Durban - Business and tourism in Africa take a knock when misconceptions about the continent are perpetuated and tragic incidents are exaggerated.
This was one of the key points raised during a panel discussion at the Meetings Africa conference on Wednesday.
Xenophobic attacks, acts of terrorism, and outbreaks of disease were the main factors cited as recent issues that were snatching opportunities from African businesses and tourism organisations.
Ben Asoro, marketing and sales director at the Calabar International Convention Centre in Nigeria, said it was disappointing that when he went to pitch business to countries outside Africa, he was still asked about the 2013 Kenyan Westgate shopping mall shooting in which 67 people had died and 175 were wounded.
He said that although it was natural for people to have safety and security concerns, some were ignorant and had misconceptions about Africa.
He said the weekend after the attack, Kenya had been due to host the International Water Association conference, but there was a massive cancellation by delegates who felt that all of Africa was suddenly dangerous.
Asoro said African countries had to collaborate and support one another.
“If South Africa has already won a bid to host a conference and there are xenophobic attacks, and the organisers are calling me in Nigeria asking to relocate the conference, I should be in a position to explain to them that the attacks are in certain areas, not the whole of South Africa.
“That is the kind of collaboration we need,” he said.
Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo, the head of the South African National Convention Bureau, said that after the Kenyan attack they had organisers of two conferences asking South Africa to offer venues as they wanted to move the conferences from Kenya.
“When they approached us we said ‘no’ because we knew that the convention centre was miles away from where the mall attack had happened.
“We convinced them there was no danger,” she said.
The Mercury