Legacy has now gone far beyond an industry trend: the concept is quickly becoming the meeting industry’s guiding principle, an ethos, and a way of doing business. Previously deemed unquantifiable, destinations across the world are gearing up to shout the untold impacts of meetings on their local, national and regional economies and societies.
Business Events Africa, in collaboration with the South Africa National Convention Bureau, the business arm of South Africa Tourism, has launched several case studies with this in mind, as they seek to delve into the meetings industry’s concept of ‘beyond tourism’ and its far-reaching impact on South Africa as a nation.
One such case study is the African Regional Meeting of the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry (IAPD) 2018, held in Johannesburg from 16-18 March, which led to a successful bid for the association’s International Congress, scheduled to take place in Cape Town in 2023.
South Africa won the bid to host the event in early July 2018, thanks to a national consortium of convention bureau and local association support. South Africa National Convention Bureau provided the vital strategic link between Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau, the local association partner and their appointed PCO.