As Africa’s Travel Indaba gets underway in Durban with Business Opportunity Networking Day (BONDay) on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa has moved to reassure African travellers, tourism stakeholders and international partners following recent violent incidents targeting foreign nationals in parts of South Africa.

In his From the Desk of the President address issued on Monday, 11 May 2026, the President stressed that the incidents do not reflect the values of South Africa nor government policy, at a time when thousands of tourism buyers, exhibitors and media from across Africa and beyond are gathering in Durban for the continent’s biggest tourism trade event.

“These are the acts of opportunists who are exploiting the legitimate grievances, particularly those of the poor, under the false guise of ‘community activism’,” President Ramaphosa said. “Such lawlessness will not be tolerated, regardless of who the perpetrators or victims are.”

Tourism economy under continental spotlight

The reassurance comes as Africa’s Travel Indaba officially begins at the Durban International Convention Centre, with BONDay setting the tone for three days of high-level business engagements between African destinations and global tourism buyers ahead of the official opening on Tuesday, 12 May 2026.

President Ramaphosa, who is expected to formally open the event, underscored the importance of tourism to South Africa’s economy, particularly intra-African travel.

He noted that visitors from African countries accounted for just over 8 million of South Africa’s 10.5 million tourist arrivals last year, reinforcing the central role of regional travel in sustaining the country’s tourism performance.

Indaba growth, private sector funding and long-term sustainability

At the official launch of the 2026 edition last week, Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille highlighted Africa’s Travel Indaba as a long-standing example of successful public–private collaboration, noting that the event has been funded by the state for over 30 years and is now entering a new phase of growth.

She announced that the government is actively inviting fresh proposals from the private and creative sectors to strengthen the event’s long-term sustainability and scale. “We are calling on the private sector and the creative sector to submit proposals on how we can revamp and grow this event,” De Lille said.

“We are bringing in partners, sponsorships and new ideas. Africa’s Travel Indaba has been funded for the past 30 years, and we want to ensure its longevity for the next 30 years by deepening private sector participation.”

She added that renewed private sector interest would see the event expand significantly in coming editions. “Next year, you are going to see everything triple,” the Minister said.

Media, confidence and destination reputation

De Lille also acknowledged the role of the media in shaping international confidence in South Africa and the African continent.

“You hold us accountable, you speak truth to power, and through your reporting you help shape confidence in our country,” she said.

“While it is important to report challenges, you are also helping to change negative narratives about our continent – positioning Africa not only as a destination of beauty, but as a destination of capability, stability and investment.”

Spreading tourism benefits beyond major hubs

As part of efforts to ensure more inclusive tourism growth, De Lille confirmed that hosted buyers attending Africa’s Travel Indaba will be taken on familiarisation trips across multiple provinces after the event.

“We want to split the benefits of tourism across South Africa,” she said. “Buyers will be taken to provinces beyond the traditional hubs – including the Free State, Northern Cape and North West – to showcase the hidden gems of our country.”

She cited investments in new attractions, heritage and nature-based tourism products as part of the government's strategy to diversify offerings and spread tourism income more evenly across regions.

Openness and African solidarity reaffirmed

Against this backdrop, President Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to African integration, people-to-people exchange and mobility.

“As a country, we must reject attempts to damage our international reputation and to undermine the solidarity that has defined South Africa’s relations with the rest of Africa since the dawn of democracy,” he said.

While acknowledging the pressures posed by undocumented migration on public services and labour markets, the President stressed that South Africa would continue to balance border enforcement with openness and respect for human rights.

“There is no place in South Africa for xenophobia, ethnic mobilisation, intolerance or violence,” he said.

As Africa’s Travel Indaba unfolds this week, the combined message from the President is clear – South Africa remains open for African travellers, committed to continental solidarity, and firmly positioned as a leading destination for leisure travel, business tourism and MICE.