Some exhibitors at the just concluded 2023 Africa’s Travel Indaba (ATI) on Thursday commended the South Africa Tourism (SAT) for a well organised expo.
The exhibitors who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews expressed excitement over sales recorded and business deals sealed at the expo.
NAN reports that the three-day expo witnessed business meetings, conferences, exhibitions, diverse cultural displays, virtual tourism education, nightlife experience and more.
The expo attracted no fewer than 8,000 delegates from across the globe with over 1,000 exhibitors.
Tabitha Muchogu, Sales and Marketing Administration Manager, Heritage Hotels,Kenya, who had been attending the expo for the past 15 years, said significant improvement was observed.
Muchogu said the organisation of the fair was well coordinated and appropriate imformation were consistently and promptly circulated.
She noted that the quality of buyers had also improved tremendously as travel agents known as the buyers had the potential to sell their products.
“Now I can see that we have fewer jokers coming into the exhibition, who one can confidently transact businesses with. I don’t know how this was done but there are great improvements compared to the past editions.
“Going forward, I would want the South Africa Tourism to consider serving local dishes because what we had was lots of finger foods,” she said.
Also, Julia De Beer, Marketing and Reservations Manager, Siviti Timbavati Plains, said “It is a great experience here, the exhibition has been a prosperous one, we have made sales.
“I have also been able to learn a lot, for instance, I learnt the real estate business from some other exhibitors around.”
Similarly, Cassilda Ntsane, Group Sales Manager, Premier Hotel in Pretoria, who commended SAT for a well organised expo, advised them to ensure that the number of buyers exceeded that of the exhibitors, going forward.
“This will ensure that market demand meets supply,” he said.
Frank Udeme from Nigeria, said the expo was beneficial to him because he learnt diverse aspects of African culture.
He urged Africans to keep being friendly with one another and explore more of African boarders during leisure, instead of visiting the western world for tourism.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria
