, Lagos, Casablanca, Durban, Tunis, Dar es Salaam, Accra, Kampala, Maputo and Dakar among others.

As an indication of the importance of intra-regional travel, just over 57 per cent of international overnight visitors to Johannesburg in 2017 originated from five Southern African countries. Mozambique was the number one country that sends visitors to Johannesburg, accounting for 809 000 visitors or 20 per cent of the total, followed by Lesotho (12.4 per cent), Zimbabwe (12 per cent), Botswana (6.7 per cent) and Swaziland (6.1 per cent).

According to the City of Johannesburg, the Index rating affirms Johannesburg’s position as the major economic and cultural hub in Africa.

“As the strong numbers of visitors from our neighbouring countries show, Johannesburg is one of the continent’s most significant metropolises for business, trade, investment and leisure,” said City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba.

“The Index reaffirms Johannesburg’s status as a destination that continues to attract international overnight visitors each year due to its continually evolving tourism offerings, from popular shopping destinations and our worldclass malls to a wide range of lifestyle, sporting and business events.”

cities with the highest international overnight visitor expenditure in 2017, with visitors spending US$1.62 billion and US$760 million respectively. While visitors to Cape Town stayed 12.5 nights and spent US$75 per day on average, travellers to Polokwane stayed for a shorter period (4.3 nights), but spent more per day (US$95). Shopping is also a drawcard for visitors to both Cape Town and Polokwane, accounting for 22 per cent and 60 per cent of their total spend respectively.

The Mother City attracted the largest proportion of long-haul visitors in South Africa, with travellers coming from the United Kingdom (14.4 per cent), Germany (12.4 per cent), United States (10.9 per cent), and France (6.6 per cent).

Cape Town’s highest number of African visitors came from Namibia (6.2 per cent).

“International travel is crucial to many urban economies, enriching the lives of both residents and tourists.

The bar is rising for cities to innovate to provide both a memorable and authentic experience,” Mr Elliott said.

“We’re partnering closely with cities around the world to ensure they have insights and technologies to improve how they attract and cater to tourists while preserving what makes them so special in the first place.”

South African cities show strong performance Cape Town and Polokwane ranked third and sixth in terms of the African

Business Events Africa December 2018 35

MARKET NEWS

Protea Hotels by Marriott to open its second hotel in Ghana

P

rotea Hotels by Marriott has announced the signing of Protea Hotel By Marriott Accra, Kotoka Airport, the brand’s second hotel in Ghana and the first in the capital city of Accra.

Owned by Baobab Hotels & Resorts, which is a subsidiary of the Yamusah Group, the hotel will be strategically located in the prestigious airport residential area of Accra.

A mere 1.5 km from the Kotoka International Airport, the hotel is also in close proximity to key diplomatic, government and commercial nodes.

“Continuing economic growth in Africa is driving greater investment in the continent, and Ghana is proving to be particularly attractive as an investment destination. Protea Hotels by Marriott, is one of Africa’s most well established hotel brands and we are delighted to debut the brand in the bustling and

dynamic capital city of Accra. The hotel will meet the rising demand for quality lodging in the city, catering to both the business as well as the leisure traveller,” said Volker Heiden, vice president Protea Hotels by Marriott, Marriott International, Middle East and Africa.

According to Zibrim Yamusah, president and CEO of the Yamusah Group, “We are pleased to partner with Marriott International to bring the Protea hotels

by Marriott brand to Accra. The brand’s strong regional equity and awareness coupled with the global distribution of Marriott International and the strength of its loyalty program, we believe, are a powerful combination that will help position the hotel and drive business.”

Protea Hotel by Marriott Accra Kokota Airport will be a 17-story, 200-room hotel offering a restaurant, a lobby bar and lounge, small conference and meeting facilities, an air crew lounge,

a gymnasium and a roof-top pool bar and lounge with uninterrupted views of the city. With its strategic location and the range of facilities it will offer, the hotel will be ideal for business and leisure travellers, as well as airline crew and the local community.

Protea Hotel by Marriott Accra Kotoka Airport is expected to open by the end of 2019.

