As South Africa takes on IBTM World 2025 to showcase its business events capability at Fira Barcelona Gran Via in Spain, South African Tourism (SA Tourism) has announced the appointment of Corne Koch as its new Chief Convention Bureau Officer, who will head the South African National Convention Bureau (SANCB) business unit, effective 1 December 2025.
A passionate advocate for the economic power of business events, Koch has been instrumental in driving the growth of meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) in the Western Cape. Her expertise spans programme and project management, strategic partnerships, event strategy, and fostering productive relationships with a diverse network of global stakeholders.
Speaking on the appointment, Darryl Erasmus, Acting CEO and COO at SA Tourism, said: “Strengthening leadership within our organisation is vital as we move into a defining era for South African Tourism. The appointment of our new Chief Convention Bureau Officer demonstrates our commitment to building a strong, capable, and visionary executive team. Her leadership comes at an ideal time as we prepare for the 20th edition of Meetings Africa in February 2025 and Africa’s Travel Indaba in May 2026, two flagship events that showcase the best of Africa’s tourism and business events sectors.”