The doors have officially opened today (13 April) on World Travel Market (WTM) Africa 2026, marking the start of a three-day showcase running until 15 April at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Bringing together thousands of travel professionals from across the globe, this year’s edition is being hailed as the event’s most ambitious programme to date—combining innovation, sustainability, and high-level networking opportunities.

One of Madeira's most iconic hiking routes, the PR1 Vereda do Areeiro, is set to reopen this month following a two-year closure for restoration works. The opening will coincide with the Madeira Island Ultra Trail, taking place on 25-26 April. Connecting three of the island's highest peaks - Pico do Areeiro (1,818m), Pico das Torres (1,851m) and Pico Ruivo (1,862m) - the 7km-long trail offers one of Madeira's most dramatic high-altitude hiking experiences, crossing the Central Mountain Massif, a protected area recognised for its unique habitats and biodiversity.

iQIYI, China's leading online entertainment platform, announced plans to develop iQIYI LAND in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province. Set within the Hanyangzao Cultural and Creative Industry Park, the park is the company's first project integrated into an urban renewal initiative, which positions iQIYI LAND as a new cultural and tourism landmark for the city, combining homegrown IP with technology-driven immersive experiences.

As travel marketing shifts ever more decisively toward creator-led storytelling, Virtual World Internet is positioning itself at the centre of that evolution through Virtual Dubai, its immersive digital platform designed to let audiences explore the city through interactive virtual tours. Virtual Dubai presents itself as “your gateway to the spectacular,” inviting users to discover Dubai through 360° panoramas, fly-overs and immersive tours spanning resorts, spas, beaches, skyscrapers and lifestyle venues. The platform is explicitly framed as being brought to users by Virtual World Internet, whose wider business describes the company as a virtual imaging provider founded in 1995 and focused on interactive solutions for travel and tourism.

TheLifeCo, the internationally recognized medical wellness and detox brand founded over two decades ago with flagship destinations in Turkey (Bodrum, Antalya, Uludağ), Egypt and Thailand, embarks on its next chapter: its foray into the Caribbean with TheLifeCo St. Lucia, a 100-key purpose-built physician-led longevity destination designed from the ground up around detox and transformation programs. Setting a new standard for wellness tourism, TheLifeCo St. Lucia reimagines the traditional Caribbean escape as a structured wellness retreat, where guests come not just to unwind, but to actively transform their health.

ILTM Africa 2026 makes its anticipated return to the Norval Foundation in the Host City of Cape Town from 10–12 April, delivering its largest post-Covid edition to date. Uniting influential luxury suppliers and travel buyers from around the world, ILTM Africa 2026 presents a carefully curated programme designed to spark valuable business connections within a deeply immersive environment.