Urbani izziv Volume 30, No. supplement, February 2019
: 82-95
(Articles)
UDK:
doi: 10.5379/urbani-izziv-en-2019-30-supplement-006
Author
Christian M. ROGERSON
School of Tourism and Hospitality, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
crogerson@uj.ac.za
Title
Business tourism under apartheid: The historical
development of South Africa’s conference industry
Abstract
Conference tourism as part of MICE tourism has attracted a growing international literature. It is argued existing
scholarship is overwhelmingly ‘present-minded’ and that historical issues relating to the conference industry
often are overlooked. Using historical documentary sources and industry press, this paper examines the
evolution of conference tourism in South Africa from the early 1960s to the period of the country’s democratic
transition in 1994. Under apartheid, conference tourism was primarily a domestic affair, lacked professionalism
and quality infrastructure in terms of dedicated proposed built conference venues. By 1994 whilst the country’s
conference industry did not have any global standard facilities, the planning for such convention centres was in
process in the country’s three major cities.
Key Words
business tourism, MICE tourism, conferences, historical tourism, apartheid, South Africa