The Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality has formally entered into a three-year hosting agreement with the Africa Coastal Marine & Maritime Tourism Trade Market (ACMMTTM)—a major step that positions the city as the permanent home of Africa’s premier coastal and marine tourism platform from 2026 to 2028.
- A Transformative 2025 Edition: Collaboration, Culture & Coastal Innovation
- Government & Ministerial Leadership
- Thought-Provoking Speakers Who Shaped the Dialogue
- Ms. Anelisa Vena (SAIMI)
- Dr. Nomtha Hadi (SAIMI)
- Mr. Oupa Pilane (SATSA & SA Tourism Board Member)
- Mr. Siira M. Mutseke (Gorilland TravelCare Uganda)
- Strategic Partnerships That Strengthened the Event
- Youth, Academia & Community Participation
- Culture, Lifestyle & Networking: Celebrating African Coastal Spirit
- A Future Secured: Nelson Mandela Bay to Host ACMMTTM for Three More Years
- Conclusion: A Movement, Not Just an Event
Located along the scenic shores of Algoa Bay, the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro—which includes Gqeberha, Uitenhage, Despatch, and its surrounding rural communities—stands as one of South Africa’s eight metropolitan municipalities and a growing anchor in the continent’s blue economy. The new partnership affirms the Metro’s determination to drive economic growth, tourism innovation, and sustainable ocean-based development.
The announcement comes on the heels of the highly successful Africa Coastal Marine & Maritime Tourism Trade Market 2025, held at the vibrant Tramways Building—an event widely praised for its impact, diversity, and forward-thinking vision.
A Transformative 2025 Edition: Collaboration, Culture & Coastal Innovation
The 2025 ACMMTTM concluded with powerful insights, groundbreaking partnerships, and a united commitment toward inclusive growth across Africa’s coastlines. The event brought together ministers, policymakers, researchers, industry experts, entrepreneurs, community tourism brands, youth leaders, and regional delegations from across the continent.
Over two days, the event illuminated the transformative force of collaboration, emphasising sustainable tourism, marine innovation, climate awareness, township inclusion, and cross-border cooperation.
Government & Ministerial Leadership
The event enjoyed strong national recognition:
Minister Patricia de Lille
The Minister of Tourism conducted an official walkabout, engaging with exhibitors and reinforcing the department’s commitment to coastal innovation and sustainable tourism. Her engagement sent a strong message: marine tourism is an essential pillar of South Africa’s economic future.
Deputy Minister Makhotso “Maggie” Sotyu
The Deputy Minister delivered impactful insights on:
strengthening domestic tourism
women’s empowerment in fisheries
small enterprises support
sustainable use of marine resources
community-led tourism development
Her message was clear: the blue economy must uplift people, not just statistics.
Thought-Provoking Speakers Who Shaped the Dialogue
Several influential voices guided the intellectual direction of the conference:
Ms. Anelisa Vena (SAIMI)
Delivered a powerful academic presentation revealing barriers to Coastal and Marine Tourism (CMT), including climate risks, spatial limitations, and institutional capacity challenges.
Her call for community-led, inclusive coastal development strongly resonated with attendees.
Dr. Nomtha Hadi (SAIMI)
A leading voice for maritime education and research-driven development, she highlighted the role of innovation, knowledge creation, and women-led maritime leadership in Africa’s blue economy future.
Mr. Oupa Pilane (SATSA & SA Tourism Board Member)
Advocated for the integration of township businesses into formal tourism value chains and championed inclusive development beyond high-end tourism zones.
Mr. Siira M. Mutseke (Gorilland TravelCare Uganda)
Representing East Africa, he showcased Uganda’s biodiversity, culture, fertile beauty, and its globally renowned gorilla tourism—showing how African nations can jointly uplift the continent’s tourism brand.
Strategic Partnerships That Strengthened the Event
The 2025 edition drew partnerships across multiple sectors:
South African Airways – Official travel partner
Radisson Blu Hotel – Exclusive accommodation partner
Diageo SA – Sponsor for the networking event & Golf Day
SANTACO – Championing township and rural tourism mobility
Department of Forestry, Fisheries & Environment (DFFE) – Support for sustainability programmes
MSC Cruises, South African Tourism, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, ConfSpot, Peri Expo, Discover NMB Tourism, Voyages Afriq – Key supporters expanding reach and influence
These collaborations reinforced the event’s mission to unify public, private, and community sectors around the blue economy.
Youth, Academia & Community Participation
Students from Nelson Mandela University, including second-year, third-year and Honours students in Tourism, Hospitality, and Maritime Studies, played an active role in event operations.
For many, it was their first real-world exposure to the tourism and maritime sector—an invaluable learning opportunity that strengthened academia-industry integration.
Culture, Lifestyle & Networking: Celebrating African Coastal Spirit
Beyond policy sessions, the event celebrated Africa’s vibrant coastal identity:
A lively networking party at Club Iza, headlined by DJ Webster, showcased the fusion of culture, music, and tourism.
The pre-event Golf Day at Port Elizabeth Golf Club created a relaxed environment for high-level relationship-building.
These moments reinforced how lifestyle, culture, and hospitality all form part of the coastal tourism ecosystem.
A Future Secured: Nelson Mandela Bay to Host ACMMTTM for Three More Years
With the signing of a three-year hosting partnership, Nelson Mandela Bay is now the official long-term home of ACMMTTM. This move:
boosts the city’s profile as a global coastal tourism hub
strengthens local job creation and SMME participation
aligns with the Metro’s mission to grow its ocean economy sectors
supports sustained tourism investment and visitor attraction
deepens public–private partnerships across the region
The Metro’s scenic coastline, strategic port infrastructure, cultural richness, and tourism potential make it an ideal base for Africa’s flagship marine tourism event.
Conclusion: A Movement, Not Just an Event
The Africa Coastal Marine & Maritime Tourism Trade Market 2025 ended not only with applause—but with momentum.
A sense of unity, purpose, and forward-focused energy filled the venue, proving that Africa’s blue economy is no longer emerging; it is rising.
With Nelson Mandela Bay now committed for three more years, the future of ACMMTTM is rooted in stability, growth, and regional empowerment.
The voices—from Gqeberha to Uganda—have spoken:
Africa’s coastlines hold the power to reshape communities, economies, and generations.
And the journey has only just begun.
For more information go to https://marinetourism.co.za
