While the 230 business tourism companies on show were predominantly African, Dubai was among several international exhibitors keen to secure national and international business from the 2600 visitors who included five Australian buyers among the 70 international hosted buyers.
An appointment system similar to that operated at AIME was a feature of this year’s show, which was held at the plush Sandton International Convention Centre.
The head of the Business Tourism unit at SA Tourism, Angeline Lui, said the nation’s convention bureau network is still young and her section would remain proactive in sourcing association meetings.
“While we have a good track record already, at the convention bureau level we are still building skills, and networks take time to develop,” she said.
Demonstrating their sustainability credentials, the “Business Unusual” seminar which preceded Meetings Africa featured delegates sitting on ottomans fashioned from recycled banners and promotional materials from SA Tourism exposé.
“We have these items made via job creation programs, so the sustainability aspects is at many levels,” Ms Lui said.
“And this is something we’re very keen to promote to associations bringing their meetings to South Africa.”
They are also encouraging social investment on the part of associations and delegates.
“We have a mandate for skills development and job creation. We can get conference uniforms made in local communities and be the catalyst to reach the many organisations keen to harvest the skills and energy of delegates keen to engage at a grassroots level.”
South Africa has identified 3000 international associations as potential, with some 340 recognised as “low hanging” fruit.
A South African PCO expressed concern at developments mainly from Europe where large conference companies were bypassing local organisers to the detriment of the quality of the event in South Africa. This is an issue which has also been worrying Australian conference organisers for some time.
The chief operating officer of SAT, Didi Moyle, said there’d be a concerted effort to ensure the development of good working partnerships between the core PCOs and mega organisers and local operators with requisite expertise.
Johannesburg perhaps embraces South Africa’s recent history more confidently than other parts of the country, with the Meetings Africa international buyers visiting sites such as Soweto, Constitution Hill and the Apartheid Museum, all of which can be incorporated into conference programs.
A burgeoning black middle-class has resulted in some extremely upmarket suburbs in Soweto - often just a road’s width from stark deprivation. Nonetheless, the roads are mostly sealed and electrification has banished the thick pall of coal smoke that enveloped this historic town for decades.
Among the highlights of a Soweto tour are the Regina Mundi Catholic Church, epicentre of the historic 1976 protests and Vilakazi Street, Orlando West, home neighbourhood for Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.
Nearby is the Hector Pieterson Museum, commemorating the 13 year-old schoolboy who was shot dead by police at the outbreak of the Soweto uprising on June 16, 1976.
Tony Handy, a Brisbane conference planner was also impressed with the History of Beer Museum and the “cradle of mankind” exhibition.
“Johannesburg has much more for the delegate than meets the eye and it certainly is the hub for business meetings,” he said.
The country’s economic success since 2001 has resulted in some unwelcome infrastructure difficulties, most notably power generation shortfalls. The initial impact was extremely disruptive, but the “load-shedding” is being better managed and communicated and meeting planners should be able to work around them. Besides, most major venues have, or are in the process of installing generators.
One thing the apartheid years did produce was a resilience to knock-backs and a capacity to get on with business in the face of rolling challenges.
The OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg has been a construction zone for a decade, yet still fails to provide a world-class welcome to first time visitors. It’s clear the expansion of the infrastructure is battling to keep up with the growth of the economy. Competition has seen air fares plummet and the nearly-new domestic air terminal is already quite inadequate to meet the traffic volume.
Crime remains a hot issue and visitors are not immune to the risks. As a visitor over many years, I have encountered nothing less than friendly treatment, though the mind boggles at the tourists who continue to flaunt their wealth in the light of repeated warnings.
Sun International operates a swag of hotels, resorts and casinos across southern Africa, with its “superstars” being Sun City west of Johannesburg, The Table Bay in Cape Town and The Falls at the Victoria Falls in Zambia (see story page 56).
The Lost Palace at Sun City has long been a staple for the conference/incentive market and while it has lost some of its lustre over the years it remains a good choice for a group looking for a somewhat over-the-top fun African experience.
Sun City, which comprises four hotels, two world-class golf courses, an adjacent game reserve and a wide array of activities, is a three-hour coach ride west of Johannesburg, though there are helicopter and fixed wing transfer options. The drive is quite pleasant once you clear the morass of Joburg suburbia and it provides a good sense of Africa.
There’s more than a touch of Las Vegas in the theming of the Lost Palace but it’s done well and certainly creates a great sense of occasion for any arriving group. Everything’s done on a large scale, though one does sense the spacious guest rooms could do with a freshening up. One cannot deny, however, that guests are just blown away by the opulence of it all and most spend their first 24 hours simply photographing everything that looms into view.
