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GROUP TRAVEL IN SOUTH AFRICA MIGHT BE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE EVER! SOLOMON J. HERBERT II Africa's top meetings and events destination, South Africa's amazing variety of venues and destinations, diverse offerings and unforgettable experiences always exceeds expecta- tions. The country's excellent track record in international events has seen it host meetings such as COP17, the 5th BRICS Summit, and the World Economic Forum. With more than 1,700 meeting venues across South Africa, and international convention centers located in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, East London and Port Elizabeth, South Africa is amply equipped to take care of your meeting and events needs. The country's largest meeting venues accommodate more than 20 000 dele- gates and come fully equipped with the latest technology and communications infrastructure. • • JOHANNESBURG • • Johannesburg is the second largest city in Africa. Joburg, or Jozi as some prefer to call it, offers visi- tors an experience as unique and diverse as the city itself. Whether you are on business, in search of a cultur- al encounter, an adrenaline rush or simply want to relax and unwind for a few days, the city of Johannesburg has everything you're looking for! An internationally renowned, vibrant metropolis, Johannesburg has stylish, state-of-the-art confer- ence venues, with exhibition, ban- queting and superior live staging facilities equitable to the best in the world. The city can comfortably host any size of event, from small profes- sional meetings to mega events: there are approximately 130 venues, varying in capacity, including the four biggest each able to accommodate over 5,000 delegates. When busi- ness is done, city life abounds. Spontaneous, unique experiences await the visitor in the way of arts, cultural and sporting events, theatres and much more. There are events in Johannesburg throughout the year, ranging from expos and concerts to festivals and exhibitions. The Vinyl Fair is a month- ly vinyl record fair, consisting of 12 dealers selling the best in new and pre-owned records from rock, jazz, pop & soul to metal, reggae, country, dance and world. For those of you who aren't vinyl junkies, there will be a craft Gin and Tonic Bar as well as a delicious array of food and craft beer from Stanley Beer Yard. The Vinyl Fair takes place on the first Sunday of every month. The Tambo International Airport is the busiest airport on the African continent and is one of the few air- ports in the world that has direct flights to six continents. • • CAPE TOWN • • There are few places in the world more beautiful than Cape Town. The city is tucked between mountain and sea, with forests, waterfalls, beaches, and plentiful fauna and flora. The city's history is long and storied, made up of both dark and bright passages, which lends itself to an artistic and cultural scene of great depth and creativity. Southern Africa is as vast and diverse as it is beautiful, and one of the hardest parts of planning a trip is deciding where to start. Cape Town is known as the gate- way to Africa for a reason, so read on to discover why Cape Town is the best place to start your African adventure. The city is well connected to the rest of the continent, in many ways. You'll be spoiled for choice with transport options, and there's an incredible network of travel professionals to help you find your way to your next stop. There are tour providers ranging from backpackers' minibuses to luxury coaches, so you'll have no trouble linking up with the resources you need for a great holiday. Cape Town's history is long and storied, made up of both dark and bright passages, which lends itself to an artistic and cultural scene of great depth and creativity. Cape Town International Airport is approximately 20km from Cape Town's city center. From the airport, there are a number of ways to get to and from the air- port. You can hire a car, call an Uber, take a metered taxi, catch a bus, take a bus, or hire a shuttle. B M & T ••• July/August 2018 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 40 AREA GUIDES Meetings Africa Session in Johannesburg Cape Town International Connvention Centre S O U T H A F R I C A Photo Credit: S.H