If you want to host a mega conference without the logistical hassle or fuss, alongside breath-taking scenery and in world-class facilities then South Africa should be your destination of choice says Communications Minister Faith Muthambi.
Over the last 20 years we have hosted more than 1 038 international conferences and 118 meetings and have done so by adhering to the criteria of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).
These events have been hosted to the highest standards, earning us a reputation as one of the most popular business tourism destinations in the world.
As gracious hosts we demonstrated our capabilities in transport, accommodation, safety and security, smooth immigration procedures and an abundance of leisure activities.
This is reflected in South Africa climbing three positions in the ICCA 2013 ranking of business tourism destinations to 34th place. Cape Town and Durban are now rated as Africa’s top two cities for meetings and events.
The ICCA meetings hosted last year contributed around R1.2 billion to the country’s economy. The 200,000 delegates who attended these meetings further contributed R6 billion.
Tourism in general remains one of South Africa’s biggest success stories with international tourist arrivals reaching a high of 9.6 million tourists in 2013. In 2012 it contributed R93 billion to gross domestic product and created 1.4 million jobs.
Today South Africa boasts more than 2,598 world-class meeting and conference facilities.
To further our gains, government has established the South African National Convention Bureau to sharpen our competitiveness and support our work to become the world’s preferred business event destination.
If you are a local organisation or business, thinking of where to next to hold your conferences you need not look any further than your own doorstep. In supporting our home-grown conference and meeting sector, we must all play our part to move our business tourism and our country forward.
By Communications Minister Faith Muthambi
Read the full article here: http://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/sa-shines-prime-conference-destination
