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ICC to host 2009 awards

Durban - There were bright smiles on the faces of the team at Durban's International Convention Centre (ICC) on the last day of the Tourism Indaba yesterday, after the ICC had regained the title of Africa's Leading Conference Centre at the influential World Travel Awards.But that is not the only reason. The ICC team, led by chief executive Miller Matola, has also retained hosting rights to the World Travel Awards' Africa Ceremony next year during Indaba - Africa's biggest travel trade show.

The deal was signed just hours before the first World Travel Awards Africa Ceremony to be held on the continent at the ICC on Monday night by Matola and Graham Cooke, president and founder of the World Travel Awards.

"The ICC is a state-of-the-art, world-class conference centre and perfect for such a prestigious ceremony for African travel and tourism. We have been delighted with not only the facilities, but also with the wonderful support from the ICC staff," said Cooke.

"The ICC is honoured to have hosted such a prestigious awards ceremony and equally honoured that the first leg of the World Travel Awards Grand Tour has taken place in our sunny city," said Matola.

"It is great that we have secured the event again for Durban and South African in 2009. Coupled with the excitement of Indaba, there is a contagious spirit that has enveloped most delegates that hopefully is going to be present again next year. The World Travel Awards was undoubtedly the most talked-about event within the Indaba calendar, and the ICC Durban feels privileged to be associated with it," he said.

When the ICC regained the title of Africa's Leading Conference Centre, the crowd broke into a roar of excitement and applause, before delivering a standing ovation.

Matola said that he and the ICC team were elated that the award had come back to Durban.

"This has indeed been an eventful week," he said. "The ICC Durban has regained this celebrated title and it is an accolade we will carry proudly when hosting the many major international and local events at this centre."

On the overall World Travel Awards' Africa Ceremony, Cooke said: "It was a wonderful evening for African tourism and hopefully an inspiration for all those nominated but who were not lucky enough to win.

"We hope that the winners have set a supreme standard of professionalism in Africa, with excellent examples of creativity and business acumen that can inspire others to also raise their performance and their profile, not only within the African industry but worldwide."

The Africa event forms part of a World Travel Awards Grand Tour with regional awards staged throughout the world, ending with a Winners Dinner in London on November 9 and a grand finale at Turks & Caicos in the Caribbean on December 12 2008.

The next regional events are the World Travel Awards Australasia Ceremony in Sydney on June 10, and the World Travel Awards Asia and Indian Ocean Ceremony on June 19 in Shanghai.

The winners are chosen by votes from more than 167 000 executives working within travel and tourism globally.