Cape Town and the Western Cape have once again been recognised as Africa’s leading destination for international association meetings, according to the newly released International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) GlobeWatch 2025 Business Analytics Report.
The report confirms that Cape Town retained its position as the number one ranked city in Africa for international association meetings, hosting 55 qualifying meetings in 2024. Stellenbosch also continued its upward trajectory, ranking 10th on the continent after hosting 10 international association meetings during the year.
South Africa retained its position as the leading country in Africa for international association meetings, reinforcing the country and province’s growing reputation as globally competitive destinations for business events.
The ICCA rankings are widely regarded as one of the most respected global benchmarks for the international meetings industry, tracking association meetings that rotate between at least three countries and attract a minimum of 50 delegates.
These accolades are further bolstered by the Cape Town and the Western Cape Convention Bureau’s consistent success in driving regional economic development. During the last financial year, the Bureau successfully secured 30 high-impact business event bids across diverse sectors, representing an estimated economic injection of R683 million into the Western Cape. This achievement underscores the Bureau’s unwavering commitment to attracting events that serve as catalysts for long-term economic growth, firmly establishing Cape Town and the Western Cape as a world-class meetings hub that competes on the global stage.
Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, said:
“The Western Cape Government’s Growth for Jobs Strategy recognises tourism and business events as critical enablers of economic growth and job creation. Every international conference and association meeting hosted in our province creates opportunities across multiple sectors, including hospitality, transport, retail, food and beverage, and tourism services. These rankings further strengthen the Western Cape’s position as a globally competitive destination for both business and leisure tourism, while supporting inclusive economic growth and job creation across the province.”
Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth in the City of Cape Town, added: “Cape Town’s continued leadership in the ICCA rankings reflects the City’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for economic growth and job creation. Business events play an important role in attracting investment, supporting local businesses, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs, and driving demand across key sectors of the economy. Through strategic partnerships and continued investment in destination marketing and infrastructure, we are working to ensure that economic growth translates into more opportunities and ultimately supports our vision of a job in every home. Together with the world-class facilities at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, the growing number of premium private conferencing venues across the city continues to strengthen Cape Town’s reputation as a leading global meetings destination, and having personally visited many of these facilities myself, I can confidently vouch for the world-class experiences they offer.”
Wesgro CEO, Wrenelle Stander, welcomed the rankings: “These rankings reflect the work of the Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau, together with our partners, to position the province as a leading destination for international business events. Through strategic bidding and destination promotion, the Convention Bureau continues to attract conferences that deliver long-term economic value for the region.”
“At Wesgro, our mandate is to drive sustainable economic growth by strengthening Cape Town and the Western Cape’s position as a leading regional economy for tourism, trade and investment. International conferences play an important role in achieving this by generating economic impact, facilitating knowledge exchange and showcasing the region’s expertise to global audiences,” concluded Stander.
The ICCA report highlighted that international association meetings are increasingly recognised as strategic drivers of economic development, talent attraction, innovation and global competitiveness. It further noted Africa’s growing role in shaping the future of business events, driven by entrepreneurship, collaboration and increasing intra-African trade and engagement.
The Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau continues to actively secure and support international conferences across a range of sectors, including healthcare, technology, academia, science and sustainability, helping to position the region as a leading destination for knowledge-based events.
-ENDS-
Note: Published annually by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), the GlobeWatch 2025 Business Analytics Report is one of the global business events sector’s leading benchmarking reports, tracking international association meetings and broader trends shaping the meetings industry worldwide.