RENOWNED BUSINESS EVENTS’ EXPERTS TO SHARE BUSINESS CONTINUITY – INSIGHTS AT 2021 HYBRID AFRICA BUSINESS TOURISM MICE MASTERCLASS
(Posted 13th March 2021)
Conveners of the Africa Business Tourism MICE Masterclass are pleased to announce that the 2021 edition taking place on 24 and 25 March will assemble internationally renowned business events’ experts to share unique business continuity and survival insights with Africa MICE industry stakeholders. This has been necessitated by the fact that most countries have relaxed travel restrictions, thereby allowing a re-start and rebuilding of Africa’s MICE industry.
Designed as the first hybrid Africa MICE Masterclass since inception in 2018, this 2021 Masterclass will host a limited number of in-person attendees and virtual delegates given the interactive nature of the programme in compliance with South Africa COVID-19 protocols. Most of the experts are of the view that this is an opportunity to re-start Africa MICE industry for physical attendance of the business events. Among the experts that will be speaking from the venue are Ms. Esmare Steinhofel – Regional Director: Africa, International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Nonnie Kubeka, Head Gauteng Events and Convention Bureau and Kwakye Donkor, CEO, Africa Tourism Partners. “It is necessary to start supporting the business events industry by being there in-person”. Says Prof. Nellie Swart (CMP) – Associate Professor, University of South Africa. Prof Swart believes that the Masterclass is an outstanding opportunity for the industry to learn and seek expert opinion on some practical solutions for alleviating some of the unprecedented challenges that the global MICE sector faces at the moment.
Being a Professional Development Programme, the Masterclass will focus on bringing together MICE stakeholders from across the globe to explore sustainable ways and interventions for industry recovery. Considering that there will be in-person participation, the 2021 MICE Masterclass aims to serve as a yardstick to measure the safe return of physical Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions and Events across the continent in the coming months. The programme is formatted to inspire, instil confidence and encourage the industry to slowly open up for physical events.
The faculty for this hybrid Africa MICE Masterclass will include esteemed industry experts such as, Nelly Mukazayire – CEO, Rwanda Convention Bureau; Lee-Anne Bac – Director, BDO South Africa; Sumathi Ramanathan – Director Destination Marketing, Expo 2020, Dubai; Doris Parsons – Managing Partner, SRC Tanzania & Rwanda; Givemore Chidzidzi – CEO, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and Corne Koch – Head: Cape Town & Western Cape Convention Bureau.
