Positive vibe at South African Travel Indaba: ‘More attention for less beaten paths’

The Netherlands has the Vakantiebeurs, Germany has the ITB and England has the WTM, but everyone who sells South Africa and its neighboring countries wants to be present at Africa’s Travel Indaba. At the invitation of South Africa Tourism, TravMagazine went to Durban for the 44th edition of the event.

Africa’s Travel Indaba, owned by South African Tourism, is an iconic African leisure fair and aims to create market access to African leisure tourism products. Dirk de Bruijne, owner/COO AfrikaPlus, Aeroglobe International, had high expectations before the start. ‘In the 25 years that our company has existed, we have visited South Africa and the trade fair many times. Indaba is the place where South Africa and East Africa come together. As a buyer, I am always looking for novelties for our customers and I was positively surprised by the abundance of inspiration and valuable connections, because to be honest, that has not been the case in the past. Glad to see that the fair is back to business.’

Charm

Dirk, like other colleagues, was able to get (re)acquainted with KwaZulu-Natal, the province that hosted Africa’s Travel Indaba this year. Kim Nooyens, owner of Reisbrigade and Kuyo Afrika and chairman of VvKR, traveled to South Africa several times and previously to KwaZulu-Natal in 2022. ‘Before I left, I was very curious about the Midlands and Nambiti. On the spot I was very impressed by the rock paintings at Kamberg and the helicopter flight at sunrise. This province has so much to offer. Many travellers focus on St. Lucia and Hluhluwe, but there is so much more.’ The Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, also emphasizes the charm of this part of South Africa in her opening speech, praising the World Heritage Sites, rich history, and diverse cultural experiences in the area.

Growth, hidden gems and sustainability

‘We are all here with one goal: to grow our tourism sector enormously and we do this by working together,’ De Lille said in her opening speech. “We are pleased to have made significant progress in the number of tourists arriving. Looking at January to March 2024, we see a robust and growing South African tourism sector, with a total of 2.4 million international tourists. This represents an increase of 15.4% compared to the same period in 2023. Much has been achieved since last year’s Africa’s Travel Indaba, in which South Africa’s Cabinet approved the tourism sector master plan, which includes a post-COVID-19 recovery plan.’

The fact that an upward trend can be observed has not escaped Abby Jacobs, acting head of the North Europe Hub and therefore responsible for the Dutch market. ‘The Dutch market already reached the visitor numbers of 2019 in March.’

New places

In order to continue to attract the Dutch market, South Africa Tourism focuses on hidden gems. The minister emphasizes that, in addition to the fact that South Africa is good value for money and the sun and beaches are fantastic, the focus should be more on diversity. More attention to less beaten paths. That’s why more than 120 small organisations have been invited to represent these gems on the exhibition floor, so that the traveller no longer only visits Table Mountain and goes on safari, but also discovers places such as Franschhoek or the largest, but least populated province of the Northern Cape.

Nombulelo Guliwe, the CEO of South Africa Tourism, who took office in March, likes to focus on responsible and sustainable travel. ‘Leave the place you came from better than how you found it’, is her credo. ‘We invest a lot in the field of sustainability, but at the same time there are always challenges. We are therefore happy that our team at South Africa Tourism in the Netherlands is helping us with this. Together, we can ensure that tourism also benefits the local population and not just the multinationals, which is also a form of sustainable travel.’

Speed marketing

The fact that Africa’s Travel Indaba is not just about scheduled appointments is immediately apparent on the first morning when a breakfast moment is planned for the invitees. While enjoying a snack and a drink, the attendees will be updated by the mayor and other speakers. For those who, before the official opening time of the fair, want to get to know different travel companies in a short time, join the so-called speed marketing sessions between half past eight and ten in the morning, in which a different theme is central every day, ranging from culture & township, active adventure & seaside resorts and wildlife & camping. Through a short elevator pitch supported by audiovisual material, the speakers put themselves and their company in the spotlight. If you want to know more, you can visit the exhibition floor for more information afterwards.

Yoga

The second morning starts early. Pretty early. Exactly at 6:00 a.m., the annual Fun Run will kick off, this year organized by the Robben Island Museum and graced by the rousing dance and music from KwaZulu-Natal. Exhibitors, speakers, buyers, they all put their best foot forward on the beachfront promenade in Durban.

For those who prefer to take it easy, take part in a yoga session with a view of the waves of the Indian Ocean, whether or not after the five-kilometre running event. Tomas Tiekstra, Travel Consultant at Yaxa Reizen, is one of those early birds. It is his fourth time in South Africa, but his first visit to Africa’s Travel Indaba. ‘My diary was full of appointments with representatives of accommodations, wildlife parks and various regions, among other things. It’s nice to get to know these providers and fellow visitors better in this informal atmosphere.’

Once again

The Dutchman, as is evident from the various presentations, press moments and conversations with South Africa Tourism, is a welcome guest. The same Dutchman is also happy to return to South Africa. More than half of the travelers plan a follow-up visit. The luxury(er) traveler and the safari enthusiast know how to find the destination, which is why the focus is on the wanderlust generation. Those who want to discover, appreciate hidden gems and go for sustainability. In doing so, SAT not only opens up a new target group, but also prevents overtourism in popular places in the country.

Important market

According to Julia Louw, head of tourism at WESGRO (Cape Town & Western Cape tourism, trade & investment), this wanderlust generation is exactly the right description of its Dutch target group. ‘This group of travellers loves the outdoors, wants to meet the locals and get to know local customs. These travellers usually stay for a long(er) period of time and once they have taken South Africa to their hearts through the special moments in our region, they come back and continue to do so.’

Ntwanano Mtungwa, Executive Manager Tourism Region Mpumalanga, also emphasizes that the Dutch market is an important market. What would he like to pass on to the visitor? ‘Ubuntu’, which means ‘I am human, because it is you’. ‘That’s how you learn to do things, like the locals do.’

Seeing is selling

After three full, intensive and instructive exhibition days, it is time to head into South Africa. Under the guise of seeing is selling, the Dutch invitees set off in two groups. One group awaits an adventurous adventure in KwaZulu-Natal, complete with ziplining, hiking in nature and spending the night among the wildlife. The other group will immerse themselves in the Stellenbosch wine region and take a segway tour and jeep safari among the vines. In the remaining time, they will discover the highlights of Cape Town.

Why you want to be at Africa’s Travel Indaba…

Got excited? Then make sure you’re there next year. As a hosted buyer, you will easily get to know more than twenty African countries and more than a thousand exhibitors, ranging from accommodation providers, airlines, DMCs and companies specialized in safaris, wildlife or lodges.

Marjolein Schipper-Rutten, owner of TravelMood, traveled to South Africa more than twenty-five times and the 2024 edition of Africa’s Travel Indaba was her fourth visit to the fair. ‘In order to gain product knowledge, my focus was on making appointments (easy to schedule via the exhibition app, ed.) with new providers. In addition, it is also fun and educational to catch up with existing relations. In addition to being busy, the three days on the exhibition floor are also the ideal way to quickly gain a lot of knowledge. Thanks to the versatile offer, you will be completely up-to-date in just a few days.’

‘A visit to this fair is an absolute must’, says Leonie Wünker, Operational Manager at Klooster Reizen. ‘You can really ask the exhibitors anything, I have gained so much knowledge that I can in turn share with colleagues from the office.’

Titia Doornbos Clevering, ZRA at TUI at Home, adds: ‘Not only did I learn a lot during the hours on the exhibition floor, but also from all the stories of my fellow travellers that they shared about their experiences and companies.’

You will definitely find us again in 2025 in Durban, Africa’s Travel Indaba, see you next year.