South Africa is one of 192 countries participating at the World Expo 2020 Dubai (held from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022) and, for the month of December, the exhibition – at the Opportunity Pavilion – will focus on tourism.

Throughout the month, visitors to the pavilion will be exposed to all South Africa has to offer business and leisure tourists in all nine provinces through a series of digital content exhibitions, showcases and networking sessions.

Programmes conducted by the Department of Tourism and South African Tourism will also be featured.

“Due to the latest red listing, travel bans and travel advisories, we’ve had to be innovative in our approach to showing the world that South Africa is still a must-visit destination,” said Minister of Tourism, Lindiwe Sisulu.

Despite SA having to cut down on the number of delegates attending the Expo, the message is still clear – South Africa is safe to visit and it has some of the best COVID-19 protocols in place to ensure enjoyable and memorable experiences.

“It’s really exciting to see us promote our beautiful country on a global platform again, and the world will see that, despite the attempt by some to close us off, we are a resilient country and our tourism offerings remain attractive, whilst offering variety for everyone’s tastes,” added Sisulu.

Tourism Month at Expo on the South African pavilion was the result of 18 months of strategising and intense planning to be able deliver an “excellent showcase” of the best of South Africa, said Chief Marketing Officer at SA Tourism, Mzilikazi Themba Khumalo.

“We’ve had limited global opportunities to maximise on over the last year and half to really show the full might of our tourism potential,” he said.

“That is why this opportunity at Expo is so important for us as we engage on a B2B and B2C level to really hit home the message of South Africa as a truly remarkable destination to visit.”