Love them or hate them, end-of-year celebrations are a staple on the corporate calendar. They’ve become an important part of team building, a way to share company results and set out plans for the new year and, more recently, a chance to bring hybrid teams together for a day (or evening) of in-person bonding. But rule of thumb? If you haven’t secured your date, venue and suppliers by end-August or beginning of September, pickings will be slim.

“Year-end remains the event South African businesses take most seriously, so it’s best to plan – and commit – as early as possible. Especially if you’re looking for a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night in November or December,” says Lance Nkwe, Business Leader at FCM Meetings & Events South Africa. “We’re already taking briefs for everything from small team lunches to three-day events.”

Peak season for year-end functions ends around 15 December, with 16 December being the Day of Reconciliation, a public holiday in South Africa. This year it falls on a Wednesday, so most companies will want to wrap up festivities by Friday 11 December before staff head off on leave. And the time always goes quicker than you think.

What companies are booking

As Nkwe explains, larger organisations are leaning into multi-part celebrations that fold several moments into one programme: a team-building session, a conference covering results and the year ahead, then awards, a gala dinner and an after-party. Leaner teams are keeping it simpler, with a team build followed by a relaxed lunch and drinks.

Format choices are firming up too. Dinners are landing as either seated or canapé, while lunches split between buffet setups, harvest tables and restaurant bookings for smaller groups.

“Some clients want the full arc across a day or two, others just want a great team build with a good meal to close,” says Nkwe. “Both work; it’s about matching the format to the team and deciding on the mood you’re after.”

The trends shaping the festive season

Importantly, it doesn’t have to be boring. The clearest shift is away from the rigid sit-down dinner towards more “immersive” formats where entertainment is built into every aspect of the programme. Locally, the return of Madame Zingara (now The Royal Countess Zingara) has raised the bar, its theatrical “tent of dreams” pairing a four-course feast with cabaret, acrobats, comedians, singers and eccentric performances delivered around and above the dining tables. The countess aside, more and more thought is being given to MCs, music and moments of spectacle. Not to mention interesting venues. Think craft breweries or speakeasys, for example, Nine Lives, which is tucked between floors four and five of Hyde Johannesburg Rosebank and known for its 1970s glamour, Asian-inspired menu and the novel thrill of having to find it first…

Of course, broader trends are playing out too. Sober-inclusive menus are maturing, with creative zero-proof cocktail bars sitting alongside premium wines and spirits rather than added as an afterthought. Sustainability remains an important consideration, with procurement teams and planners looking for eco-certified venues, seasonal local menus and a lighter touch on single-use décor.

Corporates are playing with catering too. Think food trucks, grazing tables and ice-cream stations. Increasingly, the food flows with the event, from welcome drinks through to late-night bites, rather than one fixed sitting.

Team building: all fun, zero cringe

Team building has shaken off its reputation for forced participation and “trust falls”. The move is towards experiences people actually want to show up for, often getting teams out of the boardroom and into the city.

“Amazing Race, Survivor and digi-hunt formats still land well,” says Nkwe. “But clients are definitely getting more creative with their requests.”

In Johannesburg, a tuk-tuk tour through Soweto has become a firm favourite, winding past Vilakazi Street, Mandela House and the Hector Pieterson Museum with a kota or two along the way; Lebo’s Soweto Backpackers runs group tours from around R860 a head.

In Cape Town, consider a walking tour through the Bo-Kaap or along an Apartheid-to-Freedom route. In Joburg and Cape Town, City Sightseeing SA’s iconic open-top red bus, with its hop-on hop-off routes, is another easy way to get a team out and about.

And as everyone gets more active, padel has muscled its way onto the roster. In Durban it’s now one of the most popular corporate options going, with clubs like PadelNation and Africa Padel set up to host groups. The city’s Golden Mile also lends itself to a beach-Olympics-style afternoon of friendly competition before sunset drinks.

Whatever the format, the thinking has changed. The best days focus on genuine fun, often paired with a bigger purpose, whether that’s donating a team’s prize money to a charity of their choice, packing Santa Shoeboxes or hosting a Christmas party for a worthy school. Increasingly, team building has a purpose beyond team dynamics.

Budget: cost per head is king

After a tough year, Nkwe says that many companies are now focused on cost per head. 

“Rather than an overall budget, a client will tell us they’ve got 120 people, with a budget of R350 per head for dinner, drinks and a few special touches,” he says. “We always look for a way to make a modest budget feel generous with the right details. But you have to book early.”

For Nkwe, tighter budgets needn’t mean a flat event. Activity-led gatherings often land better than a formal seated dinner, weekday or off-peak dates unlock better rates, and drawing on your own team’s interests and passion projects often keeps the costs down while feeling personal.

But his advice remains: If year-end matters to your team, get it in the diary today. Then build an event that your whole team will love and wouldn’t miss for the world.

Importantly, getting delegates there is no longer the logistical question it once was. Proflight Zambia, the country’s largest airline, operates scheduled services connecting Johannesburg and Cape Town directly to both Lusaka and Livingstone, and has opened various new regional routes in the past few years, including to Maun and Windhoek, removing one of the historic objections to Zambia as a conference destination before the conversation even begins.

