Eastern Cape small businesses win big at this year’s Africa’s Travel Indaba

The 2024 instalment of the continent’s premier travel trade show, Africa’s Travel Indaba, kicked off on a high note at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, with the Trade Floor opening that was attended by delegates  ready to do business.

This year’s Africa’s Travel Indaba, themed “Unlimited Africa” features more bolstered engagement sessions, and networking opportunities. Tourism Minister, Honourable Patricia De Lille said the theme was apt because it spoke to the unlimited potential of the continent, which boasted diverse landscapes, cultures and experiences that offered limitless possibilities for growth and exploration.

During the Trade Show, buyers have the opportunity to engage directly with exhibitors, exploring new business opportunities and foster connections for future business.  In total, about 1 261 exhibitors and 25 African countries represented and over 1 000 buyers from 55 countries. Of the African countries, there are two news countries Guinea and Eritrea.

ATI showcases a wide variety of Africa’s best tourism products, and attracts African exhibitors, international and local buyers and media from across the world. The Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) yet agin this year brought a number of small to medium size businesses, to showcase the variety of products and services they offer, to local and international buyers attending the Africa’s top travel show.

The agency’s goal and main focus is to empower the products and services by information sharing that eventually leads to financial success and job creation. Amongst the agency’ strategies to promote the province as a preferred destination for travel, leisure, heritage and food experiences, is that it uses platforms such as Africa’s Travel Indaba, the World Travel Market, to mention a few trade shows that enhance the opportunities the province’s tourism products and services to network and seal new deals with buyers and investors cross the country and cross-border.

Chumile Travel and Tours, a tour operating company based in Gqeberha offering shuttle services and tailored tours from Gqeberha along the Garden Route, Tshitshikama, Mossel Bay into George amongst other packages they offer clients. Operations Manager at Chumile Travel and Tours Lazola Mcetywa, encored the words of enhancing partnerships in the sector instead of competing, as another way of growing the sector.

“We have ocean safaris within the ocean that are located in Gqeberha, where you can see the islands including vintage houses located in the vicinity of the island, the lighthouse where one can see penguins. We also take tourists around local restaurants owned by the locals that offer tardional cuisine, township and city tours including the game reserves that are breathe-taking for everyone to see.”, said Mcetywa.

Africa’s Travel Indaba’s contribution to the province’s GDP was between R22 million and R260 million per year between 2004 and 2022, equating to a R3 billion impact, spreading across the country through the utilization of products and services on offer post Indaba.   

Minister De Lille also went on a walkabout, engaging delegates and exhibitors throughout the ICC precinct and at the Durban Exhibition Centre.