Meetings Africa, South Africa’s yearly trade show for the business events industry, is getting ready for its 21st edition in 2027. The event will run under the theme “Unlocking Growth That Transforms Africa”, according to Business Explainer.
The organisers said the theme puts market access, new business links and international trade at the centre of the show. Exhibitor registration and buyer applications are now open.
“Africa is on the wish list of many MICE buyers, but for those who haven’t experienced it first-hand, unfamiliarity and a lack of supplier relationships make it hard to sell to their clients with confidence. That’s the gap we want to close,” said Melanie Zegers, Director of Sales for Canada at Liberty International Tourism Group.
MICE is the industry term for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. Liberty is one of the new international companies taking part in the 2027 show.
The group will bring buyers from markets including Canada to meet African exhibitors. It has more than 60 destination management offices in over 120 destinations, including Africa.
“For us, this is about more than exhibiting. It’s about giving new buyers the knowledge and relationships to sell South Africa and the wider continent with confidence, and turning first-time interest into long-term inbound business,” Zegers said.
According to the report, new international buyers and destination management companies have shown interest in the 2027 edition. Some of these organisations already work in many countries around the world.
The organisers said these companies can help African suppliers reach clients in other markets. They do this through the networks that already link destinations with clients and business deals.
The show is meant to connect African tourism businesses with the global meetings industry. Exhibitors get to meet international buyers, show their products and look for new business.
Buyers, in turn, get to find new destinations and talk directly to African suppliers. This lets them widen the range of trips and experiences they can sell to their own clients.
The report pointed to Patience Nakawala, founder of Akanachi Travel and Tours in Zambia, as an example. She went to Meetings Africa as a visitor in 2023, only six months after she started her business.
The contacts and knowledge she gained there helped shape how her company grew. By 2025, she had moved beyond running meetings in Zambia and organised her first group trip to South Africa.
The organisers said the 2027 theme is about making sure that taking part leads to real results. These include new supplier links, new markets and more inbound business for African tourism companies.
Media workers who want to cover the 2027 event can also register for accreditation.
Source: this article is based on reporting by Business explainer. Image: Business explainer. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Business desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Anelisa Nkuna covers business and money news for Tzaneen Voice. Anelisa reports on the rand, fuel prices, interest rates, jobs, Eskom, Transnet, farming and company results. The aim is simple: explain what the numbers mean for household budgets, small businesses and workers in South Africa.