JOHANNESBURG, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Africa's Travel Indaba (ATI) 2024 kicked off on Tuesday in South Africa's coastal city of Durban, with Patricia de Lille, the country's minister of tourism, urging African countries to improve tourism on the continent.

De Lille made the remarks on Tuesday morning during the official opening of ATI at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Center in Durban.

According to the minister, more than 1,200 exhibitors from 26 African countries and over 1,100 buyers from 55 countries are attending this year's ATI, which is held under the theme "Unlimited Africa" and will end on Thursday.

A total of 344 products from different African countries are being showcased, which is an increase of 14 percent compared to last year's 301 products. Eritrea and Burkina Faso are participating for the first time.

"Whether it's through attending workshops, engaging in discussions, or making business deals, let us all grow our knowledge and networks so that we can fully and positively impact our dynamic landscape of African tourism," said de Lille. "Together, we represent the story of an Africa with unlimited possibilities. We are confident that Africa's Travel Indaba will continue to be a fertile environment for closing business deals that nurture partnerships and drive growth."

The minister called on African countries to remove barriers to travel, adding that South Africa has extended the e-visa system to 34 countries, including India and China.

She also encouraged Africans to cooperate and network with buyers to clinch deals.

"We are confident that Africa's Travel Indaba will continue to be a fertile environment for closing business deals that nurture partnership and drive growth," de Lille said. "As the tourism industry, let us foster a culture of healthy competition, where businesses and destinations are encouraged to compete on quality and innovation."

In addition, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, premier of KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa, urged ATI participants to explore the area and return to their countries with the experience.

ATI is an iconic African leisure trade show owned by South African Tourism, with the specific objective of creating market access for the vast array of African leisure tourism products.

The trade show, starting Tuesday, was preceded by a dedicated Business Opportunity and Networking Day, which seeks to create a platform for thought leadership, knowledge sharing, and obtaining the latest in global trends and local insights. Enditem

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