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S tourism Africa’s Travel Indaba is the biggest tourism exhibition show in Africa MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Siboniso Duma speaks to Service about the economic benefits that the Indaba brings to the province. Why is it important for KwaZulu-Natal to host an event like Africa’s Travel Indaba? Hosting an event like Africa’s Travel Indaba assists us in positioning KwaZulu-Natal as an international brand and a must-visit destination. Africa’s Travel Indaba is attended by over 6 000 delegates from all over the world that come to the Indaba to look for destinations to sell and package to their clients back home. We have the benefit of hosting Africa’s Travel Indaba right here in our province and in that way international buyers experience first-hand what we have on offer. They get to sample our tourist experiences, stay in our hotels, meet our people and experience our cuisines. They get a realistic view of how easy it is to access our destination. What are some of the economic benefits for KwaZulu- Natal to host an event like Africa’s Travel Indaba? The total direct spend generated by Africa’s Travel Indaba in 2022 was R41.5-million with a provincial gross domestic product (GDP) contribution of R120.7-million and an annualised employment contribution of 243. Considering that this was the first Africa’s Travel Indaba after the global Covid-19 lockdowns, I was confident that this year we would be bigger and better. It lived up to all expectations. How do ordinary citizens of the province benefit from events such as Africa’s Travel Indaba? When we host events of such magnitude, the tourism sector remains a key economic driver as hotels are full, restaurants are buzzing with patrons and car-hire services and shuttles have an ongoing flow of clients. So, tourism’s value chain becomes economical. Therefore, the sector can retain much-needed jobs and the people of KwaZulu- Natal can reap boundless paybacks from a robust economy. Are there any platforms for emerging tourism entrepreneurs from KwaZulu-Natal at Africa’s Travel Indaba this year? Yes, we had 15 emerging tourism business entrepreneurs exhibiting at Africa’s Travel Indaba. They showcased their businesses to 14 | Service magazine
tourism S Hosting an event like the Indaba assists us in positioning KwaZulu- Natal as an international brand and a must-visit destination. international buyers that were keen to sell KwaZulu- Natal and are looking for exciting and innovative tourism products to package and promote to their markets. Additional SMMEs exhibited at the “Unique Experiences Village” with the national Department of Tourism. There was a “Sustainability Village” where young business owners, such as crafters and fashion designers, sold their products to Indaba delegates. What are some of the opportunities that have been given to young people, especially those that wish to be part of the tourism sector at Africa’s Travel Indaba? Through Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, we have an ambassador programme that targets tourism students and graduates where about 40 worked during Africa’s Travel Indaba to assist delegates with information and how best to navigate through the Indaba as well as to engage them on tourism experiences that they should explore while visiting KwaZulu-Natal. S Service magazine | 15
