In an industry that has learned sometimes the hard way, that time, money and carbon all matter, OurAfrica.Travel has quietly become one of the smartest fixtures on the global travel calendar.
And in March 2026, it is back.
From 16 to 20 March 2026, the virtual trade show returns with the confidence of an event that knows exactly what it is, who it serves, and why it works. No airport queues. No jet lag. No glossy stands that cost more than a safari lodge roof. Just five tightly run days of business, connection and opportunity delivered efficiently, inclusively and with unmistakable African warmth.
Already confirmed for 2026 are 159 exhibitors from across Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, alongside 192 buyers, including tour operators, travel agents and media from around the globe. It is shaping up as another decisive year for a platform that has steadily redefined how Africa presents itself to the world’s travel trade.
What sets OurAfrica.Travel apart is not simply that it is virtual. It is that it has been designed properly from the ground up for how people actually do business. This is no dreary carousel of 20-minute video calls. Each participant has a dedicated profile, allowing buyers, sellers and journalists to assess partnerships in advance, target the right conversations and arrive at meetings already halfway down the track.
The result is fewer pleasantries, more progress and considerably better outcomes.
The technology underpinning the show has evolved markedly since its launch six years ago. A particularly welcome advance allows both buyers and exhibitors to include multiple team members in meetings, provided they are pre-registered. For African suppliers, this means sales teams can train together across continents in real time. For new recruits, it is a front-row seat to learning the business properly, not via hastily scribbled notes after the fact.
There is also something quietly revolutionary about a format that allows owner-run lodges to dial in from the bush, or small, remote tour operators to take part without the crippling cost of long-haul flights and accommodation. In an industry that often speaks about inclusivity, OurAfrica.Travel actually delivers it.
Networking extends well beyond the five official show days. Integrated chat functions and an interactive news feed create momentum over the three weeks leading up to the event, allowing conversations to develop organically. Deals are seeded, partnerships refined, and ideas exchanged, all without blowing budgets or ballooning emissions.
The show’s ethos has always been grounded in collaboration and ubuntu, the African philosophy of shared humanity. That spirit is reflected in its longstanding partners, including ATTA®, Wetu, Nightsbridge, The Travel Hub Collection, Atmosphere Marketing and Umlingo Travel P,R names that carry weight and credibility across the sector.
The numbers from last year’s February 2025 show speak volumes. There were 199 exhibitors, 490 buyers and 47 travel journalists. Over five days, more than 7,000 meetings took place. Nearly 45,000 messages were exchanged, and 20,000 connections were made across multiple time zones. More than 30 news stories flowed from the platform, amplifying African tourism narratives well beyond the event itself.
For sellers of Africa, buyers seeking new products, or tourism businesses ready to expand their reach, this is not a “nice-to-have”. It is a strategic opportunity to start 2026 on the front foot, focused, informed and connected.
Registration is now open at https://ourafrica.travel/ and closes on 3 March 2026.
Exhibitor enquiries can be directed to Storm Napier at [email protected], while buyers can contact Allie Hunt at [email protected].
Africa has stories to tell. In March 2026, OurAfrica.Travel once again ensures the right people are listening.
by Michelle Warner – (c) 2026.
Read time: 3 minutes.
About the Writer.
Michelle Warner is a storyteller with jet fuel in her veins, the sort of woman who could turn a long-haul delay into a lesson in patience and prose. She began her career in media publications, learning the craft of sharp sentences and honest storytelling, before trading deadlines for departures as a flight attendant with several major airlines. Years spent at thirty thousand feet gave her a keen eye for human nature and a deep affection for the grace and grit of travellers everywhere.
Now happily grounded, Michelle has returned to her first love, writing, with the same composure she once brought to a turbulent cabin. Her work combines an editor’s precision with a traveller’s curiosity, weaving vivid scenes and subtle humour into stories that honour the golden age of travel writing. Every line is a small act of civility, polished, poised, and unmistakably human.
