Meetings Africa preparing for its 21st edition in 2027

**Staff Writer **

Meetings Africa, South Africa’s annual trade show for business events, is preparing for its 21st edition in 2027.

Its theme, “Unlocking Growth That Transforms Africa”, places market access, new business relationships and international trade at the centre of the continent’s business events platform.

The theme speaks to the role Meetings Africa plays in connecting African tourism businesses to the global meetings industry.

For exhibitors, it means access to international buyers, opportunities to showcase their products, and the potential to secure new business.

For buyers, it means discovering new destinations, engaging with African suppliers and expanding the range of products and experiences they can offer their clients.

Ultimately, it is about turning industry connections into commercial opportunities that contribute to the growth of African tourism.

The interest in the 2027 edition reflects this ambition, with new international buyers and destination management companies (DMCs), including organisations with established global footprints, showing interest in participating.

Their involvement is important in expanding the reach of African suppliers, particularly through established international networks that connect destinations with clients and business opportunities across different markets.

Among the new international participants is Liberty International Tourism Group, which will bring buyers from markets including Canada to engage with African exhibitors.

With a network of more than 60 destination management offices across over 120 destinations, including Africa, Liberty offers an established international distribution network and an opportunity for African businesses to engage with buyers seeking to broaden their African product offering.

Melanie Zegers, Director of Sales, Canada at Liberty International Tourism Group, said: “Africa is on the wish list of many MICE buyers, but for those who haven’t experienced it first-hand, unfamiliarity and a lack of supplier relationships make it hard to sell to their clients with confidence. That’s the gap we want to close.”

“For us, this is about more than exhibiting. It’s about giving new buyers the knowledge and relationships to sell South Africa and the wider continent with confidence, and turning first-time interest into long-term inbound business.”

The potential impact of these connections is reflected in the experience of Patience Nakawala, founder of Zambia’s AkanachiTravel & Tours.

She attended Meetings Africa as a visitor in 2023, just six months after establishing her business. The connections and insights she gained helped shape her company’s growth.

By 2025, she had expanded beyond meetings in Zambia to organise her first group trip to South Africa.

Her experience demonstrates the commercial possibilities that can emerge from engaging with the Meetings Africa platform, particularly for businesses looking to expand their networks and explore opportunities beyond their domestic markets.