But to understand why Zambia’s MICE (Meetings Incentives Conferences Events) moment is happening now, you need to understand what’s happening across the continent…

The market making this possible

Africa’s MICE sector is in the middle of a growth cycle that is outpacing every other region globally. Valued at $16.6 billion in 2023, the market is projected to reach $65.6 billion by 2032, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 17%, according to Business Traveller. Furthermore, business tourism demand across the continent is up roughly 40%, and more than 48% of multinational companies operating in the region have increased their event-related spending.

The incentive travel segment is growing the fastest of all, at 17.2% CAGR, and this is where Zambia’s geography becomes a notable competitive asset. Rather than looking for another hotel ballroom, incentive buyers are looking for transformative experiences that a top-performing sales team will still be talking about two years later. Victoria Falls, the Zambezi River, South Luangwa National Park, Lower Zambezi National Park – these are not consolation prizes for delegates who couldn’t get a room in Cape Town. They are, increasingly, the point.

But a booming market does not distribute itself evenly, and the race to capture Africa’s MICE windfall is already well underway.

The competitive landscape is shifting

For years, Africa’s MICE map has been drawn around a small number of established centres. South Africa leads the continent with 115 international association meetings recorded in ICCA’s Globewatch 2025 data, with Cape Town, Marrakech, and Kigali the only African cities to regularly feature in the global top 100 MICE destinations.

But the race for the next tier of African MICE destinations is wide open. Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Accra, and Lusaka are all being actively positioned. South Africa’s National Convention Bureau is pushing planners beyond Cape Town; Johannesburg, Durban, Stellenbosch, and Tshwane are all building their pipelines.

The distribution of Africa’s MICE boom is not yet settled. Destinations that move now, with the right infrastructure and the right connectivity, will capture disproportionate share. Those that wait will find the ground already taken.

Zambia has read the room, and it is building accordingly.

Zambia is building

The Livingstone/Victoria Falls corridor is being actively repositioned as a year-round business events destination – a deliberate diversification away from seasonal safari dependency that reflects both commercial pragmatism and growing international demand. The Zambia Tourism Expo, ZATEX 2026, ran in June at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, drawing international buyers and trade partners to assess the country’s offer firsthand.

Behind the scenes, the professionalisation of Zambia’s hospitality sector is accelerating. The recent launch of a Hotel Managers Registration Council demonstrates that the country is aligning its standards with what international MICE organisers require before they will commit a conference bid.

The strategic opportunity now is to convert Zambia’s leisure familiarity into conference and incentive bookings. The destination sell is largely done. What has historically been missing is the infrastructure confidence – the certainty that delegates can get there reliably. 

Connectivity is the unlock

MICE destinations are made or broken by airlift. A destination can have world-class venues, compelling experiences, and competitive pricing, and still lose conference bids because planners can’t guarantee their delegates a reliable route in and out.

“Regional carriers like Proflight Zambia now operate scheduled services connecting Johannesburg and Cape Town directly to both Lusaka and Livingstone, with routes to Windhoek and Maun further extending Zambia’s regional connectivity. For a South African corporate travel manager who last assessed Zambia’s accessibility several years ago, the current network would look significantly different to the one they remember,” says Captain Josias Walubita, Proflight Zambia’s Director of Flight Operations.

“Air access is one of the most powerful enablers of tourism and business events growth,” he added – a position that aligns with the broader direction of Zambia’s Airlift Zambia Initiative, a strategic programme aimed at strengthening connectivity and attracting new international carriers to the country.

The initiative’s ambitions received significant external validation in June, with the announcement that Zambia will host AviaDev Africa 2027 – the continent’s leading air service development conference – with Zambia Airports Corporation confirmed as official host partner. Previous editions have been held in Windhoek, Zanzibar, and Botswana. Zambia’s selection reflects a growing consensus among airlines and aviation decision-makers that the country’s connectivity story is one worth investing in.

The window is now

Africa’s MICE boom will not wait. The destinations capturing share in 2026 and 2027 are the ones that will define the continent’s business events landscape for the decade that follows.

“Zambia has the venues, the experiences, the government backing, and, increasingly, the air access to compete seriously for that share,” concludes Walubita.

The question for South African corporates and conference planners is simple: how much longer will you keep booking the same rooms in the same cities, when one of Africa’s most extraordinary destinations is now reliably within reach? Zambia is ready, and the flights are there. The only thing missing is your delegates.

When discussions turn to Africa’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the conversation almost always lands on the same subject: funding. Access to finance is a persistent problem but treating it as the defining obstacle misses something bigger. Most businesses aren’t held back by capital alone. They’re held back by a lack of access to buyers, to distribution networks, to strategic partners, and to the international markets where real growth occurs.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is gradually changing the trading environment, but opening borders doesn’t automatically connect businesses with the opportunities on the other side. The question is no longer whether opportunity exists, but how we can get more businesses in front of it.

Part of the answer lies in live exhibitions and trade shows. At RX, we run over 400 recurring events across 43 sectors in 22 countries, giving us a rare perspective on how businesses succeed in the right environment. What we’re also seeing consistently is how exhibitions are evolving from marketing platforms into one of the most effective and practical tools available for accelerating SME growth at scale.

