Indaba is one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African calendar and one of the top three must visit events of its kind on the global calendar. It showcases the widest variety of Southern Africa’s best tourism products and attracts international buyers and media from across the world. Here Eleanor Hawkins visits for Breaking Travel News.

Tokozile Xasa, the first female minister of tourism in South Africa was appointed to her post in October last year, having served as deputy minster since 2009. Here she speaks to Eleanor Hawkins about her plans for the developing sector during Indaba 2017, the preeminent trade show for the hospitality community in Africa.

South African Tourism is set to launch a revolutionary, world-first product – called Good Times in a Box – to stimulate domestic tourism. The product, introduced at Indaba, aims to make travel more accessible to the potentially lucrative domestic market, which remains relatively untapped.

South African tourism minister Tokozile Xasa has extolled the value of small businesses to the hospitality sector in the country during Indaba 2017. “We need to work together with various government departments, as enablers and influencers of tourism destination competitiveness, to grow and transform our sector and economy,” said minister Xasa.

Indaba 2017 has begun in South Africa with thousands of exhibitors, travel buyers, visitors and media from all over the world expected to converge on the destination.

INDABA will put a firm focus on the tourism sector’s small, medium and micro enterprises this year. For the first time at INDABA, there is a Hidden Gems Zone built to showcase products and services from 70 South African SMMEs. There will also be workshops facilitated to provide knowledge and tools on how to access the market and grow their businesses.