ELICC The ELICC is the first beachfront international convention centre in Southern Africa
Since its opening in 2010, the East London International Convention Centre (ELICC), in the Eastern Cape, has garnered success by attracting local and international conventions and conferences that have created more jobs and boosted the local economy.
This is according to ELICC sales and marketing manager Duncan Fouche, who tells Engineering News that the ELICC has created more tourism awareness for East London and has attracted new visitors to the region through the successes of the various conferences, exhibitions and roadshows held in the area.
Located on the East London esplanade and 15 minutes from East London Airport, the ELICC has placed East London and the Buffalo City region on a firm footing as a competitive conference and incentives destination, he adds.
The ELICC is also the first beachfront international convention centre in Southern Africa, which is also located near the industrial development zone, which, he says, presents a fresh alternative to conferencing in South Africa.
The convention centre aims to raise the profile of the province as a major business tourism role-player in the local and international markets, while stimulating economic growth in East London.
The centre’s facilities include a 580-seater auditorium, an exhibition area, 18 multifunctional conference rooms, executive boardrooms and a press room, as well as 435 on-site modern bedrooms, restaurants, a bar and coffee breakaway areas.
Fouche says the ELICC promotes East London as a destination by working closely with Buffalo City Tourism, the Border-Kei Chamber of Business and the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency to create more awareness of the East London Metro and the Eastern Cape.