Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025 Opens with Powerful Call for Collaboration and Innovation
Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025 launched purposefully and passionately on its Business Opportunity Networking Day (BONDay), held on 12 May at Durban’s Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre. As reported by South African Tourism, the prelude to the continent’s leading leisure tourism trade show drew a full house of industry leaders, media, and stakeholders under the inspiring theme “Unlimited Africa”—a celebration of Africa’s limitless tourism potential and a rallying cry for cross-border collaboration.
A Platform for Pan-African Unity and Purpose
The day’s momentum was set early, led by charismatic media personality Carol Ofori and supported by seasoned hosts Gerry Rantseli Elsdon, Lynette Ntuli, and Nongcebo McKenzie. Delegates engaged in three thematic content streams—Umlilo (Discovery), Amanzi (Connection), and Umhlaba (Growth)—designed to spark dialogue and address the sector’s most urgent challenges and opportunities.
South African Tourism CEO Nombulelo Guliwe positioned BONDay as “the true hub and engine of the Indaba,” emphasising that collaboration was not just a theme but a strategy for growth. “The best minds in the tourism industry have gathered not just to attend, but to create this event’s success,” she said.
Adding emotional resonance, Captain Londi ‘Blaqmermaid’ Ngcobo, Africa’s first female dredge master, captivated attendees with a spoken word performance urging a move “beyond transactions” toward connection, impact, and authenticity—“the currencies of modern tourism.”
Professor Gregory Davids, Chairperson of the South African Tourism Board, captured the collective spirit with a powerful African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Key Themes: Authenticity, Innovation, and Sustainable Growth
Throughout the day, three overarching themes surfaced as central to shaping Africa’s tourism future:
- Owning the African Narrative: Speakers echoed the need for the continent to define and broadcast its own story to the world. Dr. Vumi Msweli asked, “Who are we as a country?”. At the same time, Bronwen Auret of South African Tourism reminded attendees that “our X-factor is our people,” advocating for truly local experiences. Food creator Nick Hamman described cuisine as “a conduit to culture,” urging destinations to use culinary storytelling as a competitive asset.
- Innovation and Digital Agility: The role of technology and creative marketing was front and centre. “TikTok is the new Google,” noted South African Tourism’s CMO, Thembisile Sehloho, stressing the importance of authenticity and peer-driven content. From Amapiano music tours to film tourism, sessions explored emerging trends, with TBCSA CEO Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa highlighting the urgent need for accessible systems to empower SMMEs.
- Collaboration, Value, and Sustainability: Calls for broader representation beyond marquee destinations were clear. “South Africa is more than just Cape Town,” said Jacqui Mabuza of Cruises International. COO Darryl Erasmus urged the industry to deliver real value, while sustainability was consistently framed not only as an environmental imperative but also a socioeconomic opportunity.
Setting the Stage for Impact
Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025 began not with a trade show, but with a powerful conversation—one that acknowledged the continent’s untapped potential and embraced a unified vision for progress. By focusing on authentic storytelling, smart innovation, meaningful partnerships, and responsible growth, BONDay didn’t just open the event—it set the tone for what Africa’s tourism can and should become.
