Africa Showcase Australasia has concluded its 2026 roadshow after eleven days of business engagement across Australia and New Zealand, with conversations throughout the four-city programme pointing to a market that is becoming increasingly sophisticated in how it buys and sells Africa.
Held from 20 to 31 July, the roadshow brought African tourism suppliers together with carefully selected travel wholesalers, specialist tour operators and travel advisors in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland. The programme forms part of Africa Showcase’s global trade platform, which has connected African tourism businesses with international buyers since 2007 through focused business-to-business engagements rather than conventional trade exhibitions.
The 2026 edition built on the momentum of last year’s successful Australasia programme, which attracted around 450 travel trade professionals across four cities. It also came against a backdrop of rising demand for African travel from the region, with industry data indicating that Australian spending on travel to Africa has increased by between 20 and 30 percent since 2019, driven by growing interest in luxury, experiential and family travel.
Yet beyond the appointments, networking sessions and destination presentations, the strongest message to emerge from the roadshow was not about visitor numbers or bookings.
It was about the Africa buyers now want to sell.
For decades, East and Southern Africa’s flagship safari destinations have anchored the Australasian market. They remain among the continent’s strongest tourism products, but buyer conversations throughout the roadshow suggested that travellers are increasingly looking beyond the familiar.
The appetite is shifting towards experiences that are more personal, more immersive and often less travelled.
That evolution was evident across each stop of the roadshow.
Brisbane highlighted growing demand for tailor-made itineraries and group travel. Melbourne brought together wholesalers seeking fresh African product, while Sydney attracted high-value travel advisors and specialist buyers from New South Wales. By the time the programme reached Auckland, discussions had increasingly centered on destinations and experiences that extend beyond the continent’s traditional safari circuits.
For Samantha Van Elding, Product Manager for Africa and the Middle East at Adventure World, Africa’s appeal has never rested on a single destination.
“I think one of the great things about sending New Zealanders to Africa is them being able to see and live the documentary,” she said.
She believes the continent’s diversity continues to surprise travellers long after their first visit.
“Africa to me is a destination that is so diverse. It doesn’t matter where you go, it’s unique, amazing experiences that touch your soul and they give you a reason to come back time and time again.”
That sentiment reflects an increasingly mature outbound market where repeat travellers are beginning to shape demand as much as first-time visitors.
Amanda Margison and Jacqui Reynolds Co Founders of Africa Showcase
For African exhibitors, one of the clearest trends emerging from the roadshow was growing interest in destinations beyond the continent’s best-known tourism circuits.
According to Andy, Managing Director of Bench Africa, travellers are increasingly seeking experiences that feel different from traditional safari itineraries.
“What we’ve found tonight is people are looking for something a little bit different than just the run of the mill or another trip to Kruger.”
Instead, he said enquiries are increasingly extending towards destinations that have historically received less international attention.
“They’re looking for something more unique, off the beaten track—Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique—so lots of different ideas.”
For African tourism businesses, that shift presents an important commercial opportunity.
Markets that once concentrated heavily on a handful of destinations are beginning to demonstrate broader geographical curiosity, opening new possibilities for destinations seeking greater visibility in long-haul markets.
The Auckland programme also highlighted another noticeable shift in traveller behavior.
While wildlife remains central to Africa’s appeal, buyers increasingly described holidays in terms of experiences rather than attractions.
For Davina Bonetto of World Journeys, Africa continues to resonate because it offers something fundamentally different from everyday life in New Zealand.
“New Zealanders love Africa because it’s so different from what we know here. It’s the all-inclusive, fabulous holiday that takes you completely out of your comfort zone and makes the most amazing memories.”
She also pointed to growing interest in premium rail experiences across Southern Africa.
“We’re seeing a huge uptake in luxury rail journeys with Rovos Rail.”
The growing popularity of rail travel reflects a broader evolution within African tourism, where slower, experience-led journeys are becoming increasingly attractive to travellers seeking depth rather than simply ticking destinations off a list.
Despite the rapid expansion of digital marketing and virtual sales platforms, the roadshow once again demonstrated the continuing value of direct engagement between African suppliers and specialist buyers.
Unlike large international travel exhibitions, Africa Showcase Australasia focuses on curated meetings with travel professionals who actively sell Africa throughout the year.
For exhibitors, the value extends well beyond immediate commercial opportunities.
Buyer conversations provide real-time insight into changing traveller expectations, allowing destinations, hotels, lodges and destination management companies to refine products, identify emerging trends and better position themselves within one of Africa’s most valuable long-haul markets.
That intelligence has become increasingly important as competition for international travellers intensifies and destinations seek more targeted approaches to market development.
Perhaps the most significant outcome of the 2026 roadshow was the nature of the conversations themselves.
Across Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland, discussions moved comfortably beyond the traditional questions of whether travellers wanted to visit Africa.
Instead, buyers focused on where travellers should go next, how destinations could deliver more authentic experiences and which emerging products best reflected evolving consumer expectations.
That represents a notable shift for African tourism.
It suggests Australasia is becoming not simply a source market for safari holidays but a mature market where repeat visitation, specialist travel and diversified itineraries are reshaping how Africa is packaged and sold.
For African tourism businesses, that evolution creates opportunities well beyond the continent’s established destinations.
As Africa Showcase Australasia concluded its 2026 programme, the message from buyers across Australia and New Zealand was remarkably consistent.
Demand for Africa remains strong, but the market is evolving.
Travellers are looking for authentic experiences, lesser-known destinations, cultural immersion, luxury rail journeys and itineraries that reveal different dimensions of the continent.
For African suppliers, the challenge is no longer convincing Australasians to choose Africa.
It is ensuring the continent continues to offer fresh experiences that encourage them to return, explore further and discover the many stories that lie beyond the classic safari.
