Covid-19 Coronavirus: South African Tourism Update

DUBAI, UAE 11 May 2022: Emirates and the South African Tourism Board have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly promote tourism and boost visitor arrivals and inbound traffic to South Africa from key markets across the Emirates network. The MoU was signed on the side-lines of Arabian Travel Market by Badr Abbas, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Commercial Operations for Africa, and The South Africa Tourism Board’s Acting CEO Mr Themba Khumalo. Also present at the signing ceremony was Adnan Kazim, Emirates Chief Commercial Officer, Minister of Tourism in South Africa, Lindiwe Sisulu and a senior government delegation from the South African Consulate in Dubai, His Excellency Consul General David Magabe and members of the South African Tourism Board.

JOHANNESBURG 10 MAY: Africa’s Travel Indaba 2022 was a boon for the continent’s tourism sector as well as the host city of Durban, province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). This is as hundreds of buyers and exhibitors from 55 countries descended on Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) from 2-5 May, to trade on the continent’s best tourism products and experiences. Of the 55 countries, 19 were from the African continent, including South Africa.

JOHANNESBURG: 9 MAY 2022 As global travel once again picks up momentum, following the COVID-19 pandemic, South African Tourism is bolstering its marketing efforts in the Middle East market. As such, South African Tourism will this year elevate its presence at the Arabian Travel Market. A leading international trade show which brings together global destinations to showcase their tourism offerings to this market, Arabian Travel Market takes place in Dubai from 9-12 May 2022.

African exhibitors and ministers of tourism have called for more regional collaboration to revitalise the tourism sector, following two years of the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking on day one of the Travel Indaba, Zambia's Tourism Minister Rodney Sikumba said tourism is viewed as a critical sector contributing significantly to the country's DGP, after mining and agriculture.

Africa’s Travel Indaba officially opened today with a call for the continent to work collaboratively to drive tourism growth, so as to accelerate the sector’s recovery. On a balmy day at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, over 634 and 625 buyers took their place at the continent’s premier travel trade show, as it opened its doors after a three-year hiatus.

It is a few days to go until Africa’s Travel Indaba. Taking place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre & Durban Exhibition Centre from 2 to 5 May 2022, the trade show will once again bring the continent’s finest tourism products and experiences under one roof for the world to experience. Under the theme, Africa’s stories, your success, Africa’s Travel Indaba 2022, boasts no less than 126 authentic and uniquely African products and experiences. Over 539 buyers will also travel from across the world to come and interact with these products and experiences.

The emotion attached to South Africa as a tourism destination is that of joy, despite the recent COVID 19 pandemic being a challenging period for the sector. With the discovery of, the Omicron COVID 19 variant and the subsequent restrictions placed on travel to and from South Africa by source markets, this presented further challenges for the destination.

KZN floods recovery beach clean-up campaign by the KZN Sharks Board and other relevant stakeholders, the KZN Sharks Board opens its doors for donations for the affected flood victims The KZN Sharks Board in partnership with various stakeholders which include but not limited to our mother body EDTEA, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal (TKZN), WESSA, DSW, ISPHEPHO Enviro Ambassadors to mention a few, have taken an initiative to conduct a major beach clean -up campaign scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 19 April 2022 at Dakota beach Isipingo.

Now more than ever, it is critical for the entire sector to unite, and register to attend Africa’s Travel Indaba which makes a comeback after a two-year pause due to COVID-19. As the tourism sector is slowly recovering following the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the floods in KwaZulu-Natal will certainly set the sector back further as lives have been lost and many others injured whilst businesses and organisations have lost their properties and livelihood.

South African Tourism management and the entire staff, would like to extend our message of support to everyone affected by the floods in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all families who have lost loves ones.

After a two-year pause due to Covid-19, Africa’s Travel Indaba 2022 is ready to welcome delegates from across the world to connect and do business contributing to the African continent’s tourism sector recovery.

South African Tourism extends a warm congratulations to Nkosinathi Maphumulo, widely known as Black Coffee, for his win at the 64th Grammy Awards. The talented South African DJ and producer won his first-ever Grammy in the category ‘Best Dance/Electronic Album’ for Subconsciously.