Tourism Dundee and the Umzinyathi area enjoyed tremendous exposure at Indaba – one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African calendar, and one of the top three ‘must visit’ events of its kind on the global calendar.
Held in the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre (Durban ICC) over four days, it showcases the widest variety of southern Africa’s best tourism products and attracts international buyers and media from across the world.
For two years in a row, Indaba has won the award for Africa’s best travel and tourism show. This award was presented by the Association of World Travel Awards.
Naresh Gopie and Elisabeth Durham of Tourism Dundee were also there along with Vincent Sibiya of Umzinyathi District Municipality’s tourism marketing arm and representatives of local tourism businesses, Charles Aitkenhead (Rorke’s Drift Hotel) and Simon Manyathi and Dave o’ Halloran of Battlefields Country Lodge.
Naresh said it was an exciting show with the inclusion of an opportunity to meet Mike Mabayakhulu, MEC for Economic Affairs and Tourism in the Province. “The MEC was incredibly interested in our area and is keen to be invited to all tourism related events in the area,” Naresh told the Courier.
Indaba hosted 299 buyers from key and critical tourism markets including Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa. Of those buyers, 285 were from outside South Africa. The other 14 were South African buyers. Themba Masheula, Manager of the iconic Blue Train, remarked that “Indaba is a valuable marketing and networking platform for us.
About 65 percent of our business comes from international markets, and Indaba offers direct access to these markets. Indaba offers us an opportunity to meet with clients and increase our occupancy. We always get value and good business from Indaba .”
Jaco du Plooy, Marketing Manager at Cape Town’s four-star Lord Charles Hotel, says Indaba offers them an opportunity to touch base with existing clients and network with key industry players. “It also showcases what our competitors are up to and gives us an insight into new developments in the market.”
Naresh said that with such high-powered people agreeing that Indaba was the place to be, it ‘was obvious that tourism is still one of Dundee’s biggest players and Indaba is so important to us when it comes to marketing’. The only downer is that this is the last time (for now) that Durban will host Indaba. From 2016, Africa’s biggest tourism show moves to Cape Town. However, there is ‘still a strong possibility that Tourism Dundee will be there along with Umzinyathi’.