ETHEKWINI Municipality is prepared to welcome thousands of delegates, exhibitors, and global tourism leaders for the upcoming Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026, set to take place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, from 11 to 14 May.
The event will kick off with a Business Opportunity Networking Day on 11 May, followed by three days of trade engagements.
Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, together with MEC for Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs, Rev Musa Zondi, and eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Councillor Cyril Xaba, officially launched Africa’s premier tourism trade show on 4 May at the Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal.
This year’s Africa’s Travel Indaba will be held under the inspiring theme: ‘Unlimited Africa: Growing Africa’s tourism economy’.
The Travel Indaba brings together exhibitors, buyers, and media from across the world to promote African destinations and forge business partnerships.
It is set to deliver significant economic benefits for the City. Increased visitor numbers will boost tourism spend, support local businesses, and create job opportunities across various sectors, including hospitality, transport, and retail.
Speaking at the launch, Mayor Xaba reaffirmed Durban’s readiness to host a world-class event.
He said the City’s strategic location, well-developed infrastructure, and warm climate continue to position Durban as a destination of choice, whether for business or leisure.
As anticipation builds, the City stands ready to once again roll out the red carpet, offering delegates a unique blend of business and leisure.
With all systems in place, Durban is poised to deliver yet another successful edition of Africa’s Travel Indaba.
Minister de Lille announced during the launch that South African President, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, will open the trade show this year.
She emphasised that tourism is not merely a sector, but a powerful economic lever capable of delivering immediate, inclusive, and geographically distributed impact across the country.
MEC Zondi said the current buyer composition of the Indaba already shows strong value for the province and the City with more than 700 buyers confirmed.
He said this year’s platform has confirmed 600 exhibiting companies with 22 African countries participating.
This includes South Africa with all nine provinces represented, as well as 191 independent micro, small, and medium enterprises.
“There will also be 840 hosted and non-hosted buyers from applications across 71 countries, and 3 315 confirmed meetings taking place,” MEC Zondi added.
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