Closing the access gap

For decades, exhibitions were regarded primarily as brand-building exercises. Useful for visibility, but peripheral to serious commercial strategy. That perception no longer holds, and the numbers from our own portfolio make the case: 70% of RX exhibitors are SMEs arriving to engage directly with decision-makers, test new markets, and accelerate relationships that might otherwise take years to build through conventional channels.

Zooming out, UFI’s 2026 Global Exhibition Industry Statistics confirms Africa’s exhibition industry attracts around 2.1 million visitors and 45,000 exhibiting companies annually, generating an estimated €1.3 billion (approximately US$1.5 billion) in economic output and supporting more than 21,000 jobs across the continent. Those figures speak to the industry’s scale, but they don’t fully capture what happens in the spaces between stands, in the scheduled meetings and corridor conversations where commercial relationships are actually forged.

The value of a single well-placed conversation should not be underestimated. A brief exchange between a supplier and a regional distributor can open the door to an agreement, an export contract, or an investment relationship that changes a business’s trajectory entirely. For an entrepreneur who has exhausted local demand, that is not just useful, it’s transformational.

Funding alone isn’t enough

This dynamic is especially significant in Africa, where access challenges run deeper than balance sheets. The informal sector accounts for nearly 40% of the continent’s GDP, according to the African Development Bank’s African Economic Outlook 2026. Many of these businesses will never access traditional funding channels, but they can still benefit enormously from direct exposure to customers, buyers, and commercial networks, and that is precisely the gap trade events are positioned to help close.

Funding gaps are vast and well-documented, which is precisely why access infrastructure matters so much. The global shortfall for formal SMEs stands at US$5.7 trillion, according to the Alliance for Financial Inclusion. Africa’s share is estimated at approximately US$331 billion. In South Africa, a market with a relatively sophisticated financial system and strong levels of private sector credit, the gap is believed to sit between R350 billion and R386 billion.

These numbers are often treated as the whole story. But they only tell half of it. Even where financing gaps close, a business with no route to buyers, distributors or export markets still won’t grow. Capital without customers is inert. Growth rarely happens in isolation. It happens at the point of connection, and that is the piece the finance conversation consistently leaves out.

Supporting Africa’s growth agenda

Across Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa alone, there are an estimated 52 million SMEs contributing up to 50% of national GDPs and employing as much as 93% of the workforce in some markets. These businesses are the backbone of African economies, driving innovation, creating jobs, and supporting local communities. Yet many continue to struggle to scale.

Africa’s entrepreneurs are not lacking in talent or determination. What many lack is the infrastructure of opportunity – the channels, networks, and platforms that connect potential to growth.

Exhibitions are not a panacea, and we don’t position them as one. They do not replace the need for better financing mechanisms, improved infrastructure, or more enabling policy environments. But they offer the ability to bring entire business ecosystems into a single space, at a single moment, at scale, which is something no funding programme or regulatory reform can fully replicate. The trade show floor has always been where business relationships begin. Increasingly across Africa, it is also where the continent’s SMEs are finding their next customer, their first export order, and their path to growth.

The boutique travel event, held at the Norval Foundation in Cape Town, recorded a 37% increase in attendance compared to 2025, with 87% of buyers attending for the first time, drawn from 32 countries. Appointments increased by 29% year-on-year, reflecting a surge in commercial intent from luxury buyers actively seeking African experiences.

The results are striking given the broader context of global uncertainty. According to the newly released State of African Tourism 2026 report, the continent is successfully “selling certainty in an anxious world.” Because high-end safaris and luxury itineraries are typically booked 12 to 18 months in advance, and demand for established destinations remains resolute, the region’s tourism industry is not expected to be materially affected by ongoing disruptions in the Middle East. Instead, discerning luxury travellers are increasingly looking to Africa not as an alternative, but as a trusted destination of first choice.

Africa’s hotel development pipeline tells its own story: with 55% of the entire continental pipeline currently under construction, investor confidence in African luxury hospitality is at an historic high. The infrastructure is being built, and ILTM Africa’s record buyer numbers suggest the demand is ready to meet it.

The 87% new buyer figure is perhaps the most telling statistic of all. As the State of African Tourism report highlights, the post-pandemic “revenge travel” wave has crashed, replaced by a more informed, discerning traveller for whom trust is the new currency. This influx of new buyers suggests that ILTM Africa is actively converting these new markets, translating directly into fresh commercial pipelines and relationships for exhibitors that did not exist twelve months ago. Carol Weaving, Managing Director of RX Africa, the organiser behind ILTM Africa, noted: “The travel sector has always been a people industry selling high-value, high-stakes experiences. Africa Travel Week has evolved into a powerful in-person event where technology handles the heavy lifting, and humans focus on the relationship building that defines this industry.”

Exhibitor numbers have grown to 780 – a double-digit increase on 2025 – drawn from 40 countries and supported by 43 tourism boards and 65 event partners. A total of 13,500 appointments have been confirmed, a 35% increase on last year.

Perhaps the most significant story within the numbers is the breadth of new participation. Fifteen countries are represented by buyers for the first time, including Jamaica, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Pakistan, Denmark, and Portugal. This geographical spread reflects Africa’s growing appeal across entirely new source markets. On the exhibitor side, Angola, Cyprus, Djibouti, Jordan, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and the UAE are all participating for the first time.

