KwaZulu-Natal TAFI Convention

The TAFI Executive Committee is in KZN for the last recee to ensure that the province is well prepared for one of the biggest travel trade convention. This convention is hosted in partnership with Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA).

The TAFI Executives arrived in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, 3 February; to conduct site inspections at UShaka Marine World, Moses Mabhida Stadium and the ICC, where they will also sample the food that will be served to delegates during the convention and related events. Furthermore, they will be meeting with partners from the Tsogo Sun, Durban Tourism, Trade & Investment KZN, Tourism KZN, the Indian consulate and the MEC for Economic Development & Tourism; Mr Michael Mabuyakhulu.

This annual convention will bring close to nine hundred delegates from India, who will have an opportunity to explore and sample tourism products and attractions of KwaZulu-Natal with the intention to package and sell the destination to their clients in India.

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) projects that in 10 years an estimated 70 % of the world's travels will come from the East. The TAFI Convention will be a great platform to educate the travel trade on the KZN tourism products that will be on demand with the Indian market and to create new packages and itineraries featuring KZN. This will also be a great opportunity for the local tourism trade to create business to business partnerships and linkages with the travel trade from India, who will give them access to this high volume tourism growth market.

South African Tourism has identified the Indian market as a rapidly growing market for South Africa. India is one of the few markets that have recorded a growth of 26% in arrivals in South Africa year on year since 2010.

India provides a great opportunity to grow the Durban/Dubai Emirates route that flies daily to KZN, with 185 flights a week landing in Dubai from 10 destinations in India.

The BRICS countries formation qualifies India as an important and strategic market for South Africa and KZN, with a prospective for developing a route between India and Durban.
The fact that the BRICS Summit will be hosted a month after the TAFI Convention, gives us confidence that this will definitely go a long way in growing tourist numbers from India - says Mr Ndabo Khoza, Chief Executive Officer of Tourism KZN.

The delegates of TAFI will also be partaking on pre and post tours that will see them sampling a variety of our products, ranging from game viewing in Hluhluwe to indulging on our spa and golfing facilities across the province. It is without a doubt that the TAFI delegates will return home with KZN as a top of mind destination for them to bring more of their clients to our shores - continued Mr Khoza

TAFI and SATSA have also signed an 'Enhanced Value Package' that will ensure that relationship between the two countries continues beyond the convention. This package will see local entities like Durban Chamber and Tourism KZN hosting, hoteliers, travel media, members of the Chambers of Commerce and the film fraternity from Bollywood in order to position KZN as a key destination for investment, tourism and film in the Indian market.

This year's convention themed "Navigating the Future" pays tribute to the changes and development in the travel industry and the province of KZN intends to be in the forefront of that change in the future.

Date: 24 February 2013 to 27 February 2013
Venue: Durban