Botswana tourism showcases at Meetings Africa to boost global presence

Botswana tourism operators, led by the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO), participated in Meetings Africa 2026 from 23–25 February in Johannesburg, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Botswana’s global tourism presence and promote sustainable sector growth.

BTO Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Tebogo Ramakgathi, confirmed that nine local operators attended the event. Botswana has been a consistent participant since 2014.

Meetings Africa is a premier business events trade show that brings together African destinations, international buyers, media, and key decision-makers from across the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) value chain.

The platform provides opportunities for destinations to showcase offerings, build partnerships, and secure business.

BTO’s participation aligns with its mandate to position Botswana as a competitive, high-value, and sustainable destination. Through pre-scheduled business-to-business meetings, networking engagements, and media interactions, local operators directly engage international buyers to promote Botswana’s tourism products and expand market access.

Participation is expected to stimulate demand, support increased bookings, and enhance Botswana’s brand visibility in key source markets, contributing to tourism growth and national economic development.

South Africa’s Tourism Minister, Patricia de Lille, officially opened the 20th edition of Meetings Africa under the theme “20 Years of Connecting Africa to the World.”

She highlighted the event’s growing economic impact, noting that its contribution to South Africa’s GDP nearly doubled from R371 million in 2023 to R690 million in 2025, while sustaining more than 2,600 jobs.

This year’s edition drew buyers from 53 countries, featured 325 exhibiting companies, and scheduled over 6,440 business meetings. A total of 21 African countries were represented, reinforcing the continent’s growing role in global tourism flows.

De Lille also congratulated Rwanda for securing hosting rights for the 2027 International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) congress, marking its return to Africa after 23 years.

She pointed to South Africa’s successful hosting of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in 2025 and the upcoming World Economic Forum Special Meeting, underscoring global confidence in Africa’s capabilities.

Beyond business events, South Africa is strengthening its tourism investment pipeline, with initiatives such as the Tourism Infrastructure Investment Summit and upcoming leisure showcases like Africa’s Travel Indaba in May and LIV Golf’s debut in March.

De Lille described Meetings Africa as “a purpose-designed ecosystem where high-quality connections drive concrete deals,” adding that stronger regional collaboration and continental participation are positioning Africa as a competitive global tourism and business events destination.