Two signature global trade shows – Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba – will be back next year.

This was confirmed earlier today by South African Tourism, highlighting that both shows will be hosted as physical events, with limited virtual components.

The last Meetings Africa was hosted in February 2020 and Indaba did not take place in 2020 or 2021 due to global travel restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meetings Africa will take place from February 28 to March 2 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, while Africa’s Travel Indaba will be hosted from May 2 to 5 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban.

“We are very pleased to bring Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba back. The need for physical events and face-to-face encounters is evident. The experiences over the last months have shown that on-location events can take place safely and successfully, and demonstrate how important they are for dialogue and exchange,” said Sthembiso Dlamini, Acting CEO of South African Tourism.

Dlamini pointed to the recent hybrid-format Africa’s Travel and Tourism Summit that took place in September as an example.

“While Africa’s Travel and Tourism Summit was not a replacement for Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba, it did provide a platform to showcase the African continent’s leisure tourism offerings and business event capabilities,” she said.

According to Dlamini, hosting Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba will show exhibitors, buyers and the world, that South Africa is open for business and that the South African tourism sector has world-class COVID-19 safety protocols in place to deliver on memorable experiences and events.

“South Africa is ready and well prepared to welcome delegates from across the world,” she said.

Registration details for both shows will be announced soon.