01 Sep 2015
"School sport is the bedrock of our entire sport development continuum. As a department we intend to set aside 25 percent of our budget, which is approximately 400 million ZAR for schools sport development” said Sport and Recreation Minister for South Africa, Mr Fikile Mbalula, during his budget speech in May 2015.
In this context, leaders from the Sport sector, Government departments, including bodies such as the National Department of Tourism and others will join experts, travel agents and product owners representing the Tourism Industry, to discuss collaborations and mutual benefits in the fields of School Sports Development, during the fifth annualSports and Events Tourism Exchange Conference, taking place on the 28th& 29thOctober 2015, at the Protea Hotel Fire and Ice! Menlyn, in the City of Tshwane, the new host city partner.
Chairing the plenary session on the topic of The Importance of School Sport and the linkages to growing domestic tourism is Dr Douglas Michele Turco, presently aSenior Research Associate with theSport Business School, Finland. He is also the founder and ex-director of Drexel University's I-Team (International Sport Tourism Research co-Laboratory). Turco received his Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico and M.S. and B.S. degrees from the University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse. He consults on sport and tourism planning, economic impacts and consumer market research, for organizations worldwide and is also author of the top selling title Sport Tourism, on Amazon. Panellist on this topic will include National Sport Federations involved with School Sport Development Programmes and the National Department of Tourism for South Africa.
“Over the last 50 years, as society moved from a manufacturing to an experience economy, the role of events has become an important element of the experience economy. At the same time, with the arrival of the experience economy and the decline of manufacturing in many places, political leaders have become champions of sporting and cultural events in their nation, city or community” says Dr Turco.
Additional confirmed expert moderators and panellists include names such asJohn Nauright, a Professor of Sport & Leisure Management at the University of Brighton, UK, Mr Eddie Bullock, a non-executive Board member of Goodwood Estates; member of Golf Club Managers Association of Europe;Professor Kamilla Swart, an Associate Professor in the Department of Tourism & Events Management at CPUT; Gillian Saunders, Partner & Head of Advisory Services at Grant Thornton; Carl Reinders, Co-Owner and Company Director,KiburiHoldings,Mike McNamara, Director of Golf KwaZulu-Natal and Ivano Ficalbi, PGA,Chief Executive.
The annual Sports and Events Tourism Exchange is the only event of its kind in Africa and provides a platform that brings together businesses from the Sports, Events & Tourism industries, and encourages collaboration between these sectors, consisting of a two-day conference, table top exhibition and networking events.
The 2015 Sports and Events Tourism Exchange is proudly hosted by the City of Tshwane. For more information visit www.sportsandevents.co.za or contact Rene Staack on Rene@ThebeReed.co.za
Note to Editors and Producers
About Thebe Reed Exhibitions
Thebe Reed Exhibitions is a joint venture agreement between Thebe Tourism Group Pty Limited and Reed Exhibitions. It is Southern Africa's most forward thinking and successful exhibition and venue management company responsible for exhibitions such as the Africa Travel Week consisting of ILTM Africa, IBTM Africa and WTM® Africa; the Business Entrepreneurship and Franchise Expo; Decorex SA; 100% Design South Africa; the Gauteng Motor Fest; Mediatech Africa and the Sports & Events Tourism Exchange (SETE). Thebe Reed Exhibitions aims to provide the best platform for showcasing industries and nurturing business and networking opportunities on the African continent.
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