Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille says Africa’s Journey Indaba is a robust celebration of the continent’s extraordinary potential to drive financial development by way of tourism.
“That is the place journey trade professionals collect, together with tour operators, resorts, airways and tourism boards to showcase merchandise, community, negotiate offers and kind partnerships with consumers,” De Lille stated on Monday.
Talking on the media launch of Africa’s Journey Indaba in Durban this morning, De Lille stated President Cyril Ramaphosa will formally open the indaba on Tuesday, 12 Might.
The indaba will probably be held from the 12 -13 Might in Durban beneath the theme: “Limitless Africa: Rising Africa’s Tourism Financial system”.
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“[The President’s presence] displays the strategic significance of tourism on the highest degree of presidency and affirms our collective understanding that tourism is just not peripheral to financial development; it’s central to it,” she stated.
De Lille stated Africa’s tourism financial system is poised for extraordinary development.
“The tourism sector stays one of many continent’s strongest financial contributors. By the geographic unfold of tourism, the sector creates job alternatives and stimulates funding even in probably the most distant villages.
“Right here in South Africa, home tourism continues to be the spine of the sector. Between January and February 2026, whole journeys grew by 35.6% when in comparison with the earlier yr.
“Equally necessary are conferences, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE), which proceed to contribute immensely in the direction of the vary of the nation’s tourism choices.”
De Lille stated South Africa is world-renowned for internet hosting occasions.
“Internet hosting main enterprise occasions injects billions into the GDP and drives tourism past leisure.”
The Minister described tourism as a “smooth energy asset”, which has the flexibility to form worldwide notion. “Tourism is a gateway sector for funding, influencing investor confidence, nation picture and new undertaking growth.
“It is because of this that the Inaugural Tourism Infrastructure Funding Summit, held in September 2025, launched eight bankable initiatives value roughly R1 billion, with three of them already securing funding.”
De Lille stated some current main investments within the tourism sector embody the R24 billion V&A Waterfront growth.
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In response to Statistics South Africa’s Tourism Satellite tv for pc Account for South Africa Report, in 2024, the tourism sector accounted for 953 981 direct jobs. This implies 1 in 18 employees was immediately employed in tourism.
Africa’s Journey Indaba is without doubt one of the largest tourism advertising and marketing occasions on the African calendar and one of many high three ‘should go to’ occasions of its sort on the worldwide calendar.
It showcases the widest number of Africa’s finest tourism merchandise and attracts worldwide consumers and media from internationally. Africa’s Journey Indaba is owned by South African Tourism.
In response to the organisers of Africa’s Journey Indaba, the indaba has gained the award for Africa’s Greatest Journey and Tourism Present for 2 years in a row. This award was offered by the Affiliation of World Journey Awards.
The indaba takes place because the continent celebrates Africa Month, which commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (the African Union).
