After two years of being unable to host due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Africa’s Travel Indaba is finally returning this year. The event, which is normally held annually, will once again be hosted at Durban’s Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre from 2-5 May.
Addressing delegates and the media at the official launch of the event in Durban, South African Tourism Acting Chief Executive Officer, Themba Khumalo, has emphasised that Africa is open for business to showcase its uniqueness and authenticity.
Khumalo says currently there are more than 400 buyers representing more than 47 countries around the world.
He says the road to recovery for tourism, which was the hardest hit by the pandemic, is promising.
“Now, that all of the restrictions have been removed, you have no valid reason not to travel to South Africa. It is an open invitation for all those who need to be and want to be here. It is a statement of confidence that we have done the work in order to bio-secure South Africa across the African tourism value chain and to ensure that we are able to secure every single traveller to South Africa.”
The Deputy Head of Durban Tourism, Winile Mntungwa, says they are anticipating that the iconic trade show will give the province’s economy a sizable cash injection.
She says they are hoping to match or even exceed the last event in 2019, which had a R128 million impact on the provincial economy.
“We are hoping to be getting so much more, obviously it’s the start after COVID-19. We are projecting a quite sizeable GDP injection into the city of Durban. As Durban, we are open for business and we are ready.”
The 2019 indaba drew people from across the continent :
