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Africa needs simplified visa regimes for delegates attending conferences across the continent, a tourism advocate has said.
The advocate, Lindiwe Rakharebe, Chief Executive Officer of the Durban International Convention Centre, noted that streamlined visa processes would enable seamless travel for delegates and encourage multi-destination itineraries that showcase the diversity of African countries.
"Mine is to advocate for a simplified visa regime for delegates that are coming through from different member states," she said at a panel session organised on the sidelines of the 2026 Meetings Africa event being held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The panel session was on the topic: "Leveraging Mega Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) to Drive Investments, Trade and Business Events Growth Across South Africa and Africa".
Ms Rakharebe indicated that air connectivity was also important to enable people travel through the different routes.
“So expanding the air routes is crucial so that we can create more intra-African and inter-continental routes," she said.
That, she said, was very significant in the organisation of different events across the continent.
"It's important that more Africans work together, united as we move forward," she said.
Ms Rakharebe said the foundation had been laid and the opportunities were there for countries to work together.
The Chief Marketing Officer of Brand South Africa, Mmaphuti Rankapole-Tshifularo, who was the other panellist, appealed to the MICE sector to continue with the amazing work it was doing.
In putting its best foot forward, she said that must be done in collaboration with other people "to make sure that the narrative about us being a country that is inspiring continues".
Throwing light on Brand SA, she said it was the agency that was responsible for building South Africa as a brand and managing its reputation around the world.
That, she said, was to "make the soil fertile" to attract investors, tourists and foreigners to visit the country and interact with their products and services.
Meanwhile, the two-day exhibition, held as part of this year's Meetings Africa event, ended last Wednesday.
Meetings Africa is an annual business events trade show designed to showcase African business tourism products and services to a global audience.
The event, held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, began last Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
It was preceded by a Business Opportunity Networking Day (BONDay), an avenue for dialogue on Africa’s place in the global business events landscape and how it can strengthen its collective positioning.
The acting CEO of South African Tourism, Dr Shamilla Chettiar, said this year’s programme had been intentionally streamlined to allow for deeper engagement and more meaningful connections.
Meetings Africa was held on the theme: "20 Years of Connecting Africa to the World".
