Luxury travel trade show ILTM Africa has announced a major expansion for its 2026 event, becoming the first luxury travel marketplace on the continent to serve both inbound and dedicated outbound opportunities focused on the Middle East. The move by organiser RX can be seen as a response to rapid growth in Africa’s outbound luxury travel spending, which industry data shows is set to reach US$1.6bn by 2026.
The expansion comes as travel agencies across sub-Saharan Africa report a 32% jump in luxury outbound bookings over the past year, with strong demand for Middle Eastern destinations. This growth has created a clear market need that ILTM Africa 2026 will address.
“The African luxury travel market continues to evolve, and our clients’ needs are evolving with it,” said Megan De Jager, portfolio director of ILTM Africa. “For 2026, we’re enhancing our event by introducing dedicated outbound opportunities focused exclusively on the Middle East, giving African agencies direct access to a curated selection of luxury products from that region. At the same time, we remain fully committed to delivering unmatched value for our South African and sub-Saharan partners through our established buyer mix. This extension simply adds targeted connections while protecting the ROI and proven benefits that have made ILTM Africa indispensable for both exhibitors and buyers.”
ILTM Africa will return to Cape Town’s Norval Foundation, Cape Town, 10-12 April 2026. The new dual focus show format makes ILTM Africa the only African event connecting luxury suppliers with buyers looking for both inbound and outbound opportunities.
Many African buyers now handle both types of travel but previously had to attend multiple events to meet all their suppliers. The event will maintain its format of pre-matched one-to-one meetings, focused networking, and practical sessions on market trends, now with expanded scope to serve both markets.
For more information visit the ILTM Africa website or to express an interest in exhibiting, register here.
