More than 100 of the continent’s attractions management industry professionals gathered at the Radisson Red Hotel in Cape Town for the 2019 African Association for Visitor Experiences and Attractions (AAVEA) conference on 21 and 22 August 2019.

The event’s interactive two-day programme of presentations, panel discussions and more included an address by Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, the South African Minister of Tourism, on the importance of attractions to the country.

“My role as the Minister of Tourism is to tell the world that South Africa is the world’s best tourist attraction. When I speak about South Africa being the best tourist attraction, I am really speaking about the various tourist attractions found within our country. Without these attractions, we would have no tourism sector and by extension, my portfolio as a Minister would be non-existent. Fortunately, our country is not only blessed with magnificent natural tourist attractions, it is also endowed with an incredible diversity of attractions. In this connection, the department of tourism strives to improve the country’s competitiveness and attractiveness in offering an authentic tourist experience, and to increase demand. We recognise that diversified product offering enables the country to respond to varying market needs”, said Minister Kubayi-Ngubane.

The conference, now in its sixth year, is hosted annually by AAVEA. Sabine Lehmann, president and founder of AAVEA, is thrilled with the support of the national tourism department and the success of this year’s event:

“Visitor attractions play an important role in the tourism economy, and it’s wonderful that the Minister acknowledges this. We also took the opportunity to raise the issue around staggered school holidays (inland and coastal school holidays starting at different times) which would support tourism businesses and create greater opportunity for domestic travel.Our 2019 conference was hugely successful with delegates confirming that new skills were gained and connections made. This will contribute to more visitor attractions running professional and successful sites."

Dates for the 2020 conference will be announced in January 2020.

For more information about AAVEA, please visit www.aavea.org.za

The African Association for Visitor Experiences and Attractions (AAVEA) is gearing up to host its sixth annual conference for attractions managers and industry professionals at the Radisson RED Hotel in Cape Town on 21 and 22 August 2019. 

The association, which launched in April 2019, is proud to present an inspiring two-day programme of insightful case studies, captivating presentations by international and local speakers, and thought-provoking roundtable discussions. 

This year’s programme will include a presentation by Mikael Ahlerup, the CEO of Lund Group in Norway. The Lund Group is a family-owned company that goes back generations and is one of Norway’s largest leisure companies. Mikael will be sharing his experience on how to embrace leadership. 

AAVEA is supported by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) who will be holding its Institute for Attractions Managers (IAM) at the Radisson RED Hotel from 18 to 20 August 2019. The IAM course, being held for the first time ever in Africa, is directed at emerging industry professionals who have the potential to join senior management team and newly hired executives in the attractions industry. Those who participate in both the AAVEA Annual Conference and the IAM course will be awarded 26 credits towards their IAAPA qualification as a Certified Attractions Leader, an internationally recognised endorsement that can open up opportunities in the attractions industry. 

AAVEA president Sabine Lehmann, who founded the conference in 2014, is excited to welcome participants to both of these attractions industry events.

 “Both the AAVEA conference and the IAM course are fantastic opportunities for African attractions managers to learn from and with the best global pioneers in the industry. We are proud to be working alongside the IAAPA team to bring emerging trends, best practice case studies, and universal benchmarks to the shores of Cape Town, and to showcase examples of local excellence to our international peers. Register today and join us for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!” says Lehmann. 

Join us at the Annual AAVEA Conference 2019:

Attractions Africa, now AAVEA, will hold its sixth annual conference (AAVEA 2019) on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 August 2019 at the Radisson RED Hotel in Cape Town. The conference is a two-day gathering especially designed for visitor experience and attraction professionals. The programme offers insights into best practice, trends, management, and bench marking. Networking events open up collaboration opportunities. Panelists and presenters share personal experiences and case studies of real-world excellence. It’s the only African platform for visitor experience and attraction professionals to network, share, and seek solutions together.  

Conference registration for AAVEA 2019 is open and AAVEA members will enjoy special discounted pricing.  

For more information about AAVEA, please visit www.aavea.org.za, call +27 (0)21 683 2934, or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Collaboration between community role players and attractions to ensure the success of domestic tourism was the key message of Attractions Africa 2016, the continent’s leading attractions management event, held at the Double Tree by Hilton Cape Town from Wednesday 8 to Thursday 9 June, 2016.

 This year’s event attracted more than 100 delegates and prestigious speakers, including South Africa’s Minster of Tourism Derek Hanekom, City of Cape Town councillor Garreth Bloor, and the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA)’s Andreas Andersen.

The conference programme covered a range of pertinent topics for the attractions industry including accessibility for disabled visitors, community participation, seasonal recruitment, pricing strategies, identification of the emerging traveller and partnerships with travel bloggers.

“What struck me most about this year’s event was the theme of collaboration between attractions and communities and the natural curiosity that arises about such possible partnerships. We look forward to fostering this through the Attractions Africa conference going forward,” says Sabine Lehmann, Attractions Africa chair.

Minster Hanekom praised the event’s innovative outlook:   “I applaud the Attraction Africa team on their efforts to bring the attractions management industry together and I look forward to the outcomes of the discussions held here.”

Craig Allenby, of the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa and an Attractions Africa project team member, announced that the fourth annual Attractions Africa conference will be held in Tshwane in 2017.  

For more information about the Attractions Africa conference, please visit www.attractionsafrica.co.za or call +27 (0)21 683 2934.