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

December 2018 Vol 38 No 12 ADVERTISER

PAGE EMAIL

WEBSITE

AAXO

17

aaxo@aaxo.co.za

www.aaxo.co.za

African Hotels and Adventures

32-33

cro@aha.co.za

www.aha.co.za

Avianto

OFC, 6-7 info@avianto.co.za

www.avianto.co.za

Barmotion

23

info@barmotion.co.za

www.barmotion.co.za

Drums & Rhythm

30-31

info@drumsandrhythm.com

www.drumsandrhythm.com

EXSA

15

exsa@exsa.co.za

www.exsa.co.za

Folio Translation Consultants

24

pziets@folio-online.co.za

www.folio-online.co.za

MJunxion

4

yolande@mjunxion.co.za

www.mjunxion.co.za

Peermont Global

5

reservations@peermont.com

www.peermont.com

Plaslope

37

glenda.aereboe@plaslope.com

www.plaslope.com

SAACI

14

info@saaci.org

www.saaci.org

SITE

16

info@sitesouthernafrica.com

www.sitesouthernafrica.com

Spier Hotel & Conference Centre

OBC

conference@spier.co.za

www.spier.co.za

Sun International Time Square

28-29

timesquare.conference2@ suninternational.com

www.suninternational.com/timesquare

Tourism Grading Council of South Africa

IFC-1

feedback@tourismgrading.co.za

www.tourismgrading.co.za

36 Business Events Africa December 2018

CALENDAR

Conferences, workshops and exhibitions of interest to the conference, exhibition and special events market For free entries in this calendar, please supply information to editorial@businesseventsafrica.com

LOCAL: 2019 30-31 JANUARY: Third Annual Exhibition of Exhibitions Venue: Ticketpro Dome, Northgate, Johannesburg Email: info@aaxo.co.za 31 JANUARY 2019: AAXO Roar Awards / EXSA-LLENCE Awards Montecasino, Johannesburg Tel: +27 (0)11 835 1565 Email: info@aaxo.co.za 26-27 FEBRUARY 2019: Meetings Africa Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa www.meetingsafrica.co.za 7-9 APRIL 2019: International Luxury Travel Market | Africa Venue: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town Tel: +27(11) 549 8300 Email: megan.oberholzer@ reedexpoafrica.co.za www.iltm.com/africa

10-12 APRIL : Incentives, Business Travel & Meetings Expo Africa Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre, Convention Square, Cape Town, South Africa Tel: +27(11) 549 8300 Email: megan.oberholzer@ reedexpoafrica.co.za www.ibtmafrica.com 10-12 APRIL 2019: World Travel Market Africa 2019 Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre, Convention Square, Cape Town, South Africa www.africa.wtm.com 7-9 MAY 2019: Africa’s Travel Indaba Venue: Albert Luthuli Convention Centre (Durban ICC), South Africa Email: indaba@indaba-southafrica.co.za www.indaba-southafrica.co.za 5-6 JUNE 2019: Markex 2019 Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa Tel: +27 (0)11 835 1565 www.markex.co.za

5-6 JUNE 2019: Madex 2019 Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa Tel: +27 (0)11 835 1565 www.madex.co.za

INTERNATIONAL: 2019 11-14 JANUARY 2019: SITE Global Conference Venue: Bangkok, Thailand www.siteglobal.com/page/site-2019global-conference 18-20 FEBRUARY 2019: AIME 2019 Venue: Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre, Melbourne | www.aime.com.au 25-27 MARCH 2019: ibtm Arabia Venue: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. www.ibtmarabia.com 21-23 MAY 2019: IMEX Frankfurt Venue: Messe Frankfurt Tel: +44 1273 227311 www.imexexhibitions.com 26-27 JUNE 2019: The Meetings Show UK Venue: Olympia London, United Kingdom www.themeetingsshow.com

TEL: +27 11 452 1115 FAX: +27 11 452 3609 WEBSITE: www.plaslope.com EMAIL: glenda.aereboe@plaslope.com

TAMPER EVIDENT SECURITY BAGS

• Debasafe® Tamper Evident Security Bags are used whenever tamper-evident movement is critical.

