The Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI) and Africa’s Eden Tourism Association are proud to announce the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), creating a landmark collaboration that bridges the business events and leisure tourism sectors across the region.
“This MOU represents the kind of smart, collaborative thinking our region needs,” said Jacques Fouché, SAACI Chairperson. “It brings the strength of Africa’s Eden’s destination network together with SAACI’s depth in the business events industry — a partnership that’s greater than the sum of its parts.”
This partnership offers a unique platform for both associations’ members to benefit from shared opportunities, resources, and greater regional visibility, particularly in driving the growth of meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) alongside leisure tourism.
The MOU outlines key areas of collaboration, including:
● Reciprocal membership benefits, allowing members from both associations access to a wider range of events, knowledge-sharing sessions, and promotional opportunities;
● Joint event development, including a proposed regional MICE event in Livingstone in February 2026, and collaborative participation in international trade shows like IMEX Frankfurt and Meetings Africa 2026;
● Shared platforms for member promotion and speaking opportunities across both associations’ flagship conferences and AGMs.
Glenton De Kock, CEO of SAACI, added, “Our members will now benefit from integrated access to new regional markets, particularly in key leisure-meets-MICE destinations. This alliance helps us build a more connected, opportunity-rich African business events environment.”
Jillian Blackbeard, Executive Director of Africa’s Eden, commented, “We’re excited about what this partnership means for our region. It allows us to break down silos between the leisure and MICE sectors while offering our members direct access to business networks, capacity-building opportunities, and shared platforms that amplify their reach.”
As the partnership progresses, a joint steering committee will oversee implementation and ensure measurable outcomes that benefit members on both sides.
This agreement underscores the power of collaboration in transforming the tourism and business events industries into a more cohesive, resilient, and inclusive sector for Africa
