Meetings Africa 2027 runs 22–24 February at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg. Visitor fees, hosted-buyer routes, BONDay and how to get there.
Cover image: The Sandton skyline in Johannesburg, home of the Sandton Convention Centre — photo by Bizcallers, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Meetings Africa 2027 runs from 22 to 24 February 2027 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg: BONDay, its education and networking day, is on Monday 22 February and the trade show itself on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 February. The show is owned by South African Tourism, which calls it "the definitive market access platform for African business events products", and the South Africa National Convention Bureau (SANCB) invites its hosted buyers. The 2026 show was its 20th edition.
It connects African suppliers of meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) with planners, association executives and corporate buyers from around the world. Trade visitors apply for accreditation online, and applications submitted from 13 February 2027 carry a fee of R256.87 including VAT.
Who exhibits and who attends Meetings Africa?
The 20th edition ran from 23 to 25 February 2026 at the same venue, with BONDay on the first day. In her welcome address on the first trade day, South Africa's Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, said the show had drawn buyers from 53 countries, more than 300 hosted buyers and 325 exhibiting companies, with more than 6,440 business meetings confirmed for the two trade days and 21 African countries represented. She put its economic impact at R690 million in 2025, up from R371 million in 2023. We found no final post-show tally on the organiser's site.
Exhibitors include tourism authorities, convention bureaux, conference centres, hotels, destination management companies (DMCs), event specialists and professional conference organisers; the organiser describes more than 20 African countries and over 400 curated products on the floor. Buyers are meeting and event planners, association executives who organise international conventions, corporate executives who book business travel and incentive houses. The exhibitor page lists hosted buyers' home countries, among them Brazil, China, Germany, India, Kenya, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.
How to attend Meetings Africa 2027
Every route is by application. On 25 October 2026 the organiser's visitor, hosted-buyer and media pages all had application links for the 2027 show.
| Route | Who it is for | Key terms | Deadline or status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor | People who travel for business, book business travel, organise events or manage company functions | R256.87 incl. VAT for applications from 13 February 2027 | Online registration closes 20 February 2027 |
| International hosted buyer | Business-events buyers selected by SANCB | Sponsored flights, accommodation and a pre- or post-show tour | Application vetted by an external qualifier |
| Association hosted buyer | Association executives who organise international conventions | Sponsored flights and accommodation, ICCA Association Day | Application form open |
| Local hosted buyer | Local buyers | Full access to the online matchmaking diary | Application form open |
| Media | Journalists and content creators | Media centre with workstations and daily press conferences | Accreditation form open |
Cost: the organiser charges visitors an accreditation fee of R256.87 including VAT on any application submitted from 13 February 2027 and does not state a fee for earlier applications. All online registrations must be completed by 20 February 2027. Exhibitors pay R5,495.30 per square metre including VAT for standard floorspace before stand packages, with 5% off for full payment by 30 October 2026 and 10% for first-time exhibitors.
Hosted buyers: SANCB invites a select group each year, and international applicants go through a strict selection process before approval. Buyers who want an invitation to the international or association programmes are asked to contact the South African Tourism team named on the hosted-buyer page. No 2027 application deadline has been published.
Is it open to the public? No. Meetings Africa is a business-events trade show with no public days. Accreditation is for business-events and business-travel professionals, and media apply separately.
Networking at Meetings Africa: diaries, BONDay and side events
Meetings between hosted buyers and exhibitors are pre-scheduled through the show's online diary and matchmaking system and its mobile app.
BONDay on 22 February 2027 runs educational sessions from 09:00 to 15:00, open for registration to exhibitors, buyers, media and non-exhibiting visitors, and is planned with global, continental and national industry associations. The same day brings invitation-only events: ICCA's Association Day and Africa Chapter meeting for ICCA members and association buyers, a Tourism Grading Council of South Africa speed-marketing session for buyers and media, and an evening buyer cocktail hosted by bid partner Southern Sun.
