President Cyril Ramaphosa will today officially open Africa’s Travel Indaba in Durban, as South Africa moves to reinforce confidence among African travellers, tourism investors and business events stakeholders following recent incidents of violence directed at foreign nationals.
The official opening at the Durban International Convention Centre follows Business Opportunity Networking Day (BONDay) on Monday, which set the strategic agenda for the continent’s largest tourism trade event, with a strong focus on MICE, business travel, digital transformation and inclusive growth.
On the eve of the opening, President Ramaphosa issued a firm condemnation of xenophobic acts, stressing that such incidents do not reflect government policy or the values of South African society – a message seen as critical as thousands of buyers, exhibitors, airlines, convention bureaux and media converge for Africa’s flagship tourism marketplace.
“These are the acts of opportunists who are exploiting the legitimate grievances, particularly those of the poor, under the false guise of ‘community activism’,” the President said. “Such lawlessness will not be tolerated, regardless of who the perpetrators or victims are.”
Tourism and MICE take centre stage
Africa’s Travel Indaba continues to evolve beyond a leisure-focused showcase into a strategic platform for business travel, meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. This year’s edition comes against the backdrop of renewed growth in intra-African travel, aviation recovery and rising demand for African-hosted global events.
President Ramaphosa has previously highlighted that African travellers accounted for more than 8 million of South Africa’s 10.5 million international arrivals last year, underlining the importance of continental mobility to tourism resilience and economic recovery.
The message of openness and African solidarity is expected to resonate strongly across Indaba’s business programme, particularly among MICE buyers assessing long-term destination reliability, safety and government alignment.
BONDay frames Africa’s growth narrative
BONDay 2026 opened under the theme Unlimited Africa – Growing Africa’s Tourism Economy, positioning tourism as a key driver of jobs, investment and regional integration.
Deputy Minister of Tourism Makhotso Sotyu described the day as a platform for shaping Africa’s future competitiveness.
“Africa’s tourism story is not simply one of recovery, but of expansion, ambition and reinvention,” she said, noting that the continent is now among the fastest-growing tourism regions globally.
Discussions explored destination branding, sports tourism, cultural industries, city tourism and the growing influence of digital platforms in shaping travel demand.
De Lille: Indaba’s economic impact and MICE potential
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has positioned Africa’s Travel Indaba as both a trade enabler and a proven economic asset.
According to figures released at the 2026 launch, last year’s Indaba generated R246.8 million in direct economic activity, contributed over R610 million to South Africa’s GDP and supported more than 1,100 jobs, while delivering significant tax revenue.
“This is why we are opening the door wider to the private sector and sponsors,” De Lille said.
“We want to scale this event further and ensure its sustainability for the next 30 years.”
She confirmed that more than 1,100 exhibitors and close to 1,000 hosted buyers are participating this year, alongside airlines, tourism authorities and media from across Africa and global markets – reinforcing Indaba’s stature as a continental MICE and trade hub.
Beyond traditional tourism hubs
A key feature of this year’s programme is the emphasis on dispersing tourism and business events benefits across South Africa.
Hosted buyers will embark on post-Indaba familiarisation trips to provinces beyond Gauteng and the Western Cape, including the Free State and Northern Cape, as part of efforts to showcase investment-ready destinations and diversified tourism products.
For business events planners, this signals growing national capacity to host conferences, incentives and large-scale meetings across multiple regions.
As President Ramaphosa prepares to open Africa’s Travel Indaba today, the combined political and tourism messaging is clear: South Africa remains committed to African integration, mobility and partnership, while firmly rejecting xenophobia and violence.
“There is no place in South Africa for xenophobia, intolerance or violence,” the President said, reaffirming the rule of law and equal protection for citizens and foreign nationals alike.
For Africa’s tourism and MICE industries, the opening of Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026 is not only about deals and destination marketing, but about reinforcing confidence, capability and Africa’s collective position in the global travel economy.
