As the world gradually emerges from the global lockdown and the rise of remote conferencing, there is a palpable worry if there will be a return to Face to Face encounters or will the world go Phygital which is the Hybrid between Physical and Digital.
To this effect, heavyweights of African Tourism will on September 21, 2020, in a virtual conference on behalf of the continent discuss the fate of the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector.
The conference organized by the African Travel Market, AfTM and to be hosted by Nigeria’s Ikechi Uko is themed, Is MICE a viable pathway for Tourism Recovery in Africa? and aims to correct the wrong notion where everyone has been trying to Speak for Africa but they have not asked Africa to Speak for itself.
The importance of the conference is evident in the star-studded arrays of speakers and panelists expected at the conference.
Sisa Ntshona the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of South African Tourism, Lilly Ajarova the CEO of Uganda Tourism Board, Akwasi Agyeman the CEO of Ghana Tourism Authority, Jacinta Nzioka National Coordinator Kenya Convention Bureau, and Nelly Mukazayire CEO of Rwanda Convention Bureau will be on hand as panelists to do justice to the topic.
MICE Expert Rick Taylor will deliver the keynote address while Alain St Ange the Former Minister of Tourism for Seychelles and a Presidential Candidate in the Seychellois Elections will be the Special Guest.
“Experts Say Humans cannot survive without congregating while others think otherwise. How does Africa play in the new normal? It is time to hear from the experts. Nobody but Africans should speak for Africa. We have put together the best brains on Business Tourism in Africa with Practical Experience and Savoir-Faire on the Job to find a path to Growth and Profitability” a statement from the organizer of the conference said.
Recall that the Oxford Business Group, OBG is worried that the cost-effective means of reaching a wider audience provided by virtual experience poses a great threat to the future of the world’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector.
The Top 3 Countries for M.I.C.E in Africa are South Africa, Rwanda, and Kenya. In West Africa, Ghana is the Market Leader according to ICCA annual rankings.
