GEORGE TAKES PRIDE OF PLACE AT MEETINGS AFRICA 2023

George Municipal Tourism Manager, Joan Shaw, attended Meetings Africa 2023 from 27 February to 2 March 2023 at the Sandton Convention Centre, in Johannesburg. Business meetings were pre-arranged with more than 30 buyers and business event organisers, over three days where George, Wilderness and Uniondale were positioned as the perfect destination to host small, medium, and large business events.

This is part of the strategy that George Tourism has adopted since the Covid pandemic, to attract more business through groups and events, and this has paid off as George’s recovery has been phenomenal to date, with many events taking place every month.

Joan met event and conference organisers, as well as tour operators that deal in both group and leisure travellers in the foreign individual travel (FIT) markets, and although the objective was to focus on the Garden Route’s Traditional markets of Germany and the United Kingdom, appointments with George were sought after by buyers from more than 10 counties including the United States of America, France, Turkey, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and Russia. The keen interest from the United States can be ascribed to the direct flights from that continent now flying to Cape Town.

Joan Shaw said “Meetings Africa exists to provide a platform for exhibitors to showcase their offerings to International and local buyers, African associations, and corporate planners. It is a formidable platform to meet face-to-face with the most influential buyers in the world, and to be part of South Africa and ultimately George’s tourism and economic growth.”

Meetings Africa, owned by South African Tourism, serves as the primary platform to enable the growth of the business events industry on the continent. George attended on the Wesgro platform, making it more cost-effective for the destination to participate.

Joan Shaw said “Meetings Africa exists to provide a platform for exhibitors to showcase their offerings to International and local buyers, African associations, and corporate planners. It is a formidable platform to meet face-to-face with the most influential buyers in the world, and to be part of South Africa and ultimately George’s tourism and economic growth.”

Ends.