(Posted 16th April 2026)
World Travel Market (WTM) Africa 2026 has opened its doors at
the CTICC in Cape Town this week to its largest and most internationally diverse edition to date,
welcoming 8,000 trade professionals from 63 countries and confirming Africa’s position as one
of the world’s fastest-growing tourism markets.
Exhibitor numbers have grown to 780 – a double-digit increase on 2025 – drawn from 40
countries and supported by 43 tourism boards and 65 event partners. A total of 13,500
appointments have been confirmed, a 35% increase on last year.
Perhaps the most significant story within the numbers is the breadth of new participation. Fifteen
countries are represented by buyers for the first time, including Jamaica, Kazakhstan, South
Korea, Pakistan, Denmark, and Portugal. This geographical spread reflects Africa's growing
appeal across entirely new source markets. On the exhibitor side, Angola, Cyprus, Djibouti,
Jordan, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and the UAE are all participating for
the first time.
Crucially, 81% of hosted buyers and Buyers' Club members are entirely new to WTM Africa, a
remarkable statistic that points to an event rapidly expanding its global footprint.
The timing of this year's event carries particular significance. As the travel industry continues to
navigate the ripple effects of conflict in the Middle East, which is disrupting established travel
corridors, shifting source markets, and forcing a global reassessment of destination
strategy, face-to-face trade events have become vital.
Carol Weaving, Managing Director of RX Africa, said in the opening event: ‘Africa Travel Week
has evolved into a powerful in-person event where technology handles the heavy lifting, and
humans focus on the relationship building that defines this industry. Our people are our
superpower‘;
The industry's own research reinforces this human-centred approach. This year's State of the
Industry Report, commissioned for Africa Travel Week, highlights that the path forward for
African tourism is rooted in empathy and genuine human connection: "It's how you interact with the traveller as a human being and understand where their specific needs are."
The tangible economic value of these connections was highlighted by Alderman James Vos,
who noted that Cape Town’s international flights have surged to over 230 per week, with
tourism now supporting over 106,000 jobs in the city.
‘As a City government, we made a deliberate decision to host WTM Africa‘,; Vos said during his
opening address. ‘It is an investment that delivers real economic returns. With over 100
countries represented here and 8,000 trade professionals doing deals on this floor, the impact goes far beyond these few days. It translates into future bookings, sustained demand, and long-
term growth. Tourism is a team sport. When travellers choose South Africa, they are choosing
an experience that no single destination can deliver alone‘.
Beyond the exhibition floor, WTM Africa 2026 features a comprehensive content programme of
101 speakers across 82 curated sessions, spanning travel tech, responsible tourism, adventure
tourism, medical tourism, golf tourism, and sports and events tourism. The Africa Tourism
Investment Conference (ATIC), taking place on Tuesday 14 April, brought together investors,
policymakers, and tourism leaders to interrogate the continent's infrastructure ambitions and
investment pipeline.
‘Africa, the time is now, and the growth is palpable‘; concluded Weaving, extending special thanks to
the host city of Cape Town and Alderman James Vos for the city’s continued commitment to
positioning the Mother City as Africa’s premier events destination.
