Between the 10^th and 13^th of May, 2008, the world gathered at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre, Durban, South Africa to celebrate the annual Indaba, Africa’s top travel trade Show. It was a show of South Africa’s prowess and excellence, of growth and success in the travel and hospitality sector recorded in the world and especially in Africa over the past one year.

As South African Tourism CEO, Moeketsi Mosola highlighted in his welcome address during the opening ceremony, tourism in South Africa has grown far beyond global growth rates.

In 2006, it recorded 13.9% growth compared to 4.5% global growth, in 2007; the industry grew by 8.3% compared to 6.1% global rate and 2007 arrival figures was 9.09 million visitors, making the destination.

The travel show brought together ‘who is who’ in Southern Africa’s travel trade as exhibitors to interface with throngs of international visitors, buyers and journalists. The profile of the 13, 222 participants cover adventure travels, business travel agencies, conference organizers, ground handlers, incentive travel operators, marketing services, online travel, retail travel agencies, sports tourism, eco tourism and tour operators.

This year’s attendance statistic showed an increase across categories of delegates, with especially good attendance numbers for media delegates at 603, compared to last year’s 423 and exhibitors at 7, 984 this year versus 7, 906 in 2007.

And it was not by coincidence that this prestigious program is held in Kwazulu-Natal, ‘the place where ideas get born’ as the Premier, Sibusiso Ndebele noted in his welcome address borrowing Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli’s terms “A remarkable people, the Zulus. They defeat our Generals, convert our Bishops and have put an end to an illustrious European dynasty.” The particular concern which the country state shown about crime is noteworthy as reflected in the speech of the Premiere Ndebele. “Our knowledge of the dastardliness and personal violation which crime entails makes us confident that the scourge of crime, like the scourge of apartheid, will be defeated” he assures.

Apart from the general procedures implemented by the South African government to curb crime, individual states are mobilizing forces to address their unique crime problems.

All South Africans seem to live with the hope in ex-president Nelson Mandela’s injunction that “Of all the challenges that we have faced as a nation, none is greater than those we have overcome” That rings a bell, probably culls up television and video clips of apartheid suffered by the country for many decades. Now the story has turned to a clear opposite of what it used to be, the country has growth to emerge one of the most recognized in Africa.

The Global Media Face-Off at Indaba focused more directly on South Africa’s overall readiness to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Myths about readiness include worries about infrastructural capability, power and electricity