Thulani Nzima, Chief Executive Officer, South African Tourism (SAT), has promised the tourism industry an intensely business-focused INDABA 2014. He says next year’s INDABA has risen to the challenge to ensure that INDABA is revamped, relevant and future proof. “Our commitment is to the industry; it’s our job to identify, attract and assemble the very best buyers and exhibitors who have a common purpose, to connect and to share. As an extension of this, the primary purpose of INDABA is to construct an unrivaled environment for people to do business. The African continent is potentially the biggest travel and tourism opportunity in the world right now. Therefore INDABA 2014 is the paramount gateway to networking, planning and writing business. No other show has stood the test of time on our continent like INDABA, and we’re doing everything we possibly can to fundamentally take it to the next level. Join us as we modernise INDABA, for our country and industry,” he stated.
Nzima explained that South African Tourism had commenced a three-year journey to make INDABA the vortex that fuels the Southern African (and now rest of Africa) travel and tourism industry, ensuring it provides the best possible environment to facilitate quality meetings. INDABA, he said, was on an irrevocable path to being a genuinely pan-African travel trade show that offers buyers the best and the widest diversity of African product under one roof. In response to demand, South African Tourism had invited all of Africa to INDABA 2014.
Hanneli Slabber, Country Head India, South African Tourism said, “As it grows bigger and better every year, INDABA 2014 will undeniably be the most significant event in South African Tourism’s calendar. Through INDABA, the Indian trade will witness the best and the extensive array of African products across the spectrum of tourism industry and the innumerable portfolio of activities on offer for tourists, all under one roof. Hundreds of exhibitors and varied business opportunities will reinforce INDABA’s success as the largest tourism marketing event in Africa. With a consistent increase in the number of travellers visiting South Africa from India, it is essential that the travel trade in India is equipped with destination knowledge that enhances their expertise and allows them to sell South Africa as a tourist destination to Indian travellers. We look forward to a great participation from India this year and the experience will surely aid in enhancing the growth of tourism in South Africa.”
This year, buyers came to INDABA from 77 countries around the world, and in 2014 this number is expected to grow. INDABA 2014 will give the world’s travel and tourism buyers an unequalled opportunity to do business with more than 1 600 African exhibitors, at a show that prides itself on being the biggest and broadest, must attend, mass-market travel trade show on the continent.
“INDABA is the only true travel and trade show that is owned within Africa. As the host country, South Africa is excited to unite with its fellow Africans, to join forces and actively raise the profile of our continent in the travel and tourism sector. International buyers don’t see boarders, so we are expecting to improve both the number and quality of INDABA buyers at INDABA as a result.”
INDABA 2013, Nzima revealed, was attended by 2 341 local and international buyers, 249 of who were top international buyers hosted by South African Tourism. “INDABA 2014 will attract more than 6 400 leading professionals and companies to meet and do business in Durban over the three days. Already, more than 200 exhibitors have reserved their space at INDABA 2014. South African Tourism expects 3,000 influential global buyers to come to INDABA 2014. No less than 800 journalists from all over the world are expected to attend, affording exciting media coverage to many exhibitors,” he added.
To illustrate the commitment to re-energise and reposition INDABA as the must-attend travel and tourism exhibition, a number of exciting changes are planned for 2014. They include a brand new match-making system that will ensure the most appropriate meetings for both exhibitors and buyers to make optimal use of their time; a new Travel Technology zone that will showcase all the latest travel tech trends that impact the industry; and most importantly a designated Business Hub zone with back-to-back table-top meetings, simulating more business than ever before as exhibitors are guaranteed access to top quality hosted buyers.
