South Africa’s apex business events industry association – the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI) – has unveiled its plans to address industry challenges and unlock new opportunities for growth in the sector this year.

1. Morning Memo Breakfast

The association will kickstart the year with its annual Morning Memo Breakfast on the sidelines of Meetings Africa in Sandton on February 26. Under the theme “Moving Forward Together”, the annual gathering of industry peers and professionals will host International Association of Convention Centres Chief Executive Officer Sven Bossu as a speaker. The breakfast will feature key discussions on the association’s goals for 2025 and further insights from another apex private-sector tourism body, the Tourism Business Council of South Africa.

2. New data collection project

SAACI will also launch the MeetIQ project this year – an initiative designed to gather and analyse data in the meetings and events sector to provide SAACI members with actionable insights to better navigate market trends and assess business opportunities.

3. Completion of the national meetings and events strategy

In collaboration with South African Tourism, SAACI will work with members and the team appointed by the South African National Convention Bureau to finalise and implement a comprehensive strategy to strengthen South Africa’s position as a premier meetings and events destination. The strategy will focus on expanding domestic and international market opportunities for SAACI members including tradeshows, workshops and forums locally and internationally.

4. Professionalisation framework development

As part of SAACI’s commitment to professionalising the meetings and events industry, the association will work on a framework that aligns with global standards and addresses the skills development needs of the sector. This initiative follows the call to action from Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille during last year’s SAACI conference.

5. SAACI’s annual conference 2025

SAACI’s annual conference is scheduled for July 2025 with key focus on innovation, collaboration and actionable outcomes to address industry challenges and opportunities. The association is also set to open nominations for new SAACI board members soon.

“We encourage all members to actively participate in these initiatives and events. Your involvement is integral to these efforts, enabling us to advocate effectively on behalf of the sector,” SAACI said in a memo on Monday, January 27.