(Back from left) Betty Anoster (Cape St Francis Resort), Anita Lennox (Cape St Francis Resort), Heidi Halgryn (Kouga Local Municipality Tourism, Marketing and Information Officer), (front from left) Mmabatho Seiphemo (SATNCB), and Zime Mzelemu (SATNCB).
KOUGA – Kouga Local Municipality is strengthening its position as a competitive business-events destination following a two-day site inspection by representatives of the South African Tourism National Convention Bureau (SANCB) on 10 and 11 September 2026.
The visit, facilitated by the Kouga Local Municipality Tourism Department, situated in the Finance and Economic Development Department, formed part of ongoing efforts to position Kouga as a destination of choice for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE), while showcasing the region’s diverse venues, accommodation establishments and tourism experiences.
Kouga Executive Mayor, Hattingh Bornman, said business tourism presented an important opportunity to broaden the municipality’s tourism economy and stimulate economic activity throughout the year.
“Kouga is widely recognised as a premier leisure and holiday destination, but our region has so much more to offer. We have world-class venues, outstanding hospitality and a unique combination of coastal, nature, sporting and lifestyle experiences that make Kouga an attractive destination for business events,” said Bornman.
“By positioning Kouga more strongly within the business-events market, we can attract new visitors, support local businesses and create opportunities for increased economic activity beyond the traditional holiday season.”
During the two-day programme, the SANCB delegation visited three of Kouga’s key business-events venues: Cape St Francis Resort, St Francis Links and Mentors Country Estate.
Each venue showcased a different aspect of Kouga’s ability to accommodate business events and incentive programmes.
Cape St Francis Resort
Cape St Francis Resort demonstrated the potential to combine conferences and meetings with accommodation, coastal experiences and leisure activities.
Its coastal setting provides an ideal environment for conferences, corporate retreats, incentive groups and team-building programmes, allowing delegates to combine productive business engagements with memorable destination experiences.
St Francis Links
St Francis Links highlighted Kouga’s ability to deliver a premium business-events and incentive experience.
The venue combines conferencing, hospitality and golf within the distinctive St Francis Bay environment, offering opportunities for executive meetings, corporate events, incentive programmes and networking functions.
Mentors Country Estate
Mentors Country Estate showcased the business-events potential available in Jeffreys Bay, with facilities suited to conferences, exhibitions, functions and larger gatherings.
The venue further strengthens Kouga’s ability to accommodate a range of event formats and delegate requirements.
Business events mean business for Kouga
Business events are about far more than filling conference venues. Every conference, exhibition, meeting or incentive programme hosted in Kouga has the potential to generate economic activity throughout the local tourism value chain.
Delegates require accommodation, restaurants, transport, catering, technical services, entertainment and tourism activities. They visit local attractions, support local businesses and purchase locally produced goods.
Importantly, business visitors are also introduced to Kouga as a leisure destination – creating the potential for delegates to return with their families and friends.
Bornman said the business-events market could also play an important role in addressing tourism seasonality.
“Our tourism economy has traditionally been strongly associated with the summer holiday season. Business events give us an opportunity to attract visitors throughout the year and to support tourism businesses during traditionally quieter periods,” he said.
“A conference delegate who discovers our beaches, surfing, golf, nature, cuisine and hospitality may very well return to Kouga as a holidaymaker. That is the long-term value of business tourism.”
Taking Kouga to the national and international market
The engagement with the SANCB is particularly significant as destination marketing relies on strong partnerships between local, provincial and national tourism structures and the private sector.
Developing stronger relationships with national business-events structures can improve Kouga’s visibility among conference organisers, professional conference organisers, associations, corporate groups and incentive-travel planners seeking destinations for future events.
Kouga also has an opportunity to differentiate itself from traditional city-based conference destinations.
Its competitive advantage lies in offering professional business-event facilities combined with authentic coastal, adventure, nature and lifestyle experiences.
Jeffreys Bay, St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis are already well known for their tourism appeal. The opportunity now is to translate that appeal into increased business tourism and greater economic benefit for the region.
“We want people to see Kouga not simply as a place where they can hold a meeting, but as a destination where business and leisure can work together,” Bornman said. “Our offering is about creating memorable experiences while delivering professional and successful events.”
Collaboration is key
Growing Kouga’s business-events economy cannot be achieved by the municipality alone. It requires collaboration between accommodation establishments, conference venues, restaurants, tourism-experience providers, transport operators, event suppliers, local businesses and provincial and national tourism partners.
The site inspection therefore represented more than a visit to three individual venues. It provided an opportunity to demonstrate the collective potential of Kouga as a business-events destination.
Kouga Local Municipality extends its appreciation to the South African Tourism National Convention Bureau for visiting the region and engaging with the local tourism industry, as well as to Cape St Francis Resort, St Francis Links and Mentors Country Estate for showcasing their facilities and hospitality.
“This visit is an important step in putting Kouga firmly on the business-events map,” Bornman said. “We have the venues, the infrastructure, the experiences and the hospitality. Most importantly, we have an industry with the potential to work together to grow this market.”
With continued collaboration and targeted destination marketing, Kouga can build on its established tourism reputation and expand its presence in the national and international business-events market.
Kouga is not only a remarkable place to visit – it is an exceptional place to meet, connect, experience and do business.
