Suncity leads the way in world-class conferences

Suncity is the crown jewel in Sun International’s portfolio of gems. Meeting Talk to the general manager Brett Hope About the resort’s exciting conference prospects.

Sun City has always been highly anticipated by both business and leisure travelers, and the resort’s conference center continues to thrive as it captures an ever-increasing share of the conference market thanks to constant upgrades and improvements. Before the pandemic, Suncity spent R150-million modernizing its commercial infrastructure; this was in addition to the R1-billion spent a few years ago. These investments have paid off, with the South African Tourism Rating Council updating the Suncity Convention Center’s five-star rating for 2024/25.

Suncity’s current event figures are 15% ahead of 2024, with major events and conferences booked two years in advance. “Our business facilities include 27 meeting rooms, three conference centres, two
Auditorium and multiple lounges. There is huge potential for conferences, incentives, conventions and exhibitions, and business tourism in Suncity also helps support the local economy in the North West Province. ” Suncity managing director Brett Hoppé told Meetings. He added: “We will continue to invest heavily in expanding and upgrading our operations and conference facilities to meet the demanding needs of our demanding clients who view Suncity as a global leader in conference and exhibition hosting. need. “

Brett highlighted how the resort is keeping up with global hospitality industry trends – something that can be seen in the construction of its Padel facility. “Padel has taken the world by storm, and now Sun City’s conference delegates can dominate the court on one of four Padel fields. This is just another way Sun City continues to be relevant, adding what people want to our Endless entertainment and sporting options include two renowned golf courses, the Valley of the Waves, jet skiing and other water sports and game drives in the neighboring Pilanesberg National Park, as well as casinos and nightclubs,” he said. .

Business is booming
Growth in the Suncity Meetings segment was driven primarily by corporate and association business as well as lifestyle and sporting events. Revenue in 2024 is supported by four major international conferences, two from Brazil, one from the UK and one from Spain. “As our business continues to grow, we are able to ensure the best possible service levels for our business representatives and increase our contribution to employment, skills development and socio-economic growth in surrounding communities,” Brett said. A prime example is the Nedbank Golf Challenge, where Suncity hired 400 local staff in December to meet the annual sporting event’s visitor numbers.

it can only get better
With the improvement of infrastructure, the total area of ​​the conference center area (including Sunshine Park and Greenhouse) reaches 16,114 square meters. Key changes include the Hall of Fame (now Motlhape), a conference cluster consisting of two new conference venues, Sefudi and Mogolodi, and a pre-show area filled with natural light and views over Sun Central. Sefudi can accommodate up to 174 people as a cinema or cocktail party, and 110 people as a gala event or classroom seating. Mogolodi can accommodate up to 140 people in the cinema or cocktail reception, 130 people for gala events and 120 people in classroom seating.

The Greenhouse and Sunshine Park are unique outdoor venues that host sporting events such as award ceremonies, major screenings, conferences, music performances and other events. Sun City is gearing up to host more events and feature local and international artists during 2025. The Superbowl has a prestigious reputation, the ability to host top local and international artists, and the facilities to host well-attended concerts, product launches and corporate events. “Large-scale shows require a lot of gear, lighting and sound, but our large venues are well-equipped to meet and support all of these requirements. We’re also ready to host visiting artists without the added cost of equipment hire,” said Brett.

Greener is world class
Solar City is well on its way to one day taking a total share of the green energy sector, thanks to solar investments worth more than R26 million to date. Since mid-2023, the resort has completed the first two phases of its solar project, starting with the installation of panels on the Sun Central roof. This phase ensures uninterrupted meetings and has resulted in financial savings of over R3.1 million between July 2023 and May 2024.
Brett stressed that the rollout of the panels was part of a wider, phased environmental strategy. “Sun City is a massive building with many moving parts to start with, including the conference system. Our ground-breaking project not only reduces the resort’s energy demand and consumption, but also meets Sun International’s wider environmental commitments.” Sun City Truly an all-inclusive conference and events venue that sets the benchmark for business travel and leaves a lasting impression on delegates. “

Inspirational venues in Suncity

When you host an event at Sun City, you can choose from a range of entertainment and activity experiences before, during or after your meeting. The resort divides indoor and outdoor spaces into four themes:
Earth
The resort’s “Earth” venues (Baobab Outlook, The Maze of the Lost City and Crocodile Lounge) draw from the natural surroundings of Cité del Sol, each with an African-inspired look and feel.
Air
Sun City’s “sky” venues include King Tower, Elephant Atrium, Elephant Courtyard and The Gazebo. These bright spaces are often reserved for intimate occasions and cocktail parties.
water
Host your delegates at any of Sun City’s water-inspired venues, ideal for summer soirees and outdoor corporate events. These include the Valley of Waves, Monkey Plaza, Greenhouse, Palace Pool Deck, Suncity Hotel Pool Deck and Cabanas Picnic Lawn.
fire
Botsalanong and Letsatsing bomas, Shebeen and Amphitheater are Sun City’s “Fire” venues, perfect for casual outdoor banquets. These are also ideal for large delegate groups and smaller, more intimate events.

sun international earnings
Sun International’s resilience was clearly demonstrated in its June 2024 interim results announcement. Revenue rose 5%, mainly due to its gaming division. However, the hospitality industry has also shown impressive growth. “Gambling revenue, which accounts for 77.4% of the group’s total revenue, continued to grow, up 3.4%. Casino revenue at the group’s four city casinos increased by 2.2%, while growth at the smaller regional casinos remains challenging. Sunbet continues its impressive growth Track, revenue soared 71.8%, once again exceeding its aggressive growth targets. Our resorts and hotels’ hospitality revenue, excluding casino revenue, showed exceptional growth, rising 12.3%. Revenue was down 4.3% from the prior period. To R686 million, management has taken a number of actions to address this decline and we remain committed to delivering value to our stakeholders through strategic initiatives and operational excellence.”