Zambia, Botswana and More Countries to Attend APTA Global Forum 2026, Bringing Africa Tourism Suppliers and North American Buyers to Victoria Falls

Written By: Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar is a Senior Journalist at Travel and Tour World with more than 10 years of experience in travel and tourism journalism. A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Jadavpur University, he combines strong research, industry knowledge and storytelling expertise to produce engaging, insightful and impactful travel news and fascinating feature stories.

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August 31, 2026 15:25 GMT+5:30

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Zambia, Botswana and more countries will attend APTA Global Forum 2026 as Africa tourism suppliers and North American buyers converge on Victoria Falls for crucial travel business.

Zambia, Botswana and more countries are set to feature prominently at APTA Global Forum 2026, bringing Africa tourism suppliers and North American buyers together in Victoria Falls. The event arrives as Africa seeks stronger international tourism partnerships. Meanwhile, suppliers will showcase destinations, safari experiences, hotels and travel products to influential buyers. In addition, structured business meetings will create opportunities for new commercial relationships.

With supplier places already sold out, interest is clearly rising. Moreover, the forum will spotlight Zambia and the wider Southern African region. As a result, Victoria Falls is preparing to become a major meeting point for Africa’s travel trade.

The APTA Global Forum 2026 is preparing to bring Africa’s tourism industry closer to the North American travel trade when the three-day event takes place from 25 to 27 September 2026 at the Avani Victoria Falls Resort in Livingstone, Zambia.

Organised by the Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA), the forum is being positioned as a focused business-to-business platform rather than a conventional mass-market travel exhibition. Its programme will connect African tourism suppliers with travel advisers and tour operators, while also showcasing the wider Victoria Falls and KAZA tourism region.

With supplier places already sold out and more than 900 targeted business appointments planned, the event is expected to create a concentrated environment for tourism companies seeking stronger access to the North American market.

Zambia Takes Centre Stage as APTA Global Forum Host

The 2026 gathering marks an important milestone for Zambia because it is the first APTA Global Forum to be hosted in the country.

Livingstone provides a strategically important setting. The city sits beside Victoria Falls and serves as a gateway to a tourism landscape extending across national borders. This gives the forum an opportunity to promote Zambia while simultaneously presenting the interconnected safari, adventure, wildlife and leisure products available across Southern Africa.

The choice of the Avani Victoria Falls Resort also places delegates close to one of Africa’s most recognised attractions, potentially allowing business discussions to be combined with destination experiences.

For Zambia, the forum offers more than international visibility. It provides an opportunity for local accommodation providers, safari operators, destination management companies and other tourism businesses to meet buyers who influence holiday decisions in the North American market.

More Than 100 Participants Expected

APTA has previously stated that the Global Forum is expected to attract more than 100 participants.

That figure should not be interpreted as a traditional exhibition visitor count. The event is designed primarily for industry professionals, with participation centred on African suppliers and North American buyers.

The distinction matters because the forum is not intended to draw thousands of members of the public through exhibition halls. Instead, its value lies in bringing relevant decision-makers together in a structured business environment.

The latest registration updates indicate strong demand. Supplier places have sold out, while APTA reported that only two buyer places remained in its 1 September 2026 update. Registration is scheduled to close on 10 September.

The final attendance figure will only be known after registration closes and the event takes place.

900 Plus B2B Meetings Create Commercial Opportunity

One of the strongest commercial features of the forum is APTA Connect, its structured business appointment programme.

APTA expects the platform to facilitate more than 900 targeted one-to-one appointments between buyers and African tourism suppliers. These meetings are intended to create direct commercial connections rather than relying solely on general networking.

For suppliers, the model can provide access to travel professionals who already sell or influence African holidays. For buyers, it creates an opportunity to assess new products, destinations and accommodation options directly with suppliers.

The appointment structure also reflects a broader shift in travel trade events: quality of business connections can be more valuable than raw visitor numbers.

An event with 100-plus highly relevant industry participants can therefore generate considerable commercial value when meetings are targeted towards actual purchasing and distribution opportunities.

Which African Countries Are Represented?

Publicly available APTA material does not provide a definitive, final country-by-country exhibitor directory for the 2026 forum. Therefore, an exact exhibitor count by country should not be presented as confirmed until APTA releases its final supplier list.

However, publicly identified programme participants, tourism partners and associated suppliers show representation across several African markets.

Zambia is expected to have particularly strong representation as the host destination. Tourism businesses and products associated with the programme include Kafunta Safaris, Flatdogs Camp, Bushtracks and other Zambia-focused operators and accommodation providers.

The event also has a strong Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia dimension through the Africa’s Eden partnership.

Africa’s Eden promotes these four destinations — Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe — as a connected tourism region, giving the forum a cross-border destination proposition centred around Victoria Falls and the wider KAZA landscape.

