ovid-related challenges have forced the meetings and events industry in Africa , as elsewhere to innovate , adapt and re-examine its business and strategies .

At the country ’ s flagship centre for major international events , Cape Town International Convention Centre , ( CTICC ) management notes that the booking pace is slow at time of writing , especially with the local corporate and international markets . “ We are more optimistic about the second half of 2021 ,” says CTICC CEO Taubie Motlhabane . “ Most organisations are looking forward to the third and fourth quarters of 2021 in anticipation of vaccines being available by then in certain parts of the world , and we are hopeful that lockdown levels will be lifted as a consequence .”

Despite the business events sector being one of the hardest hit as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic , Motlhabane believes there has been a continued interest in hosting conferences , meetings and incentive travel in Cape Town . She says that since the start of the lockdown in March , the CTICC and the Cape Town & Western Cape Convention Bureau have been focussing on their long-lead business and helped secure 17 new business events ( 11 for the CTICC ), all due to take place between 2022 and 2024 . “ This is testament to the resilience of the destination , and the continued interest in hosting global business events in the region ,” Motlhabane says .

The CEO is also confident that the local ( Cape Town and Western Cape ) conferencing and events industry has successfully demonstrated that it can resume business safely and responsibly - adhering to prescribed social distancing regulations , ensuring all delegates wear masks and sanitise regularly . The

destination has also proved able to pivot to new digital formats for events , successfully hosting the Proof of Concept event and being one of the recent regional hubs of the ICCA Congress . Despite the imminent rollout of Covid-19 vaccines around the world , Motlhabane anticipates that once events start happening again , there may initially be a decrease in delegate numbers due to a natural apprehension around travelling and gathering . “ This means that the tourism industry must continue implementing strict health and hygiene safety protocols to boost confidence and protect clients , suppliers and workforce . Eventually , the numbers will go up again ,” she says .

For those looking at hybrid options , the CTICC now offers a specially designed studio for hosting digital events . Motlhabane notes this will allow the venue to scale up its face-to-face events safely and manage the numbers responsibly as they increase .

“ Business events are catalysts for change , and the reason we host these will remain the best way to advocate for having meaningful interactions . Going forward , meetings are likely to be more focused on the needs of the clients and venues must put this at the core of their

Above : Cape Town view

Below : CTICC CEO Taubie Motlhabane

new client engagement strategies if they hope to remain competitive ,” the CEO notes . And Motlhabane thinks destinations need to become more actively involved in developing meetings and concepts , building new partnerships , and serving geographically smaller but deeper markets . “ Strong professional engagement opportunities would be another key focus by which destinations could play a role ,” she says , adding : “ Destinations will remain important settings for authentic meetings - those that offer opportunities for personal and professional development could certainly be in higher demand .”

The CTICC ’ s partnership with the Western Cape Department of Health and its hosting of the 862-bed Covid-19 medical facility , the Hospital of Hope , during the peak of Covid-19 infections in mid-2020 was an illustration of how the team could deliver the highest standards of hygiene and access-control protocols at the venue .

A client-facing C19Care programme is now in place and focused on health and safety procedures from arrival right through events ; on external and internal signage and producing food and beverage service options to minimise risk . These efforts have helped the venue gain the global WTTC Safe Travels Stamp and prove it is ready to open its doors again .

Motlhabane concludes that few in the MICE industry anticipate 100 % “ occupancy ” of venues for some time , and a sense of realism is in order when projecting future turnover . “ All indications are that recovery will be slow . We are , however , hopeful that with the roll-out of vaccines across the globe , we might be pleasantly surprised by a quicker than expected recovery ,” she says .