East London ICC in line for top industry award

The East London International Convention Centre has been declared a finalist in the category of Best New Non-Hotel Tourism Investment in this year’s Hospitality and Investment Africa (HICA) Awards programme.

The awards ceremony will take place in Johannesburg on November 2 at the end of the Hospitality and Investment Conference Africa.

“In the HICA awards we want to recognise and reward companies and individuals who have made an extraordinary contribution to enhancing the profile of the hospitality industry in Southern Africa through promoting growth, investment, innovation and excellence, across all tourism sectors,” says Mmatati Marobe, CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa which is hosting the event.

Awards will be made in various categories including Best New Hotel Investment; Best New Non-Hotel Accommodation Investment; and Upcoming Industry Mover & Shaker.

Managed by Premier Hotels & Resorts, the recently-opened, R500 million East London International Convention Centre’s facilities include a 650-seater auditorium, an exhibition floor (taking up to 110 stands) and a major hall capable of seating 850 ball-room style and 2 200 cinema-style as well as board-rooms, restaurants and kitchens.

“It is a great honour that within five months of opening the ELICC has been recognized in this manner as we hope to turn East London into a new, vital and competitive conference destination,” says Samuel Nassimov, CEO of Premier Hotels & Resorts.

The adjacent 261-room five star Premier Hotel Cascades, meanwhile, has also opened and, along with the existing Premier Hotel Regent, presents conference goers with on-site accommodation and hotel facilities without having to leave the ELICC precinct.