Maropeng enjoys success at Meetings Africa 2011

February 23, 2011 – Bianca Bothma

Meetings Africa 2011 took place at the Sandton Convention Centre from February 21 to 23 and Maropeng, as well as its mascot model Harry the Hominid, were there to network and meet Africa’s tourism industry.

According to the Meetings Africa website, this event is known as “Africa’s business tourism lekgotla (meeting place), a business tourism marketing platform which aims to expose local and international buyers to the range of services and products in Southern Africa’s meetings, incentives, conference and exhibitions industries.”

General manager of Maropeng, the visitor centre for the Cradle of Humankind, Erica Jago, says that this year’s event has been a success for them. “It is always good to meet new people and this year we have seen an increased interest in the school tours we offer, as well as the Cooper’s Cave picnics and walking tours. This year we have also launched a new product, a team-building activity which gives executives the chance to excavate a fossil site at Cooper’s Cave in a group environment and this has been really well-received.”

The school tours are extremely popular as Maropeng, along with the national and Gauteng departments of education have produced an educational resource pack which is free for anyone to download off the website. The pack is full of lesson plans which are integrated with the exhibition, allowing for schools to have an educational and engaging time when they visit Maropeng.

Magel van de Venter, Maropeng education and marketing executive says that this year’s Meetings Africa has provided many opportunities to grow the school tours for Maropeng. “We are ensuring the existence of the business aspect of the tours by allowing people to put faces to the Maropeng name. Potential groups can ask us questions directly about how to go about booking a school tour and this allows us to give a personal touch and strengthen relationships with various stakeholders.”

Jago believes that Maropeng’s success is due it being a one-of-a-kind attraction. “When people talk to us, they keep saying that they are looking for something different and with our weekend events such as Stargazing and Cooper’s Cave, this is just what we offer – a unique experience in Gauteng.”

Having the model of Harry the Hominid at the exhibition stand was certainly something to look out for. He received a lot of attention over the three-day meetings with local and international visitors all wanting a photograph with him.

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