A group of small South African tourism businesses – hosted by South African Tourism in partnership with the Small Tourism Enterprise Association (STEA) – are making waves on the international stage at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) this week.

ATM is the leading Middle East B2B exhibition, and brings together over 2 800 exhibitors and 26 000 visitors from around the world to meet, network and do business. The four-day show concludes tomorrow (May 4) at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The tourism industry was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) were hit hardest. The inclusion of SMMEs at ATM is expected to yield positive results, not only for the participating businesses but for the industry as a whole.

“SMMEs are a very critical part of our tourism offering. Through these businesses, we are able to showcase a wide range of tourism products and experiences that travellers are looking for. By having these SMMEs taking part at trade shows of this magnitude, we are able to fully show the world what our country has to offer as a business events and leisure destination,” said South African Tourism Chief Operations Officer, Nomasonto Ndlovu.

In 2022 South Africa welcomed 5.7 million visitors from various parts of the world. Middle Eastern arrivals amounted to 40 600. 

According to Ndlovu, the Middle East is the only market to have fully recovered in terms of air capacity. The number of seats available to South Africa from the region in 2023 is 95.9% of the seats that were available pre-pandemic in 2019. Arrivals from the Middle East region have surpassed pre-pandemic levels and now represent 0.7% of all arrivals.

“The UAE, and more specifically Dubai, is home to many expats This presents a wonderful opportunity for SMMEs to meet and engage a broader audience and create lasting impressions. By participating in events such as the Arabian Travel Market, they get to expand their reach beyond local boundaries,” said Ndlovu.

Jabu Matsilele, Chairperson of STEA, emphasised the importance of market access for small businesses. "It plays a key role as a strategy for transformation in the industry, where historically disadvantaged enterprises are still at the bottom of the pyramid. The domination of large companies across various value chains makes it challenging for small businesses to operate within the value chain. Therefore, platforms like ATM offer invaluable market access opportunities for small businesses to participate in both global and local markets."

STEA’s core mission is to empower small businesses through engagement, employment, and active participation in the tourism sector. “This partnership demonstrates SA Tourism’s commitment to supporting the growth and success of small businesses in the tourism sector,” said Ndlovu.