South African tourism minister Patricia de Lille responds to a question by Windhoek-based travel writer Martha Mukaiwa during a press conference at Africa’s Travel Indaba in Durban. Mukaiwa inquired as to the current initiatives and platforms in place to encourage Africans, including South Africans, to explore the continent beyond globally acclaimed destinations like Cape Town. “We do have to support each other. But it is not only South Africa that are not taking advantage of branding the continent, Africa branded, and not just their own countries,” said De Lille on the second day of the Indaba. “Here at the Indaba, we need to step up on that because you can see the products from the various countries. The competition is good among us as countries, but we also have to make sure that we promote ‘Brand Africa’ as a brand on its own.”
Africa’s Travel Indaba is currently underway at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre. The South Africa Binational Commission will be meeting in Namibia in a few months’ time, and delegates hope to diversify the experience to include Swakopmund.
Video: Martha Mukaiwa