Early-bird registration is now open for the 2012 International Aquarium Congress (IAC) which will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 9 to 14 September 2012. Exhibition sales have also opened and a limited number of exciting sponsorship opportunities are available. Hosted by the Two Oceans Aquarium, this is the first time that the Congress will be held in Africa and indeed in the southern hemisphere.
Besides the formal conference proceedings which will include presentations, exhibitors and café conversations, delegates will have the opportunity to network with peers from around the globe while experiencing the very best that Cape Town has to offer, from ‘strandloper’ (literally: beach walker) and African dining to shark cage diving and whale watching.
A variety of pre- and post-conference tour packages will be on offer so that delegates can encounter a broad spectrum of South African activities, landscapes, cultures and cuisines.
The IAC is the most important and prestigious event for the global public aquarium industry. Held every four years, it is the only international platform that gathers decision makers and professionals from the global public aquarium community to share and learn about new developments in the fields of inter alia animal husbandry, research, technology, management, education, conservation and sustainability.
Approximately 500 of the world’s most influential aquarium personnel and key decision makers in exhibitory, conservation, sustainability and education are expected to attend the 2012 IAC.
Countries represented will likely include Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Dubai, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States, among others.
Two Oceans Aquarium Managing Director Dr Patrick Garratt says, “We are extremely proud to be hosting the 2012 IAC. Although we are not a large aquarium by international standards, but a ‘medium-sized’ facility at the southern tip of Africa, we are highly regarded by the international aquarium community. We are looking forward to welcoming our international colleagues to South Africa and have no doubt that we will enthrall them with our warm hospitality, magnificent scenery and wide range of activities.”
The first IAC was held in Monaco in 1960, while the most recent was held in Shanghai in 2008.
For more information please log on to www.iac2012.co.za and sign up on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Contact [email protected] to receive details regarding exhibition space and sponsorship opportunities.