South Africa: Johannesburg, Durban to Host Africa’s Premier Tourism Trade Shows

Johannesburg and Durban have been confirmed as the host cities for Africa’s two flagship tourism trade shows, Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba (ATI) for the next five years, starting in 2026.

Meetings Africa, the continent’s leading business tourism platform, will mark its 20th edition at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, from 23-25 February 2026. Africa’s Travel Indaba, which focused on leisure tourism, will take place from 11-14 May 2026 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban.

Both events serve as critical economic levers, generating leads, promoting investment, and boosting intra-African trade and connectivity.

The Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba are Africa’s leading trade platforms for business and leisure tourism respectively, bringing together buyers, exhibitors, media, and tourism stakeholders from across the continent and the world.

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The decision follows a rigorous and competitive procurement process overseen by South African Tourism, which saw several cities and provinces across the country submitting compelling bids to host the flagship events.

Johannesburg and Durban were selected for their compelling bid commitments, exceptional track records, world-class infrastructure, and alignment with South Africa’s strategic tourism objectives.

Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has congratulated both Johannesburg and Durban, highlighting that the events are not just about tourism, but economic opportunity, job creation, and positioning Africa as a globally competitive destination.

The Minister said the department looks forward to continuing its strong partnerships with both cities and the private sector for the next five years.

“We are committed to supporting the execution of innovative, fit-for-purpose trade shows that deliver real value for all delegates, whether they are buyers, exhibitors, or stakeholders across the tourism value chain.

“We will achieve these, together with the Tourism Business Council South Africa and the various tourism stakeholders,” de Lille said.

Johannesburg Tourism Company Chairperson, Nandipha Zonela, said securing Meetings Africa for another five years underscores the city’s global competitiveness.

“This demonstrates Johannesburg’s competitiveness as a global city – a city that has differentiated itself as an all-year-round travel market leader in South Africa, recording 4.29 million arrivals and achieving R69 billion total tourism spend in 2024. Joburg is honoured to remain the home and heartbeat of Meetings Africa – where Africa connects,” Zonela said.

KwaZulu-Natal’s MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Reverand Musa Zondi, said hosting Africa’s Travel Indaba is a major opportunity for the province to show the world and the tourism trade that KZN “is indeed an exceptional destination, to do business in and come for both leisure and business travel.”

“ATI also presents immeasurable opportunities for our emerging tourism entrepreneurs who can strike business deals that can propel their business to even greater heights. Having KZN as the backdrop of one of the biggest tourism trade shows also positions us as possible film destination for blockbuster movies that can also be shot in KZN,” Zondi said.