The African Association of Visitor Experiences and Attractions (AAVEA), in partnership with South African Tourism (SAT), the marketing agency for the Department of Tourism, is pleased to announce that it will host its second virtual conference, AAVEA 2021, on Thursday 19 August 2021.

This year’s virtual conference will feature a theme focussed on "Unfolding future: Insights that will inform our approaches for tomorrow" and is set to be a day of inspiring presentations by keynote international speakers, thought-provoking panel discussions, an interactive exhibition space, and more.

Stepping up to virtually inspire the continent’s attractions and visitor experiences professionals at the AAVEA 2021 conference are:

- Liam R Findlay, a Themed Scent Consultant for AromaPrime in the UK. AromaPrime provides attractions with every smell from Pirate Ship to Penguin Sick! Past projects include an authentic T-rex scent for the British Museum, celebrity fragrances for Madame Tussauds, and horrific stenches for Halloween scare mazes. Liam’s AAVEA 2021 virtual presentation will focus on  how to boost profits at local attractions with multisensory tricks.

- Chao Tayiana Maina is a Kenyan digital heritage specialist and digital humanities scholar working at the intersection of culture and technology. Chao is the founder of African Digital Heritage, a co-founder of the Museum of British Colonialism, and a co-founder of the Open Restitution African Project – each an online initiative seeking to encourage a more critical, holistic, and knowledge-based approach to the design and implementation of digital solutions within African cultural heritage. Her AAVEA 2021 virtual presentation will focus on exploration of digital initiatives within African heritage and building sustainable digital solutions within heritage practice. 

An exciting addition to the 2021 virtual programme is the highly anticipated release of  the results of the first ever benchmark study for South African attractions. Using data aggregated from visitor experiences and attractions across the country, the benchmark study will help attractions managers and the tourism industry to understand the important role that visitor attractions play, particularly in the domestic tourism economy. Additional speakers and programme news will follow in the months to come. 

Sabine Lehmann, president of AAVEA, is excited to welcome attractions professionals to the second virtual conference:

“Hosting our conference online presents us with the unique opportunity to welcome participants and speakers from all around the world and elevates the experience! When you have the greatest minds in the industry meeting, learning, and being inspired by each other it doesn’t matter if we’re online or in-person - the possibilities for collaboration and growth within the attractions sector are endless. The AAVEA board and I look forward to engaging with all conference participants this August!” 

AAVEA and South African Tourism (SAT) announced their collaborative partnership in 2020. The national tourism marketing agency is thrilled to co-host the virtual conference once again: 

"South African Tourism has an exciting three year partnership with AAVEA and we are pleased to be collaborating with this key association this year again. We are working together to positively help the recovery of our tourism industry and to honor our heroes in this sector that have managed to survive during this difficult time in our country. The virtual conference will be an incredible springboard to use to connect, share insights including the first ever benchmark study for our own South African attractions and experiences" ,says Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo ,Acting Chief Quality Assurance Officer of South African Tourism. 

Be inspired at the AAVEA 2021 Virtual Conference: 

Registration for the AAVEA 2021 Virtual Conference will open in July 2021. Fees are R1 500.00 for AAVEA members and R2 600.00  for non-members. For more information about the conference and South African Tourism, 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..