• We manufacture to order and assist in tailor-made solutions to suit your security needs.

• A comprehensive range of security features are standard on the bags and additional features can be added.

• The sealing strip is used for exacting demands with a heat indicator displaying attempts to tamper.

• Tampering by means of cold, heat, solvents, liquids & manipulation is clearly visible.

• Bags can be customised according to customer’s requirements with exclusive numbering & bar-coding.

• Bags are manufactured in either transparent or opaque LDPE film, in various grades to meet specific requirements.

www.businesseventsafrica.com

The bags are used for the safe movement of: • Government Departments • Foreign Exchange • Confidential Documents (Examinations, Elections, Passports, Visas etc.)

• High Value Items (Diamonds, Precious Metals, Forensic Evidence, Cellphones, Computer Equipment) • Cash (Banks & Cash-in-Transit companies)

Business Events Africa December 2018 37

DIRECTORY

Learning | Growth | collaboration BOARD OF DIRECTORS National chairperson: Wayne Smith, Sales Ambassador, Century City Conference Centre e: wayne.j@ccconferencecentre.co.za c: +27 (0)83 448 1324 Vice-chairperson: Kim Roberts, The Forum Company e: kim.roberts@theforum.co.za c: +27 (0)82 652 2008 Treasurer: Glenn van Eck Chief Executive Officer Magnetic Storm e: glenn@magnetic.co.za c: +27 (0)82 800 2616 Public officer: Denise Kemp Director, Eastern Sun Events e: denise@esternsun.co.za c: +27 (0)82 654 9755 Chief executive officer: Rudi Van Der Vyver e: ceo@saaci.org c: +27 (0)84 580 9882

Directors EC chairperson: Andrew Stewart PeriExpo e: andrew@periexpo.co.za c: +27 (0)82 578 5987 KZN chairperson: Nick Papadopoulos Eat Greek Caterers e: nick@eatgreek.catering c: +27 (0)84 505 0113 JHB chairperson: Lorin Bowen Lorin Bowen e: lorin@lorinbowen.co.za c: + 27 (0)82 433 8687 WC chairperson: Jaques Fouche Gearhouse e: jfouche@gearhouse.co.za c: +27 (0)83 607 2046 Tshwane chairperson: Leon Pheiffer EPH Productions e: leon@ephproductions.co.za c: + 27 (0)82 924 9046 C&E forum: Gwyn Matthews Southern Cross Conferences e: gwyn@scconferences.com c: +27 (0)21 683 5106

Vice-chairperson: David Limbert Magnetic Storm e: david@magnetic.co.za t: +27 (0)41 393 4800

Minister Kganyago ATKV e: MinisterK@atkv.org.za c: +27 (0)79 513 8708

Nonhlanhla Tshabalala City of Tshwane e: nonhlanhlat@tshwane.gov.za c: +27 (0)71 351 4458

Chad Botha Inspire Furniture Hire & Sales e: chad@inspirefurniture.co.za c: +27 (0)61 497 2945

Kwa-Zulu Natal

John Arvanitakis Chat’R Experience e: john@chatr.solutions c: +27 (0)83 415 2774

COMMITTEE:

Mashudu Sarah Mills Late Harvest Catering & Events e: mashudu@Lhce.co.za c: +27 (0)82 494 3552

Mande Bage Eastern Sun Events e: speakers@easternsun.co.za c: +27 (0)82 565 7513

Moses Gontai Namanje Events Solutions e: moses@namanjeevents.co.za c: +27 (0)73 407 9322

Gill Dickie Bidvest Car Rental e: gilld@bidvestcarrental.co.za c: +27 (0)79 527 7619

Zoë Van Niekerk Scan Display e: zoe@scandisplay.co.za c: +27 (0)83 568 9819

Sadie Isaacs NMBT e: conference@nmbt.co.za c: +27 (0)82 990 7652

Ruth Baldwin Contact Publications e: ruth@businesseventsafrica.com c: +27 (0)72 897 6752