Other publicly identified markets include South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi.

Companies and industry representatives associated with the wider programme include organisations such as Asilia Africa, Crafted Africa, Great Plains Conservation, Mantis Hiddn in Addo and Pelican Point Lodge, although these should not automatically be described as formal exhibitors because some are represented through speakers, programme activities or familiarisation opportunities.

Africa’s Eden Strengthens the Regional Tourism Story

The Africa’s Eden partnership adds an important strategic dimension to the 2026 forum.

Victoria Falls is not simply a single-destination tourism product. Its surrounding region links several countries with complementary wildlife, adventure and safari experiences.

Botswana brings internationally recognised safari destinations; Namibia adds desert, wildlife and coastal experiences; Zambia contributes Victoria Falls and extensive wilderness areas; while Zimbabwe provides additional access to Victoria Falls and major safari destinations.

Presenting these markets together can encourage international travellers to consider multi-country itineraries rather than visiting only one destination.

That approach is particularly relevant to long-haul travellers from North America, where an extended African holiday can combine several destinations and experiences within one trip.

Forum Combines Business, Education and Destination Experiences

The APTA Global Forum programme extends beyond scheduled buyer-supplier meetings.

Delegates are expected to participate in educational sessions, networking activities and destination experiences, alongside the commercial appointment programme.

The forum also includes opportunities for participants to experience tourism products through pre- and post-event familiarisation trips, helping travel professionals develop first-hand knowledge of destinations and properties.

That element has particular importance for travel advisers. Direct destination experience can help advisers communicate more confidently with clients about accommodation, safari operations, logistics, activities and the practical realities of travelling through African destinations.

The programme also creates a platform for tourism businesses to explain their products directly rather than relying entirely on third-party descriptions.

Why the North American Market Matters

APTA’s central mission is to strengthen tourism connections between Africa and the North American travel trade.

North American travel advisers and tour operators remain strategically important distribution partners for African tourism businesses, particularly for high-value safari, luxury, adventure and experiential travel.

The Global Forum therefore serves as a marketplace where African suppliers can develop relationships with professionals who can potentially package, recommend and sell their products to travellers.

For smaller operators, these connections may be particularly valuable because establishing relationships with international distribution partners can be difficult through conventional marketing alone.

A Focused Event Rather Than a Mass Exhibition

The biggest takeaway from APTA Global Forum 2026 is that its success should not be measured primarily by visitor volume.

The event is built around relevance, appointments and relationships.

More than 100 participants, sold-out supplier capacity and more than 900 planned B2B appointments point towards a deliberately concentrated format. Instead of attempting to attract the largest possible crowd, APTA is focusing on bringing together tourism professionals with a direct commercial interest in African travel.

The absence of a publicly released final exhibitor directory means that the precise number of suppliers and the complete list of exhibiting countries remain unconfirmed.

Nevertheless, the available evidence points to a strong Southern African presence, complemented by suppliers and tourism interests from other African markets.

What to Expect from APTA Global Forum 2026

When delegates gather in Livingstone from 25–27 September, the APTA Global Forum will place Zambia and the wider Victoria Falls region firmly in front of the international travel trade.

The event’s combination of 100-plus expected participants, sold-out supplier capacity, more than 900 planned business appointments, educational programming and destination experiences gives it significant relevance for Africa’s tourism economy.

For suppliers, the forum offers direct access to potential North American distribution partners. For buyers, it provides an opportunity to discover products and build relationships across multiple African markets.

Ultimately, APTA Global Forum 2026 is designed to turn tourism interest into business connections — with Livingstone, Zambia, and Victoria Falls providing the backdrop for a focused meeting between African tourism supply and international travel demand.

Why are Zambia, Botswana and more countries gathering at APTA Global Forum 2026? The answer is straightforward: stronger tourism trade connections. Africa tourism suppliers need international distribution partners, while North American buyers are searching for distinctive destinations, safari products and accommodation. Therefore, Victoria Falls provides a strategic setting for both sides to meet. The forum will facilitate targeted business appointments, networking and destination experiences. Consequently, participating countries can strengthen visibility and commercial relationships across key travel markets. The reason is equally important: successful tourism growth increasingly depends on direct industry partnerships. APTA Global Forum 2026 creates precisely that opportunity in Zambia.

APTA Global Forum 2026 is positioning Zambia and Botswana alongside more African countries at the centre of an important tourism industry gathering. As Africa tourism suppliers meet North American buyers in Victoria Falls, the forum will focus on business rather than mass tourism. Furthermore, more than 100 participants are expected, while over 900 targeted appointments are planned. Supplier capacity has already sold out, underlining strong industry demand. Therefore, the event could generate valuable partnerships, product exposure and future bookings. Ultimately, Zambia, Botswana and their regional partners will use Victoria Falls as a powerful platform to connect African tourism supply with North American demand.