09:00 – 09:05
Welcome and Introductions
09:05 – 9:10
Welcome to Cape Town, by Ald. James Vos
09:10 – 09:15
UN Tourism – Video Introduction
09:15 – 09:50
The global context, economic growth, geopolitical shifts, intra-Africa trade, demographic dynamics.
9:50 – 10:05
The investor’s perspective.
10:05 – 10:25
Key takeaways from this comprehensive and up-to-date report on the tourism investment landscape in Africa.
10:25 – 10:55
Fireside Chat: Is there public private synergy?
11:25 – 12:15
Are these recognised tourism destinations investment ready? What makes a destination attractive to investors?
12:15 – 12:35
Room capacity tripled since 2000 – and still 2nd or 3rd on the Hospitality Africa Hotel Pipeline Report. Why are the investors still pouring in? Is this what a good enabling environment looks like?
12:35 – 13:00
Hospitality Ownership Models – Should investors consider more than one brand for their portfolio?
14:00 – 14:40
Do we need mitigation strategies and might these offer new and different investment opportunities?
14:40 – 15:15
Strategies for successful investments – and why the hotel groups are moving in?
15:30 – 16:00
Benefits and pitfalls of being listed and how investments are funded. The panel will discuss balance sheet, project finance, debt, and secondary rights offerings.
16:00 – 16:25
The V&AW, Past Present and Future – secrets to success for a mixed -se development.
16:25 – 16:50
Sports and sporting events as a catalyst for tourism growth and investment.
10:00 – 10:45
Africa is increasingly well-positioned for cross-border care thanks to improving clinical capability, stronger air links, and growing confidence in private healthcare.
This session shows how lodges can plug into the patient journey with recovery stays, companion travel, privacy-led service design and longer, higher-value bookings.
11:00 – 11:45
While everyone chases AI specialists, we’re forgetting we still need exceptional storytellers, empathetic customer service professionals, and guides who can create Instagram-worthy moments.
This session reveals tourism’s real skills gap: roles that blend high-tech capabilities with irreplaceable human talents.
11:45 – 12:30
Your future customer isn’t just a younger version of your current one. They operate by a completely different set of rules regarding trust, value, and loyalty.
This session puts the current African tourism model under a microscope to ask a critical question: what will Gen Z and Millennial travellers actively reject by 2030?
12:40 – 13:20
China is the largest outbound travel source market with Chinese ranked as highest spender on international travel according to UN Tourism.
This panel discussion will cover China outbound travel trend and how Africa could effectively attract more Chinese tourist through China readiness in terms of destination, services, marketing and infrastructure improvements.
13:30 – 14:15
Building on the work of Harvard economist Michael Porter of cluster theory fame, Piggs Peak Hotel will explain how it has dramatically increased the economic and social value to the local community and increased its profitability
14:15 – 15:30
In 1675 Sir Isaac Newton wrote: “If I see further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”. The giants of Responsible Tourism are those people who are practicing it, in every corner of the world.
We want to share that collective knowledge to speed the adoption of Responsible Tourism practices across Africa and beyond.
15:30 – 16:30
Join us at our annual Awards ceremony – an event that celebrates businesses going the extra mile in responsible tourism practices.
After the ceremony, join us in the Buzz Hub for a networking session where you can connect with fellow industry professionals, share insights, and continue the conversation.
10:30 – 11:15
Every tourism strategy mentions “community involvement” and “local benefit,” but let’s be honest about what’s actually happening. Are locals getting genuine decision-making power, equity stakes, and leadership roles—or are they just getting jobs, a few procurement contracts, and a seat at consultation meetings where the big decisions have already been made?
This session cuts through the corporate social responsibility speak to examine real ownership patterns, revenue flows, and power structures across African tourism.
11:30 – 12:00
This session offers a bold reframing of inclusion and accessibility in tourism. It moves beyond physical infrastructure to focus on inclusion as intention, embedded in how we design experiences, communicate with travellers, and challenge industry norms.
The session will include a visual presentation to support key insights and practical takeaways, with the goal of shifting mindsets and highlighting inclusion as a human-centred design and business opportunity
12:15 – 13:15
We’ve moved beyond ramps and braille menus. But are we actually creating welcoming spaces, or just better marketing?
This panel tackles the gap between inclusion rhetoric and reality. Why do guests often feel excluded even at properties that tick every accessibility box?
We’ll run three short sessions, each grounded in a specific, real experience. Three perspectives. Three sets of needs the industry still hasn’t figured out. One conversation that’s overdue.
13:30 – 13:45
Digital transitions; Film & Tourism accelerants in equipping and empowering the youth.
14:00 – 14:45
Today’s tourism workplaces are under real pressure. Constant digital noise, relentless task switching, and the personal stress people carry into work mean many teams are operating in a permanent state of alert.
Shireen Onia challenges organisations to rethink wellbeing as a genuine leadership priority.
15:00 – 15:45
All-inclusive resorts promise cost certainty, operational simplicity, and duty-of-care comfort – exactly what many meeting planners and incentive houses want. Club Med is placing big bets on Africa.
But can an all-inclusive model scale Africa’s share of global groups without limiting local economic benefit and experience diversity?
16:00 – 17:00
From the shores of Ghana and Sierra Leone to the vibrant rhythms of Barbados and the cultural heartbeat of Nigeria, Africa and the Caribbean share more than an ocean between them — they share ancestry, culture, creativity, and an untapped tourism powerhouse waiting to be fully activated.
This high-level panel at WTM Africa 2026 will explore how Africa and the Caribbean can move beyond symbolic ties to build structured tourism partnerships that drive investment, increase air connectivity, develop joint marketing strategies, and create seamless cross-Atlantic visitor experiences.
10:30 – 11:15
This session is designed as a practical, live demonstration experience that uses real tourism scenarios to teach how AI and digital tools can empower young professionals to market better, communicate smarter, and innovate faster.
More importantly, it provides a tangible solution to the ongoing skills gap in the tourism and hospitality sector by equipping youth with the digital literacy and modern competencies the industry now demands.
11:30 – 12:00
The new EU green rules can feel like a mountain to climb, especially if you are a small or medium-sized operator. Certification, reporting, audits…. where do you even begin?
This workshop meets you where you are. You will leave with a clear, actionable plan and the confidence to take your first steps.
12:15 – 13:00
In this interactive discussion, the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association team will share the results of a new study that translates our shared values into data that will elevate your outreach.
These actionable insights will help travel professionals create messaging, program design and product offerings that speak to diverse travelers around the world.
13:15 – 14:00
This session is designed to prompt fresh thinking and open dialogue around what inclusion and accessibility in tourism really mean beyond infrastructure.
From a strategic marketing and brand perspective, it invites tourism professionals to explore how small, intentional shifts in language, storytelling, and customer engagement can foster greater inclusion.
14:15 – 15:00
This session will explore the fast-growing Muslim women travel market from a consumer insight perspective, drawing on real experiences from The Muslim Women Travel Group and my work with the Halal Travel Network.
We’ll touch on what “halal-friendly travel” really means in practice, common misconceptions within the industry, and simple, practical ways destinations and travel providers can better serve this audience.
15:30 – 16:30
Join TourRadar for an exclusive session designed for multi-day tour operators, DMCs, and travel suppliers. Discover how the right technology can streamline operations, boost efficiency, and help you compete on a global stage; how to leverage automation, real-time distribution tools, and data-driven insights to grow sustainably.