South African Tourism invites the world to host its business events in South Africa

LLas Vegas: USA: South Africa is geared up to host safe events with service excellence. This is the message that South African Tourism is taking to IMEX America. With 20 South African exhibitors in attendance and showcasing a variety of quality-assured business events products, IMEX America promises to be a great networking platform for doing business and reassuring the global business events industry that South Africa’s doors are indeed open for business.

Taking place from 11 to 13 October 2022 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, IMEX America is one of the world’s largest global trade exhibitions. South African Tourism is back at IMEX on a larger scale, after the show was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. IMEX America provides South Africa with a rare opportunity to communicate to the global community that we are indeed open for business with no travel or COVID-19 restrictions whatsoever.

According to the organisers, IMEX America brings the meetings industry together to do a year’s worth of business under one roof.

Speaking in the United States ahead of IMEX America, Zinhle Nzama, Acting Chief Convention Bureau Officer said, ‘We are humbled by the people of America choosing the Republic of South Africa as a destination of choice to do business whilst enjoying the variety of leisure offerings. We invite everyone to come to South Africa and enjoy our warm beaches, our history and heritage, the sun, nature, wildlife and magnificent landscapes and to come do business in our world-class convention venues and facilities.

Key to South African Tourism’s participation at IMEX America is providing market access to SMMEs as part of the exhibitors showcasing at IMEX.

‘We brought our best destination management companies and convention bureaus to showcase their offering in person. These include 4 SMMEs that we have sponsored to come and participate on this global platform. Exhibitors also include three of our best international convention centres: Cape Town, Durban and Sandton in Gauteng.  

Nzama said that the platform will also be used as a networking opportunity.

“It is an ideal platform to provide the most updated information about South Africa as a capable business events destination with the necessary world-class infrastructure. We are here on the ground to reassure the global planning, booking, and facilitating of conferences (MICE) industry that South Africa is very much open for business and that hosting meetings and events in South Africa is a must,” she said.

‘Similarly, we are also here to invite the world to our beautiful country to attend the Meetings Africa trade show to be held at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa from 28 February - 1 March 2023,’ Nzama said. 

Meetings Africa, South African Tourism’s Pan African strategic business events platform, provides a platform for exhibitors to showcase their offerings to international and local buyers, African associations and corporate planners.

‘Meetings Africa is the most formidable platform on the continent for you to meet face-to-face with the most influential buyers in the world and to be part of Africa’s growth story,” she said.

For media enquiries, email mediaq@southafrica.net.