Coordinator: Wendy Knott-Craig SAACI e: ecbranch@saaci.co.za c: +27 (0)73 201 8699 Loudeaux Minnie AW Events e: loudeaux@aweventsza.com c: +27 (0)82 961 6309 Caro Morgan Exbo e: caro@exbo.co.za Tricia Wood Cape St Francis Resort e: tricia@capestfrancisresort.co.za c: +27 (0)83 506 9565

Johannesburg Chairperson: Lorin Bowen Lorin Bowen e: lorin@lorinbowen.co.za c: +27 (0)82 433 8687 Vice-chairperson: Michelle Bingham Tsogo Sun e: Michelle.Bingham@tsogosun.com c: +27 (0)82 339 0342 Treasurer: Manuela Gomes Bidvest Car Rental e: manuelag@bidvestcarrental.co.za c: +27 (0)82 065 9272 Coordinator: Letticia Ndhlala SAACI e: letticia@saaci.org c: +27 (0)71 294 6844

Tshwane Chairperson: Leon Pheiffer EPH Productions e: leon@ephproductions.co.za c: 082 924 9046 Vice-chairperson: Melanie Pretorius CSIR ICC e: mpretorius1@csir.co.za c: +27 (0)82 410 1202 Treasurer: Emily Naidoo CSIR ICC e: enaidoo@csir.co.za c: +27 (0)84 441 1005 Coordinator: Letticia Ndhlala SAACI e: letticia@saaci.org c: +27 (0)71 294 6844

COMMITTEE: Corné Engelbrecht SAVETCON e: corne@savetcon.co.za c: +27 (0)82 925 9241 Anette Burden Casa Toscana e: anette@casatoscana.co.a c: +27 (0)82 787 6144 Jeana Turner Avianto e: jeana.t@outlook.com c: +27 (0) 83 400 2685

COMMITTEE:

Herkie du Preez Event Wizards e: herkie@eventwizards.co.za c: +27 (0)82 839 3489

Eastern Cape

Aidan Koen Compex e: aidan@compex.co.za c: +27 (0)82 561 3188

Mandie Papendorf Jukwaa Group e: m.papendorf@jukwaa.net c: +27 (0)82 563 0191

Chairperson: Andrew Stewart PeriExpo e: andrew@periexpo.co.za c: +27 (0)82 578 5987

Brendan Vogt Guvon Hotels e: brendan@guvon.co.za c: +27 (0)83 709 0480

Nellie Swart UNISA e: swartmp@unisa.ac.za c: +27 (0)82 771 0270

Government representative: Nonnie Kubeka Gauteng Convention & Events Bureau e: nonnie@gauteng.net c: +27 (0)83 571 7410

38 Business Events Africa December 2018

Chairperson: Tracey Delport The Hospitality Experience c: +27 (0)83 293 5190 Vice-chairperson: Nick Papadopoulos Eat Greek Caterers e: nick@eatgreek.catering c: +27(0)84 505 0113 Treasurer: Kim Jackson Greyville Convention Centre t: +27 31 309 1430 Branch coordinator: Amanda O Mathe Ndlovukazi Online Media e: amanda@ndlovukazionline.co.za

Western Cape Chairperson: Jaques Fouche Gearhouse e: Jaques.Fouche@ gearhouse.co.za c: +27 (0)83 607 2046 Vice-chairperson: Angela Lorimer Spier e: angelal@spier.co.za t: +27 (0)21 809 1101 Treasurer: Thiru Naidoo Cape Town & Western Cape Convention Bureau e: thiru@wesgro.co.za t: +27 (0)21 487 8600

COMMITTEE: Esmaré Steinhöfel ICCA e: esmare.s@iccaworld.org c: +27 (0)84 056 5544 Esti Venske CPUT e: venskee@cput.ac.za Cindy Buser Mirchee e: cindy@mirchee.co.za c: +27 (0)72 192 5656 Zimkitha Bavuma CPUT e: zim@live.co.za Zandri Swartz Century City Convention Centre e: zandri.s@ ccconferencecentre. co.za t: +27 (0)21 204 8000 Andrew Gibson Magnetic Storm e: andrew@magnetic.co.za c: +27 (0)74 588 3054 Adele Martiz CTICC e: adele@cticc.co.za Ansu Colditz XL Millennium e: ansuc@millenniumtravel.co.za Alex Wrottesley Into Africa e: alex@intoafrica.co.za