The game drive starts less than five minutes from the resort and there’s a “boma”, a protected dining area where traditional African foods are served, along with plenty of drumming and dancing. It’s a heady mix.
Carved out of a virgin valley in African bushveld, Sun City is no longer the gambling paradise it was designed for some 30 years ago, but is a great option for groups looking for relaxation and who are not too fussed about authenticity.
The success of Sun International Hotels and Resorts lies in their appeal to the international market and their ability to attract customers from all echelons of the local market.
The Palace of the Lost City at Sun City, The Table Bay in Cape Town, Zimbali Lodge in Kwa-Zulu Natal, and The Royal Livingstone in Zambia are all award-winning hotels.
Sun International’s “Route of the African Sun” links these four sub-Saharan destinations together. The combined selling of these four properties as one package lends itself well to the fact that the four key attractions for international visitors to Southern Africa are the Victoria Falls, the “Big 5”, Anglo Boer War relics and the charm of Cape Town.
With the recent upgrade of Pilanesberg Airport to international status, along with Cape Town International, Durban International and Livingstone Airport in Zambia, The Route of the African Sun opens up these epic adventures to travellers.
The extraordinary Sun City Resort is internationally recognised as the ultimate African experience. From the incomparable Palace of The Lost City to the elegance of the Cascades Hotel, to the buzz of the Sun City Hotel to the informal Sun City Cabanas – this is a world-class resort with an African rhythm.
The Sun City Resort fulfils every fantasy, from the mastery of The Valley of Waves to the adjoining Pilanesberg National Park, which delights game viewers as it is a malaria-free zone and home to the Big 5. Guests can also lumber through the park atop an elephant.
Other adventures include the Zip-Slide which is a free-fall 2km ride at a rate of 120km per hour, extreme watersports, archery, target shooting, drumming and helicopter flips.
Enjoy the authenticity of a local Shebeen. Shebeens were informal drinking halls in the 1950s, and could be found on every corner, adding to the colourful atmosphere of South African township life. The Shebeen at Sun City encapsulates the full spectrum of Southern Africa living through its eclectic cuisine, lively music and the modern and ancient cultural expressions of dance, arts and crafts.
Set on the historic Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town, the magnificent Table Bay Hotel has been created and is a tribute to its surroundings. The hotel straddles the antique breakwater with magnificent views of the Cape Town harbour, Robben Island and Table Mountain.
The city of Cape Town is dominated by a towering, table-shaped mountain, set on a peninsula of soaring, rocky heights and lush valleys, where the Indian and the Atlantic oceans meet.
Discover the magic of Zambia at The Royal Livingstone Hotel and the Zambezi Sun which are located mere seconds away from the mighty Zambezi River and perched almost on the lip of the Victoria Falls.
Enter the adrenaline zone - abseil off the vertical rockface or bungee jump off one of the highest challenges in the world, the Victoria Falls bridge. White water rafting on the Zambezi River below the Victoria Falls is the wildest white water on the planet.
Guests can view the white rhino in the Mosi-oa-Tunya Zoological Park from 4x4 vehicles. The park boasts white rhino, various antelope, giraffe, zebra and buffalo. Guests can also enjoy an elephant back safari within the gazetted bounds of the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, on the banks of the Zambezi.
Chobe National Park in Botswana is only one and three quarter hours away from Livingstone and guests are encouraged to visit this park. The safari includes a private boat trip across the Zambezi River and 4x4 trails through the park to view elephant, buffalo herds, sable, wildebeest, giraffe, lion and hyena.
Zimbali Lodge is set in the lush sub-tropical coastal belt north of Durban, Kwa Zulu-Natal. This tranquil boutique hotel is located in a forest and surrounded by a championship 18-hole golf course. Guests can walk in the footsteps of Africa’s historic Zulu Kings, sample gourmet cuisine overlooking a warm moonlit Indian Ocean, enjoy the balmy sub-tropical climate and revel in Africa’s natural splendour.
Zimbali Lodge is one of Southern Africa’s most exclusive boutique hotels and guests can explore the historical vestiges of the Anglo Boer War, experience the fascinating ethnic mosaic of diverse cultures, and hike unimpeded through natural wonders of forest and indigenous gardens.
Among the picturesque hills and rock formations of this sweeping landscape guests will be enchanted by the historical past of fearless, spear-wielding Zulu Impis, honourable British soldiers and heroic Boers. If you wish to escape the clutches of history - hunting, fishing, scuba diving, dolphin adventures, game drives, helicopter flips and the entire gamut of adventure sports are available.
Southern Africa is the land of plenty and The Route of the African Sun is the travel package to get you there.
Visit www.suninternational.com for further details.
Top |