Experience Africa 2026, the UK’s largest trade event dedicated exclusively to African tourism, opens today in London, bringing together 615 delegates from across the global travel industry at a time of growing international demand for travel to Africa.
Organised by ATTA® Group Events (the Events Subsidiary of ATTA® – the African Travel and Tourism Association), this year’s event welcomes 205 exhibitors from 33 countries across Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, alongside 269 buyer delegates representing 195 buyer companies from 20 countries. Over the next three days delegates will participate in 7,865 pre-scheduled business meetings, creating one of the largest platforms for African tourism business development anywhere in the world.
The event’s buyer audience is its strongest to date. With nearly half (45.9%) of the buyers either new to the event or returning after a period away, ensuring exhibitors have access to significant new business opportunities while maintaining established trade relationships.
Approximately 77% of attendees are tour operators, while more than 70% hold senior leadership, commercial, product or contracting roles, giving exhibitors direct access to decision-makers with genuine purchasing influence.
The international reach of the event continues to expand, with buyer companies attending from 20 source markets across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Oceania, including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.
New Research
Experience Africa opens as new research from The Data Appeal Company / Almaviva Group, developed in collaboration with ATTA®, highlights growing global interest in African destinations.
According to the latest analysis, Africa now accounts for 4.28% of global international travel intent for summer 2026, representing a slight increase of +0.04 percentage points compared with the same period in 2025,.
The research identifies Cairo, Zanzibar, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Marrakech, Kilimanjaro and Nairobi among Africa’s fastest-growing destinations by travel intent, reflecting strong demand for the continent’s diverse mix of culture, wildlife, adventure, wellness and nature-based experiences.
Virginia Messina, Group CEO of ATTA®, who formally opened the event, said:
“Tourists are increasingly recognising the extraordinary breadth and diversity of experiences Africa has to offer. From vibrant cities and cultural experiences to wildlife, wellness and adventure, there is truly an Africa for every traveller.
“We are seeing strong demand from travellers seeking authentic and immersive experiences, and Africa is uniquely positioned to meet that demand. Experience Africa plays an important role in connecting that growing demand with the outstanding tourism businesses delivering world-class experiences across the continent.
“The opportunity ahead of us is enormous. African tourism has transformed over the past three decades and, by working together, telling modern African stories and opening new markets, we can take that growth even further.”
Alongside the business meetings programme, delegates will participate in conference sessions examining the future of African tourism, including the impact of artificial intelligence, destination storytelling, sustainability, regenerative tourism and emerging destinations across the continent. The programme also includes networking events and the ATTA® for Action Awards, which celebrate organisations and individuals leading positive change in African tourism.
Experience Africa remains the only UK-based B2B trade event dedicated exclusively to African tourism and continues to play a vital role in connecting African tourism businesses with buyers, media and industry leaders from around the world.
Top 10 Trending Summer Destinations in Africa by Growth in Travel Intent
(Share of Searches Index)
Mauritius
Cairo (Egypt)
Zanzibar (Tanzania)
Johannesburg (South Africa)
Cape Town (South Africa)
Marrakech (Morocco)
Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
Nairobi (Kenya)
Tunis (Tunisia)
Seychelles
Read the full global summer travel analysis here:
