Southern Africa is making a clear statement about the future of its tourism economy: collaboration, not competition, will drive the next phase of growth.
On Wednesday, 13 May, on the margins of Africa’s Travel Indaba in Durban, Cape Town Tourism, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and the Namibia Tourism Board will formally launch a regional tourism partnership aimed at positioning Southern Africa as a connected, high-value, multi-country destination.
The collaboration, first incubated at WTM Africa last year, reflects a growing recognition among African destinations that long-haul travellers, business event delegates and investors increasingly expect seamless, cross-border experiences rather than isolated, single-destination trips.
From competition to regional value creation
At its core, the partnership is about shifting the tourism conversation from volume to value. Rather than chasing arrivals independently, the three destinations are aligning their marketing, storytelling and product development to encourage longer stays, higher spend and wider dispersal of visitors across the region.
For Africa’s meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector, the implications are significant. Multi-country itineraries linked to conferences, exhibitions and major events offer opportunities to extend delegate stays while unlocking tourism revenue beyond host cities.
“Business travellers and event delegates are increasingly looking to add leisure, culture and nature to their trips,” said Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism. “By working with Zimbabwe and Namibia, we can create compelling, regional extensions that make Southern Africa more competitive globally.”
Gateway cities and connected itineraries
Cape Town’s role as an international gateway underpins the initiative. With strong air connectivity into Europe, the Americas and the Middle East, the city is positioning itself not as a terminus, but as a launchpad into Southern Africa.
James Vos, Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, said regional alignment was essential for resilience. “This partnership allows us to leverage our collective strengths – urban lifestyle, culture, wildlife and iconic landscapes – while ensuring tourism benefits are shared across borders.”
For Zimbabwe and Namibia, the collaboration strengthens access to long-haul markets while reinforcing regional circuits that align with evolving traveller behaviour.
“Travellers no longer want fragmented experiences,” said Namibia Tourism Board CEO Sebulon Chicalu. “They want diversity, authenticity and ease of movement. This partnership responds directly to that demand.”
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority CEO George Manyaya added that collaboration was becoming a competitive advantage. “When destinations work together, the region becomes more attractive, more investable and more resilient.”
Events as anchors for regional travel
A key pillar of the partnership is the strategic use of major events – business, cultural and sporting – as anchors for regional travel. By linking conferences and exhibitions with pre- and post-event itineraries across borders, the partners aim to convert events into wider tourism and investment opportunities.
This approach aligns closely with conversations taking place at Indaba 2026 around Africa’s growing MICE ambitions, business travel recovery and the role of events in driving infrastructure investment.
With Southern Africa set to host major global gatherings over the next few years, including high-level political summits and international sporting events, coordinated destination planning is increasingly seen as essential.
Indaba as a platform for African collaboration
The decision to launch the partnership during Africa’s Travel Indaba is deliberate. With more than 1,100 exhibitors and over 900 buyers attending this year’s edition, the event provides a global stage to signal Africa’s readiness to work collectively.
Joint campaigns, shared digital platforms and coordinated market engagement are expected to roll out in the coming months, targeting priority long-haul and high-yield markets.
As Africa’s tourism sector moves into a growth phase, the Cape Town–Zimbabwe–Namibia partnership offers a practical example of how African destinations can pool strengths, unlock regional value and position the continent not just as a collection of destinations, but as a connected tourism economy.