Crucially, 81% of hosted buyers and Buyers’ Club members are entirely new to WTM Africa, a remarkable statistic that points to an event rapidly expanding its global footprint.

The timing of this year’s event carries particular significance. As the travel industry continues to navigate the ripple effects of conflict in the Middle East, which is disrupting established travel corridors, shifting source markets, and forcing a global reassessment of destination strategy, face-to-face trade events have become vital. 

Carol Weaving, Managing Director of RX Africa, said in the opening event: “Africa Travel Week has evolved into a powerful in-person event where technology handles the heavy lifting, and humans focus on the relationship building that defines this industry. Our people are our superpower.”

The industry’s own research reinforces this human-centred approach. This year’s State of the Industry Report, commissioned for Africa Travel Week, highlights that the path forward for African tourism is rooted in empathy and genuine human connection: “It’s how you interact with the traveller as a human being and understand where their specific needs are.”

The tangible economic value of these connections was highlighted by Alderman James Vos, who noted that Cape Town’s international flights have surged to over 230 per week, with tourism now supporting over 106,000 jobs in the city. 

“As a City government, we made a deliberate decision to host WTM Africa,” Vos said during his opening address. “It is an investment that delivers real economic returns. With over 100 countries represented here and 8,000 trade professionals doing deals on this floor, the impact goes far beyond these few days. It translates into future bookings, sustained demand, and long-term growth. Tourism is a team sport. When travellers choose South Africa, they are choosing an experience that no single destination can deliver alone.”

Beyond the exhibition floor, WTM Africa 2026 features a comprehensive content programme of 101 speakers across 82 curated sessions, spanning travel tech, responsible tourism, adventure tourism, medical tourism, golf tourism, and sports and events tourism. The Africa Tourism Investment Conference (ATIC), taking place on Tuesday 14 April, brought together investors, policymakers, and tourism leaders to interrogate the continent’s infrastructure ambitions and investment pipeline.

“Africa, the time is now, and the growth is palpable,” said Weaving, extending special thanks to the host city of Cape Town and Alderman James Vos for the city’s continued commitment to positioning the Mother City as Africa’s premier events destination.

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JOHANNESBURG – When FCM Meetings and Events (FCM M&E) released its 2026 Trends Report, the data was clear: 100% of bookings (across Australia and New Zealand, North America, LATAM, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia) included at least one sustainability requirement. 

Lance Nkwe, Business Leader, FCM Meetings & Events South Africa says sustainability is now part and parcel of every experience. And while this includes removing notebooks and paper cups (both rarely recycled) and single-use plastics, what an event “leaves behind” is becoming increasingly important.

“Event planners are making visible strides with environmentally conscious choices in venues, catering and waste management, and there is growing interest in responsible, scalable solutions,” says Nkwe. “ESG reporting and community impact are especially important as clients look to demonstrate that their presence in an area contributes positively to local community development.”

Corporate hotel programmes are under the same scrutiny. Jessica Redinger, General Manager of Hyde Johannesburg Rosebank – which has just achieved Green Key Certification – agrees.

“Sustainability has quickly become non-negotiable in our industry. We’re seeing it come through in 100% of RFPs (request for proposals) we receive from major global companies. Green Key gives Hyde a credible, internationally recognised certification that speaks directly to that expectation. It’s a must for corporate agreements, but also for business and leisure travellers who are increasingly choosing properties based on sustainability credentials – and what they give back to their local community – not just their name or brand,” says Redinger.

In other words, sustainability has quickly moved from a nice-to-have to a procurement essential. According to a 2023 Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) survey, 76% of travel buyers were integrating or planning to integrate sustainability questions into their RFPs, and 63% were selecting or planning to select suppliers based on sustainability criteria.

In June 2024, the GBTA Foundation formalised this shift with the launch of its Sustainable Hotel Procurement Standards – a framework of 50 structured questions covering everything from carbon emissions per room per night to water use, waste management, food and beverage practices, and EV charging availability.

And as Mummy Mafojane, General Manager FCM South Africa, explains, SA’s regulatory context adds urgency. South Africa’s Climate Change Act (No. 22 of 2024) came into force on 17 March 2025. The legislation introduces carbon budgets and legal obligations to stay within defined emissions ceilings, with mandatory monitoring, reporting, and verification requirements. 

“For corporate travel managers, this has a direct implication: the hotels and venues in your programme are part of your organisation’s emissions story,” says Mafojane. “Choosing certified properties isn’t just responsible; it’s a compliance consideration.”

Behind the scenes: what certified hotels are actually doing

The most meaningful changes happening in hotels right now are largely invisible to guests. Real structural interventions, happening in the background, but making a significant difference. 

As an example, Hyde Johannesburg Rosebank’s Green Key certification, awarded by WESSA and aligned with international Green Key standards, covers energy consumption, water management, waste practices, staff training and local procurement. 

Internationally, the Radisson Hotel Group has just announced a target of 100 Verified Net Zero Hotels by 2030, with a phased 2026 roll-out beginning in Norway and the Nordics, followed by the UK and South Africa – making it the first African country to host a Radisson Verified Net Zero property. 

Mafojane says there’s a financial case to be made too. 

“Data from a 2024 HRS Green Stay Initiative found that, on average, the 25% most efficient hotels in its sustainability database offered average daily rates 17% lower than the 25% most polluting hotels – countering the widespread assumption that green costs more,” says Mafojane.

