Africa's Travel Indaba 2027 runs 10–13 May at the Durban ICC. Who can attend, hosted-buyer rules, 2026 fees, exhibitor rates and how it differs from Meetings Africa.
Cover image: The Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (Durban ICC), home of Africa's Travel Indaba (2014 file photo) — photo by Akidjoh, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Africa's Travel Indaba 2027 runs from Monday 10 to Thursday 13 May 2027 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (Durban ICC), opening with BONDay, the Business Opportunity Networking Day, on 10 May before three show days from 11 to 13 May. Owned by South African Tourism, it is a leisure trade show built to give African tourism products access to international and local buyers.
There are no public days. As of 1 November 2026 the official site read "Registration opening soon"; on 29 September South African Tourism told Parliament it expected registration to open in October. The fees and rules below are the 2026 terms, the latest published.
Who exhibits and who attends Africa's Travel Indaba?
The 2026 edition ran from 11 to 14 May 2026 across the Durban ICC and the Durban Exhibition Centre (DEC) opposite it. South African Tourism's closing release of 15 May 2026 estimated that the event and related activities drew approximately 9,810 delegates, including 274 hosted buyers, 637 non-hosted buyers and 404 registered media. Presenting to Parliament's tourism committee on 29 September 2026, it reported 1,290 exhibiting companies, 919 buyers and more than 23,000 confirmed business meetings, according to the Parliamentary Monitoring Group (the May release's buyer figures total 911).
The DEC houses provincial tourism authorities, provincial products and other African countries. The ICC halls hold accommodation, tour operators, game lodges, transport, online travel, luxury products, industry associations and Hidden Gems, the category for small businesses; outdoor stands go to transport, camping and safari companies. The organiser's buyer profile lists inbound tour operators, foreign travel agents, airlines, destination management companies and online booking companies. A selection committee appointed by South African Tourism vets every exhibitor, who needs an international marketing plan and STO, rack and net rates; exhibitors from elsewhere in Africa must have an office on the continent.
How to attend Africa's Travel Indaba: buyers, visitors, media and exhibitors
Buyers and visitors apply individually online, at most four per company, and the organiser asks them not to book travel until approved. The 2026 terms:
| Route | Who it is for | 2026 terms |
|---|---|---|
| Hosted buyer | International buyers selected by South African Tourism | Economy flights from selected markets, four nights in a four-star hotel, transfers, buyer lounge; at least 10 appointments a day |
| International non-hosted buyer | Buyers based outside South Africa | Free if registered by 29 April 2026; R970 incl. VAT after that |
| Local buyer, allied industry, government | South African buyers and trade, related businesses, officials | R970 incl. VAT |
| Visitor | Local trade professionals, students, researchers, educators and officials vetted by the South Africa National Convention Bureau (SANCB) | R970 incl. VAT for local categories and all onsite registrations |
| Media | Accredited journalists and essential broadcast crew | Accreditation; no fee listed |
| Exhibitor | Approved African tourism businesses | Standard floor space per m² incl. VAT: ICC R4,127.13, DEC R3,357.87, outdoor R1,035.44; minimum 9 m² |
Hosted buyers. Flights are economy class from selected destinations; meals, upgrades, insurance and visa fees are excluded. Applicants must not have been hosted by South African Tourism at Africa's Travel Indaba or Meetings Africa in the past year. Hosted buyers may not leave early on the last day and can face a financial penalty for defaulting. An application is not an invitation; the organiser says successful applicants hear within 10 working days.
Exhibitors. Discounts in 2026 included 10% for first-time exhibitors and 10% for exhibitors from African countries outside South Africa, capped at 25% in total. The lowest-priced package was an Introductory Desk at R10,000, with up to 30 pre-scheduled diary meetings. Applications for 2026 opened on 4 February with an early-bird payment deadline of 28 February.
Media. Print and online titles get one accreditation per publication; advertising and media sales staff are not accredited.
Is it open to the public? No. There are no consumer days, and admission is reserved for approved delegates over 16.
Networking at Africa's Travel Indaba: the diary, BONDay and side events
Meetings are booked in the online diary and matchmaking system, which filters exhibitors by category, country and region; hosted buyers may not block slots to avoid meetings. The mobile app adds indoor navigation. In late March 2026 the organiser said the diary was scheduled to open on 24 April, less than three weeks before the show, so keep time free once the 2027 diary goes live.
