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With Angola as official partner country, a continent-wide showcase at the world’s largest travel trade fair signals a new era of African tourism confidence. Femi Awoniyi reports
When the doors of Messe Berlin swung open on 3 March 2026 for the 60th edition of ITB Berlin — the world’s leading travel trade show — Africa was not merely a guest. It was a statement. With Angola serving as the official partner country and exhibitors from across the continent filling Hall 21 and beyond, African tourism arrived in Berlin with a visibility, ambition and collective energy unlike anything seen before at the global fair.
The three-day event, which ran from 3 to 5 March, drew nearly 97,000 attendees and 5,601 exhibitors from 166 countries.
Angola: The Rhythm of Life on the World Stage
It is only the third time in ITB Berlin’s six-decade history that an African nation has served as official partner country — following Kenya and Namibia — and Angola seized the occasion with remarkable poise and passion. Under the bold campaign slogan ‘Visit Angola – The Rhythm of Life’, the southwest African nation turned Hall 21 into a living showcase of its coastlines, deserts, waterfalls, wildlife and vibrant cultural traditions.
In Hall 21, visitors were treated to kizomba workshops, B2B speed dating sessions, culinary experiences and a multimedia showcase that brought Angola’s cultural heartbeat — its music, dance and ancient rock formations — to life for an international audience.
Angola’s Minister of State for Economic Coordination, José de Lima Massano, announced that the country’s tourism sector had generated approximately 667 million US dollars in revenue in 2025, accompanied by a 30 per cent increase in international arrivals — making Angola the fastest-growing tourist destination in Africa and the fourth fastest-growing in the world.
The country’s performance at the fair earned tangible recognition: Angola walked away with three awards, including Best Destination and Diverse Landscapes of the Year, Best Promotional Video of a Tourist Destination and the prestigious Minister of Tourism of the Year: Resurrection award.
Continental Showcase: From Cairo to Cape Town
Angola may have commanded the spotlight, but the breadth of African representation at ITB Berlin 2026 told an equally powerful story. Hall 21, traditionally home to African exhibitors, was more densely populated and more professionally presented than at any previous edition, while African nations also appeared in other halls alongside their regional neighbours.
Egypt commanded an entire dedicated hall — Hall 6.2 — underscoring its stature as one of the continent’s premier international tourism brands. The country continued its well-established push to promote cultural heritage, historic monuments and Red Sea resort tourism to European visitors.
South Africa organised a large national pavilion bringing together tourism operators, hospitality brands and travel service providers, with a focus on its diverse portfolio — from the Big Five safari experience and the Cape Winelands to urban cultural tourism in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
East Africa presented itself both through national stands and through the powerful collective framework of the East African Community, which continued its ‘Visit East Africa — Feel the Vibe’ initiative. Kenya and Tanzania highlighted their globally renowned wildlife safari offerings, with particular emphasis on conservation credentials and sustainable eco-lodge tourism. Uganda, led by a delegation including senior tourism officials, used the platform to target the German market specifically, emphasising that Germany is among Uganda’s top seven European source markets.
Newcomers and returning exhibitors added further texture to Africa’s presence. Benin made its debut in Hall 21, while Madagascar and Cabo Verde returned on significantly expanded stands. Sierra Leone and Senegal were back after previous absences, and Botswana and Namibia brought their renowned wildlife and nature-tourism credentials to European buyers.
Africa, world’s fastest-growing tourism region
The strong African showing at ITB Berlin took place against a backdrop of remarkable continental performance. According to IPK International’s World Travel Monitor, global international travel grew by 4 per cent in 2025 — but Africa expanded at 10 per cent, double the global average, making it the world’s fastest-growing tourism region. IATA data showed African passenger demand rose 9 per cent in early 2025, more than double the global figure.
What this year’s ITB Berlin demonstrated, more vividly than any statistics can fully capture, is a continent growing in confidence. From Angola’s award-winning cultural performances to SADC’s regional reform agenda, from Kenya’s conservation-led safari pitch to Morocco’s infrastructure-backed expansion, African tourism is no longer asking to be taken seriously. It is demanding it — and earning it.
Looking to a bright future
The 60th anniversary edition of ITB Berlin, held as B2B event, ultimately generated €47 billion in business deals across the three days, a figure that reflects the enduring primacy of face-to-face business relationships in the travel industry.
For African destinations, the networks built and the partnerships forged in Berlin this week represent something more than deal flow — they represent a structural shift in how Africa is positioned within the global tourism conversation.
The Maldives will be the host country for ITB Berlin 2027, and Africa will take its place among the exhibitors once more. But the legacy of Berlin 2026 will be felt for years: a continent that arrived as a curiosity in many international observers’ minds, and departed as an unmistakable force in global tourism.
