By Simon Nare
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille says planning for Africa Travel Indaba 2027 is already under way, with the event set for a revamp that will bring in sponsors and private partners as South Africa looks to strengthen its global tourism competitiveness.
Speaking during a stakeholder webinar ahead of Africa Travel Indaba 2026 on Wednesday, De Lille said tourism must be treated as a central pillar of the country’s economic growth strategy.
“Next year’s event will be different because we are going to bring in partnerships and sponsorships. We must have been more or less doing the same thing for 30 years; if you use the same business module over and over again but expect different results, you are not going to get it,” she said.
She called on the public and the tourism sector to share concepts and ideas on how the revamp should be done and to ensure that Indaba 2027 is improved.
“We must also look at how we make the event more appealing to ensure its longevity for the next 40 or 50 years. Let’s engage to help us have a brand-new Africa Travel Indaba next year,” she said.
She said that the new business module will not exclude anyone, particularly small businesses who benefit from the department, which funds their exhibitions.
The minister said the cost of living has affected domestic tourism — which is the bedrock of the country’s tourism — and generates more revenue than international tourism.
She said there was a lack of marketing initiatives to draw the attention of domestic travellers to what was happening in the country.
De Lille said domestic tourism “must be front and centre of what we are doing”. The sector was failing to capitalise on major local events, she said.
She cited the example of a Soweto derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates being hosted in Durban, saying the tourism industry was often unprepared to turn such occasions into travel opportunities.
She said these events should be used more aggressively to market travel packages for football supporters, while also directing visitors to guest houses in townships and surrounding villages.
“We are not proactive with our own national events. We must have a calendar of national events where we can all work together and produce packages,” she said.
De Lille also stressed the importance of the rest of Africa as South Africa’s largest and most resilient source market, saying Africa’s Travel Indaba was more than a trade show, and served as a platform for continental economic cooperation.
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