On 23 February the official opening ceremony starts at 09:00 (guests seated by 08:30), and the exhibition runs from 10:00 to 17:00, then from 10:00 to 16:00 on 24 February. The schedule also lists BOMA Talks, a Welcome Networking Event on the evening of 23 February for invited guests, a fun run on 24 February, the Inspiration and Green Stand Awards and a Sustainability Village of local crafters.
Getting to the Sandton Convention Centre and where to stay
The venue's own website gives its address as 161 Maude Street, Sandton, in the business, hotel and entertainment district of northern Johannesburg. The organiser says it gives easy access to more than 5,000 hotel rooms and nearly 11,000 secure parking bays.
The Gautrain rapid-rail network serves both ends of the journey: its OR Tambo station is linked to the departures level of the airport's Central Terminal Building, and Sandton station lies beneath Rivonia Road in the Sandton CBD, with a pedestrian entrance at Rivonia Road and West Street. The organiser's sustainability tips recommend the Gautrain and hotel shuttles to delegates from out of town.
The organiser's travel and accommodation sections still read "Coming soon" on 25 October 2026, and no official hotel has been named for 2027. International and association hosted buyers have accommodation provided as part of their hosting. The travel page also summarises visa rules for several African markets.
How Meetings Africa compares with WTM Africa and global MICE shows
WTM Africa runs at the CTICC in Cape Town from 7 to 9 April 2027, about six weeks after Meetings Africa. It covers inbound and outbound tourism, with an IBTM Africa zone for MICE buyers, while Meetings Africa is devoted to business events. Among global MICE shows, IMEX Frankfurt runs from 11 to 13 May 2027; its organiser reported 2,900 exhibiting companies and 4,739 buyers in 2026, against Meetings Africa's 325 exhibiting companies and more than 300 hosted buyers, though the buyer measures differ. IBTM World returns to Barcelona from 17 to 19 November 2026. Other dates are on our travel trade shows calendar.
Frequently asked questions
When is Meetings Africa 2027?
Meetings Africa 2027 runs from 22 to 24 February 2027 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. Monday 22 February is BONDay, the education and networking day; the trade show with pre-scheduled buyer meetings follows on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 February. The 20th edition ran from 23 to 25 February 2026.
Is Meetings Africa open to the public?
No. Meetings Africa is a business-events trade show owned by South African Tourism, and it has no public days. Visitor accreditation is for people who travel for business, book business travel, organise events and conferences or manage company functions. Hosted buyers and media apply separately.
How much does it cost to attend Meetings Africa?
Visitor applications submitted from 13 February 2027 are charged an accreditation fee of R256.87 including VAT; the organiser does not state a fee for earlier applications. All online registrations must be completed by 20 February 2027. Exhibitors pay R5,495.30 per square metre including VAT for standard floorspace.
How do I become a hosted buyer at Meetings Africa?
Apply through the hosted-buyer page, which carries 2027 forms for international, local and association buyers. The South Africa National Convention Bureau selects a limited group and vets applications externally. International hosted buyers receive sponsored flights, accommodation and a pre- or post-show tour; association buyers also join ICCA's Association Day.
What is BONDay at Meetings Africa?
BONDay, the Business Opportunity Networking Day, opens Meetings Africa on 22 February 2027. It runs educational sessions from 09:00 to 15:00, planned with global, continental and national industry associations, and is open for registration to exhibitors, buyers, media and non-exhibiting visitors. Invitation-only ICCA and buyer events follow the same day.
Sources
- South African Tourism, Meetings Africa 2027 homepage and event schedule
- Meetings Africa, Visitors: accreditation fee and deadline
- Meetings Africa, Hosted buyers
- Meetings Africa, Exhibitors: rates and hosted-buyer countries
- Meetings Africa, Travel, accommodation and venue
- Meetings Africa Daily News, 25 February 2026 (PDF)
- Sandton Convention Centre, venue information
- Gautrain, Sandton station information
