SADC positions region as competitive Tourism Hub at ITB

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, together with Boundless Southern Africa (BSA), will present advances in regional tourism integration and sustainability at Internationale Tourismus Börse (ITB) Berlin 2026, as the region steps up efforts to position itself as a competitive and resilient global tourism destination.

ITB Berlin which Zimbabwe usual has a strong presence at is the world’s leading travel trade show and it provides an ideal platform for SADC to showcase regional initiatives and engage international stakeholders.

Boundless Southern Africa, a regional tourism initiative, aims to increase the tourism potential of Southern Africa by positioning Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) as preferred tourist and investment destinations.

The initiative consolidates multi-national tourism products into a comprehensive and marketable regional offering.

The development and promotion of tourism in TFCAs provides a tangible opportunity to optimise tourism potential based on natural and cultural resources in a market-related manner, through packaging and promoting cross-border tourism itineraries, attractions, experiences and events.

Through its participation at ITB Berlin 2026, SADC and BSA are expected to reaffirm the region’s commitment to sustainable tourism growth, deeper regional integration and enhanced global competitiveness, while strengthening partnerships that unlock investment and inclusive development across Southern Africa.

In a statement, SADC said “A high level side event on 4 March 2026, supported by the German Government and the European Union and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), will update stakeholders on implementation of the SADC Tourism Programme 2020–2030.”

“The side event will bring together tourism officials, private sector leaders, development partners, investors and the media to review progress on regional tourism and conservation and discuss priorities for boosting competitiveness across Southern Africa.”

ITB Berlin offers market insights, networking opportunities and a forum for shaping global tourism trends, making it a strategic platform for the region to highlight its integration agenda and sustainability commitments.

The regional body said central to the presentation will be the SADC Tourism Programme 2020–2030, which outlines the region’s long-term strategy for coordinated tourism development.

“The SADC Tourism Programme 2020–2030 provides a coordinated roadmap sustainable tourism development across the region. Since its adoption, SADC, working with Member States and International Cooperating Partners, has advanced several collaborative initiatives, including significant progress toward a SADC Tourism UniVisa to facilitate cross border travel, the development of a regional air access strategy to improve connectivity, and the establishment of a regional tourism disaster risk management and communication framework to strengthen resilience and crisis response.”

The UniVisa initiative is designed to simplify travel procedures across participating countries, enhancing the region’s attractiveness as a seamless multi-destination tourism market.

Improved air connectivity under the regional air access strategy is expected to reduce travel barriers, increase route development and support growth in both leisure and business tourism.

In addition, SADC has focused on strengthening service delivery and visitor experience at ports of entry.

“SADC has also developed a tourism customer service training programme for border officials to enhance visitor experience and streamline cross border movement.

“Progress has been recorded in promoting Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) as flagship tourism assets that conserve biodiversity while generating socio economic benefits for local communities.

“Working with tourism private sector organisations, SADC has supported the establishment of the Southern African Tourism Alliance (SATA), a non profit, membership based association that serves as a catalyst for responsible travel and tourism to, from, and within the SADC region,” added the statement.

Transfrontier Conservation Areas have emerged as key pillars of the region’s tourism offering, combining conservation and community development while enabling cross-border tourism circuits anchored on shared natural and cultural heritage.