Exhibitor participation has grown to 780 from 40 countries, supported by 43 tourism boards and 65 event partners. A total of 13,500 appointments have been confirmed, a 35% increase compared to 2025.
Fifteen countries are represented by buyers for the first time, including Jamaica, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Pakistan, Denmark and Portugal. On the exhibitor side, Angola, Cyprus, Djibouti, Jordan, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and the UAE are among new participants.
A total of 81% of hosted buyers and Buyers’ Club members are new to WTM Africa.
The expansion comes as the global travel industry continues to respond to geopolitical disruption affecting travel routes and destination strategies.
Carol Weaving, Managing Director of RX Africa, said: “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.”
Industry research presented at the event reinforces the importance of human connection in tourism growth and recovery.
Alderman James Vos highlighted Cape Town’s growing tourism performance, noting international flight capacity has risen to more than 230 flights per week, with the sector 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.”
This year's WTM Africa 2026 features 101 speakers across 82 sessions covering travel tech, responsible tourism, adventure tourism, medical tourism, golf tourism, and sports and events tourism.
The Africa Tourism Investment Conference (ATIC) brought together investors, policymakers and tourism leaders to discuss infrastructure and investment opportunities across the continent.
“Africa, the time is now, and the growth is palpable,” said Weaving, who also thanked Cape Town and partners for hosting the event and supporting its continued growth.
