Africa’s Travel Indaba opened on Monday morning in Durban with a strong message on collaboration, culture, and recovery in the tourism sector. Hosted by South African Tourism, the continent’s largest leisure tourism trade show began with Business Opportunity Networking Day (BONDay), drawing industry professionals from across Africa.
Thembisile Sehloho, Chief Marketing Officer of SA Tourism, introduced a new global brand campaign to tourism communicators and media, receiving strong support for its focus on cultural storytelling. Sehloho stressed the importance of people and heritage in shaping Africa’s tourism narrative, urging provinces to tailor the campaign to share local experiences.
South Africa awaits! At the Tourism Communicators Forum, Thembisile Sehloho, CMO of SA Tourism, shared an overview of the new global brand campaign and the response was overwhelmingly positive.#G20SouthAfrica #ATI2025 #SouthAfricaAwaits pic.twitter.com/CmqnbbGGj6
— SA Travel Trade (@SATravelTrade) May 12, 2025
During a media briefing with Chinese journalists, Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille announced that tourist visas to South Africa are now being processed in under 72 hours. She also revealed that more direct flight routes are being planned, and a follow-up trade mission to China is underway to deepen tourism partnerships.
Speakers throughout the day called for deeper engagement with local communities to build a more resilient tourism industry. The COVID-19 pandemic’s lasting effects were part of the discussion, with sustainability identified as a major growth area for the sector.
Captain Londy Ngcobo, Africa’s first female Dredge Master, inspired delegates with a call to authenticity: “Your story is not just what you tell the world, it’s what the world experiences through you.”
The CEO of SA Tourism, Nombulelo Guliwe, described BONDay as the driving force behind Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025, while Prof. Gregory urged stakeholders to approach tourism with purpose, reminding delegates that tourism is about connection, community, and impact.
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