The Brief
When Botswana was granted the three year hosting rights for the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum, the expectations were clear: deliver a world-class event that would showcase not just the destination, but the continent’s capacity to host at a global standard.
The 6th ATLF was no ordinary conference. It brought together over 700 physical delegates from 42 countries, His Honour the Vice President of Botswana, the UNWTO Secretary General, and ministers from across Africa . The forum also hosted the inaugural AfCFTA Forum on Tourism, Creatives, and Cultural Industries—a landmark moment for intra-African trade and collaboration .
Our brief? To create a technical production environment worthy of the conversations happening on stage. A space where policy, investment, and innovation could meet and be seen clearly by the world.
The Process
We approached ATLF 2023 the way we approach every high-stakes event: as partners, not just suppliers.
It began with site visits and deep consultation. The Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC) would need to transform into a hub of Pan-African dialogue, with multiple session formats, B2B exchanges, masterclasses, and a gala awards night. Every space had to feel connected, intentional, and technically seamless.
Our team designed and executed the main stage and set decor based on the tourism theme, ensuring that every speaker from Heads of State to emerging entrepreneurs was framed with presence and clarity. The lighting was balanced to suit both plenary sessions and the gravitas of high-level panels. Audio was calibrated for rooms filled with thought-leaders and international media.
We also managed the technical requirements for the breakout sessions, the Women in Tourism masterclasses delivered by UNISA, and the Youth in Tourism Innovation Challenge . Each space needed its own rhythm, its own technical signature—and our team moved fluidly between them.
The Result
ATLF 2023 was widely hailed as a resounding success .
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700+ physical delegates and 1,200+ virtual participants from 42 countries
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78 renowned faculty members delivering transformational sessions
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20+ international media houses covering the event, including BBC News, SABC, and CNBC Africa
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The inaugural AfCFTA Forum on Tourism, Creatives, and Cultural Industries successfully launched
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The African Youth in Tourism Innovation Challenge showcased the continent’s next generation of entrepreneurs
But beyond the numbers, the feedback told the real story. One delegate from Dubai noted: “ATLF gave me substantial experience” . A South African Airways representative described the event as “of an exceptionally high standard, akin to those I have attended on a global stage” .
For us at Stage Works Africa, ATLF 2023 was another opportunity to prove that when the continent’s most important conversations happen, we can build the room they happen in. Quietly. Confidently. Seamlessly.
Because it’s not just about the equipment. It’s about the ideas the equipment serves.
Services Delivered:
Main Stage Design & Construction • Set Decor • Ambient & Stage Lighting • Audio Reinforcement • Technical Management • Breakout Room AV