Business tourism, a proven success for the Western Cape

Source: Tourism Update, 12/12/2018

The convention centre has grown revenue by 14.2% and increased the
number of events held from 482 in the previous year to 525 in
2018.
Schäfer said: “The CTICC made a R3.1 billion (€189m) contribution
to the Western Cape economy in the 2017/18 year and created 8 553
direct and indirect jobs. It has also played an important role in
the development of small business in the province. In the 15 years
that the convention centre has been operating, it has procured
over R1 billion (€61m) worth of goods and services from small,
medium and micro enterprises and, currently, 40% of its supplier
based is made up of women-owned enterprises.”
The CTICC opened its expanded CTICC 2 earlier this year and, as a
result, has managed to secure the biggest conference to ever be
hosted in Cape Town â€` the World Ophthalmology Conference, which
will host 15 000 delegates in the city in 2020.
“The investment in the CTICC’s expansion is already starting to
pay off, as the centre secures more and bigger conferences,
highlighting the important role of infrastructure-led economic
growth in our province. The CTICC is jointly owned by the City of
Cape Town, the Western Cape Government and the business sector and
its development and expansion is an important economic catalyst in
the province,” added Schäfer.
A total of 454 338 people attended the 525 events hosted at the
CTICC this year, which included 32 international conferences
attracting 35 960 delegates and 35 national conferences which
attracted 15 106 delegates. It hosted 121 special events attended
by 132 854 people, and 11 exhibitions that saw 179 523 passing
through its doors.
“The business tourism sector is an important niche market for the
development and growth of tourism in our province. The CTICC was
responsible for generating an additional 640 666 room-nights
during the 2017/18 year and contributed R681 million (€41.6m) in
foreign exchange earnings,” said Schäfer.
Kwakye Donkor, CEO of Africa Tourism Partners (ATP), said when it
came to business tourism, the socio-economic impacts were higher
as delegates tended to have extra money to spend. “It also
contributes hugely to knowledge sharing, opportunity for foreign
direct investment, destination brand building and more.”
Schäfer went on to say that Cape Town had recently been named the
world’s best festival and events destination, and the CTICC, which
has played host to iconic events such as the International Jazz
Festival, major consumer and trade shows, exhibitions, and some of
the world’s leading conferences, had played an important role in
the region being able to claim such a title.
According to Donkor, the Western Cape ticked all the boxes in
terms of being a global Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and
Exhibitions (MICE) destination, with its quality infrastructure,
its pre- and post-MICE activities, proactive and effective
stakeholders, quality and standard of its accommodation offerings,
transport, ambience, unique experiences, heritage and leisure, as
well as attractions. “The sky is the limit given the diverse
nature of the province’s MICE tourism offering and general leisure
tourist attractions,” he said.
“I applaud all of those at the CTICC, the City of Cape Town, the
Western Cape Government, Wesgro and in the tourism sector, who
have worked so hard over the past year to ensure that the
convention centre remains one of the premium convention and events
destinations in the world, and that its success translates into
opportunities for the people of the Western Cape,” concluded
Schäfer.