SADC, Boundless Southern Africa and Tourism Alliance to Host Regional Connectivity Dialogue at Africa's Travel Indaba
The SADC Secretariat, Boundless Southern Africa, and the Southern Africa Tourism Alliance will convene a high-level side event at Africa's Travel Indaba on 13 May 2026 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC Complex in Durban, South Africa. Titled "Unlocking Regional Connectivity: Rethinking How Southern Africa Moves Its Visitors," the dialogue will bring together government officials and private sector leaders to address the connectivity barriers - fragmented travel routes, limited air access, inconsistent visa requirements, and border inefficiencies - that continue to constrain tourism growth across Southern Africa's 16 SADC Member States. The event is supported by the South African Department of Tourism and co-funded by the German Government and the European Union, implemented through GIZ.
The two-hour programme will feature structured updates on the SADC Tourism Programme 2020–2030, covering the Univisa assessment, regional air access, Transfrontier Conservation Area development, and border efficiency initiatives, followed by government and private sector panels focused on practical, commercially viable solutions. Confirmed panellists include Aaron Munetsi, CEO of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa, and Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa and Chair of the Southern Africa Tourism Alliance, among others. The session will be moderated by Natalia Rosa of the Southern Africa Tourism Alliance and is open to tourism executives, aviation stakeholders, policymakers, border management officials, development partners, and tourism media.
Source: Inside Travel