DIRECTORY

aaxo

AAXO – Association of African Exhibition Organisers

First Floor, Auditorium Building Gate 2, Johanensburg Expo Centre, Nasrec, Corner Rand Show & Nasrec Roads, Johannesburg, 2013 t: +27 (0)11 835 1565 e: aaxo@aaxo.co.za

EXSA OFFICE t: +27 (0)10 300 7907 e: info@exsa.co.za www.exsa.co.za Chair: Doug Rix, DK Design t: +27 (0)82 579 7071 e: dougrix@wol.co.za Vice Chair: Gill Gibbs, Blu Cube t: +27 (0)83 260 8035 e: gill@blu3.co.za Treasurer: Moses Nefale, Scan Display t: +27 (0)11 447 4777 e: moses@scandisplay.co.za Board members Adele Von Well, GL events

General manager: Wesley Lofstedt t: +27 (0)11 835 1565 e: wesley@aaxo.co.za Chairperson: Leatitia van Straten, Specialised Exhibitions Vice chairperson: Projeni Pather, Exposure Marketing Treasurer: Phil Woods, TE Trade Events Board members: Elaine Crewe, Reed Exhibitions Chanelle Hingston, Spintelligent Dee Reuvers, SA Confex Nomathemba Ndlovu, ZITF

t: +27 (0)82 464 8702 e: adele.vonwell@gl-events.com

EGF – Event Greening Forum 179 Jan Smuts Ave, Parktown North, Private Bag X7000, Parklands 2121 t: +27 (0)11 447 4777 info@eventgreening.co.za www.eventgreening.co.za Chairperson: Greg McManus Vice-Chairperson: Neo Mohlatlole

ICCA African Chapter: Chair: Lindiwe Rakharebe Durban International Convention Centre t: +27 (0)31 360 1000 e: LindiweR@icc.co.za Deputy Chair: Nana Gecaga ICCA – International Congress Kenyatta International Convention Centre & Convention t: +254 20 326 1000 Association e: md@kicc.co.ke

Patrick Cronning, Expo Guys t: +27 (0)83 281 5584 e: pat@expoguys.co.za Aubrey Eloff, Two Way Exhibitions e: aubrey@twowaysa.co.za Co-opted: Chad Botha, Inspire Furniture t: +27 (0)61 497 2945 e: chad@inspirefurniture.co.za Membership and media enquiries Mark John Cartmell t: +27 (0)76 979 7003 e: ceo@brightgiants.com

Official Journal of the Southern Africa Chapter of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence

President: Peter-John Mitrovich e: peter-john.mitrovich@grosvenortours.com c: +27 (0)82 318 1889 Daryl Keywood e: daryl@walthers.co.za c: +27 (0)82 904 4967

Secretariat: Esmaré Steinhöfel ICCA Africa Regional director c: +27 (0)84 056 5544 e: esmare.s@iccaworld.org. www.iccaworld.com/dbs/ africanchapter www.iccaworld.com

Johan Venter e: johan@urbanginga.co.za c: +27 (0)83 558 2349 Kyasha Bhoola e: kyasha@africanlink.co.za c: +27 (0)72 614 0069 Barry Futter e: barry@adventureworks.co.za c: +27 (0)82 790 9015 Secretariat: Mariaan Burger e: info@sitesouthernafrica.com c: +27 (0)82 557 8041

OTHER ASSOCIATIONS OF INTEREST TO THE INDUSTRY ABTA – African Business Travel Association Box 2594, Pinegowrie, 2123 t: +27 (0)11 888 8178 c: +27 (0)83 679 2110 e: monique@abta.co.za www.abta.co.za Founder: Monique Swart ANTOR – Association of National Tourist Office Representatives Box 41022, Craighall 2024 e: info@antor.co.za | www.antor.co.za ASATA – Association of Southern African Travel Agents PO Box 650539, Benmore, 2010 t: +27 (0)11 293 0560/61 e: barbara@asata.co.za e: general@asata.co.za Office manager: Barbara Viljoen Council of Events Professionals Africa e: melanie@cepafrica.co.za t: +27 11 880 5883 www.cepa.co.za

