No Indaba day is complete without an early morning walk along the Durban beachfront promenade. After a brisk walk and a few photos the day gets hectic with meetings and the attendance of sessions to make the most of Africa’s biggest tourism pilgrimage. Cape Whale Coast Tourism has space at the colourful and visible Wesgro stand. At a small desk we talk to buyers, media and visitors and acquaint them with our area and its many tourism products. We share stories of new and old visitor sites and make sure future itineraries include our region. What makes this year’s Indaba even more special is that South Africa is also celebrating 25 years of democracy.

Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom opened the trade show and from then onwards it was fun and games. The highlight of my day was when Deputy Minister of Tourism, Elizabeth Thabethe, called to say that she is planning a visit to the Overstrand. I look forward to another exciting day on the floor! What I heard today:

• International tourist arrivals reached 1.4 billion
• African travel grew with 7%
• Tourism opportunities are as vast as the wide open African savannah and as distinctive as the sunsets
• Providing exceptional customer service experiences remains the heartbeat of travel and tourism