The largest global travel trade show, Africa’s Travel Indaba is set to kickoff from the 8th to the 10th of May in the City of Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa.
As the clock ticks for one of South Africa’s biggest tourism gathering, tourism businesses from 21 African countries and 12 African tourism authorities prepare to take South Africa by storm.
“Tourism in Africa is growing – it’s a sunrise sector for many African countries, and this is reflected in the wider range of exhibitors we are seeing at the show each year, CEO of SA Tourism, and organizers of Africa’s Travel Indaba, Sisa Ntshona noted.
African countries are taking tourism seriously based on 2017 figures which show that 8.1% of Africa’s total GDP was generated from the sector (USD 177 billion).
Tourism is also driving job creation in Africa with an estimated 6.5% of all employment on the continent being in the sector.
These figures are based on Africa currently attracting just 5% of global travelers.
South African Tourism has a vested interest in collaborating and partnering with other countries to create desire and demand for Africa, and is part of the 5 in 5 country strategy for growth.
“The future success of tourism as an economic driver depends on the presence of policies and continental strategies for trade and investment that meet the needs of the sector and an overall business environment that is conducive to growth,” SA Tourism CEO Sisa Ntshona said.
He added that there is no reason why the continent cannot double its share of the global tourism market in the next decade with a collaborative approach to the destination.
African country products confirmed for this year include established tourism players as well as developing destinations such as the Central African Republic, Sudan and the DRC.
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