The business tourism conference preceding next month’s Meetings Africa exhibition at the Sandton Convention Centre will offer delegates top class presentations that are both relevant and useful. Set to take place on 26 February, the conference will be opened by Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk and delegates will be addressed by local and international business tourism experts.

The conference will be presented by South African Tourism and sponsored by the City of Johannesburg and the Johannesburg Tourism Company.

High level presentations by international business tourism experts will include Francois Rogers, Corporate Strategies Officer of the World Conservation Union, who will speak on leveraging the benefits of international and intergovernmental meetings and Christian Mutschlechner, Director of the Vienna Convention Bureau, who will discuss the benefits of working in partnership with convention bureaux to secure international meetings. Paul Flackett, Managing Director of IMEX Global Views, will shed light on targeting international hosted buyers to maximise return on investment at trade fair platforms.

South African Tourism COO Didi Moyle will present the Business Tourism Growth Strategy and the organisation’s vision for Meetings Africa, already the biggest business tourism exhibition on the African continent.

Angeline Lue, Manager of Business Tourism at South African Tourism says the conference will address issues that affect today’s business tourism environment in South Africa. “These include business opportunities around the 2010 Soccer World Cup tournament, aligning international meetings and incentive experiences to the BusinessUnusual marketing campaign and the benefits of using star graded establishments.”

Of special interest will be industry breakfast seminars that will be presented at Meetings Africa, that takes place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 27 to 29 February.

On Wednesday, 27 February, SA Tourism’s Chief Marketing Officer, Roshene Singh, will explain how to do business in key markets that derive the most volume and value for South Africa. The Department of Trade and Industry’s Kate Rivett-Carnac and Mandisa Silo and Sifiso Mthembu of the Tourism Empowerment Charter Council will discuss the ins and outs of broad-based black economic empowerment and tourism on Thursday, 28 February. On Friday, 29 February, Meeting Professionals International’s Director of Operations for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Joyce Dogniez, will discuss the latest trends in the meeting industry.

“With this conference we truly want to give delegates something to take back to their businesses, apply, and eventually reap the rewards. We realise that the days of talk shops are over and will give delegates real return on their investment. Delegates will also have the opportunity to interact with SA Tourism’s business tourism managers that work in specific overseas markets,” says Lue.