Zambia Makes History with 41 Tourism Operators at Africa Travel Indaba 2025
Zambia has made a bold statement on the continental stage by registering a record-breaking 41 tourism operators for the 2025 Africa Travel Indaba, Africa’s leading tourism and travel trade show.
Organized by the Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA), the country’s participation in this prestigious event, held from 12th to 15th May in Durban, South Africa, marks a significant leap in promoting Zambia as a competitive and attractive destination.
The Indaba is a premier annual event that brings together tourism professionals, international buyers, media, and exhibitors from across the world. It serves as a strategic platform for showcasing Africa’s rich travel offerings, while this year’s theme emphasizes sustainable and responsible tourism a message that aligns well with Zambia’s push for eco-conscious and culturally respectful tourism growth.
ZTA Chief Executive Officer Matongo Matamwandi described this year’s participation as a milestone, expressing both excitement and regret. “Having 41 co-sharers at the Zambia stand is a record breaker, but it is unfortunate that we had to stop some co-sharers from traveling with us due to limited space,” he said. The overwhelming interest is a strong indicator of the growing confidence within the sector.
This year’s participation has also seen a remarkable inclusion of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), a development Matamwandi highlighted as crucial for the sector. “We are excited to have a number of SMEs participate and gain exposure by meeting international buyers and showcasing their businesses to the world,” he said. For many of these operators, the Indaba offers a rare opportunity to access global markets and scale their businesses.
In addition to promoting Zambia’s wide array of natural and cultural tourism products, ZTA is using the platform to market the upcoming Zambia Travel Expo (ZATEX) 2025, which is scheduled for June 5th to 7th at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka. The Agency hopes this back-to-back engagement will keep Zambia on the radar of international buyers and media throughout the year.
With a national target of attracting 2.2 million international tourist arrivals in 2025, the increased participation at Indaba is seen as a step in the right direction. “The increase in the number of Zambia’s tourism operators is an encouragement to us all to be ambassadors in promoting Destination Zambia to the world,” Matamwandi noted. He emphasized that it is such initiatives that will drive the country toward achieving its ambitious goals.
May 12, 2025
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