Get up to date with the latest MICE – Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Events news out of Africa with this weekly news wrap-up.
New Cultural Centre in Mozambique a boost for events
A new 20 000sqm cultural centre, built by Chinese contractors, has been inaugurated in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo. The Mozambique Ministry of Culture and Tourism has called the Mozambique China Cultural Centre in the grounds of the Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo, a “key project that will greatly contribute to the development of cultural exhibition and dissemination, as well as to the promotion of cultural creative industries from all over the country and the world”.
The $50 million centre, opened by Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi on Thursday (September 28), boasts a variety of rooms for theatre productions, musical shows and corporate events, with the centrepiece being a 1 500-seat auditorium. The facility also hosts exhibition halls and studios for arts and crafts, along with rehearsal rooms for music and dance.
Namibia to host major hotel investment conference
The Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF), attracting many prominent international hotel owners, investors, financiers, management companies and their advisers, will take place in Namibia on June 25-27, 2024 at the Mövenpick and Mercure hotels in Windhoek.
For many delegates attending AHIF next year, the conference will involve a ‘safari’ in more ways than one. The weekend before AHIF will feature various inspection trips to see some of Namibia’s best hospitality investment projects and tourism attractions. Participants will also include delegates from AviaDev, Africa’s premier airline route development conference, which will take place at the same venue the week before AHIF.
National Tourism Careers Expo welcomes 10 000 attendees
The recently held National Tourism Careers Expo in Gauteng has been hailed a great success, with as many as 97 exhibitors and registrations topping 10 000. Marks Thibela, CEO of the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sports Education Training Authority (CATHSSETA) said the primary objective of the Expo was to provide comprehensive career guidance to students from grades 9 to 12, as well as to those in Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions and universities, alongside unemployed graduates.
Joburg to host global culture and heritage summit
Johannesburg has recently been announced as the host city for the second World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH) Global Leaders Summit, which will be held in September 2024. The announcement was made by the CEO of WTACH, Nigel Fell, during this year’s inaugural WTACH Global Leaders Summit, which took place in Valencia, Spain, at the end of last month. During this year’s summit, heritage tourism experts grappled with complex issues of presenting culture and heritage to tourists. Dozens of delegates from 30 countries debated the latest issues, trends and opportunities affecting the sector, which accounts for 40% of all tourism activity, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
Festival Kreol 2023
The Seychelles Islands are celebrating the 38th Edition of the Festival Kreol. This event is an annual celebration of the various aspects of our country’s culture. Traditionally, the Creole Festival is held in October, whereby we celebrate the Seychelles’ diversity, rich heritage and culture through several activities, shows and exhibitions. Keep an eye out for the streets of Victoria, dressed in the colourful decorations that usually adorn our capital for the festival every year.
APTA Global Forum Kicks Off For First Time on the African Continent
The Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA) is thrilled to announce the resounding kick-off of its Annual Forum, held on the African continent for the first time in the vibrant city of Cape Town beginning 27 September. This milestone event is bringing together 113 distinguished delegates from over a dozen countries, marking a historic moment in APTA’s rich legacy of promoting tourism to Africa. The APTA Annual Forum, a beacon for the global tourism industry for decades, provided an invaluable platform for leaders, experts, and enthusiasts from around the world to converge in Cape Town. This iconic city, with its rich history and breathtaking landscapes, served as the perfect backdrop for discussions on enhancing and showcasing the beauty, culture, and immense potential of Africa as a premier tourist destination.
Registrations open for Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) & East Africa Community Regional Expo (EARTE) 2023
The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is delighted to invite trade to Magical Kenya & East Africa Regional Tourism Expo (MK & EARTE) to be held from 20th to 22nd November 2023 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi. Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) is a Pan African trade fair organized and hosted by Kenya Tourism Board annually. The 13 year old event is highly structured for business, bringing in 160 carefully selected and vetted agents (buyers) from Kenya’s key source markets, taking them on 3-5 day familiarization trips to sample the product before a 3 days B2B forum with over 250 exhibitors (suppliers) and over 700 trade visitors. The 3 day B2B forum is based on prescheduled appointments with a smart matchmaking tool and guaranteed meetings.
The East Africa Regional Tourism Expo (EARTE), is an annual regional travel fair showcasing the region’s diverse tourism offering to consumers, and trade, hosted by the East African Community partner states on a rotational basis. As Kenya hosts the third edition of EARTE, the two events MKTE & EARTE have been combined into one event, creating more value and enhancing the level of engagement at the show for all the participants.
Please register HERE to get an opportunity to be considered for the hosted buyer program by 15th September 2023. The familiarization trips will commence from 17th to 19th November 2023 followed by the B2B meetings from 20th to 22nd November 2023.
New Botswana Hotel to Drive MICE Growth
Hotel 4:30 is set to soon open its doors in the bustling central business district (CBD) of Gaborone, Botswana, offering an upscale stay experience and boosting the country’s drive to grow its MICE sector. Featuring a total of 100 rooms, Hotel 4:30 offers diverse accommodation options. It includes thirty-five (35) Standard Rooms, each equipped with showers for guests’ convenience. The hotel also presents sixty-two (62) Executive Rooms, with some featuring both a shower and a bathtub, while others offer a shower and a private balcony. Additionally, Hotel 4:30 boasts two Presidential Suites, with private balconies, showers, bathtubs, lounges, and kitchenettes. For families, there is a Family Room available, designed with a shower, bathtub, lounge, and kitchenette.
Kenya Hosts Inaugural Africa Climate Summit
Kenya is hosting the inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS) and Africa Climate Week (ACW), which began on 4 September 2023 and will run until 8 September 2023. Kenya has made significant strides towards sustainability by implementing various initiatives that have seen it become a global leader in sustainable tourism practices. A key milestone in this journey was the plastic ban implemented in 2017 to reduce plastic pollution and protect the environment.
Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage CS Peninah Malonza while welcoming the forum said the event allows Kenya to showcase its sustainable tourism and travel action as well as highlight the positive role that the sector can play in addressing climate change.
Leonardo in Sandton the place to meet
The Leonardo in Sandton makes for an ideal conference venue because it is in the heart of Sandton, Joburg’s business district. It is within walking distance of the Gautrain Station which offers a regular and reliable train service to and from OR Tambo Airport. There is also a plethora of accommodation options both inside the building and nearby and it is close to a host of eateries for guests to dine from, both night and day. Duncan Henn, Banqueting Manager of the Leonardo in Sandton says “We pride ourselves for not only being one of the most prestigious venues in Sandton but also for our reasonable package options and multitude of facilities to suit most events.”
If you have any MICE news, please send it through to our editor at hello@africabeat.com.au
