SOUTH AFRICA Innovative meeting spaces
According to the South African Tourism Index, 55.8 per cent of Indian travellers visited South Africa for business purposes from April to June 2013. The growth in MICE numbers in South Africa follows the trend seen in the rest of the Asian and European re
Hanneli Slabber, Country Manager, South African Tourism shares, “We have seen an upsurge in newer concepts of MICE travel like conferences and meetings being held in the bush, adventure activities being used as management training tools and incentive groups visiting wine estates for meetings and workshops. Cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad are mature markets for us. But we are witnessing good arrival figures from cities like Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune and Kolkata. In the coming years, we hope to see an increase in MICE business from mini-metros and Tier-II markets in India as well.” Familiarisation trips and awareness programmes are also organised to boost a country’s positive image as a suitable MICE venue. “We are taking multiple initiatives to increase MICE tourism to South Africa by constantly reinventing our programs to maximise our reach in Indian markets. Through our engagement programs such as familiarisation trips, roadshows and trade events, we aim to engage with travel agents and buyers to understand the upcoming trends and demands of the Indian market segment,” she adds.