The economic activities spurred by Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025, from event infrastructure and logistics to accommodation, restaurants and local transport services, have significantly surpassed initial projections.
The direct economic impact of Africa’s Travel Indaba on Durban’s GDP is estimated at R574-million, with direct spending totalling more than R232-million, highlighting the substantial economic benefits. Additionally, the event created over 2 000 jobs, particularly for the youth and local communities, with an anticipated household income contribution exceeding R140-million.
Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025, themed ‘Unlimited Africa’, hosted more than 9 967 attendees, marking an impressive 7.4% increase, compared to 9 280 delegates that attended in 2024. The event attracted 1 348 exhibitors and 1 037 buyers, with both exhibitor and international buyer numbers being the highest recorded in the past four years. A total of 27 African countries participated, including new entrants from Chad, St Helena and Burkina Faso.
Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025 was officially opened by Paul Mashatile, South Africa’s Deputy President and Patricia de Lille, South Africa’s Minister of Tourism.
Thembisile Sehloho, Chief Marketing Officer of South African Tourism, together with Sibusiso Gumbi, acting Chief Executive Officer of KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority, Winile Mntungwa, Deputy Head of Durban Tourism and Sandile Makhanya, acting Marketing and Communications Executive of Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (Durban ICC), addressed the media at the wrap-up of Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025 on 15 May 2025.
“We are exceptionally proud to have once again delivered the premier showcase of the African continent’s diverse tourism products and experiences,” said Sehlolo.
“This year, we cemented Africa’s Travel Indaba’s position as a proudly Pan African event with a notable increase in the number of African countries participating. This success is a direct result of powerful collaboration with all our partners. The significant enthusiasm and business conducted reflect the robust growth and immense potential of the African tourism sector under the banner of Unlimited Africa,” added Sehloho.”
Mntungwa said: “The economic ripple effect was felt far beyond the city centre, benefitting township and rural tourism enterprises- both formal and informal, including hospitality businesses in areas that hosted or serviced delegates through pre and post-tours and local services.”
This highlights how large events can stimulate broader economic activity, empowering local communities and promoting sustainable development across diverse regions. Gumbi expressed his deep confidence in the enduring partnership between South African Tourism, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, the City of Durban and the Durban ICC.
“I am pleased to say that KwaZulu-Natal has hosted another very successful Africa’s Travel Indaba with a record number of delegates, international buyers and airlines attending this year. As Tourism KwaZulu-Natal and Film Authority, we supported 26 emerging tourism businesses who exhibited at our stand and had the opportunity to network with buyers from Africa.”
He added that his organisation signed key MOUs with eSwatini Tourism and Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area Joint Marketing Agreement. This is part of the organisation’s programmes to grow the Africa market for KZN. They have had key engagements with a number of strategic partners such as Club and airlines that will help us grow our footprint globally.
Makhanya said: “Africa’s Travel Indaba is undeniably our premier event. As the ICC, we are deeply committed to ensuring that this trade event showcases Africa to the world and contributes significantly and sustainably to our local economy. This year, we continued our initiatives to involve students from Durban University of Technology and local culinary talents, providing them with invaluable experience and opportunities within the event.”
Nationally, the Department of Tourism, together with various provincial tourism authorities demonstrated their commitment to fostering an inclusive sector by supporting 85 Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to participate. Furthermore, all South African provinces actively participated, supporting various SMMEs from their respective regions and granting them crucial access to the diverse array of international and local buyers attending the trade show. South African Tourism also hosted a sustainability village, providing free exhibition space to small businesses.
During Africa’s Travel Indaba, Minister de Lille reiterated the ambitious targets of the Department’s five-year Tourism Growth Partnership Plan. These include growing total tourism employment from approximately 1.84 million jobs in 2024 to 2.5 million jobs, increasing domestic spend by 25%, growing tourism’s GDP contribution from 8.8% in 2024 to 10% and welcoming an extra million international air arrivals annually. The Minister also spotlighted South African Tourism’s new global brand campaign, “South Africa awaits – Come Find Your Joy!”.
Deputy President Mashatile, in his opening address, championed the ‘Unlimited Africa’ theme as a bold declaration of Africa’s promise. He highlighted that travel and tourism contributed 6.8% to Africa’s GDP in 2023, with projections indicating a rise to 10.4% by 2030 and for South Africa, tourism currently contributes 8.9% to GDP, supporting 1.68 million jobs, with an ambitious target to grow this to 2.2 million jobs by 2030.
At the wrap-up press conference, all parties extended their sincere thanks to members of the media for their extensive and insightful coverage of the trade show, acknowledging the critical role the media plays in sharing the compelling story of an ‘Unlimited Africa’ with the world.
For more, visit www.indaba-southafrica.co.za
