This year's INDABA has got a very serious flavour: Football! Of course, the hype and build-up to 2010 FIFA World Cup is also expected to draw bigger crowds. 

Tourism Minister, Marthinus van Schalkwyk reports: "Our country continues to be a value-for-money destination and with international events like the Confederations Cup and World Cup lined up, there will be opportunities in abundance and tourism will retain the important role it plays in our economic growth."

The annual South African Tourism INDABA is the biggest showcase of southern African tourism products - from tours to accommodation to adrenaline sports to adventure to corporate to team building and everything in-between.

It's an event that attracts everyone who's who in the travel industry - both locally and with a serious representation of international visitors (there are apparently already almost 120 foreign journalists expected the year).

In spite of the global economic crunch, South African Tourism remains fairly optimistic that it will achieve its five-year ambition of welcoming 10 million tourists in 2010.

South African Tourism will launch its 2010 FIFA World CupTM campaign geared to build anticpation for the event to the rest of the world as well as stirring up football frenzy here at home. 

Also new will be the official launch of the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) - an innovative programme that measures how various factors contribute to the broader economic growth of South Africa through tourism. This project is a collaboration between Statistics South Africa, South African Tourism, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, South African Reserve Bank, the Department of Home Affairs, the South African Revenue Services and the Department of Trade and Industry.

There are a few other firsts planned for INDABA this year - the winner of the Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (ETEYA) will be announced at INDABA (these have been announced at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London for the last 8 years). ETEYA is an initiative of South African Tourism in partnership with South African Breweries, to celebrate and award black-owned Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs).

The Welcome Awards that recognise and reward quality of service in the tourism industry will also be made at INDABA. These are now established as the premier tourism service excellence Awards in the country.

For the full INDABA programme & more info on this, the biggest travel trade show on the continent,  visit www.indaba-southafrica.co.za.