South Africa 2010: Mega-FAM focused on delivering real destination growth

In less than ten days, South Africa’s largest mega-FAM trip will kick off.

In less than ten days, South Africa’s largest mega-FAM trip will kick off. A critical event for the tourism industry and 2010 FIFA World Cup host nation, the once-a-decade The Travel Corporation (TTC) International Sales Conference, which took place in bustling Beijing in 2000, will be officially opened in Cape Town.

For a period of 5 days, over 350 of the world’s leading tourism business decision makers will experience first-hand Destination South Africa. But the conference is not just about creating first impressions – it is about creating the first steps in long-term destination business growth and development.

As stated by Brett Tollman, global CEO of Travel Corporation:

“The Travel Corporation (TTC) 2010 International Conference is not just an opportunity for 350 of the company’s leading tourism decision makers to visit Destination South Africa. Yes, this is an important part of the choice of Cape Town as the venue of the conference, in this important period of post-2010 World Cup momentum. Delegates will have a direct opportunity to experience a number of iconic attractions and meet a wide variety of inspiring South Africans. The focus of the conference is also very much on the business of promoting and fostering inbound tourism to South Africa – establishing opportunities for selling this remarkable destination to our global customers. Therefore, [a] number of opportunities have been built into the conference program for the destination’s leaders, from both the public and private sector, to meet directly with our delegates to explore opportunities for enhanced destination knowledge and partnership development.”

Alan Winde, Minister of Tourism, Finance, and Economic Development for the Western Cape (which includes Cape Town, the location of the conference), echoes the importance of ensuring that the conference truly delivers for the industry:

“We are thrilled that the TTC has chosen to host its biennial travel and tourism conference in Cape Town. The World Cup was the springboard we needed to attract conferences such as this one, which will foster the sustainable growth of our tourism industry. This event presents us with a strategic opportunity to tell 350 of the world’s top travel decision makers from around the world why Cape Town and the Western Cape should be their clients’ destination of choice. Key networking opportunities, especially with delegates from our source markets such as the USA, will be critical to boosting tourism to our destination in years to come. Within a condensed and focused period of time, we will be able to build strategic alliances with players from across the globe.”

This spirit of cooperation in destination development lies at the heart of TTC’s choice of South Africa as this decade’s host nation for the mega-FAM. As emphasized by Brett Tollman:

“TTC’s commitment to South Africa is and has always been for the long-term. As the conference approaches, delegates and conference partners are getting increasingly excited about all that their time in Cape Town will unlock in terms of future growth of the destination and as a tourism business development proposition.”

About the author

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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