Building a sustainable travel programme

FCM Consulting’s Insights Report for H1 2026 offers a practical framework for travel managers looking to act:

• Start by ensuring you have access to reporting tools that track ESG metrics and establish clear baselines. 
• Align your travel-specific sustainability goals with your company’s broader objectives – the two need to work together, not in isolation. 
• Engage suppliers who share your ESG values, and don’t wait for legislation to land before reviewing what’s coming; organisations that have targets and baselines in place will be far better positioned when compliance becomes mandatory.

What business travellers need to do

Hotels and travel managers can build the most sustainable programme in the world. But travellers still need to pull their weight. For Mafojane, there are five changes that make a genuine difference:

1. Booking within your programme. A company’s preferred hotel list has been sustainability-vetted. Booking outside it for convenience undermines the good work the travel manager has done.
2. Skipping the daily room clean. Opting out of daily housekeeping is one of the highest-impact individual choices a traveller can make. 
3. “Hyde’s ‘Skip the Clean’ programme allows guests to opt out of daily housekeeping and earn loyalty points in return,” says Redinger. “But that single choice reduces linen washing, cleaning chemical usage, water consumption, energy use and labour – without guests feeling like they’ve made a sacrifice.”
4. Adjusting energy settings when you leave the room. Turn off the air conditioning or heating when you head out. Most properties now make this easy; some have it automated. Do it anyway.
5. Choose lower-carbon meal options where they exist. Hotel F&B is a key part of a property’s emissions footprint. Choose locally sourced dishes and ingredients.
6. Feed back to your travel manager. If a hotel had a sustainability feature worth noting – or a glaring gap – say so. That information directly shapes the next RFP cycle and helps travel management companies (TMCs) build programmes that keep improving.

What this means for your travel programme

Sustainability in both hotel programmes and the meetings & events sector is no longer aspirational. It is structural, measurable and increasingly legislated. As Nkwe says, “Make sure your planner or TMC understands your sustainability requirements, can genuinely meet them, and has the reporting capability to prove it. In 2026, that’s a basic expectation.”

Uniting influential luxury suppliers and travel buyers from around the world, ILTM Africa 2026 presents a carefully curated programme designed to spark valuable business connections within a deeply immersive environment.

“This year, ILTM Africa welcomes international delegates representing 32 countries, reinforcing its role as the leading meeting place for African luxury travel,” says Megan De Jager, Portfolio Director at RX Africa. “We are excited to return to the iconic Norval Foundation, where art, culture and design intersect to create an inspiring backdrop for business-building and igniting long-term partnerships.”

The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth and Tourism, James Vos, expresses Cape Town’s pride in hosting ILTM Africa as part of the broader Africa Travel Week programme.

“Events like these showcase the best of our destination, our crafts, cultures, communities and cuisine, the authentic ingredients that make Cape Town such a sought-after place to visit. Tourism is a powerful economic driver for our city, with nearly 7% of our workforce employed in the visitor economy, which is why we continue working to connect Cape Town to more source markets and ensure the benefits of tourism are felt throughout our local economy.”

A sensory journey

De Jager emphasises that African storytelling and experiential travel remain central to the three-day programme, with ILTM Africa 2026 showcasing immersive, sensory-led experiences reflecting the evolving expectations of today’s luxury traveller.

“The overall journey for buyers will be seamless and considered, with an initial welcome and transfer to the venue by Jeep Tours and Cape Sidecar Adventures. Upon arrival, the Isibane se Afrika Choir will deliver a musical welcome, capturing the spirit and warmth of the continent,” she adds.

Cape Island will introduce a bespoke ILTM Africa scent, demonstrating the role of scent marketing in strengthening brand recognition and traveller memory. The fragrance will be presented to attendees and incorporated throughout the venue, reinforcing ILTM Africa’s focus on multi-sensory engagement within a luxury business environment.

Wine tourism also takes focus, reflecting growing global interest in immersive, place-based travel experiences. This theme will be explored through a dedicated wine tourism conversation led by The Wine Tourism Conference (WTC), followed by a curated lunch and private wine cellar experience at one of South Africa’s most established wine estates: Klein Constantia Wine Estate.

Conscious luxury

Sustainability is thoughtfully integrated throughout the ILTM Africa experience, with a standout feature being the interactive tactile ‘poke art’ installation by Painted Wolf Wines. This initiative invites attendees to collectively contribute to African wild dog conservation initiatives, further demonstrating how individual contributions come together to create lasting impact.

The Africa Luxury Network Chamber of Commerce and Industries will present a number of distinctive African luxury offerings, including Wazawazi, a sustainable luxury leather brand reflecting African craftsmanship. Additional African-led innovations on display include unique beverages from Kalahari Truffles, plant-based leather alternatives by Holy Kow, and recycled, handmade buyer gifts by The Wren Design.

As host destination partner, Cape Town Tourism will showcase the city’s luxury appeal, reinforcing the region’s status as a world-class events and tourism hub. Vos notes that he and his team will introduce Cape Town’s new Tourism Framework alongside key elements of the This is Cape Town campaign.

