(Posted 11th July 2025)
RX Africa, organiser of leading international trade exhibitions including
World Travel Market (WTM) Africa, ILTM Africa, and FAME Week Africa, sees Minister Leon
Schreiber’s announcement of the new Screen Talent and Global Entertainment Scheme (STAGES)
and Meetings, Events, Exhibitions and Tourism Scheme (MEETS) visa categories as a direct
opportunity to dramatically expand participation from previously challenging markets including the
UAE, China, India, Nigeria, Ghana, and Ethiopia.
The newly launched STAGES and MEETS visa categories are set to unlock billions in economic value by making it easier for buyers, exhibitors, and creatives from high-growth markets like China, India, UAE, Nigeria, Ghana and Ethiopia to participate in our world-class exhibitions and trade shows.
“We’re no longer asking international buyers and exhibitors to jump through bureaucratic hoops; we’re rolling out the red carpet,” says Carol Weaving, MD of RX Africa.
RX Africa has already seen how visa challenges have cost South Africa major business. Just last year, visa delays caused the country to lose a Netflix production worth R400 million.
These targeted visa reforms remove friction points, support rapid online processing, and open direct access to the R120 billion MICE sector, finally allowing South Africa to compete with global powerhouses like Dubai, London, and Berlin.
