Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba is expected to officially deliver the opening address at the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum (ATLF) 2026 at Meropa Casino and Entertainment World in Polokwane on Thursday.
The eighth edition of the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum is being held from 2 to 4 September, bringing together tourism, hospitality, aviation, government, investment and business leaders from across Africa and beyond.
The forum provides a platform for African tourism leaders to exchange ideas, build partnerships and develop strategies aimed at increasing intra-African travel and strengthening the continent’s position as a global tourism destination.
For Limpopo, hosting the high-level gathering represents an important opportunity to place the province’s tourism attractions directly in front of potential visitors, investors and industry leaders from across the continent.
Boost for Limpopo tourism
Limpopo is home to some of South Africa’s most important tourism attractions, including the Kruger National Park, Mapungubwe, the Waterberg and the Vhembe region. The province also offers cultural, heritage, wildlife and adventure tourism experiences.
The forum could therefore help the province market these destinations to an international audience while encouraging delegates to extend their stay and explore Limpopo beyond the conference venue.
The arrival of tourism ministers from Uganda and Mauritius directly at Polokwane International Airport ahead of the forum has already been described by the Limpopo Tourism Agency as a vote of confidence in the province’s ability to host international visitors and business events.
The agency says the airport has customs and immigration facilities, aircraft aprons, fuelling services, air-traffic control and other infrastructure, while its location provides access to major tourism destinations across the province.
Potential economic benefits
The forum could provide Limpopo with several economic opportunities.
1. Attracting tourism investment
Bringing investors and tourism industry leaders to the province gives Limpopo an opportunity to showcase projects requiring investment, including hotels, resorts, conference facilities, transport infrastructure and tourism attractions.
2. Creating jobs
A stronger tourism industry can create employment in accommodation, restaurants, transport, tour operations, entertainment, events and other services. Increased visitor numbers can also benefit small businesses and informal traders.
3. Promoting local tourism businesses
Local tour operators, accommodation establishments, craft producers and other tourism businesses can use the networking opportunities created by the forum to establish relationships with buyers and partners from other African countries.
4. Growing Polokwane as a business-events destination
The direct arrival of international delegates at Polokwane International Airport demonstrates the potential for Polokwane to position itself as a gateway for conferences, exhibitions and other international business events.
5. Strengthening Limpopo’s international profile
Hosting a Pan-African tourism leadership gathering gives the province an opportunity to move beyond being marketed primarily as a domestic destination and strengthen its profile as an international tourism and investment destination.
A platform for partnerships
The ATLF is specifically designed to bring together governments, tourism businesses, investors and other stakeholders to discuss policies, connectivity, investment and strategies for growing African tourism.
For Ramathuba’s administration, the challenge will now be to turn the visibility generated by the three-day event into concrete investment, increased tourist arrivals and jobs for people in Limpopo.
The forum is taking place at Meropa Casino and Entertainment World, with the official programme running until Friday, 4 September.
For Limpopo, the event is more than simply an international conference. It presents an opportunity to sell the province as a tourism destination, demonstrate its infrastructure and investment potential, and build lasting relationships with tourism leaders across Africa.
