South African Tourism-owned Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba are set to return in 2025, enhancing business connections and networking opportunities once more. These pan-African shows will feature robust agendas with a diverse range of exhibitors, insightful workshops, and keynote presentations from industry leaders and experts, providing opportunities for global tourism professionals to connect, collaborate, and create lasting value and economic impact.
Meetings Africa, the continent’s premier business events trade show, is scheduled to take place from 24-26 February at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, Gauteng province, in partnership with the Gauteng Tourism Authority and Johannesburg Tourism Company.
Africa’s Travel Indaba will be held from 12-15 May at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre in Durban, in partnership with Durban Tourism, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, and the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission.
Meetings Africa
Meetings Africa focuses on highlighting the African business events products and promoting closer collaboration for the continent sector’s growth. The show will again feature a dedicated educational programme that unites and builds partnerships, driving the business events sector forward. By connecting the best of the African business events industry with relevant buyers from across the globe, Meetings Africa creates an environment conducive to transacting and building quality connections.
Meetings Africa 2025 will commence with a Business Opportunity Networking Day (BONDay) on 24 February 2025, providing a platform for professionals to forge new partnerships, explore collaborative ventures, and gain invaluable insights from industry experts. This exclusive prelude sets the stage for the main event, ensuring attendees maximise their networking potential.
Under the theme, “Africa’s Success Built on Quality Connections”, Meetings Africa emphasises the importance of forging strong, meaningful relationships in driving the continent’s economic progress and industry innovation. The trade show will also provide a platform to showcase Africa’s leading and diverse business event offerings to decision-makers from key source markets worldwide.
Meetings Africa 2024 in numbers:
• 382 exhibitors representing 22 African countries displayed the diverse and dynamic nature of the continent’s tourism landscape.
• 371 international and local buyers were in attendance, with a total of 3,480 delegates engaged in the event, underscoring its significance in the global MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) calendar.
• Over 8,150 meetings were conducted between buyers and exhibitors, highlighting the event’s role in creating substantial business opportunities.
• The airline pavilion featured nine airlines, emphasising the critical role of aviation in connecting the continent.
• 25 SMMEs (Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises) displayed their innovative solutions, demonstrating Africa’s entrepreneurial spirit.
• 179 members of the media provided extensive coverage, amplifying the event’s reach and impact.
• In total, 63 countries were represented.
“Meetings Africa 2025 is not just a trade show; it’s a catalyst for business success,” said Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille. “We look forward to welcoming exhibitors and buyers from our continent and from around the world to South Africa.”
“Meetings Africa 2024 has had a significant impact on South Africa’s economy, contributing R420 million to the GDP and creating over 770 jobs. The event showcased the strength of South Africa’s business events industry as a key driver of economic growth, generating R27 million in national tax revenue and providing significant business opportunities for exhibitors. Beyond economic gains, Meetings Africa emphasised sustainable practices and supported small local businesses, provided great networking opportunities for exhibitors from the rest of the continent, further elevating South Africa’s profile as an attractive and appealing destination for global conferences and events,” Minister de Lille added.
Meetings Africa dates:
February, 24 2025: Business Opportunities Networking Day (BONDay)
February 25-26, 2025: Exhibition Days
Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg
Africa’s Travel Indaba
Africa’s Travel Indaba focuses on showcasing the African continent’s leisure tourism products and promoting partnerships geared towards advancing the continent’s growth. Africa’s Travel Indaba will also lead with a Business Opportunity Networking Day featuring industry and business experts and leaders sharing knowledge.
The 2024 edition of Africa’s Travel Indaba hosted 9280 registered delegates, marking an incredible 7% increase when compared to 2023. No less than 24,000 meetings were held between exhibitors and buyers. Additionally, the event featured over 1200 exhibitors who displayed an impressive array of African tourism products and experiences.
The economic activities triggered by Africa’s Travel Indaba, from event infrastructure to accommodation establishments, restaurants, and shuttle services, were significant.
The direct economic impact on the city was no less than R226 million, with a spillover effect contributing an additional R333 million. The overall contribution to the city’s GDP exceeded R500 million, indicating significant economic benefits and over 1 000 jobs created, especially for the youth.
“For Africa’s Travel Indaba we look forward to working with all our partners to showcase the city of Durban and the greater Kwa Zulu-Natal province once again and, indeed, the rest of our country. Given the continent’s wide variety of tourism products and experiences, Africa’s Travel Indaba showcases a wide variety of exhibitors and continues to be the best Pan Africa leisure global trade show for all our buyers, exhibitors, media and other stakeholders,” Minister de Lille said.
Looking forward to 2025, both Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba, will be tailored to provide immersive experiences and provide excellent value for exhibitors, buyers and media alike.
By connecting the best of the African leisure and business events industry with relevant buyers from across the globe, both Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba create an environment conducive to transacting and building quality connections.
Africa’s Travel Indaba Dates:
May 12, 2025: Business Opportunity Networking Day (BONDay)
May 13-15 2025: Exhibition Days
Venue: Durban International Convention Centre
Image caption: Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, during the official opening of Meetings Africa 2024.
