Tourism Indaba 2013

I want to share a couple of scenes from the recent Indaba with you, but first a quick generic explanation to those who don’t know what Indaba is.  Tourism Indaba, hosted by South African Tourism, is an annual tourism trade show that takes place in Durban in early May.  Indaba is the biggest tourism trade show on the African continent and one of the top three internationally and brings together product and destinations with buyers from all over the world.  But Indaba is so much more than an exhibition.  It also includes speed marketing sessions, workshops, launches, awards, functions and lots of technology.  This year SA Tourism launched their #MeetSouthAfrica campaign just before Indaba with 15 international bloggers travelling all over South Africa blogging, Facbooking, Tweeting and Instagramming about their experiences.  This was followed by a travel bloggers conference on the day before Indaba where some of the bloggers told delegates more about how bloggers can benefit tourism products and destinations and obviously about their trip.  
 
Delegates received a warm South African welcome at the airport as well as entering the Durban ICC

The exhibition space is split between the Durban International Convention Centre and the Durban Exhibition Centre as well as outside exhibitors in between
 
 The Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (seeing that I don’t blog for a living I need to earn my daily bread somewhere) stand with my colleague Seekoei (the name he goes by online) manning the front desk
 



On the left a delegate is trying out the interactive video wall on the SA Tourism stand while on the right is a chalk drawing outside the Heritage and Cultural Pavilion
 
Sand sculptures done between the ICC and DEC

The Heritage and Cultural Pavilion was a new (and popular) addition to Indaba 2013 and showcased some of the country’s top heritage and cultural attractions.  Although there were brochures available, all the information was on display on iPads on the wall as well as through Poken scanners. 

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Gaelyn

    Bet that was an interesting show. Sure wish I'd been one of those 15. Glad I went to the Getaway Show.

  2. Anonymous

    Interesting ! Social media is a powerful tool!

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