Joburg is thrilled to be welcoming one of the world’s most prestigious and spectacular floral shows to the city during Tourism Month, the 21st World Orchid Conference & Exhibition, taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 10 to 14 September 2014.
This coveted international event, the 21st WOC, was bid for by a group of South African orchid enthusiasts and won in partnership with the Joburg Convention Bureau three years ago in Singapore. (This is the second time that South Africa is hosting a World Orchid Conference, as the 10th WOC was hosted in Durban in 1981.)
“Dubbed the ‘Orchid Olympics’, this promises to be one of the most extraordinary botanical events and floral extravaganzas ever held in South Africa, and we encourage the public to attend,” says Anthony Grohovaz, who has led the initiative to bring the WOC back to South Africa and win the bid for Johannesburg.
“A World Orchid Show is one of the biggest flower shows held anywhere in the world – and comparatively bigger than the famous Chelsea Gardens Show held annually in the UK,” says Pumla Ntsele, Deputy Director of Joburg Tourism’s Convention Bureau.
A show of this size traditionally requires an exhibit space for plants and flowers in excess of 10 000 square metres – about two soccer fields – and is generally attended by 100 000 local visitors. There are many financial and marketing benefits to a country hosting such an event, given that such shows often have 500 – 1000 international registrants who generally stay 14 – 19 days in total.
It has become a tradition for the many orchid enthusiasts who meet at this event every three years to take the opportunity for pre- and-post tours. This has an additional spin-off for the country concerned as these registrants are generally well off and spend significant money during their stay. This multi-faceted plant and flower event is organised and staged on a non-profit, not for gain basis, with all surplus proceeds to benefit South Africa’s endangered biodiversity.
Running concurrently with the World Orchid Conference & Show, the following major events will also be presented at the Sandton Convention Centre:
- 2014 National Cycad Display
- 2014 South African National Biodiversity Institute Display
- 2014 Protea and Fynbos Display
- 21st World Orchid Conference Photographic Competition
- 21st World Orchid Conference Botanical Art Competition
- 2014 National Floral Art Competition
- 2014 National South African Cake Decorators Guild Competition
- 21st World Orchid Conference RSA Date Stamp
- WOC21 – WOSA Wetland Display
- Aloe, Succulent and Model Train Display
- South African Ikebana Display
- 21st World Orchid Conference Guinness Book of Records Attempt
For more information and ticket sales, please visit: www.woc21.org
