As the host city for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final Draw, Cape Town and the Western Cape has a unique advantage and significant leverage over other international destinations at EIBTM 2009.
“The 2010 FIFA World Cup is a global sporting event and this year our participation at the show a few days prior to the draw will centre strongly on the destination’s offering around the games. With vuvuzelas, Bafana Bafana t-shirts and colourful soccer memorabilia from the Cape, we hope to wow association meetings and incentive buyers on the South Africa stand at EIBTM,” announces Calvyn Gilfellan, CEO of Cape Town Routes Unlimited.
Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo, Manager of the Cape Town & Western Cape Convention Bureau (Cape Town Routes Unlimited) will lead a team to this year’s EIBTM (European Incentive Business Travel Market). The show typically attracts seasoned association and incentive buyers from Europe and around the world. In 2008 the show attracted 3,725 hosted buyers from 92 countries, the largest recorded attendance for any conference or incentive event in the world last year.
“We recognise the importance of aggressively investing in platforms such as EIBTM to promote the destination brand and to reach a global network of European and international buyers . With the global economy showing signs of recovery, the destination is moving resolutely towards an increasingly optimistic future in business tourism,” comments David Frandsen, Executive Manager of International Marketing and the Cape Town &Western Cape Convention Bureau .
The introduction of the new Bus Rapid Transit System, improved rail networks, new conferencing facilities and hotels and a vastly improved airport are just some of the amenities that delegates visiting the destination will experience. Frandsen commented that top class venues such as the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) have been critical in successfully positioning the destination as a premier meetings destination . The social dynamism and challenges that Cape Town and the Western Cape experience have always offered an excellent and practical backdrop to the many scientific and medical conferences scheduled in the destination.
“Last year at EIBTM we engaged in a number of meetings with buyers to introduce the destination, some of these have requested a follow up meeting so we are hopeful of securing some new business this year. For us this is a clear indication of the value and return on investment generated during our previous participation at the show,” Frandsen added.
source: Cape Business News
