At the start of a new decade, tourism in Africa is expected to grow with particular attention on the meetings industry.
Throughout the year, many travel shows will be held across the nation to bring together multiple destinations and cultures under one convention.
The sector has seen tremendous growth and with its turnaround time making great business edge, the MICE industry has been identified as top on the list of the agenda for African destinations.
Travel shows and exhibitions will play integral part in Africa’s ability to market itself and attract business to the continent and aside participating in these trade shows, it makes one have the real feel of the continent and offers opportunity to international buyers to struck deal with buyers.
With VoyagesAfriq’s unparalleled coverage of these travel shows over the years, we list some of the top must attend events for 2020.
Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) – Uganda
Date: 04 – 06 February
Venue: Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala
POATE is an exclusive gathering of hand-picked Ugandan products and buyers. The event brings together the best products Uganda has to offer, hand-picked international buyers and select travel media, giving participants the opportunity to grow their business and expand their knowledge base. POATE features two days of B2B meetings and effective networking that is targeted at helping raise your brand’s profile on a global scale.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
Meetings Africa – South Africa
Date: 24-26 February
Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg
Meetings Africa showcases Africa’s diverse offering of services and products where African meetings industry professionals can partner to transform the continent.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
WTM Africa – South Africa
Date: 6-8 April
Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre
World Travel Market Africa delivers the leading global events for the travel industry. One of six shows in the WTM portfolio, the Africa show was launched in 2014 to bring the benefits and opportunities of the global industry expertise to travel professionals in the region.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
Malawi International Tourism Expo (MITE)
Date: 23 -25 April
Venue: Bingu Wa Mutharika International Convention Centre, Lilongwe
The Malawi International Tourism Expo, also known as ‘Takulandirani Expo’ is an annual event and is targeting all tourism stakeholders and key industry players. It features two business days of workshops, business to business meetings as well as speed networking sessions. The third day which is the ‘Public Day’ gives the general public an opportunity to interact with industry players and also to sample the various holiday options that are readily available locally.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
Sustainable Tourism Africa Summit – Kenya
Date: 6-8 May
Venue: PrideInn Paradise, Mombasa
The Sustainable Tourism Africa Summit features sustainable tourism masterclasses, presentation, workshops, side events, exhibitions and sustainable tourism awards. For three days, the businesses, leaders and professionals present their solutions, business models and innovative products. The Sustainable tourism Africa summit also supports creation of networks that drive sustainability of business and destinations.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
Africa’s Travel Indaba – South Africa
Date: 12 -14 May
Venue: International Convention Centre, Durban
Africa’s Travel Indaba is one of the largests tourism marketing events on the African calendar and one of the top three ‘must visit’ events of its kind on the global calendar. It showcases the widest variety of Africa;s best tourism products and attracts international buyers and media from across the world.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
KARIBU/KILIFAIR – Tanzania
Date: 5-7 June
Venue: Friedkin Recreation Center, TGT – Arusha
KARIBU/KILIFAIR is the leading international Outdoor Tourism & Industry Fair in Tanzania, promoting and presenting companies based in the Kilimanjaro-Region, Tanzania and East Africa as a destination. It presenters the right platform for one to get new business ideas by meeting business people from different countries such as Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda while networking and doing business.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
Sanganai Hlanganani World Tourism Expo – Zimbabwe
Date: 17 -19 September
Venue: Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Grounds
Sanganai/ Hlanganani World Tourism Expo highlight the widest variety of Africa’s best tourism products and attract international visitors and media from across the world. The Fair provides a unique opportunity for tourism stakeholders to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business with tourism professionals from both local and various tourism source markets under one roof.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
Akwaaba African Travel Market – Nigeria
Date: 20 -22 September
Venue: Eko Atlantic Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos
Akwaaba African Travel Market (AFTM) is an international travel, tourism and hospitality event organized annually which is aimed at businesses, investors, government’s decision – makers and buyers in the industry, providing business opportunities, industry news and showcasing products in Africa and around the world. It serves as a platform to trade and network. Akwaaba African Travel Market is the first travel market in West Africa.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE)
Date: 7-9 October
Venue: Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi
MKTE is an opportunity to access a gathering of East Africa’s tourism leaders, policy makers, leading tourism products, global buyers and media. MKTE is on a strong growth trajectory. 2019 welcomed over 200 exhibitors from Africa to meet with over 150 global buyers from 25 of Kenya’s key source markets. 6000 pre-scheduled meetings take place at the expo through an effective business matchmaking system, which drives business potential at the expo. Attendees can also participate in seminars and market presentations to gain the latest industry trends. MKTE is designed to boost Africa sales from major global markets and we’re excited at the growth prospects for Kenya in particular.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
Swahili International Tourism Expo (SITE) – Tanzania
Date: 02-04 October 2020
Venue: Mlimani City Conference Centre
Swahili International Tourism Expo focuses on inbound and outbound travel business to and within Africa. The event showcases the travel possibilities in Tanzania within & beyond the well-known attractions in National Parks, around Mount Kilimanjaro and on the beautiful beach Island of Zanzibar.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
International Tourism Exhibition of Abidjan (SITA)– Ivory Coast
Date: 27 – 30 April
Venue: Radisson Blu, Abidjan
Arguably West Africa’s biggest tourism trade show, SITA provides participants the unique opportunity to meet and network with top industry professionals from the region and across the continent and beyond. The event features round table debates, exhibitions, training course for travel agencies, conferences and offer a distinctive chance to get acquainted with West Africa’s tourism offerings and products.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
Meetings and Conferences
63rd CAF Meeting in Seychelles
Date: 25-27 March
Venue: Seychelles
The Commission of Africa (CAF) Meetings are held every year as part of UNWTO’s statutory events. The UNWTO Regional Commission for Africa is the major institutional platform where ministries in charge of tourism discuss the latest trends of the sector at the continental and global level and the implementation of their programme of work.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
Africa Tourism Leadership Forum & Awards – Rwanda
Date: 13 -15 July
Venue: Kigali International Convention Centre
Africa Tourism Leadership Forum (ATLF) is a Pan-African dialogue platform. It brings together key stakeholders of Africa’s travel, tourism, hospitality and aviation sectors to network, share insights, and devise strategies for intra-Africa travel and tourism growth across the continent, whilst enhancing the brand equity of “Destination Africa’’.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
Aviadev Conference – Madagascar
Date: 6-8 May
Venue: Antananarivo-Atsimondrano
AviaDev Africa is the premier forum dedicated to growing connectivity to, from and within the African continent. Bringing together airports, airlines, tourism authorities, governments and industry suppliers, AviaDev offers attendees the ability to pre-arrange meetings in professional surroundings, offering the best chance to make a real connection.
For more information on how one can attend, click here
