SOUTH AFRICA

An insight from the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry

South Africa’s natural beauty and cultural fascination is welldocumented, and rightly so. The tumultuous apartheid period came to an end in the 1990s, and since then the country has opened itself to the world both in terms of leisure and business tourism.

Major cities and MICE hubs are spread far and wide, some being thousands of miles from key settlements in other African countries. Another nuance of South Africa’s formation is the fact it has not one, but three recognised capitals – Pretoria is home to the country’s executive, Cape Town its legislature and Bloemfontein the judiciary.

Such is the nation’s growing standing on the global stage, it is one of few countries to host multiple sporting world cups. In 2010 it became the first African host of the FIFA World Cup, while it has also hosted the Rugby Union World Cup (1995) and in 2003 staged the vast majority of matches in the ICC Cricket World Cup.

South Africa also comes into its own in terms of its hugely varied and extraordinary terrain. From the enormous Blyde River Canyon to Table Mountain and dramatic coastal roads to the Karoo and Kalahari deserts, this is an outdoor lover’s paradise, the perfect backdrop for businesses to host meetings, events and conferences.

Throw in a largely comfortable temperate climate that sees plenty of sunshine, and you will find the complete tourist package.

As well as being famed as a place of natural beauty, South Africa has plenty to offer to the realm of business travel and

MICE tourism

Writer: Tom Wadlow Project Manager: Joe Palliser