The Event Management Industry in South Africa 2025

This report focuses on the event management industry, including business meetings, conferences and events, sports, music concerts and festivals, funerals and weddings. It includes information on the number of events held, revenue, and the state of the industry. There is information on influences such as tourist arrivals, visa reforms, event costs, crime and security reduced spend, and trends such as hybrid events. The report includes 49 profiles of companies operating in the industry such as major exhibition and conference companies like the Cape Town International Conference Centre, event and services companies such as Big Concerts, Reed Exhibitions, Scan Display and The Event Production Company, and subsidiaries of foreign companies such as Specialised Exhibitions and Terrapinn.

Introduction

• South Africa is the highest-ranked conference destination in Africa and the Middle East, with Cape Town ranked the top convention city in Africa.
• Several large events are set to take place in the country in 2025, including the G20 summit in November.
• The industry faces several challenges, including crime, slow visa processing, and a lack of air links, which reduce its competitiveness as a business events destination.
• Increasing event costs globally have led companies to spend less on events.
• The industry is being shaped by trends such as the growing importance of sustainability and use of technology to measure and personalise events and to offer a hybrid streaming format alongside in-person events.

Trends

• Diversity, equity and inclusion is increasingly important.
• Growth in hybrid events, while virtual events have declined.
• Health and safety protocols remain important in organising events.
• In-person events have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, but given the slow economy, clients are spending less on events.
• Increasing use of technology like IoT, AI and blockchain.
• Organisers are using personalisation to drive interaction and interest from attendees.
• Sustainability has become increasingly important for event organisers.
• The use of gamification, multimedia content and different in-person formats, to enhance delegate experiences.
• There is a global trend to bring the outdoors into meetings.
• There is growing demand for second-tier cities to host major events.
• Wellness and mental health issues are becoming important considerations.

Opportunities

• Increasing the number of flights to the rest of Africa.
• Providing event security.
• Provision of wellness services at events.
• South Africa offers more personalised and non-traditional meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions experiences than Europe and North America.
• Supplying sustainable goods and services to events.
• Technology and digitisation to enhance experience, planning and reach.

Challenges

• Air connectivity.
• Geopolitical events risk disrupting events in 2025.
• Geopolitical risks.
• Government’s spending constraints on hosting events and on officials attending events.
• Increasing costs, with companies looking to spend less on events.
• Infrastructure challenges, particularly deteriorating roads.
• Safety and security remain major issues in organising events locally.
• Skills shortages in AV and setting up stages and stands at events.
• Stiff competition from Europe and the US, which dominate MICE event hosting.
• The poor economic outlook, which lowers domestic spending on events.
• Visa issues, particularly for visitors from the rest of Africa.
• Water and electricity challenges.

Outlook

• While event organisers expect growth in 2025, particularly with South Africa hosting the G20 summit, there is some concern over geopolitical threats and possible trade restrictions.
• Economic uncertainty may demand tighter budgeting, making cost-effective design solutions a priority.
• South Africa is set to host the 2027 Cricket World Cup with Zimbabwe and Namibia. It is also bidding to host a Formula 1 race at Kyalami.
• Treasury’s instruction to limit event hosting and attendance by officials has caused some concern for local event organisers.