The latest edition of Africa’s Travel Indaba (2025) highlighted the economic value of South Africa’s tourism sector.
The projected economic benefits spurred by Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025, from event infrastructure and logistics to accommodation, restaurants, and local transport services, has been significant.
The direct economic impact of Africa’s Travel Indaba on Durban’s GDP is estimated at R574-million, with direct spending totalling more than R232-million, highlighting the substantial economic benefits.
Additionally, the event created over 2,000 jobs, particularly for the youth and local communities, with an anticipated household income contribution exceeding R140 million.
Current figures (still to be audited) indicate that Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025, themed ‘Unlimited Africa’, hosted more than 9,990 attendees, marking an impressive 7.7% increase compared to 9,280 delegates that attended in 2024 with over 24 500 quality meetings held.
The event attracted 1,348 exhibitors and 1037 buyers, with both exhibitor and international buyer numbers being the highest recorded in the past four years. A total of 27 African countries participated, including new entrants from Chad, St Helena, and Burkina Faso.
Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025 was officially opened by His Excellency Paul Mashatile, South Africa’s Deputy President, and Honourable Patricia de Lille, South Africa’s Minister of Tourism.
Nationally, the Department of Tourism, together with various provincial tourism authorities demonstrated their commitment to fostering an inclusive sector by supporting about 400 Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to participate at Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025 granting them crucial access to the diverse array of international and local buyers attending the trade show.
South African Tourism also hosted a sustainability village, providing free exhibition space to small businesses promoting arts and crafts.
INDABA 2025 IMPACTS TOURISM SECTOR
During Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025, Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, reiterated the ambitious targets of the Department’s five-year Tourism Growth Partnership Plan.
These include growing total tourism employment from approximately 1.84 million jobs in 2024 to 2.5 million jobs, increasing domestic spend by 25%, growing tourism’s GDP contribution from 8.8% in 2024 to 10%, and welcoming an extra million international air arrivals annually.
The Minister also spotlighted South African Tourism’s new global brand campaign, “South Africa awaits – Come Find Your Joy!”.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile, in his opening address, championed the ‘Unlimited Africa’ theme as a bold declaration of Africa’s promise.
He highlighted that travel and tourism contributed 6.8% to Africa’s GDP in 2023, with projections indicating a rise to 10.4% by 2030, and for South Africa, tourism currently contributes 8.9% to GDP, supporting 1.68 million jobs, with an ambitious target to grow this to 2.2 million jobs by 2030.
Sandile Makhanya, Acting Marketing and Communications Executive of Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (Durban ICC), addressed the media at the wrap-up of Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025 on 15 May.
“Africa’s Travel Indaba is undeniably our premier event. As the ICC, we are deeply committed to ensuring that this trade event showcases Africa to the world and contributes significantly and sustainably to our local economy. This year, we continued our initiatives to involve students from Durban University of Technology and local culinary talents, providing them with invaluable experience and opportunities within the event.” Makhanya said.
At the wrap-up press conference held yesterday, all parties extended their sincere thanks to members of the media for their extensive and insightful coverage of the trade show, acknowledging the critical role the media plays in sharing the compelling story of an ‘Unlimited Africa’ with the world.
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