One of South Africa's biggest travel trade shows is coming back in 2022. After Africa's Travel Indaba was postponed in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the organisers have decided to bring it back next year.
This is because of the reopening of international travel and the swift vaccination process.
In addition to the Indaba, the sought after Meetings Africa will also take place. The last Meetings Africa was hosted in February 2020.
Meetings Africa will take place from February 28, 2022, to March March, 2022, at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
Africa’s Travel Indaba will be hosted from May 2 to 5 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban.
Both will be hosted as in-person events with limited virtual components.
South African Tourism acting CEO Sthembiso Dlamini said: “We are very pleased to bring Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba back.
“The need for physical events and face-to-face encounters is evident in both the industry and the public. The experiences over the last months have shown that on-location events can take place safely and successfully, and demonstrate how important they are for dialogue and exchange.
"We recently hosted Africa’s Travel and Tourism Summit, a hybrid format which was well-executed and attended, bringing the tourism sector together for the common purpose of reigniting the tourism sector.“
While Africa’s Travel and Tourism Summit was not a replacement for Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba, it did provide a platform to showcase the continent’s leisure tourism offerings and business event capabilities.
Dlamini added: “Hosting Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba will certainly show our exhibitors, buyers, and the world that South Africa is open for business and that the South African tourism sector has world-class Covid-19 safety protocols in place to deliver on memorable experiences and events. South Africa is ready and well prepared to welcome delegates from across the world.“
Registration details for delegate participation for these trade shows will be announced in due course.