MPUMALANGA SHOWCASES TOURISM EXCELLENCE AT AFRICA’S TRAVEL INDABA 2025

Durban, ICC – May 2025

The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) is making waves at this year’s Africa’s Travel Indaba, one of the world’s top three tourism marketing events, currently taking place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban.

In an exclusive interview, MTPA Acting CEO Mr. Justus Mohlala highlighted the province’s strategic participation, saying, “The world about Mpumalanga is the unique products that we are offering. Our motivation to the product owners in our Mpumalanga Tourism Village is for them to explore and tap into new markets they've long aspired to reach.

This platform opens doors to generate partnerships, build meaningful relationships, and field enquiries from local and international markets.”

With over 40 exhibitors proudly representing Mpumalanga among the 1,300 participants from 27 African countries and 1,200 international buyers, the province is well positioned to promote its rich tourism offerings, from adventure tourism and cultural experiences to scenic landscapes and world-class accommodation.

Looking ahead, Mr. Mohlala confirmed that Mpumalanga is gearing up to host a global tourism milestone later this year.

“We have been identified as one of the provinces to host the G20 Tourism Ministers in September 2025. We are ready. We’re working closely with the national minister and tourism stakeholders to ensure a seamless, impactful experience for our visitors,” he said.

As part of the build-up to this global gathering, Mpumalanga is intensifying efforts to improve its tourism infrastructure and promote its unique destinations. “We’ve already identified conference venues and are engaging tourism businesses to prepare for international guests.

Our Mpumalanga Tourism Village at Indaba offers everything, packages, accommodation options, and expert tour operators, to help buyers and tourists plan their trips.”

For small tourism businesses back home, especially guesthouses and emerging attractions, Mr. Mohlala shared valuable advice: “Marketing your tourism product shouldn’t be an event-driven effort. It starts with developing a quality experience. Our agency is available to support product development, packaging, and grading to ensure that these businesses can eventually feature at platforms like this.”

In terms of strategic collaborations, the CEO revealed that several Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) are expected to be signed during the Indaba. “We’re signing an MOU with the Nkangala Economic Development Agency to boost regional tourism development. Another key partnership will be with the Limpopo Tourism Agency, a natural collaboration given our shared tourism assets like wildlife, culture, and scenic beauty, especially along our shared border areas like Bushbuckridge and Thaba Chewu.”

Mr. Mohlala emphasized that the joint efforts aim to create integrated tourism development zones that benefit both provinces, promoting seamless travel experiences and sustainable economic growth.

With dynamic participation at Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025 and an ambitious agenda ahead, Mpumalanga continues to assert its position as a leading destination in Africa’s tourism landscape.