Cape Town and the Western Cape is still proudly the number 1 destination for conferences in Africa according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) 2013 stats.
South Africa maintained its number 1 spot in the African meetings category, followed by Kenya and Morocco with triple the amount of meetings held. In the African city rankings, Cape Town was the ultimate winner with Durban 2nd and Nairobi 3rd. Stellenbosch placed 10th an incredible feat for this picturesque town in the Cape Winelands region.
In relation to its partners in the BestCities Global Alliance (Berlin, Chicago, Copenhagen, Dubai, Edinburgh, Houston, Melbourne, Singapore, Vancouver) Cape Town fared very well at 52nd, behind Melbourne at 44th and Vancouver at 38th.
Cape Town and the Western Cape’s impressive results are attributed to our award-winning international airport, world-class infrastructure, award-winning international convention centre and its vibrant destination appeal, making it a first choice destination to meet in.
Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) General Manager for Commercial and Business Development, Megan Arendse says that the recent ICCA rankings bears further testament to Cape Town’s appeal as one of the world’s leading convention destinations and the leading destination in Africa.
“The centre’s imminent expansion is set to further enhance Cape Town’s value proposition as it will attract a greater number of international association conferences to the city, thereby further enhancing economic growth and job creation”, she adds.
The Cape Town & Western Cape Convention Bureau, a division of Wesgro — the official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for the province, has been working closely with its BestCities Global Alliance partners to source leads and bid intelligence. They have also strengthened relationships with local Professional Conference Organisers by providing stronger marketing support for building attendance and on-site event services.
Nils Flaatten, CEO of Wesgro, adds “The latest rankings serves as testament to our world-class facilities, dynamic product and service offerings and unwavering professionalism. Without our stakeholders and partners this would not have been achieved and it is because of them that we celebrate our global ranking as a top destination to meet in.”
ICCA is a prominent international meetings organisation and the only association that comprises a membership representing the main specialists in handling, transporting and accommodating international events. ICCA boasts more than 850 members in over 80 countries worldwide.