BONDay was a half-day plenary in 2026 on travel demand, distribution and air access, with sessions on sports tourism and a TikTok masterclass. Official events include a welcome networking event, media showcases, an awards ceremony and a fun run. For the 2026 trade-floor opening on 12 May, with President Cyril Ramaphosa scheduled to open the show, the organiser closed the ICC car park to delegates and required bag scanning for everyone, so arrive early.
Getting to the Durban ICC and where to stay
The Durban ICC is at 45 Bram Fischer Road in central Durban, about half an hour from King Shaka International Airport and minutes from the Golden Mile beachfront, according to the organiser. The Durban Exhibition Centre stands directly opposite at 11 Walnut Road; the 2026 show used both, so allow time between halls.
In 2026 the organiser ran shuttles from the airport to its official hotels in uMhlanga, North Beach and South Beach, and from them to the ICC on show-day mornings. Hosted buyers' rooms come with the programme; the organiser tells other delegates to book as soon as they can.
Check entry rules early. The UK Foreign Office, for example, says passports must be valid for at least 30 days after leaving South Africa and have two blank pages; our passport validity guide compares the rules.
How does Africa's Travel Indaba differ from Meetings Africa and WTM Africa?
Meetings Africa is South African Tourism's business-events (MICE) show rather than a leisure one. It runs from 22 to 24 February 2027 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, also opening with a BONDay; South African Tourism reported 325 exhibitors and 6,440 matchmaking meetings there in 2026. A buyer hosted by South African Tourism at either show in the past year cannot be hosted at Indaba.
WTM Africa, run by RX Africa in Cape Town from 7 to 9 April 2027, covers both inbound and outbound tourism, according to RX; Indaba's exhibitors must be based in Africa. RX reported 780 exhibitors from 40 countries and 13,500 confirmed appointments at WTM Africa 2026. All three are in our travel trade shows calendar.
Frequently asked questions
When is Africa's Travel Indaba 2027?
Africa's Travel Indaba 2027 runs from Monday 10 to Thursday 13 May 2027 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (Durban ICC), 45 Bram Fischer Road, Durban. Monday 10 May is BONDay, the Business Opportunity Networking Day, and the trade show runs from 11 to 13 May. As of 1 November 2026, opening hours had not been published.
Is Africa's Travel Indaba open to the public?
No. Africa's Travel Indaba is a trade show with no public days. Admission is reserved for delegates over 16, and every delegate must be approved as a buyer, exhibitor, accredited journalist or visitor. Visitors are local trade professionals, students, researchers, educators or officials vetted by the South Africa National Convention Bureau.
How much does it cost to attend Africa's Travel Indaba?
As of 1 November 2026, 2027 fees had not been published. In 2026 international non-hosted buyers registered free until 29 April and paid R970 including VAT after that; local buyers, allied-industry and government delegates and onsite registrations paid R970. The hosted-buyer package lists economy flights from selected destinations, four hotel nights and transfers.
How do I become a hosted buyer at Africa's Travel Indaba?
Apply through the official website's hosted-buyer section once 2027 registration opens. An application is not an invitation: successful applicants hear within 10 working days, says the organiser. You must not have been hosted by South African Tourism at Indaba or Meetings Africa in the past year, and must hold at least 10 appointments a day.
Where is Africa's Travel Indaba held?
In Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC complex: the Durban International Convention Centre at 45 Bram Fischer Road and the Durban Exhibition Centre opposite, at 11 Walnut Road. The organiser says it is about half an hour from King Shaka International Airport; its venue history lists the complex every year from 1998 to 2019 and from 2022.
Sources
- Africa's Travel Indaba, 2027 dates
- Africa's Travel Indaba, About
- Africa's Travel Indaba, Hosted buyers
- Africa's Travel Indaba, Non-hosted buyers and fees
- Africa's Travel Indaba, Participation rates and discounts
- Africa's Travel Indaba, The venue
- South African Tourism, Indaba 2026 closing release (15 May 2026)
- Parliamentary Monitoring Group, SANCB briefing on 2026 outcomes (29 September 2026)
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- 17–19 November 2026The Phocuswright Conference 2026Hollywood, United States
- 26–28 November 2026IITM Pune 2026Pune, India
- 30 November–3 December 2026ILTM Cannes 2026Cannes, France
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