AFRICA - South African Tourism has appointed Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo as Executive Manager of South Africa’s newly-created National Conventions Bureau (NCB), effective 1 November 2011.
The NCB aims to enhance South Africa’s business tourism capacity and attract international conventions, exhibitions, incentives and events to the country. Its objective is to make a significant impact in consolidating, coordinating and strengthening efforts to attract meetings and conventions to South Africa.
“Enhancing our business tourism proposition and attracting international meetings and conferences is extremely important to us,” said South African Tourism COO and Acting CEO, Tim Scholtz. “Kotze-Nhlapo brings a wealth of experience to the NCB after a successful tenure as head of the Conventions Bureau and Events at Cape Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU) and as a board member of the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry.
“This is an important appointment for us at a critical time. Over the next five years South Africa has already secured more than 200 international conferences, which it is estimated with attract 300,000 delegates and provide an economic boost of more than R1.6bn (US$190m),” he added.
The upcoming United Nations COP 17 Climate Change conference, being held in Durban, is the highlight of this year's business tourism calendar, Scholtz added. “We continue to leverage our country’s status as a mega-events destination and benefit from heightened global exposure,” he said.
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