Tourism INDABA 2009 sets its sights firmly on 2010
06. Apr, 2009
4 Comments
The annual South African Tourism INDABA will focus firmly this year on the 2010 FIFA World Cup and other global events coming to South Africa. With little more than a month to go until the opening on May 08, INDABA attendee numbers are looking very promising indeed.
There will be seven percent more journalists (418) at INDABA this year, with 116 of those confirmed media attendees coming from foreign countries. Exhibitor numbers to date are at 1,814 and visitor numbers so far total 3,501. Organisers confidently expect these numbers to grow over the next three to four weeks as the traditional last minute applications for registration come in.
“We are using INDABA this year to show that we are ready and waiting to welcome 2010 visitors. It’s time to come to South Africa, celebrate 2010 with passion and enthusiasm and participate in the many lucrative opportunities offered by this winning industry and nation,” says Didi Moyle, acting CEO at South African Tourism.
In spite of global economic woes, South African Tourism remains cautiously optimistic that it will achieve its five-year ambition of welcoming 10 million tourists in 2010.
South African Tourism will launch its 2010 FIFA World CupTM campaign that markets the event to the world and also ignites South Africans’ passion for the game and their country. There will also be a virtual soccer experience and a 2010 soccer celebration where football matches (hosted by a 2010 FIFA ambassador) will be played. Durban will resonate with the sound of vuvuzelas and cheering crowds all INDABA long.
New at INDABA this year is the official launch of the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) that measures factors that contribute to the broader economic growth of the country through tourism. The Account is a collaborative project of Statistics South Africa, South African Tourism, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, South African Reserve Bank, the Department of Home Affairs, the South African Revenue Services and the Department of Trade and Industry. TSA will be launched at a media round table briefing on Saturday, May 09.
The Global Media Face Off (the INDABA press conference traditionally attended by more than 300 journalists from around the world) will be moderated by CNN anchor and current affairs journalist, Richard Quest. The global economic crisis and its impact on the tourism industry (globally and locally) is the primary point of discussion this year. The Face Off will examine the influence of the 2010 FIFA World Cup TM (and other high profile global events such as the Confederations Cup, the Miss World pageant, the British Lions tour to South Africa, the Indian Premier League and the ICC Champions Trophy) on both the sector and the national economy. There will also be an examination of how South Africa is managing issues such as value for money, friendliness, service levels, safety and security. The Global Media Face Off takes place on Sunday May 10.
The winner of the Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (ETEYA) will be announced at INDABA on Friday, May 8. Although ETEYA is eight years old, this is the first time ever that the ETEYA winner will be announced at INDABA. Previous winners were announced abroad at the World Travel Market in London. ETEYA is an initiative of South African Tourism in partnership with South African Breweries, to celebrate and award black-owned Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs).
The Welcome Awards that reward quality service delivery in the tourism industry will also be made at INDABA. These are now established as the premier tourism service excellence Awards in the country and will be made on Monday, May 11.
INDABA takes place from May 8 to 12 at the Chief Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre and its precincts in Durban. For a full INDABA calendar and for more information on the biggest travel trade show on the continent, and one of the biggest in the world, visit www.indaba-southafrica.co.za.
My name is Muzi Mohale a full-time travel blogger, your host at Travelwires.com responsible for all editorial on this blog. I blog about the travel and tourism industry in Africa. Apart from blogging about tourism, I also run 
I’ve been browsing your site with the hope to find the FIFA World Cup 2010 Soccer Dance that I watched earlier last year. I need the moves instructions, the name of the dance itself and the name of the soccer styles these guys were doing. I’m not a big fan of soccer, but I was surprised to see Suoth Africans doing something marvellous and unique. Our visitors will be bombed to see tat South africa is not a Zoo filled with baboons and gorrilas. Please send me together with the song you think is suitable to go with it. I can’t wait to get on the dance floor.
thank You