SA MICE industry faces stiff competition from Africa

THE South African conference
industry needs to stay abreast
of burgeoning competition
from the rest of Africa, which
is increasingly becoming a
focal point for international
PCOs.
This was the message
from Zelda Coetzee, national
chairperson of the Southern
African Association for the
Conference Industry (SAACI),
at a panel discussion at the
Incentives, Business Travel &
Meetings (IBTM) Africa expo
held in Cape Town as part
of Africa Travel Week. She
called on the local industry to
reinvent itself and “think out
of the box” in order to keep up
with competition from the rest
of the continent, particularly in
sub-Saharan Africa.
Zelda said Africa had
become a hot destination for
incentives and the exchange
rate meant good value but
training and service levels
lagged behind.
According to information
presented to the panel
discussion by various
delegates at the event, growth
in Africa is showcased by
Lagos, which plans a new
convention centre and expects
an increase of 23 000 hotel
rooms by 2017, while Addis
Ababa last year recorded a
24% growth in tourism and
this year expects a 30%-plus
increase.
Gerard Hounkponou, officer
in charge of the 1000-delegate
United Nations Conference
Centre in Addis Ababa, said
Ethiopia’s economy was
growing at 11%. He said
Addis would have eight fivestar
hotels by the end of
May 2015. It already has 24
four-star hotels with 10 000
rooms. Hotels in Addis Ababa
enjoy a 75% occupancy rate.
Meanwhile, East Africa
is boosting its convention
facilities. The Arusha
International Conference
Centre in Tanzania has
expanded to accommodate
more than 1 300 delegates.
Upgrades are planned for
the Kenyatta International
Conference Centre in Nairobi.
Zelda said SAACI planned
to establish branches in
Lusaka and Windhoek
soon, which would assist
the professionalising of the
industry there.