“This campaign, implemented by the City’s Tourism and Place Marketing Branch, positions our city across six continents and in 55 cities through targeted campaigns, airline partnerships and city-to-city collaborations. This work is about expanding the tourism value chain and ensuring the entire ecosystem works well, attracting more visitors, encouraging longer stays and strengthening the economic impact of tourism across our city.”

Digital growth at ILTM Africa 2026

2026 also marks a step forward in digital innovation for ILTM Africa, with the launch of a new event app with enhanced lead-generation functionality, making it easier for delegates to maintain and grow connections beyond the show.

ILTM Africa continues to expand its media engagement, with De Jager confirming plans to launch a new luxury magazine in collaboration with Voyages Afrique, in addition to providing media partners with exclusive opportunities to engage with African products, destinations and stories.

“This year, we’ve amplified our mission of seeking new avenues to grow the industry and connect buyers and suppliers beyond the three days of the show,” she explains.

In the lead-up to the 2026 event, ILTM Africa extends its thanks to key partners helping to bring the show to life, including NVD Property & Project Management, The Diamond Works, Cape Sidecar Adventures, Cape Town Tourism, the City of Cape Town, Klein Constantia Wine Estate, and the Norval Foundation.

Further thanks go to Lift for transporting event speakers and buyers around the country, Paper Aeroplane for exclusively creating the programme guide cover artwork, and Reverie Social Table for hosting an exclusive media event in support of the show. Seamless connectivity throughout ILTM Africa and bolt-on Africa Travel Week shows will be supported by Airalo, enhancing the overall delegate experience.

“With its strongest post-Covid line-up, a renewed focus on wine tourism, and an immersive celebration of African luxury, ILTM Africa 2026 promises to be a defining moment for our industry and how we showcase Africa to the world’s high-end travel community,” she concludes.

For more information, please visit the ILTM Africa 2026 website here.

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Cape Town, South Africa – IBTM Africa, which takes place alongside WTM Africa, is fast positioning itself as a critical platform for Africa’s MICE sector, bringing together international buyers, leading suppliers, and a dedicated business events programme at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from April 13-15, 2026.

Reante Naidoo, Buyers & Digital Director for WTM Africa says IBTM Africa is now a core pillar of the show.

“Over one-third of WTM Africa’s hosted buyer programme has direct MICE influence,” explains Naidoo. “Significantly, of those MICE buyers, 99% are senior decision makers who directly influence or control purchasing decisions. They’re coming to Cape Town, from both traditional and emerging source markets, to explore new products, establish new relationships and experience what South Africa, and Africa, has to offer.”

Of the confirmed MICE buyers who will be in attendance, there is strong representation from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Kenya, United Arab Emirates, Italy, Tanzania, Egypt, India, Spain, Australia, Uganda, Turkey, Netherlands and South Africa.

“IBTM Africa provides MICE suppliers with access to the buyers who matter,” says Naidoo. “And with an extended programme of events, including a ‘Women in MICE’ breakfast, a leadership workshop, and dedicated speaker sessions, there is plenty of opportunity to network and engage.”

Women in MICE Breakfast

The Women in MICE breakfast takes place on 15 April from 08:00 to 10:00 at the CTICC. The session brings together industry professionals to discuss leadership, inclusivity, and collaboration in the business events sector. Interested parties can register by emailing Antois-Leigh Nepgen on antois-leigh@4mal.co.za.

Space is limited and early registration is recommended.

Women in MICE Workshop, in partnership with Women in Tourism

Open to all exhibitors and taking place on the event floor on 15 April from 10:30, this workshop looks at tourism leadership, and specifically practical tools, proven strategies and real-world insights to empower organisations, women leaders, and entrepreneurs across the tourism value chain.

China Ready® Workshop

With China’s outbound travel market projected to soar to 200 million trips by 2028 (according to digital marketing and research firm, China Trading Desk) and South Africa’s Trusted Tour Operator Scheme coming in to play,  there is no better time for South Africa’s inbound tourism sector – including MICE – to familiarise themselves with the needs of the Chinese market. WTM Africa’s China Ready® Workshop gives interested exhibitors the chance to equip themselves with the knowledge and tools to cater to Chinese travellers.

For more information visit: https://www.wtm.com/africa/en-gb/whats-on/china-ready-workshop.html

Again, space is limited and booking a seat in advance is essential.

Sports Events & Tourism Exchange in partnership with Nielsen Sports

The Sports and Events Tourism Exchange (SETE) brings together businesses from across the spectrum of sports, events and industries – with a full programme running on Wednesday, 15 April 2026.

“The global sports events sector is growing quickly,” says Olivia Gradidge, Marketing Manager, WTM Africa. “It presents a massive opportunity for South Africa. We encourage anyone up and down the supply chain to attend – and help position South Africa as a major player when it comes to hosting world-class, international events.”

Africa Tourism Investment Conference

The Africa Tourism Investment Conference (14 April, CTICC) is a crucial event for the MICE industry. It provides businesses with essential investment insights, networking opportunities, and access to key decision-makers.

This conference is the ideal platform for MICE professionals to drive growth and capitalise on emerging trends in tourism investment. To view the full programme, please visit https://www.wtm.com/africa/en-gb/whats-on/tourism-investment-forum-africa.html.

Pre-registration is essential.

