By Lwazi Raul-Shongwe
The official opening of the three-day 2025 Africa’s Travel Indaba, officiated by Deputy President of South Africa-Paul Mashatile, held in Durban(KwaZulu-Natal) served as an opportunity for SMMEs(Small Medium and Micro Enterprises) from Mpumalanga Province to market a variety of products and showcase the province’s tourism offerings, at a dedicated stand called Mpumalanga Tourism Village, within the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre, where the Indaba is taking place.
The SMMEs form part of a delegation including Tour Operators, Travel Agencies, the hospitality industry, representatives from various provincial government departments, led by Mpumalanga MEC for DEDT(Department of Economic Development and Tourism), Makhosazane Masilela, alongside MTPA(Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency) Acting CEO, Justus Mohlala.
During a visit to the Mpumalanga Tourism Village stand, MEC Masilela emphasised the importance of continued partnerships between government and various stakeholders from the private sector to ensure that the tourism industry in Mpumalanga is efficiently developed.
She said the province has launched a Youth Tourism Fund to support young people in the tourism industry and promote diversity. According to Masilela, the initiative aims to dispel the notion that tourism is only successful when driven by a specific group of people.
“ As a province, we are happy that we brought along SMMEs to the Indaba and they are grateful for this opportunity because it will benefit their respective businesses. In Mpumalanga we work with structures such as the Regional and District Tourism Agencies. We have also signed MOUs(Memoranda of Understanding) with our neighbouring countries such as Mozambique and Swaziland to further expand tourism opportunities for SMMEs,” said Masilela.
In addition, the MEC said the MTPA budget is not enough to accommodate all the SMMEs in Mpumalanga and she will engage with municipalities and stakeholders to ensure that more SMMEs can attend the next Africa’s Travel Indaba.
Nyamankulu Guest Lodge from Bushbuckridge Local Municipality(Mpumalanga) Assistant Manager, Phumzile, said the Indaba is an opportunity to make partnerships and create business for the recently established business.
“ We are a new lodge and we are looking forward to expand our clientele through our participation in this Indaba. We have people coming to our desk(Mpumalanga Tourism Village) to enquire about our guest lodge, and that gives us motivation. We are happy to interact with tour operators, travel agencies and international travellers. We offer more than food and accommodation. So far, some of our clients come from as far as Germany and we are looking to attract more potential customers,” said Phumzile.
MTPA Acting CEO(Chief Executive Officer), Justus Mohlala, emphasised the importance of developing quality products and marketing them efficiently. He said the MTPA is committed to supporting SMMEs in the tourism industry.
Mohlala stated that several Memoranda of Understanding(MOUs) will be signed during the Indaba between MTPA and Limpopo Tourism Agency , to collaborate on growing the economy and promoting tourism-related activities to benefit the two provinces.
He said the MTPA aims to explore integrated tourism development along the borders of the two provinces, leveraging their shared characteristics in wildlife, culture, and scenic beauty.
“ We brought a number of products to make sure that people can get more information, put down enquiries for tourism packages, accommodation, Tour Operators, adventure tourism. Our Mpumalanga Tourism Village is here to assist whoever wants to plan or package their trips to Mpumalanga. We encourage our SMMEs, in the tourism space, to continue to develop their products. As MTPA we are always there to help them to package and develop a quality product before it can reach the market,” said Mohlala.
The first day of the Africa’s Travel Indaba was a resounding success, particularly for the province of Rising Sun(Mpumalanga), and the delegation aims to build on the momentum going forward, to ensure that the SMMEs have gained more insight as well as business opportunities, which will result in more tourists heading to Mpumalanga for an unforgettable tourism experience.
