By Simon Nare
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has described South Africa’s presidency of the G20 this year as a perfect opportunity to solidify the country’s standing as a premier tourism and business events destination.
Addressing panelists and reporters during the Meetings Africa media launch at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on Tuesday, De Lille said the opportunity presented by hosting the presidency should be maximised.
While President Cyril Ramaphosa has cited inclusive economic growth, food security, climate change and artificial intelligence as priorities, De Lille sees it as an opportunity not only for the country’s business events sector, but the rest of the continent.
She said the G20 summit would bring over 40 global heads of state with over 130 meetings hosted during the year.
“With G20 nations representing 85% of the global economy, 75% of international trade and 67% of the world’s population, the summit promises significant benefits for our business events and broader tourism sectors. As the only African member country of the G20, South Africa offers a vital voice on global discussions, particularly on issues affecting developing nations and the African continent,” she said.
This would also allow South Africa to showcase its capacity to host safe and successful global events, further boosting the country’s international reputation.
The minister added that the department was excited by the prospect of hosting the Tourism Ministers’ G20 meeting in Mpumalanga in September, which would include a Tourism Investment Conference to showcase tourism investment opportunities to a global audience.
On the Meetings Africa event, which is set for February in Johannesburg, De Lille said the gathering would once again showcase the continent’s diverse destinations and unique offerings for business events.
“Key features at this year’s Meetings Africa will include promoting the continent’s diversity through the new entrants of exhibitors which make it an attractive choice for business events and buyers looking for a diversity of products from our African continent.
“Equally, Meetings Africa 2025 will bring together industry leaders, local stakeholders, international buyers, event planners, suppliers and policymakers, facilitating collaboration within the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) sector,” she said.
De Lille said the event served as a platform for business deals, knowledge sharing and cross-sector partnerships, with a strong emphasis on enabling meaningful networking opportunities to support industry growth.
She added that in line with driving economic impact through access, one of the key features of Meetings Africa, which was her personal favourite, was the educational arm of the event.
This played a crucial role in empowering SMMEs as well as providing networking opportunities, locally and abroad.
Her department would sponsor these SMMEs through its Market Access Support Programme to attend the event. Also, these enterprises were funded to attend other trade shows, giving them exposure to secure more business with global players.
This year, the department has funded the participation of 26 SMEs from across the country to participate in Meetings Africa along with the more than 190 other exhibitors so far confirmed to showcase their businesses on the trade floor.
“We know from our insights and research that the impact of Meetings Africa over the years has been profound. According to an economic impact assessment commissioned by South African Tourism, the total direct expenditure in South Africa generated from last year’s Meetings Africa is an estimated R145 million, a 13% increase when compared to the R128 million generated in 2023.
“The objective of shows like Meetings Africa is to ensure that Africa gets its fair share of this business events market,” she said.
INSIDE POLITICS
