South African tourism entities win major World Travel Awards

At the 2026 World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremony held in Zanzibar, Tanzania, several South African tourism entities received major accolades.

Travelstart, a Cape Town-based online travel agency, was named Africa’s Leading Online Travel Agency for 2026. The award marks 20 years of operations for the company, which provides digital services for booking flights, accommodation, and car rentals.

Cape Town secured two additional titles: Africa’s Leading City Destination and Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination. The city has now held the title of Africa’s Leading City Destination for six consecutive years. These wins place Cape Town in the competition’s Grand Final later this year. The recognition follows a period of significant economic contribution from the tourism sector, which recorded R24.5 billion in direct spending in 2025.