FEDHASA National Office – Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa PO Box 3853, The Reeds, 0157 t: +27 (0)12 771 5568 c: + 27 (0)82 552 9862

www.businesseventsafrica.com

e: ceo@fedhasa.co.za www.fedhasa.co.za Chief executive: Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa PSASA – Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa t: +27 (0)11 462 9465 c: +27 (0)83 458 6114 e: admin@psasouthernafrica.co.za www.psasouthernafrica.co.za SABOA – Southern African Bus Operators Association Postnet Suite 393, Private Bag X033, Rivonia 2128 t: +27 (0)11 511 7641 e: saboa@saboa.co.za | www.saboa.co.za SACIA – Southern African Communications Industries Association 96 The Bridles, Douglas Crescent, Sundowner, 2188 t: +27 (0)11 083 6418 c: +27 (0)82 555 5556 e: kevan@sacia.org.za Executive director: Kevan Jones SATI – South African Translators’ Institute Executive director: Marion Boers t: +27 (0)11 803 2681 e: office@translators.org.za www.translators.org.za

SATSA – Southern Africa Tourism Services Association Box 900, Ferndale 2160 t: +27 (0)11 886 9996 e: pa@satsa.co.za | www.satsa.com SKAL International South Africa Secretary: Anne Lamb t: +27 (0)21 434 7023 c: +27 (0)82 708 1836 e: anne@yebo.co.za www.skalsouthafrica.org STA – Sandton Tourism Association t: +27 (0)83 558 5445 e: secretariat@sandtontourism.com www.sandtontourism.com TBCSA – Tourism Business Council of South Africa Box 11655, Centurion 0046 t: +27 (0)12 664 0120 f: +27 (0)12 664 0103 e: comms@tbcsa.travel www.tbcsa.travel | www.tomsa.co.za Member relations manager: Boitumelo Moleleki TGCSA – Tourism Grading Council of South Africa Private Bag X10012, Sandton 2146 t: +27 (0)11 895 3000

f: +27 (0)11 895 3001 e: enquiries@tourismgrading.co.za TINSA – Interpreters/ Translators Network of Southern Africa e: info@interpreter.org.za t/f: +27 (0)11 485 2511 c: +27 (0)83 249 0010 www.interpreter.org.za TPSA – Technical Production Services Association 96 The Bridles, Douglas Crescent, Sundowner, 2188 t: +27 (0)11 083 6418 c: +27 (0)82 555 5556 e: kevan@sacia.org.za www.tpsa.co.za Executive director: Kevan Jones TTA – Tshwane Tourism Association Box 395, Pretoria 0001 t: +27 (0)12 841 4212 e: secretary@tshwanetourism.com www.tshwanetourism.com Chairperson: Bronwen Cadle de Ponte Secretary: Sithembile Nzimande Membership coordinator: Liz Oosthuysen e: membership@tshwanetourism.com

Business Events Africa October 2018 39

THE LAST WORD

The risks of doing events For every event, exhibition and congress that takes place there are always risks that need to be accounted for. Business Events Africa approached German Castro, security manager of MENESA at International SOS and Control Risks for some guidelines on how to mitigate risk when doing events, particularly in Africa.

I

nternational SOS is the world’s leading medical and security assistance company. Through a joint venture with Control Risks (established in 2008) the company has expanded its security services offering, not only providing 24/7 security information advice and assistance, but a whole suite of enhanced security risk management products and solutions that are tailored to a client’s specific needs.

International SOS is truly a global company, with an active presence on every continent. While it is headquartered out of London and Singapore, through its 26 24/7 assistance centres and 5 24/7 regional security centres, it ensures that clients are supported any time of the day or night, anywhere in the world.

What are the top five key tips when planning events?

• Consider the threat environment of the country and city where you plan to host your event. Are there any key dates that might affect security conditions on the horizon (elections, anniversaries, etc.), and will these coincide with the event schedule. Do the risks present in the environment present a credible

Who is German Castro?

concern to attendees, and if so what mitigation measures are required, both for the event venue and for the personal security of visitors. Will secure transport be required? Must the attendees be escorted? Will they be able to move about alone during leisure time?

