Travel Trade News

South African Tourism is proud to announce the appointments of Ms Sithembile Ndaba as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), effective 1 April 2026, and Mr Ismail Dockrat as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective 1 May 2026.

110 trade and media set off for the third annual mega familiarisation and training initiative in South Africa

With the countdown to the LIV Golf South Africa underway, and the tournament taking place at Steyn City from 19 to 22 March 2026, South African Tourism is using the global event to highlight South Africa as a destination of world-class golf courses at affordable prices for international golf travellers.

Provincial distribution, or geographic spread, remains one of the most important levers for sustainable tourism growth, both in South Africa and globally. At its core, provincial tourism encourages travelers to explore multiple regions within a country, thereby benefiting the country more broadly. When visitors disperse geographically, economic value flows into more communities, supports more jobs, and strengthens regional development.

South African Tourism extends its heartfelt condolences to the Rovos Rail family following the tragic incident involving a Rovos Rail train near Naute in Namibia yesterday.

South African Tourism is aware of confirmed global flight disruptions and cancellations linked to the evolving situation in the Middle East and associated airspace closures, which are impacting international travel schedules.

Johannesburg, South Africa, 27 February 2026: South Africa is experiencing strong tourism growth and renewed global confidence as the country prepares to attend ITB Berlin 2026 from 3 to 5 March. Building on a record-breaking 10.5 million international arrivals in 2025, South Africa heads to ITB with a clear intention to further accelerate its drive to convert global interest into real economic impact.

South African Tourism has welcomed the Department of Home Affairs’ continued collaboration in supporting the successful hosting of Meetings Africa, one of the continent’s premier business events and trade shows.

With just five days to go before the official opening of Meetings Africa, industry stakeholders gathered today for a media briefing to share updates ahead of one of the continent’s most significant business events trade shows.

Registrations and applications for participation at Africa’s Travel Indaba (ATI) 2026 are officially open, inviting all global tourism stakeholders to take part in the continent’s premier travel and tourism trade show. The event will take place from 11 to 14 May 2026 at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) in KwaZulu-Natal.

When global travellers decide where to go, culture is a major driver in their destination choice. It plays a significant role in their decision-making and is an essential part of the overall trip, adding depth, meaning, and a richer sense of exploration to the travel experience.

South Africa’s tourism sector recorded a landmark performance in 2025, with total international tourist arrivals reaching 10.5 million, surpassing both pre-pandemic 2019 levels and 2024 figures. This growth reflects a strong and sustained recovery, underpinned by renewed global demand and sector-wide collaboration.