Africa Travel Indaba 2025 ends in South Africa

This year’s Africa Travel Indaba 2025 has officially ended, leaving attendees and exhibitors alike buzzing with excitement and newfound opportunities.

The event, which officially kicked off on Tuesday, May 13, once again proved to be a premier platform for showcasing Africa’s rich tourism offerings.

It offered fostering networking, and driving business partnerships by bringing together over 2,500 tourism stakeholders from across the continent to promote intra-Africa travel, investment and innovation in the sector.

Held on the theme “Unlimited Africa,” exhibitors lauded this year’s Africa Travel Indaba for providing the platform to promote their works, connect with new markets, and strike strategic partnerships.

One of the exhibitors from South Africa, Sheiley Singh, who deals in spicy products, said the exposure this year was unmatched.

She said it gave her the opportunity to introduce her products to buyers from all over Africa.

An exhibitor from Nigeria, Fatima Abdullahi, said the event offered her the chance to showcase Nigeria’s rich traditional food.

She said there was a surge in interest and she was able to meet her target.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Chief Marketing Officer of South African Tourism, Thembisile Sehloho, celebrated the growing spirit of unity and collaboration across the continent.

“It’s really underpinned by true joy, the joy that people find in tourism. As Africans, we must co-create a sustainable tourism ecosystem rather than compete with one another. 

“We envision a one-stop Africa where travelers can land in Nigeria and seamlessly journey through South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Ghana, and beyond,” she said.

Mrs Sehloho emphasised the importance of culture as Africa’s soft power, urging countries to invest and showcase immersive cultural experiences that are uniquely African, rather than allowing others to commercialise and benefit from them.

She highlighted the impressive turnout at this year’s Indaba, noting that the attendance was 9,900, exceeding the expected 9,600.

“This is our show—yes, it’s held in South Africa, but it belongs to the whole continent. I hope next year, we can have 50 African countries exhibiting. That would be a true celebration of African tourism,” Mrs Sehloho said.