Over 1,300 exhibitors and 1,200 buyers from 55 countries are expected to participate in this year’s Africa Travel Indaba, which opens on Monday, 12 May, at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille, speaking during the second G20 Tourism Working Group meeting on Sunday, described the annual trade event as a key platform for advancing tourism across the continent. The indaba will host delegates from 27 African countries, including first-time participants from Chad, St Helena, and Burkina Faso, under the theme Unlimited Africa.
The Eswatini Tourism Authority (ETA) will also be present, leading a strong delegation of tourism operators and institutions. These include Big Game Parks, Eswatini National Trust Commission, Eswatini Air, and several local hospitality providers such as Piggs Peak Hotel, The Royal Villas, Mantenga Lodge, and Happy Valley Hotel. Community-focused organisations like Myxo’s WOZA NAWE Cultural Tours, All Out Africa, and Global Village Guest House will also represent the kingdom’s growing cultural and eco-tourism sectors.
The event’s programme includes sessions dedicated to driving sector growth, building partnerships, and exploring Africa’s global tourism marketing strategy. According to officials, last year’s edition generated R226 million in direct economic activity for Durban and R333 million across KwaZulu-Natal. Over 1,000 jobs were created and 120 small tourism businesses engaged with international buyers through South Africa’s Department of Tourism’s Market Access Support Programme.
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