08:00 – 10:00
Enhance your business’s appeal to the world’s largest outbound tourism market with the China Ready® Workshop, an exclusive opportunity tailored for WTM Africa attendees.
This essential program equips travel professionals and service providers with the knowledge and tools to cater to Chinese travelers, a rapidly growing segment in the global tourism industry.
10:30 – 10:45
A video introduction precedes the opening remarks, setting the scene for the day’s conversations at the intersection of sport, travel, and storytelling as South Africa’s next growth sector.
10:45 – 11:15
Preferences, Behaviour and Decision Drivers of Sports Fans
A data-led presentation unpacking who the travelling sports fan really is ,their motivations, booking behaviours, spending patterns, and what drives them to cross borders in pursuit of sporting experiences. This session grounds the day’s conversations in research and evidence.
11:15 – 11:45
South Africa sits at the crossroads of world-class sporting infrastructure and a tourism sector hungry for growth catalysts.
This panel brings together stadium leadership, city events authorities, tourism agencies, and travel management companies to interrogate the real economic and reputational value sport generates , and where the gaps in measurement and collaboration still lie.
11:45 – 12:15
Mass participation events are among the most powerful tourism generators South Africa produces, yet their full economic contribution is rarely captured or communicated to the travel trade.
This panel features the architects of two of the country’s most iconic events to explore how endurance sport moves people, fills beds, and builds destination reputation far beyond the finish line.
12:15 – 13:00
Tourism boards, sports federations, and destination marketers have long operated in parallel universes.
This session explores how sport – from the NBA’s growing African footprint to niche golf tourism can become a fully integrated pillar of national and provincial destination marketing strategies, and what it takes to build genuine alignment across sectors.
13:00 – 13:30
Beyond mega-events, a quieter but equally powerful tourism engine operates through school sports travel, development academies, community sport, and corporate investment in local sporting ecosystems.
This session examines how athletes, institutions, and investment companies are creating sustainable tourism pathways that benefit communities and regional economies.
13:30 – 14:00
Short spotlights (10 minutes each) showcasing how documentary and narrative content built around South African sporting heritage has driven destination awareness, inspired travel, and given global audiences a window into the country’s identity.
14:00 – 14:15
Summary of key takeaways and introduction of the Sport & Travel Africa Working Group, focused on long-term collaboration between event owners, tourism bodies, and brands.
14:15 – 14:30
Delegates are invited to continue conversations and connect with speakers, sponsors, and fellow industry leaders in a dedicated networking space.
10:00 – 10:45
What’s really driving African travel and tourism right now? Our State of the Industry Report brings together the continent’s key numbers, market movements, and future-defining trends.
Gain data-driven insights, regional breakdowns, and the story behind the statistics to inform your strategies, investments, and policy decisions for 2026 and beyond.
11:00 – 11:45
Sustainability is no longer optional. Legislation, buyer expectations, and increasingly conscious travellers are reshaping market access across the tourism industry.
This panel of industry leaders is designed to simplify the sustainability journey and remove unnecessary fear. Rather than treating sustainability as a compliance burden or a one time exercise, we will break it down into manageable, realistic steps.
12:00 – 12:45
What convinces a traveller to commit—especially when options (and uncertainties) are endless? In 2026, trust isn’t built by glossy brochures or even traditional reviews. It’s shaped by dynamic signals: real-time safety updates, local influencer endorsements, instant guest feedback, and booking platforms that surface what matters most for each culture and market.
This session explores the fast-evolving toolkit of trust and safety—across borders, platforms, and traveller types—and how African destinations can get it right.
13:00 – 13:15
Digital narratives: The democratisation of content
13:30 – 14:15
Every destination now promises “transformative experiences” and “wellness retreats,” but how much of this is genuine and how much is just repackaged tourism with inflated prices?
This session cuts through the Instagram-worthy facade to examine what constitutes genuine meaningful travel versus wellness washing, and explores how African destinations can authentically serve travellers seeking deeper experiences without commodifying sacred practices or overselling spiritual snake oil.
14:30 – 15:15
They’ve never known a world without smartphones, social algorithms, or climate anxiety. While Gen Z is already spending their own money and redefining independent travel, Gen Alpha is heavily influencing family destination choices and setting entirely new tech baselines.
Discover what the research says about Gen Z’s purchasing power, Gen Alpha’s emerging preferences, and what this means for product design, marketing, and the future of travel
15:30 – 16:00
To explore strategies for the development and marketing of integrated tourism routes.
The session aims to explore collaboration among stakeholders to create seamless, authentic, and globally competitive travel experience that enhance destination appeal and drive sustainable tourism growth.
10:30 – 11:15
Practical tools, proven strategies and real-world insights to empower organisations, women leaders, and entrepreneurs across the tourism value chain
11:30 – 12:15
This interactive session brings students together with entrepreneurs and academic leaders to explore the future of LGBTQ+ inclusive tourism in Africa.
Participants will discuss real-world challenges and opportunities, collaborate on ideas for safe and inclusive travel, and learn how to engage with emerging leaders reshaping the industry.
12:30 – 13:15
A practical look at running cost-efficient Meta campaigns to reach global audiences.
13:30 – 14:15
The most credible sustainability story a lodge, camp, or tour operator can tell is who they buy from.
This workshop explores the Sigma International, and Africa’s Eden Community and Conservation Impact Programme and what capacity building looks like in practice, specifically how small social enterprises, local NGOs, and conservation projects can be woven into everyday purchasing decisions, from lodge supplies to corporate gifting.
14:30 – 15:15
Reimagining Travel is a fast paced, hands on SDG Design Thinking Sprint that invites young people to rethink the future of tourism through a sustainability lens.
In just 45 minutes, participants work in teams to tackle real tourism challenges aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, using design thinking tools to move from problem to solution.
The workshop blends creativity, collaboration and practical innovation, giving students insight into how youth led ideas can shape more responsible, inclusive and future ready travel experiences.