How will you deliver security briefings and assistance to attendees as part of your duty of care obligations?

• Start planning well in advance.

Venues can be booked up quickly and so can hotels and transportation providers. Being proactive is key.

• Assess the suitability of the prospective venue from a security standpoint.

Where is it located? Are there any increased risks in the vicinity?

• Assess the suitability of accommodation options from a security standpoint.

Where are they located? Risks nearby?

What is the distance to the event venue?

• Establish a robust crisis/escalation management framework so that all stakeholders know how to respond to a deteriorating situation or risk event.

Are there any African countries organisers should avoid at the moment?

We have an intricate country security risk rating system, and at the moment a couple of countries stand out due to their EXTREME risk classification. These are Somalia, South Sudan, Libya, and

the CAR, while parts of others, such as Mali, Sudan, Nigeria and the DRC, also fall within this EXTREME rating. In these locations we assess that there are no mitigating mechanisms available that can be effectively implemented to reduce risks to acceptable levels, hence we advise against travel -and indeed organising events there- under most circumstances.

In other countries, it is certainly viable to host events, but this is largely dependent on location (rural, remote areas pose additional challenges) and whether the right security mechanisms have been addressed and implemented.

What are the main challenges of running an event/congress in other African countries?

The availability of secure accommodation (particularly for larger events hosting many participants) is always a key concern, and this is why we as a company are in the process of developing enhanced solutions that enable event hosts and travel managers to seamlessly select preferred hotels from a security standpoint.

What can be done to mitigate these challenges?

Part of this is outlined in the tips section, but the two key take aways from all of this are planning and preparation. Ensuring that both the venue and accommodation options meet the right criteria from a security standpoint to mitigate risks effectively is absolutely essential.

In addition, ensuring that travellers are well informed and well prepared before and during the events will also be a determining factor in the execution of a successful and worthwhile event.

German is the security manager – MENESA at International SOS and Control Risks. He is responsible for developing and overseeing intelligence networks across the region in order to better support client information requirements and their decision-making process.

Currently responsible for a team of analysts overseeing security dynamics in South Africa.

Formerly employed in the upstream oil & gas industry, specialising in supply chain operations with a global energy services company covering West and East Africa, and the Middle East.

He has travelled extensively throughout Africa and the Middle East, both in a research capacity and in response to possible crisis scenarios in countries like Kenya, Zimbabwe and Uganda. He holds a Bachelor’s of Commerce in supply chain operations, international business, and marketing from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. Prior to his studies, he served in the armed forces of Colombia. He is a Colombian and French dual-national, and a native English, Spanish and French speaker, with a basic proficiency in Portuguese. *MENESA - Middle East, North, East and Southern Africa

40 Business Events Africa December 2018

Find us on

Limited offer* NEW DESIGN & FUNCTIONALITY! Now integrated with www.businesseventsafrica. com/directory to make searching for that perfect service or venue even easier

Have you got the latest copy of the iconic Business Events Africa Yearbook 2018/19 on your desk?

Business Events Africa is known for having the most comprehensive directory of venues, service providers, speakers and conference organisers in South Africa. We have been a trusted source of information for more than 38 years, and now offer this valuable resource online as a partner to our print directory.

Our latest edition includes an extensive revamp – we have changed the way the Yearbook looks and works to make it easier for you, the reader, to navigate this comprehensive directory.

We’re now focused on the African continent as a whole, as well as several Indian Ocean islands. This reflects the

growing conferencing and exhibition industry in Africa.

Our new online directory at www. businesseventsafrica.com/directory currently has more than 3 000 listings of businesses in the business events industry, and is growing every day. You can register with us and update your information at your convenience.

Order today for only R360 (including VAT).

Your copy will be couriered to your door.

Email jackie@contactpub.co.za or call +27 31 764 6977 * Limited copies available

Voice of the Business Events Industry in Africa

KEEPING YOU IN THE KNOW | CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH PEOPLE