A convention bureau is a fundamental aspect of every established MICE market. theplanner.guru delivers an overview of some of the offerings provided by convention bureaus – both locally and internationally – to understand the role they play.
Kenya
The Kenya National Convention Bureau (KNCB) is the authority responsible for overseeing the MICE industry in Kenya. Officially launched at the ICCA Africa meeting in June 2021, the KNCB is one of Africa’s newest convention bureaus.
In making a case for the development of MICE within the country, it says: “While the meetings industry is often regarded as a tourism market segment delivering tourism-related benefits, there is growing awareness globally that the MICE industry plays a significant role in socio-economic development… This places the MICE industry at the very centre of the global economy and the underlying scientific, professional, academic, business, and social advancements that drive it. Meetings play a key role in strengthening a nation’s global trade and intellectual engagement, which in turn helps drive the development of its knowledge and creative economies.”
South Africa
South Africa has a well-established network of convention bureaus, with the South Africa National Convention Bureau (SANCB) leading the charge as the official business events arm of South African Tourism. Each province either has a dedicated tourism authority or its own locally established convention bureau to support business events in each region.
While each regional convention bureau or representative body has its own strategy, the SANCB has well-defined bidding support and delegate boosting programmes to encourage and provide the backing for business events in each province. This is further bolstered by its strategy to promote South Africa as a destination for business events, most notably with the roll-out of its villages, towns and small dorpies (VTSD) initiative. The VTSD programme has targeted several key areas outside of South Africa’s major metropolitan areas with the aim of creating a spin-off of economic benefits into the country’s less frequently travelled vicinities.
- Mpumalanga (www.mpumalanga.com/conventions-bureau)
- Western Cape (www.wesgro.co.za/convention-bureau/home)
- Gauteng (www.gauteng.net/pages/about-gceb)
- KwaZulu-Natal (www.durbankzncb.co.za)
- Eastern Cape (visiteasterncape.co.za)
- North West (www.tourismnorthwest.co.za)
- Northern Cape (www.experiencenortherncape.com/visitor)
- Free State (www.gla.fs.gov.za)
- Limpopo (golimpopo.com)
Egypt
Egypt has what is possibly one of the oldest convention bureaus in Africa, having been established in 1956 as the then General Organization for International Exhibitions & Fairs. The Egypt Expo & Convention Authority (EECA) is both a business events venue located in the heart of Cairo, the North African nation’s bustling capital, and the official authority on organised events within Egypt. It is responsible for overseeing conventions, fairs and tradeshows within Egypt and internationally, as well as issuing licences for locally hosted exhibitions.
Unlike most convention bureaus that are linked to either investment promotion agencies or tourism bodies, the EECA forms part of the country’s Ministry of Trade & Industry. In May 2008, the EECA was born from a consolidated group of bodies, namely the Cairo International Conference Centre and the Egyptian General Authority for Exhibitions and International Markets. Just over a year later, in October 2009, a presidential decree mandated that the newly formed Exhibitions and Conferences International operate as the Egypt Expo & Convention Authority.
Europe
Based on ICCA statistics, as a region, Europe hosts the most international association events globally. It is therefore no surprise that several countries’ convention bureaus have come together to form the Strategic Alliance of the National Convention Bureaux of Europe.
According to its website, “[This body] is a network of national destination marketing organisations. As a collaborative industry platform, it concentrates on strengthening Europe’s position as a leading destination for international business events. Since its foundation in 2014, the initiative of European convention bureaux has increasingly gained importance as a platform for exchanging experiences and knowledge transfer between the membership countries.”
Among its members are 28 European convention bureaus that have come together to exchange experiences, engage in knowledge transfer between membership countries, and identify areas of collaboration.
The Strategic Alliance of the National Convention Bureaux of Europe was officially announced at IMEX 2014 in Las Vegas, USA, and launched with nine founding countries. Since then, it has met twice a year, with host destinations being rotated. One of its major areas of focus is providing access to joint projects, including research on source markets and growth opportunities for European destinations.
United States of America
ICCA figures reveal that the USA is the world’s leading country for the hosting of international association events. The body responsible for organising international meetings, events and conventions in the country is the American CVB. It also manages domestic and international groups and provides access to numerous venues across the country, including in what is termed ‘Small Town America’.
Services offered by the American CVB include convention planning, site inspection and selection, promotion and publicity, international transportation, entertainment and tours, and visa processing, among other aspects.
With more than two decades of hotel management, the American CVB touts itself as “the veterans of the hospitality industry”. Its staff are both well travelled and well versed on the challenges of international and multicultural event management, and can provide access to numerous meeting and conferencing facilities across the country. This extends to more than 20 000 meeting spaces for small to mid-sized events.
India
The India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB) “is the only travel industry body with participation from the entire MICE industry, with members from state governments, hotels, airlines, tour operators, travel agents, professional conference organisers, event managers, educational institutions and more,” according to its website.
As well as promoting India as an ideal conference destination and attracting delegates to the country’s shores, the ICPB strives to raise awareness around the benefits of hosting meetings and events that are in line with India’s economic objectives. It also hopes to develop convention centres across India as well as professionalise the MICE industry to elevate the country as a preferred global destination. The ICPB regularly conducts seminars and hosts forums between Indian organisations and other relevant international associations and institutions to establish affiliations with world bodies that have similar objectives.
In addition to the sourcing of venues, the ICPB can assist with budgeting, registration management, marketing and promotion, sponsorship, exhibition organisation and management, accommodation, logistics and travel, and the development of incentive programmes.
This is an excerpt from an article that originally featured in the March/April 2022 issue of Meetings magazine. To read the article, click here. To receive the magazine FREE every other month delivered straight to your inbox, click here.
