South African Tourism (SA Tourism) has announced a significant leadership transition, naming Ms. Corne Koch as the new Chief Convention Bureau Officer. Ms. Koch will officially assume her role, heading the South African National Convention Bureau (SANCB) business unit, on December 1, 2025.
The SANCB is a strategic component of SA Tourism, primarily tasked with positioning the country as a destination for domestic, regional, and international business events, categorized under the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) sector. Its mandate involves attracting and securing international gatherings, which supports economic development, industry transformation, and the nation’s overall global competitiveness.
The announcement of the new leadership comes as the country is actively participating in international trade platforms, including IBTM World 2025 in Barcelona, Spain, where South Africa is showcasing its capacity to host large-scale events. Furthermore, the country is preparing to host the G20 Leaders’ Summit, reinforcing its position as a capable location for high-level international meetings.
Ms. Koch joins the national organization with more than 20 years of experience in tourism destination marketing and promotion within South Africa. Most recently, she held the position of Head of the Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau at Wesgro. During her tenure there, she focused on strengthening the Western Cape’s profile in the business events market. Her professional expertise encompasses programme and project management, strategic partnership development, and cultivating productive relationships across a diverse global stakeholder base.
The business events sector continues to demonstrate measurable results under the SANCB’s direction. In the first two quarters of 2025, the Bureau secured 35 successful bids. These events are projected to contribute more than R415 million to the country’s economy and are expected to attract nearly 16,000 delegates to South Africa, underlining the unit’s economic impact.
Commenting on the appointment, Ms. Koch noted the importance of business events as powerful drivers of both economic growth and knowledge sharing for any location, extending benefits beyond the immediate hospitality industry. She expressed her commitment to the sector, acknowledging the contributions of professionals across government, academic, and private spheres.
Darryl Erasmus, Acting CEO and COO at SA Tourism, noted that strengthening leadership is an essential component as the organization navigates a dynamic period for the tourism sector. He stated that Ms. Koch’s leadership is timely as the organization prepares for major upcoming sector milestones, including the 20th edition of Meetings Africa in February 2026 and Africa’s Travel Indaba in May 2026. The strategic hiring is intended to ensure continued momentum in attracting high-value international business to the country.
