Airbnb Africa Travel Summit happening this October

The Airbnb Africa Travel Summit is taking place in Johannesburg on 23 and 24 October. It will bring together a select group of innovators, influencers, changemakers, policymakers and hosts from across the continent to unpack how travel and technology can drive a more inclusive and sustainable future.

• Policymakers, tourism experts, innovators and changemakers will gather for the Airbnb Africa Travel Summit to explore the role technology can play in driving inclusive and sustainable tourism in Africa.

• Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism, will open the conference; with Afua Osei, co-founder of She Leads Africa, moderating the event; and actress and activist Zozibini Tunzi presenting the final keynote.

• More than 200 attendees will hear from over 20 speakers, such as Bankole Oluwafemi, Founder of TechCabal, through interactive panel discussions, ChangeMaker sessions and case study presentations.

More than 200 policymakers, tourism experts, innovators and changemakers from across the continent are set to gather at the Airbnb Africa Travel Summit in Johannesburg on 24 October to explore, innovate and collaborate on building an inclusive and sustainable tourism industry across Africa.

The Summit, hosted by Airbnb, is the second of its kind, and will take place at Victoria Yards in Johannesburg, South Africa. Moderated by Afua Osei, co-founder of She Leads Africa, the event will convene a lineup of more than 20 speakers and panellists that will facilitate an interactive day of discussion and networking around the role of tourism and technology in driving continued inclusive and sustainable economic empowerment and growth across the continent.

Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism, will take the stage for the welcome note, alongside other notable thought leaders, including Bankole Oluwafemi, Founder of TechCabal; Juliette Langlais, Airbnb's Director of Public Policy and Campaigns for Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Anita Mendiratta, Global Strategic Advisor on Tourism & Development..

They will be joined by representatives from  UNESCO and the WTTC, as well as changemakers in inclusivity, sustainability and tech regulation. Zozibini Tunzi, actress, model and advocate of empowerment and inclusivity, will present the final keynote; and the evening will end with a performance by world-renowned recording artist, Bongeziwe Mabandla.

Each speaker and delegate will bring a unique perspective to the overarching theme of the summit - sharing lived experience, research findings and thoughts on best practices around how travel and technology can drive a more inclusive and sustainable future, and help support the recovery of tourism post-pandemic.

The programme will include interactive participation, networking opportunities, and experiential elements through curated panel discussions, ChangeMaker sessions and case study presentations, including:

• ChangeMaker Presentation: the transformative power of technology in Africa, led by Bankole Oluwafemi, TechCabal.

• Fireside Chat: building inclusivity in travel, with Bheki Dube from Curiocity and Phakamile Hlazo from Zulu Nomad.

• Panel: regulating new technologies, centred on how policy makers and tech companies can collaborate to ensure evidence-based decision making; moderated by Sofia Gkiousou, Google.

The Airbnb Africa Travel Summit builds on Airbnb's commitment to inclusive tourism in South Africa, and its proposal for new measures that will help build a more inclusive tourism economy, and enable government and the private sector to work together to address important issues, such as systemic barriers to entry and inequality.

Velma Corcoran, Regional Lead Middle East Africa at Airbnb, said, "To support of the continued recovery and growth of the tourism industry, the Africa Travel Summit will bring together the leading thinkers from across the continent to discuss how we can leverage technology and innovation to empower more local families and their communities to benefit from African travel. 

"We look forward to facilitating important discussions amongst industry, policymakers and changemakers to collaboratively build a sustainable and inclusive tourism model that benefits everyone.

An event that we are certain will both inspire and ignite entrepreneurial spirit across Africa".