With fresh conversations, stronger connections and a sharper focus on where hospitality is heading, Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026 once again proved why it remains one of the most important events on Africa’s tourism calendar.
Held in Durban from 11 to 14 May 2026, the event brought together hoteliers, tourism operators, buyers, media and industry leaders from across the continent and beyond. This year’s edition felt especially forward-looking, with stronger conversations around digital transformation, air connectivity, distribution shifts and how technology is reshaping guest experience.
Representing GuestRevu at this year’s event were Guest Intelligence & Growth Specialists Amy Branford and Natalie Brighton, who spent the week reconnecting with clients, building new relationships and gathering valuable insight into the trends shaping hospitality across Africa.
For the GuestRevu team, catching up with long-standing clients and partners remained one of the standout moments of the week. Many of those professional relationships have evolved into genuine friendships over the years, and events like Indaba continue to prove that hospitality technology is still very much a people-first business.
That was especially clear in meetings with existing clients and newer partners, including conversations with teams such as The Lux Collective, Ekhaya Luxury Resort, Peermont Global, Cresta Hotels, Orion Hotels and Resorts, and ResRequest, as well as a range of independent operators and tourism stakeholders across the region.
It also reinforces GuestRevu’s niche in the wider hospitality conversation. As operators look for ways to improve visibility, personalise guest communication and make better use of data, the need for actionable guest insight continues to grow. GuestRevu client Moshati Metsing from Orion Hotels and Resorts summed up the practical value of guest intelligence:
“It’s very efficient. It’s easy to use and straightforward. It assists with AI as well, which is something I’m trying to tap into more; that’s a trending topic right now. It makes our life easier, makes the work easier, and I’d really recommend GuestRevu.”
Having these kinds of discussions in person with hoteliers reminds us that guest experience technology is not about dashboards or reporting for its own sake. It is about helping teams understand guests better, respond faster and deliver stronger experiences.
To get a glimpse of the conversations, connections and standout moments from the week, take a look at our highlights video below.
AI remains one of the biggest talking points across hospitality events, but at this year’s Indaba, the conversation felt noticeably more mature. The question was no longer whether AI belongs in hospitality, but how to use it effectively.
A clear shift this year was the focus on visibility. Hoteliers are no longer just using AI as an automation tool, and are starting to explore how AI can help them become more discoverable online, particularly as search behaviour changes. Conversations around AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) were everywhere, with many teams actively working out what they need to change to improve visibility, reach the right guests and stay competitive.
At the same time, there was growing concern around how AI is being used internally. Several conversations pointed to frustration with generic, AI-written guest communication that lacks personalisation and weakens brand identity.
Many hotel teams are turning to ChatGPT independently, often without clear guidelines, resulting in shortcuts that can feel impersonal to guests. As Amy Branford noted:
“Hoteliers need to have SOPs for this and start thinking about how this impacts their brand, as staff are taking it into their own hands anyway.”
That reinforces something GuestRevu has seen consistently: AI works best when it supports teams, not when it replaces good judgment and human experience. The hotels getting the most from it are the ones combining smart technology with clear standards, human oversight and a strong understanding of guest expectations.
Another clear theme this year was data: where it sits, how it moves and whether systems are actually talking to each other.
Many larger hotel groups are actively reviewing or changing their technology stacks to make sure data is flowing to the right places and being used more effectively. There is growing recognition that guest feedback, reputation management and commercial performance cannot sit in silos, particularly as operators look for clearer insight across the guest journey.
At the same time, affordability remains a major factor, particularly in South Africa. Pricing came up regularly in conversations, with many oper
ators under pressure to improve guest experience without increasing costs. In some cases, teams are still taking screenshots of guest data or manually collating feedback because they do not want to invest in dedicated tools. Others are using non-hospitality platforms to save money, often ending up with fragmented systems that cost more in time, inefficiency and missed opportunities.
That is creating a growing divide between hotels that are investing in connected systems and those still relying on manual workarounds. Hotels investing in connected guest intelligence are becoming faster, more responsive, and better equipped to act on guest feedback. Those relying on disconnected systems risk leaving teams without the tools they need; working blind, frustrated and unable to respond with confidence.
For GuestRevu, the wider takeaway was clear: the market continues to need actionable guest insight, better-connected systems and technology that su
pports both commercial performance and genuine guest experience.
Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026 may have felt calmer on the surface, but the conversations this year were sharper, more practical and more commercially focused. Across AI, data, pricing pressure and guest communication, the industry is asking more pragmatic questions. There are fewer hoteliers adopting technology for the sake of it, and more thinking critically about whether it genuinely solves operational challenges and improves guest experience.
More than a broader platform for tourism growth, investment, job creation and stronger intra-African connectivity, trade shows like Indaba help us understand the day-to-day realities facing operators across the continent. Beyond the meetings, demos and follow-ups, face-to-face conversations with hoteliers are where the real state of hospitality becomes visible, and Nats and Amy can’t wait to have more!