#Indaba2017: Durban to host conference for five more years

President Jacob Zuma. Picture: Jacques Naude

President Jacob Zuma. Picture: Jacques Naude

Published May 16, 2017

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DURBAN – DURBAN will continue to host Tourism Indaba for the next five years, President Jacob Zuma announced on Tuesday when he officially opened the trade show at Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban.

This announcement prompted a rapturous applause from government officials and delegates who attended the opening of the two-day conference which ends on Thursday.

The show sees more 7000 delegates from across the African continent showcasing their products and contributed more than R200 million into the economy of Durban. Reaction to the announcement, a jubilant eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede said, “We are humbled that government has recognised the effort that we have invested in ensuring that we host a spectacle each time we were given a opportunity to host Indaba.”

Gumede, who couldn’t suppress her excitement thanked the Minister of Tourism, Tokozile Xasa, KZN Premier Willies Mchunu and MEC for Economic Development in KZN Sihle Zikalala for their unwavering support towards eThekwini municipality.

“As a city of Durban and the province of KZN we are humbled by this continued show of confidence in our ability to host Indaba. We are more than excited about your announcement. I want to promise now that over the next we will raise the bar Ngeke sakuphoxa (We will never disappoint you),” she said.

She said her ultimate goal was to make Indaba a permanent Durban show.

On Durban’s capacity, Gumede said she believed that Durban has shown “beyond reasonable doubt” that it was Africa’s leading tourism and events destination.

Zuma congratulated Durban for winning the right the host Indaba for the next five years.

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@lunganizungu

SUNDAY TRIBUNE

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