Reed Travel Exhibitions has announced the launch of IBTM Africa.

The 2014 event will take place at the Cape Town International Conference Centre (CTICC) complex in the West Ballroom from 28th-30th April and will be part of Africa Travel Week.

IBTM Africa will be one of three co-located events at the CTICC that form Africa Travel Week which also includes ILTM Africa (International Luxury Travel Market) April 28th-30th, and WTM Africa (World Travel Market) which will take place from May 2nd-3rd.

IBTM Africa will be similar to the recently launched IBTM India - a 2.5 day table-top format for exhibitors to meet with buyers creating a platform for the MICE and Business Travel sectors to come together and transact business, share knowledge and network.

The show will target the inbound and outbound meetings, events, incentives and business travel sectors of sub-Sahara Africa, including key North African destinations and source markets.

The event will have 50 MICE and Business Travel exhibitors in its first year with a combination of African and international suppliers including hotels and venues, national/ state convention bureaus, travel/ destination management companies, event management and entertainment suppliers, professional conference organisers, airlines and technology providers.

A proportionate number of top level decision makers will be hosted as buyers from key markets around the around the world, all of whom will be pre-qualified to ensure they are planning to place business in Africa, as well as buyers who place outbound and domestic business will also be included. Buyers will be from key associations, corporations and agencies.

“Africa holds enormous potential for the MICE industry. 

“Only last month, the World Bank predicted that sub-Saharan Africa’s economic growth should accelerate to more than five per cent over the next three years, far outpacing the global average with increased investment, high commodity prices and a pick-up in the global economy driving this expected growth surge.

“Our business model for IBTM Africa will reflect the main traditional inbound markets for the continent, but it will also have a proportion of buyers from the emerging markets,” said Craig Moyes, Reed Travel Exhibitions, portfolio director, meetings and events portfolio.