Meetings Africa 2027 has opened exhibitor registration, setting the stage for the next edition of one of the continent’s leading business events trade shows and putting renewed focus on stronger commercial connections across Africa’s tourism and business events industry.
South African Tourism has opened registration following a series of engagements and debrief sessions with businesses and stakeholders in the sector. Feedback from those discussions is expected to shape the 2027 edition, with organisers placing greater emphasis on business value, market access and connections that can lead to tangible opportunities for exhibitors and buyers.
The announcement comes after Meetings Africa marked its 20th anniversary in 2026. That edition brought together buyers from 53 countries, including more than 300 hosted buyers, and 325 exhibiting companies. More than 6,440 business meetings were confirmed during the two-day event.
The 20th anniversary was therefore more than a milestone for the trade show. It also gave South African Tourism an opportunity to examine how the platform can respond to the changing needs of Africa’s business events industry and how it can create greater value for the companies, destinations and buyers that participate.
Corne Koch, Chief Convention Bureau Officer of the South African Convention Bureau, said the 20-year milestone created an opportunity to celebrate the platform’s achievements while also taking stock of what needs to change.
“Our 20-year milestone gave us an opportunity to celebrate, but also to listen and reflect,” Koch said. “Meetings Africa 2027 is about taking those lessons forward and ensuring that the platform delivers greater value through quality connections, market access and meaningful business opportunities for our sector.”
Meetings Africa 2027 will be held from 22 to 24 February 2027 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The event will bring together African exhibitors, international and regional buyers, business events professionals and other industry stakeholders.
South African Tourism will deliver the event in partnership with its bid partner, the Johannesburg Tourism Company, reinforcing cooperation between the national tourism authority and the city in promoting Johannesburg as a business events destination.
For Johannesburg, the event is also an opportunity to demonstrate the city’s growing role in the regional business events market. Thandubuhle Mgudlwa, Chief Executive Officer of Johannesburg Tourism Company, said the city was preparing to welcome participants from across Africa and international markets.
“Johannesburg is looking forward to welcoming the continent and the world to our city, driving economic growth, fostering partnerships and showcasing Africa’s exceptional business events,” Mgudlwa said.
According to the Johannesburg Tourism Company, the city hosted and supported 22 business events between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026, generating an estimated economic impact of R154,182,400.
The figure illustrates the wider economic role attached to business events, which extend beyond conference venues to hotels, transport, tourism services, restaurants and other businesses connected to visitor activity.
For Meetings Africa 2027, organisers say the emphasis will be on making participation commercially meaningful. Quality business connections, exhibitor and buyer value, access to important markets and opportunities for new business will be central to the edition.
The trade show will continue to connect destinations, convention bureaux, venues, hotels, professional conference organisers, destination management companies and other tourism and business events businesses with buyers from African and international markets.
The organisers also intend to support wider participation across the continent’s business events value chain. That includes businesses of different sizes and companies operating in different parts of Africa, reflecting the increasingly broad range of services and destinations involved in the continent’s business events economy.
For exhibitors, the opening of registration is the first concrete step towards the 2027 edition. The buyer application timeline has not yet been confirmed, while the main event is scheduled for 22 to 24 February at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
Koch said the organisers were looking forward to continuing the partnership around the event and using the platform to showcase Africa’s capabilities and experiences while strengthening the continent’s position in the global business events market.
With exhibitor registration now open, Meetings Africa 2027 is beginning to take shape around a clear objective: turning the continent’s annual business events gathering into a platform where participation can lead to stronger relationships, new market opportunities and measurable commercial value for the sector.
