The dates are set for Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025 with South African Tourism promising that these pan-African shows will again offer robust agendas featuring a diverse range of exhibitors, insightful workshops and keynote presentations from industry leaders and experts.

Meetings Africa, the continent's premier business events trade show, is set to take place from February 24 to 26 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, in partnership with the Gauteng Tourism Authority and Johannesburg Tourism Company.

Africa’s Travel Indaba will take place from May 12 to 15 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban in partnership with Durban Tourism, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal and the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission.

Meetings Africa

Meetings Africa highlights African business events products and promotes closer collaboration for the continent sector’s growth. By connecting the best of the African business events industry with relevant buyers across the globe, the event creates an environment conducive to transacting and building quality connections.

The event will kick off with a Business Opportunity Networking Day (BONDay) on February 24 next year, 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.

Key statistics from Meetings Africa 2024:

• 382 exhibitors representing 22 African countries displayed the diverse and dynamic nature of the continent's tourism landscape
• 371 international and local buyers attended with a total of 3 480 delegates engaged in the event, underscoring its significance on the global MICE 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 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 around the world to South Africa."

Meetings Africa 2024 had a significant impact on South Africa’s economy, contributing R420 million (€22.3 million) to the GDP and creating over 770 jobs, she added. The event showcased the strength of South Africa’s business events industry as a key driver of economic growth, generating R27 million (€1.4 million) in national tax revenue and providing significant business opportunities for exhibitors, De Lille pointed out.

“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.”

Africa’s Travel Indaba

Africa’s Travel Indaba showcases the continent’s leisure tourism products and promotes partnerships advancing growth. It will also include a BONDay next year, featuring industry and business experts and leaders sharing knowledge.

The 2024 edition of Africa’s Travel Indaba hosted 9 280 registered delegates, marking a 7% increase compared to 2023. A total of 24 000 meetings were conducted between exhibitors and buyers. Additionally, the event featured over 1 200 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 R226 million (€12 million) with a spillover effect contributing an additional R333 million (€17.7 million). The overall contribution to the city's GDP exceeded R500 million (€26.6 million), indicating significant economic benefits, including over 1 000 jobs created for 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 again and, indeed, the rest of our country,” said De Lille.

“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-African leisure global trade show for all our buyers, exhibitors, media and other stakeholders.”