Enterprise iLembe is delighted to have partnered with the KZN Convention Bureau (KZNCB), KwaDukuza Local Municipality and other KZN tourism partners in exhibiting at the 2024 edition of Meetings Africa. Meetings Africa is hosted annually by the South African Convention Bureau and South African Tourism in Gauteng. This year’s edition was themed, “Africa’s Success Built On Quality Connections” to encapsulates the essence of commitment to fostering meaningful connections between African exhibitors and global buyers.
The trade show was well attended with the presence of 380 exhibiting companies from across twenty-one African countries to collectively represent the continent’s business events industry and showcase the diverse array of products and experiences. The two-day exhibition was packed with back-to-back quality meetings with buyers from SADC and across the world.
Enterprise iLembe is excited to announce the securing of the 5th Urban Agri World Summit to be held in September in iLembe District, this summit is expected to attract between 350 to 450 delegates from across the globe, this will contribute immensely to the economic growth of the district and the entire tourism value chain.
Cheryl Peters, Executive Manager for Investment Promotion and Marketing at Enterprise iLembe, stressed that there are still opportunities for additional endeavours to enhance the promotion and positioning of the North Coast as a premier global hub for both business and leisure. She added that this is only possible if all stakeholders work together, the partnership with the KwaZulu Natal Convention Bureau in securing the 5th Urban Agri World Summit serves as tangible evidence of what can be accomplished through such collective collaborations.
Acting CEO of Enterprise iLembe Ms Hlengiwe Hakata said the hosting of such conferences and major big events in this region attracts additional visitors thereby contributing significantly to the recovery of iLembe tourism sector.
Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille in her keynote address at Meetings Africa said that “It is imperative that we take control of our narrative as a country and boldly showcase ourselves to the world and don’t let our challenges define us, it’s time to share our story with the world and showcase our strengths and attract attention from local and international professionals in the meetings, events and business industry.
Enterprise iLembe also recently participated at ITB Berlin which is one of the largest travel trade exhibitions targeting the German and European markets. The UK and Germany are currently the destination’s biggest international source markets.