Invitation to Join Diverse Exhibitor Base

Currently, 40% of exhibitors attending WTM Africa in April have a strong MICE element to their business, with representation from established hotel groups including Southern Sun Hotel Interests, Tsogo Sun Casinos Management Company, Minor Hotels, City Lodge Hotels, and specialist venues like Kievits Kroon Gauteng Wine Estate.

The exhibitor base spans 17 countries across Africa and beyond, including South Africa, Tanzania, Kingdom of Eswatini, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Uganda, Seychelles, Namibia, Botswana, and international destinations such as Singapore, Switzerland, Jordan, and Saint Helena.

National tourism authorities, airlines, venues and ground transport providers will showcase Africa’s business events infrastructure and capabilities, demonstrating the continent’s readiness to host international meetings, incentives, conferences, and events.

“IBTM Africa connects global demand with Africa’s growing business events sector,” says Carol Weaving, MD of RX Africa, which hosts Africa Travel Week, including WTM Africa and IBTM Africa, each year. “This is a warm invitation to Africa’s MICE sector to join us in Cape Town for three focused, valuable days. The buyers are confirmed, the programme is set, and the opportunity is real. We look forward to welcoming exhibitors who are ready to do business.” Learn more & register your interest: IBTM Africa

As climate pressures intensify and global audiences demand more responsible experiences, Africa’s events industry is reshaping what sustainable events can – and should – look like, and for RX Africa, the business behind events like WTM Africa, ILTM Africa, FAME Week Africa, Comic-Con and Decorex, the future of event sustainability is proudly, unashamedly, and unapologetically African.

“As a continent, we have long embraced resourcefulness and resilience,” says Carol Weaving, Managing Director of RX Africa. “But now, sustainability for us means so much more – it’s about driving systemic change in the communities we reach. We need to enable regeneration, not just mitigate harm.”

This is sustainability with African context and African purpose at its core – deeply practical, grounded in lived realities, and shaped by long-standing community relationships. And while it aligns with the direction of the global events industry, what is happening in Africa is driven by local voices, creativity, and priorities.

Regenerative Events: More Than Just Green

While carbon-cutting or waste reduction remain core to sustainable event delivery, RX Africa is helping shape a regenerative model – one that uplifts communities and builds lasting economic opportunity.

A good example is WTM Africa’s Responsible Tourism Awards, where each handcrafted trophy tells a story of circularity. Made by children in partnership with Uthando SA and using recycled corks donated by conservation-driven Painted Wolf Wines, the awards themselves acknowledge Africa’s craft heritage, build local skills, and keep money circulating in community economies.

This community-first approach extends across RX Africa’s 15-year partnerships with local NPOs like Oliver’s Village, which supports more than 600 people daily through education, healthcare, and food access initiatives. Partner organisation 18twenty8 offers university scholarships and mentorship to young women in tourism and PR – deliberately seeding leadership in historically underrepresented spaces.

The Business Case for Local Innovation

The Crafters Nexus, hosted within WTM Africa, gives small-scale artisans a platform to connect with the international travel trade. The results are remarkable: one local business signed a lucrative international contract to design custom bag covers. Others made critical industry connections that would otherwise be out of reach in global supply chains dominated by mass manufacturing.

FAME Week Africa – an annual showcase of Africa’s film, television, animation, music, fashion, and entertainment technology industries – demonstrates similar impact. At the event’s African Fashion Forum Theatre, ethical stylist Tracy-Lee Rosslind’s “Overflow” installation spotlighted the 6,000 kilograms of textile waste discarded every 45 minutes in the Western Cape. Now, she’s taking her mission global, hosting the African Fashion and Arts Awards in Abuja and leading sustainability talks with Nigeria’s next-gen designers.

The result is that African design thinking and creativity are being brought directly into business conversations and trade agreements.

Designing Cleaner Footprints, One Show at a Time

RX Africa contributes to parent company RX Global’s wider commitment to reach net zero by 2040. This work is supported by a unified global framework that provides clear guidance, practical tools, and cross-regional collaboration.

“Our global commitment to net zero is only possible because of the collective action of our teams around the world,” says Helen Sheppard,RX Group Sustainability Director. “We’re working closely across regions to provide the training, tools, and support needed to turn our shared sustainability goals into meaningful progress on the ground.”

The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) – one of the few venues in South Africa to formally sign the Net Zero Carbon Events pledge – is also playing a leading role. As an NZCE signatory, CTICC has committed to reducing event-related emissions in line with global best practice, reinforcing RX Africa’s efforts to host cleaner, lower-impact shows. Their commitment also highlights the importance of strong collaboration across the value chain – from venues and suppliers to organisers and local communities – as stakeholders work together to accelerate sustainable event delivery.

Beyond venue partnerships, event organisers are introducing low-waste initiatives too, including digital-only catalogues, seed-paper badge holders, and recycled-plastic lanyards. At Decorex, there’s growing momentum toward modular, re-usable area builds. The aim? To cut down on construction waste and lengthen the life cycle of design infrastructure across multiple shows. Other simple but effective shifts – like reusing event lanyards, fabric-based signage for registration walls, and eliminating plastic bottles – are already in motion across multiple RX events.

Weaving explains that the new “Events Sustainability Scorecard”, launched in November across the RX portfolio, strengthens this approach by helping teams track and report on the sustainability actions expected for every show.

