Plans for an international convention centre (ICC) in George are taking shape as the Western Cape Government and George Municipality explore solutions to the Garden Route’s limited capacity to host large-scale MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) events.
Mountains in George/Glen Carrie/Unsplash
A feasibility study—seen as the first crucial step—is currently being scoped. Joan Shaw, Tourism Manager for George Municipality, confirmed that a joint committee from the municipality and province will meet this month to finalise the study’s specifications.
“Once set, a call for proposals will be advertised and tenders invited. The study’s outcomes will guide the Council’s decision on the way forward,” said Shaw in an interview with Tourism Update.
The Garden Route has been gaining recognition as a viable MICE destination. Both George and Knysna were newly listed on the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) rankings for 2024, each having hosted one qualifying event. At the time, destination marketing agency Wesgro noted that towns such as George, Knysna, Grabouw and Paarl “are emerging as new attractive options for smaller-scale association meetings.”
Ilse van Schalkwyk, Chief Director for Economic Sector Support at the Western Cape’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism, said the move toward a feasibility study follows “research into business tourism opportunities in secondary cities, which highlighted Stellenbosch and George as key priorities while identifying a lack of sufficient infrastructure in the Garden Route to support large-scale MICE events.”
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The department’s 2025 Annual Performance Plan echoes this sentiment, noting that a potential convention centre in George could expand the tourism and events footprint across the Southern Cape and support the development of George Airport to meet increasing demand.
The plan also outlines that such a project would be private sector-led.
If the study returns positive findings, the Garden Route could see the rise of a significant MICE facility—positioning George as a southern hub for conferences and events that rival South Africa’s major metros.
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