In an unprecedented industry milestone, ILTM Africa 2025—the continent’s premier invitation-only luxury travel event—has announced it’s fully booked, months before the April gathering in Cape Town. This sell-out status isn’t just good news for event organisers; it signals Africa’s dramatic emergence as a luxury travel destination that can no longer be ignored by global investors and travel professionals.
Behind this surge is an astonishing 211% growth in luxury travel sales compared to 2019 levels, according to recent Virtuoso research. Africa isn’t just participating in this luxury travel renaissance—it’s leading it.
“We’ve witnessed unprecedented demand for exhibition space this year,” explains Megan De Jager, Portfolio Director at Africa Travel Week. The event’s distinctive approach focuses on creating meaningful connections through curated experiences like chauffeur-driven vintage motorbike arrivals, artful garden picnics, and exclusive Jeep safaris along Chapman’s Peak Drive.
Perhaps most telling is the seamless integration of conservation, art, and luxury at this year’s event. The “Art for Conservation” fundraising initiative—supporting endangered African wild dogs through the Endangered Wildlife Trust—exemplifies how Africa’s luxury sector is defining a new paradigm where opulence and ethical responsibility coexist.
Cape Town’s Executive Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis celebrates the city’s role as “the undisputed luxury travel capital of the continent,” while industry leaders view the early sell-out as confirmation of Africa’s growing influence in global high-end travel.
The question now facing industry professionals: As Africa redefines what luxury means in the 2025 travel landscape, can your business afford to miss this remarkable market evolution?