“More than a checklist, the scorecard serves as a practical decision-making tool, opening early conversations with venues, suppliers, and partners across core focus areas: energy, production, food and beverage, logistics, and travel and accommodation,” says Weaving. “It ensures that sustainability is not an afterthought, but a guided, intentional part of how events are planned and delivered.”

Setting the Standard for 2026

For Weaving, real sustainability is broad and inclusive.

“It’s not just energy efficiency. It’s education, representation, economic access. It’s giving people the tools to build something that lasts long after the event ends,” concludes Weaving.

Sustainability in Africa delivers a practical, contextual, and community-driven model that can’t be borrowed from the Global North. The work is far from over, but Africa’s voice is leading the way.

The only defensible reason to go is to create value you can’t generate from your desk: accelerated deals, stronger relationships across multiple stakeholders, sharper competitive intelligence and content you can use again and again. This demands a ‘portfolio’ mindset and a rigorous selection process.

Start with the three Rs: Reputation, Relationships, Revenue

Before you book, ask three questions:

• Reputation: Will your presence or speaking slot strengthen your brand with the right audience?
• Relationships: Can you make high-value contacts or deepen existing relationships, not just collect cards?
• Revenue: Is there a realistic path to influence your sales pipeline or accelerate existing opportunities in the next two quarters?

If you can’t credibly answer yes to at least two of these, pass on the event.

Quality over quantity

Treat conference selection the way you’d approach choosing your most important customers. Quality trumps volume every time. Start by validating whether the event actually attracts decision-makers in your target industries and regions.

Ask organisers for anonymised breakdowns of attendee mix by role and seniority – you want to know if the right stakeholders will be there, so you can progress real conversations and opportunities.

Then layer in practicality. Does the event platform make scheduling one-on-one meetings straightforward? Meeting density is your leading indicator of return on investment.

Mummy Mafojane, GM FCM Meetings and Events, says you need to consider the logistics too, as visa requirements, flight connections and available accommodation can make or break an event.

“Don’t ignore the impact of long-haul travel on wellbeing or ignore carbon cost for marginal gain,” says Mafojane. “And remember that the best conversations often happen off-programme, so shortlist events with strong satellite dinners, peer gatherings and partner receptions.”

To this point, Mafojane uses Mining Indaba 2026 as an example.

“Mining Indaba 2026 will bring 10,500+ decision-makers to Cape Town from 9 to 12 February next year. But central accommodation goes quickly. Chat to your travel management company (TMC) about booking flights, accommodation and ground transport as soon as possible – before rates rise and rooms disappear. You want to be close to the action.”}

Design success before you board

Go in with concrete objectives at two levels. First, identify the organisations, roles or people you want to engage with, and what qualifies as success – perhaps a follow-up involving multiple stakeholders, agreement on a pilot scope, or an invitation to run a workshop with their executive team. Second, set personal metrics: meetings held with target accounts, opportunities touched, strategic learnings, or any content assets you’ll create.

Believe it or not, the real work starts two weeks before you fly. Use the event app and your network to pre-book meetings, aiming to fill sixty to seventy percent of your schedule with pre-qualified conversations while leaving purposeful white space for unexpected opportunities. Consider being proactive and convening a small roundtable with peers in your industry as intimate forums often deliver more value than keynotes for senior relationships.

Once again, don’t underestimate the commercial impact of being well-rested and relaxed before the events starts, so book smart, book early, stay near the venue, plan for disruptions and have the event programme close to hand.

Convert sessions into conversations

Once you’re onsite, every action should create momentum. Choose your seat strategically to enable quick access to speakers and target contacts. Ask one sharp question that earns you follow-ups. Pay attention to polls, Q&A sessions and booth traffic – these reveal real market pain points. Capture verbatim comments and photos, tagging them to specific accounts for tailored follow-ups later. Even respectfully engaging attendees around competitor stands helps you understand their narrative and the objections you’ll need to overcome. Throughout it all, protect your energy: build in recovery time, stay hydrated, and use quiet spaces to prepare between meetings.

Strike while the iron’s hot

The event doesn’t end when you take off your lanyard for the last time. Within seventy-two hours, send personalised emails to those you’d like to connect with again, route warm introductions to your account teams with clear expectations, and log everything so nothing dies in your notebook.

Finally, atomise what you learned. Turn panel discussions and corridor debates into a point of view you can share with accounts, internal training notes for your team, and short video clips or LinkedIn posts. Invite your highest-value contacts into a continuing peer forum to keep momentum between major events. Share the patterns you observed with marketing and product – the buyer questions, pain points and emerging competitors – so your whole organisation benefits from your investment.

The bottom line

Making every conference count means ruthless selection and disciplined execution. Choose events where your target customers gather, where you can orchestrate dense, high-quality meetings, and where the environment supports both your wellbeing and your commercial momentum. Measure what matters: meetings with the right people, pipeline influence, and deal acceleration. Then recycle the insights and content across your teams.

As Mafojane explains, if you do this well, conferences stop being line items on your travel budget.

“Conferences and events are an important part of your growth strategy,” says Mafojane. “But they do require thought and a strategic approach. Make sure every event delivers – and you never regret a trip again.”