As stakeholders prepare for the 7th Africa Business Tourism and MICE Masterclass 2024, the organisers have disclosed plans to focus on equipping entrepreneurs with skills in business monetisation through sustainable revenue generation in MICE.
The 2024 edition of the masterclass will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa on Tuesday, 16 and Wednesday, 17 July 2024.
Executives and officials of convention bureaux, tourism departments, tourism boards/authorities, municipalities, tourism development agencies, meeting planners, professional conference organisers, professional event organisers, destination marketing companies, MICE industry suppliers, youth and women in tourism, students, SMEs, entrepreneurs and start-ups in Africa travel and tourism are expected to participate in the Masterclass.
MICE Masterclass 2024
Since its inception in 2018, over 1500 African industry professionals have participated in this program. The Masterclass is Africa’s only pan-African-focused MICE and business events professional development and training programme. Designed and delivered annually as a professional development and refresher program by renowned African and international industry practitioners and professionals, strategic partners for the program include BDO, ICCA, Southern Africa Association of Conference Industry, UN Tourism and SITE Africa and many other partners.
UN Tourism acknowledges that the MICE sector is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global tourism industry. The success of any business/MICE destination and organisation is hinged on the competencies of specialist knowledge possessed by its workforce, hence the need for this Masterclass. It is therefore against this background that ATP has designed and is ready to deliver the annual Africa Business Tourism and MICE Masterclass.
Themed, “Unlocking Optimal Economic Value and Revenues for Africa MICE Destinations and Businesses,” will present this year’s diverse and comprehensive Masterclass by a faculty comprising some of the world’s most experienced leaders and experts in the MICE industry. Some of the speakers include Adele Hartdegen, CEO of Rand Show, South Africa; Professor Dimitrios Buhalis, Bournemouth University Business School, UK; Angelique Smith, CEO of Event Synthesis International; Papy Luzala, Head of Commercial & Government Affairs, Africa; Nicanor Sabula, Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA); Edward Abankwa, Founder & CEO, Pinnacle Sports and Events Management, UK, and more.
This professional development programme will provide a holistic view of the opportunities for the Africa MICE industry. It will focus on current issues, trends and key standards while providing a tangible approach to leveraging current and future opportunities. It will equip delegates with a clear picture of what Africa MICE Tourism Industry is (and is not) and all the essential practical knowledge and skills delegates need to be successful in their businesses.
Participants in the MICE Masterclass can participate in pre-arranged and on-spot One-to-One” Business to Business sessions. Desktop exhibition space is available on a first come first serve basis. Group registration for SMMEs and students is set to benefit from a massive discount the organisers offer.
The organisers enjoined interested participants to register for the historic event on its website or contact Ms Rejoice Chishamba.
About Africa Tourism Partners
African Tourism Partners (ATP) is a UNWTO-affiliated award-winning Pan-African tourism development and strategic destination marketing advisory firm. The firm specializes in tourism and MICE strategy formulation, investment facilitation and promotion, research, master planning and destination market development and capacity building across Africa’s travel, tourism, hospitality, aviation and golf sub-industries.
Our clients and partners include but are not limited to UNWTO, World Bank, Mastercard Foundation, NEPAD, AfCFTA, South African Tourism, Ghana Tourism Authority, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, Rwanda Development Board, Rwanda Convention Bureau, Rwanda Chamber of Commerce, SAACI, RwandAir, SAA, Ethiopia Airlines, Tanzania Tourism Board, Kenya Tourism Board, Uganda Tourism Board, Gauteng Tourism Authority, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, Tourism Business Council of South Africa, Nigeria and more.
About UN Tourism
UN Tourism is the United Nations agency responsible for promoting responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. As the leading international organization in tourism, UN Tourism promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability. It offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.