Reviving SA's economy through events and exhibitions
In an opinion piece written yesterday in Fin24 by Solly Moeng and Glenton De Kock, “Can business events and exhibitions help revive SA’s economy?”, they bring to the surface the very frustration that we are all feeling at the moment.
Being involved in an industry that is worth billions of Rands, and with our latest research (click here for The "South African Wedding Industry Report 2020") into the wedding industry showing figures around R25bn annually, it really is time that we are allowed to get back to work!
Events and Exhibitions – roots for growth in the economy
This is the analogy used in a UK Events industry article titled Long read: UK government must publicly recognise events industry: April 2020
“The economy is a forest, and each tree represents a specific industry, from automotive to aviation and from finance to pharma. Each tree is supported by roots: these roots are the events industry. The events industry does not exist to grow itself directly, it exists to grow other industries. Roots die without a tree; a tree cannot survive without its roots".
Providing hundreds of thousands of jobs
The greater industry is made up of exhibitions – consumer and b2b, events, conferences, incentives, meetings & weddings and the majority number of companies involved in one or more of these sectors are SMME’s. These SMME’s create employment within themselves and the very nature of their day to day activities provide hundreds of thousands of jobs in the related fields. Photographers, florists, stand builders, set stage and lighting, printing, security, cleaning – and the list goes on. In addition, it’s clear just how big an impact the wedding industry has on South Africa’s tourism industry … and therefore on the economy.
As Solly Moeng wrote: “The uniqueness of the business events and exhibitions sector lies in the fact that it serves vertical industries - with customers in all sectors - and is therefore well positioned to play a needed part in South Africa’s post Covid-19 economic recovery”.
Be poised for future growth
We are all very aware that the post Covid-19 exhibition and events industry will be subject to strict controls and new guidelines, but I believe that we all welcome the good that this will bring about.
We can only hope that it will be “business as usual” in the not too distant future, for those of us involved in the wedding industry. The Wedding Expo really looks forward to hosting our March 2021 expo and to assisting this industry in getting back into fighting form for all the weddings planned in the next few years.
Read the original article on Fin24 by Solly Moeng and Glenton De Kock
Take care and be strong.
Amanda Cunningham
Managing Director
The Wedding Expo
HAVE YOU BOOKED YOUR STAND YET?
Be part of The Wedding Expo at the Sandton Convention Centre and expose your brand to over 3000 buying brides. Don’t miss out on booking your stand at the best event to market your business.
your business
Boosting businesses into the online space
Online exhibitions are the new norm!
A new, state-of-the-art 3D digital platform to boost your business
in the spotlight
in the spotlight – alfred adriaan
in the spotlight – christina holt
in the spotlight – joeline botha
old mutual
Which business entity is best for tax
Understanding Tax Implications on Marriage
Needs vs Wants
HAVE YOU BOOKED YOUR STAND YET?
Be part of The Wedding Expo 2020 at the Sandton Convention Centre
and expose your brand to over 3000 buying brides. With only nine weeks left
until the March show, don’t miss out on booking your stand at the best event
to market your business.