JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- African tourism players are meeting in Johannesburg on Tuesday to explore areas of collaboration and ways to improve the sector in the exhibition "Meetings Africa 2020".
The exhibition was officially opened by South Africa's Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane.
Kubayi-Ngubane called on Africans to join hands to improve the sector indicating that the continent has a great potential.
"Meetings Africa showcases Africa's diverse offering of services and products... to partner to help transform our continent's fortune. Africa has changed and continues to change for the better. Today, Africa brims with promise. Africa is a wonderful continent of diverse people and vibrant cultures," said the minister.
She called on tourism operators to position Africa as the tourism destination and collaborate with each other.
"Africa comprises of countries at varying degrees of development, the majority of which now form part of the virtuous growth cycle. Therefore, collaboration, rather than competition, is crucial to assist all African countries to realise their potential,"she said.
Catherine Kilinda from Tanzania's Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre told Xinhua that she attended Meetings Africa to get new clients to visit her country. She said they are improving the facilities in her country to be world-class so that they could lure people to hold meetings in Tanzania.
Botswana's Peermont Hotels, Casinos and Resorts hospitality marketing manager Neo Nkele said Africa is improving in making travel easy by relaxing visas and connecting flights.
"We are here to solicit for new clients and cultivate relations with old ones. Tourism industry is changing and evolving. We are here to learn about the ins and outs of the sector to keep up with the trends," said Nkele.
Meetings Africa will end on Wednesday. There are 321 exhibitors from 20 African countries showing what they can offer.
