Reed Travel Exhibitions has announced the launch of World Travel Market Africa – as part of the new Africa Travel Week.

Africa Travel Week will take place in Cape Town South Africa, from April 28th–May 3rd, 2014 and sees WTM Africa co-locate alongside fellow Reed Travel Exhibitions’ events IBTM Africa and ILTM Africa.

WTM Africa is a two day event which will be held in Cape Town’s International Convention Centre on Friday 2nd and Saturday May 3rd.

It will be the leading B2B exhibition for Africa’s leisure travel industry, bringing the world to Africa and promoting Africa to the world’s leading source markets.

WTM Africa will attract exhibitors from all categories of the leisure travel industry within sub-Sahara Africa as well as North African destinations, aligning itself with sister events; WTM, WTM Latin America, Arabian Travel Market and International French Travel Market Top Resa.

Africa’s tourism industry was 8.7 per cent of the continent’s GDP in 2011 at $164 billion, making it the fourth largest sector and employing 19 million people (eight per cent of total jobs), according to research by World Travel & Tourism Council.

The WTTC predicts growth of 4.8 per cent over the next ten years, growing at practically the same rate as the overall African economy and making it the fourth fastest growing sector in the continent.

WTM Africa follows on from the hugely successful launch event of WTM Latin America in São Paulo this April.

“Reed has been exploring opportunities in Africa for sometime and the success of our first launch event, ILTM Africa, has given us the platform to now introduce two more of our global industry brands to create Africa Travel Week and make it the leading global event for the continent’s travel industry,” said Reed managing director, Richard Mortimore.

“WTM Africa gives the African inbound and outbound travel industry the perfect shop window to heighten its already growing profile in the global tourism industry.

“WTM Africa - as part of Africa Travel Week - will be the region’s leading global marketplace to conduct business, negotiate deals and sign the contracts.”