Johannesburg - The build-up to the highly anticipated third annual Mpumalanga Tourism Expo has kicked off as promotions of the event continue to take place nationally.
Jakada Holdings (PTY) Ltd, in partnership with the Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency, announced its readiness to host the event at the Riverside Mall from September 29 to October 1.
It is explained that the aim of the expo is to promote domestic tourism in South Africa and Mpumalanga.
Furthermore, the tourism expo is a vehicle for regional tourism integration in the spirit of the Triland Agreement signed between Mpumalanga, the Kingdom of Eswatini and Mozambique.
Xolani Mthethwa, the founder and chief executive of Jakada Holdings, spoke about the expo, highlighting that they had increased the number of exhibitors this year.
“The third annual Mpumalanga Tourism Expo is geared to provide a platform for 44 tourism products to showcase their products and services to the domestic and regional markets.
“This year, we want to increase the number of exhibitors to include some of the provinces in South Africa. Twelve hosted buyers from Gauteng, the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mozambique and the Kingdom of Eswatini will be invited to attend the expo to interact with the exhibitors and learn about the tourism products on offer in the province,” said Mthethwa.
Acting chief executive of the MTPA, Mduduzi Vilakazi, also spoke about the expo and said: “The Mpumalanga Tourism Expo continues to be a perfect platform for the promotion and growth of tourism in the province. Furthermore, the expo will assist us in implementing the Triland Agreement that was signed recently through the invitation of the tour operators from Mozambique and the Kingdom of Eswatini to come and exhibit at this event.”
Last year’s two-day affair enabled businesses to showcase the province’s plentiful tourism products and experiences that make it one of the most sought-after tourism destinations.
The Star was also part of the momentous experience where one could explore various cities in the province.
Sudwala Caves, known as the oldest dolomite caves in the world, are located about 35km west of Nelspruit.
The province recently hosted the Metro FM Awards, and Vilakazi explained that such events provide economic spin-offs such as market exposure to new entrants in the tourism business, bring to life the township and rural economies, and create short-term job opportunities.
The Star