Meetings, conferences pivotal to tourism sector

Johannesburg - The meetings and conference industry is often overlooked, even though it provides huge benefits to the tourism sector and the broader economy, according to Nicolette Kruger, country manager at NFS Technology.

The meetings industry ultimately generates - on average - a higher spending level, reduces seasonality, contributes to the regeneration of destinations, spreads knowledge, and enhances innovation and creativity.

With increased globalisation and the sustained expansion of the tourism sector, the importance of the meetings industry is expected to continue growing, according to Kruger, whose software company focuses on software solutions for the hospitality, meetings and video conferencing market sectors.

The meetings industry is, therefore, emerging as one of the fundamental segments of the tourism sector.

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“With regards to the meetings industry, it is important that public-private collaboration and partnerships are forged, as they will assist companies – and countries – to tap into his valuable market, enabling the many benefits to be enhanced,” said Kruger.

The recent Global Report on the Meetings Industry released by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) provides an overall view of the main issues facing destinations aiming to build a competitive meetings industry.

“The report shows that public-private collaboration and partnerships are fundamental for tapping into this valuable market and harnessing its many benefits,” said UNWTO secretary general Taleb Rifai.

“The meetings industry has been systematically studied by the UNWTO for over a decade, including the definition of the scope of this segment and the methodology required for the measurement of its economic contribution.”

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For Rashid Toefy, former CEO of the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) and currently the managing director of the international MCI group in South Africa, the meetings industry almost belongs in the economic development space.

"It is an economic engine that not only brings potential visitors, but drives investment and confidence in a destination," he told Fin24.

"Manufacturing and retail were the job creators in the past, but now the events industry is the modern day real job creation engine as it brings decision makers to a destination. Our mission, therefore, is to drive the meetings industry in Africa."

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