Durban ICC celebrates 20 years
The Durban ICC has won the coveted title as “Africa’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre” 15 times in 16 years of participating at the World Travel Awards.
THE Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre encourages professionalism, developing people, service excellence, and ensures daily that Africa’s leading meetings and conference venue continues to impress visitors from across the globe.
The Durban ICC which turns 20 today (8 August) has won the coveted title as “Africa’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre” 15 times in 16 years of participating at the World Travel Awards.
Operation Jumpstart launched the Durban ICC project in 1992 with a goal to build a modern multipurpose convention centre. Now, it has the capacity to host 22 000 people at one gathering.
The Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC complex offers the largest flat floor, column-free multi-purpose event space in Africa. Incorporating the Durban International Convention Centre, the Durban ICC Arena and Durban Exhibition Centre, the complex offers over 112 000 square meters of flexible exhibition and meeting space.
EThekwini Municipality also reinvests profits into the facility to ensure it continues to remain the venue of choice for local and international visitors.
“The invaluable support of clients and stakeholders who have been instrumental in the many milestones of the centre and its ongoing success during the past two decades has not gone unnoticed,” said Lindiwe Rakharebe, Durban ICC’s Chief Executive Officer.
Since the official opening of the Durban ICC by former President Nelson Mandela in 1997, it has hosted many events including 4th BRICS International Competition Conference, 14th World Forestry Congress, Africa Peace Awards and more.
Boosting economic growth, the Durban ICC’s collective contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) of KwaZulu-Natal over the past decade has been R 27.8 billion whilst R 29.4 billion went into the South African GDP. In the past 10 years, it has been creating and sustaining over 82 000 jobs.
Built at a cost of R 746 million, it has generated R30 billion for the national economy. While maintaining its own Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) rating as a level four contributor, much of the organisation’s expenditure is invested with level one and two B-BBEE businesses.
The Durban ICC is ranked top 15 by the International Association of Congress Centres and is currently the only centre in Africa to make it on this list.
“Having led the African continent in its first 20 years of hosting the world, it will now usher in the highest level of technologically advanced meeting facilities. Leadership in service and technology will continue to be the hallmark of our performance excellence,” said Rakharebe.
It’s success can be attributed to the dedication of the long-standing Board of Directors led by Mato Madlala together with Durban ICC staff who aspire to providing a superior service.
Preparations are underway for the Durban ICC to host its 20th anniversary gala dinner on Friday 25 August, which promises to be an unforgettable guest experience in keeping with the centre’s relentless commitment to innovation and service excellence.
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