WTM sees over 50% boost in attendance

17 Apr 2024 - by Adele Mackenzie

Carol Weaving, Managing Director of RX Africa.

WTM Africa – held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from April 10 to 13 – celebrated its 10^th anniversary last week with a 53% increase in attendees compared to the previous year.

This massive surge in participation, with unaudited numbers indicating representation from 88 countries worldwide, signals a bright future for the African tourism industry, said Carol Weaving, Managing Director of RX Africa.

She commented: “We are incredibly proud to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Africa Travel Week (ATW) with such a phenomenal turnout. This growth is a testament to the resilience and rising global appeal of the African tourism industry. We're excited to contribute to the continued success and positive transformation of travel on the continent.”

Weaving told Tourism Update that she was upbeat about the next 10 years, anticipating further growth in local, regional and international buyers, exhibitors and attendees. “We’re even looking at expanding the show to the venue across the road,” she said.

“We’ve come of age and have implemented all the learning we’ve acquired over the past 10 years to ensure we deliver excellent return on investment for buyers and exhibitors alike,” she said.

Weaving pointed out that the high result-driven three-day event pay-off was the result of 365 days of hard work. “We see WTM Africa as a serious business show. Yes, there are fun elements and strong networking opportunities, but we spend a lot of time on our buyers’ programmes.”

She said RX used extensive data to gain insights for strong conference content and to ensure the right suppliers meet the right buyers.

A key point re the buyers who attended, highlighted Weaving, was that 75% of all the buyers who attended were final decision-makers. The other 25% were influential in the decision-making process, she noted.

According to her, the addition of 12 new countries who attend WTM for the first time – including Greece, Iran, Switzerland, Lithuania, Tunisia, Benin, Philippines, Singapore, New Zealand, Japan, Colombia, and Peru – brought fresh energy and diverse perspectives to the event.

There were also exhibitors from 20 African countries so there’s been growth across the board, said Weaving.

Challenges

Regarding potential barriers to growing WTM Africa, Weaving said there was enough airlift capacity to Cape Town, pointing to the City of Cape Town and Wesgro’s successful Air Access programme which has seen 33 international and regional carriers serving the city.

“There is also a wide range of corporate and leisure hotels to meet the increased accommodation demand.”

A major barrier however is the ongoing visa challenges with many key buyers, including from China, not receiving their visas on time to attend the event, Weaving pointed out.

‘Collective efforts required’

Minister of Tourism, Patricia De Lille, though unable to attend in person, officially opened the conference via video call. She welcomed attendees and highlighted the need for collective efforts to continue the momentum of tourism in Africa: “This year represents a year where we can take measures to break new ground and achieve exponential growth in our numbers.”

De Lille further emphasised the importance of safety, sustainability, and expanding tourism beyond well-known destinations to include the hidden gems of lesser-known towns and villages across the continent.

She said: “Tourism is one of the most significant contributors to our economy, but we can do much more. One of the areas where the department is investing in supporting economic sustainability is through our various tourism incentive programmes.”