Staff Reporter
18/09/2015
Two new companies presenting at this year’s E-Tourism Africa Summit in Cape Town on the 17th and 18th of September and in Tshwane on the 21st and 22nd of September 2015, will be Airbnb and UBER. It is the first time both companies have presented at the summit.
The E-Tourism Africa Summit (Tshwane) will be held at 012 Central on the 21st and 22nd of September 2015 while the E-Tourism Africa Summit (Cape Town) will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on the 17th and 18th of September 2015. Other global presenters at this year’s summit include Facebook, Trip Advisor, Expedia, Twitter, Instagram and a fresh new set of local and international innovative speakers and solutions. South African Tourism is the title sponsor of the summit along with VISA a lead sponsor and the City of Tshwane.
In the wake of strong successes in key markets around the world, Airbnb plans to significantly grow its business in Africa, where the company has already seen some impressive growth. In just the last year the number of listings in Africa has more then doubled and the number of people staying in Airbnb listings in the region has increased by 145% – according to a recent Airbnb press release issued when the CEO – Brian Chesky attended the Global Entrepreneurial Summit in Nairobi with Presidents Obama and Kenyatta in July this year.
Damian Cook the CEO of E-Tourism Frontiers – the company organizing the E-Tourism Africa Summits said the rise of travel sharing companies cannot be ignored. “Around the Airbnb and UBER have gained new ground and significantly shaken up the market – there has been moves by some governments and destinations to try and curb and even stop travel sharing companies growing or operating – however it is completely clear that there is a huge demand for travel sharing services across the world”.
Cook went on to say that forward thinking and progressive companies and destinations in the travel market need to work to understand the travel sharing concept so they can continue to compete, but at the same time they also need to look at ways they can work together – there are potential ways of co-operating, he said.
“Visa recognizes the synergy between technology and tourism. We are committed to growing tourism, especially in-bound travel to Africa and we are delighted to be sponsoring this year’s E-Tourism Africa Summit which will give the African tourism sector much needed information and insight from international online travel experts”, said Salome Makau, Senior Business Development Leader for Southern Africa, VISA.
Registration for the E-Tourism Africa Summit – Cape Town and Tshwane is open now:
http://www.etas.co.za/
