We Are Africa
We Are Africa operates curated annual B2B trade shows (Cape Town flagship and North America edition) that connect approximately 308 high-end African travel brands with international luxury buyers and 25 international press through pre-scheduled appointments, networking, and thought-leadership programming under parent This is Beyond Ltd.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersCape Town, South Africa
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What We Are Africa does
We Are Africa is a privately-held, Cape Town-headquartered B2B trade-show operator dedicated to the high-end African travel market, incorporated in the UK as part of This is Beyond Ltd's portfolio of luxury travel events (alongside PURE Life Experiences, LE Miami, and Conservation Lab). The company produces three primary event properties: an annual flagship gathering in Cape Town (11th edition, scheduled May 3-7, 2027 at DHL Stadium), a North America edition at Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah (seventh edition, October 5-9, 2026), and We Are Africa Local, a 1.5-day pre-event programme launched in 2025 for African-based travel professionals. Its core product is a curated three-sided marketplace connecting approximately 308 African travel exhibitors (luxury lodges, safari camps, hotels, DMCs, tour operators, aviation, and beach properties) with 300+ qualified international buyers and 25 international travel editors, facilitated by a pre-scheduled appointment system delivering up to 45 face-to-face meetings per delegate.
The underlying technology stack is intentionally lean: We Are Africa operates on This is Beyond Ltd's events platform for buyer/exhibitor registration and appointment scheduling, complemented by dedicated Exhibitor Hub, Buyer Hub, and Media Hub portals. Supporting digital channels include the company website (weareafricatravel.com), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, and email/newsletter communications. Adjacent IP includes the curated We Are Africa Guest List directory (308 brands), the We Are Africa Awards (five categories: Ignite, Inspire, Empower, Conserve, Champion Africa), and the Open House thought-leadership day featuring keynotes, masterclasses, Spark Talks, and DISCUSS sessions. The company does not disclose proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, patents, or APIs.
The revenue model combines three streams: (1) exhibitor registration fees across tiered packages (Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large) for both Cape Town and North America events, with 308 Cape Town exhibitors and 50 North America exhibitor spots; (2) buyer delegate fees, with the North America all-inclusive package publicly priced at GBP 899 per participant (4 nights accommodation, networking meals, and up to 34 pre-scheduled meetings); and (3) sponsorship and partnership revenue across tiered official partners including Leading Hotels of the World, Xo Private, ATTA, Relais & Châteaux, and host-city/hotel partners such as DHL Stadium, Belmond Mount Nelson, One&Only Cape Town, and Sundance Mountain Resort. GTM is event-driven and sales-led, with curated guest lists, pre-scheduled appointments, and hosted accommodation underpinning the high-touch marketplace model. Founded in 2014 (per firmographics; first Cape Town edition circa 2015), the company is led by CEO & Founder Serge Dive and MD & Co-Founder Ryan Wallace, with an 18-person team based primarily in Cape Town.
We Are Africa firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- We Are Africa
- Legal name
- This is Beyond Ltd
- Website
- https://weareafricatravel.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- We Are Africa operates curated annual B2B trade shows (Cape Town flagship and North America edition) that connect approximately 308 high-end African travel brands with international luxury buyers and 25 international press through pre-scheduled appointments, networking, and thought-leadership programming under parent This is Beyond Ltd.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
We Are Africa industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Travel Trade Events
- NAICS
- Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAB)
Keywords
Where We Are Africa is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cape Town
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
We Are Africa business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Exhibitor Registration Fees: High-end African travel brands pay to exhibit at the annual Cape Town event and North America edition, with various package sizes available. Over 300 African suppliers attend annually.
- Buyer Delegate Fees: Travel professionals pay to attend the event, with packages including accommodation, networking meals, and pre-scheduled meetings. North America event costs GBP 899 per participant for the full package.
- Sponsorship & Partnerships: Companies sponsor the event at various tiers, with official partners including Leading Hotels, XO Private, and others. Host city partners and hotel partners provide venue and accommodation support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | North America All-Inclusive Package |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Exhibitor Packages |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
We Are Africa product offering
Product offeringCore offering
We Are Africa organises annual hosted-buyer B2B travel trade events that bring together vetted African luxury travel suppliers (lodges, tour operators, DMCs, tourism boards) with qualified international travel buyers and travel media. The portfolio includes the flagship Cape Town event, a North America edition, and the We Are Africa Local programme that supports year-round regional engagement.
Product overview
We Are Africa operates as a unified event platform comprising its flagship annual Cape Town event (May 3-7, 2027 at DHL Stadium), the regional North America edition (October 5-9, 2026 at Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah), and the We Are Africa Local programme (May 4-5, 2026). The platform also includes supporting services such as the Guest List directory of over 300 exhibitors, the Open House pre-event day with keynotes and masterclasses, and the We Are Africa Awards ceremony. The event connects African travel brands with global buyers and international press through a pre-scheduled appointment system offering up to 45 face-to-face meetings per delegate, supplemented by networking lunches, evening events, and thought-leadership programming. Supporting infrastructure includes Exhibitor Hub, Buyer Hub, and Media Hub portals for registered delegates.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- We Are Africa Local: Pre-show day and a half event for African-based travel professionals to connect with exhibitors
- We Are Africa North America
Products and services
- We Are Africa Cape Town Annual flagship hosted-buyer B2B trade show held in Cape Town that convenes vetted African luxury travel suppliers (lodges, camps, tour operators, DMCs, tourism boards) with qualified international travel buyers and travel trade media through pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings, networking sessions and an experiential programme.
- We Are Africa North America North American edition of the We Are Africa hosted-buyer trade event that brings African luxury travel suppliers directly to US/Canadian travel advisors and tour operators in their home market; next edition scheduled October 5-9, 2026.
- We Are Africa Local Year-round regional engagement programme under the We Are Africa brand that supports African travel suppliers with curated, smaller-scale buyer-engagement activities in local source markets, extending the value of the annual Cape Town and North America editions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 300 African suppliers and 25 international travel editors attend annually
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use We Are Africa
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
We Are Africa technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
We Are Africa partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
29 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- Leading Hotels of the WorldcoreOfficial partner providing luxury hotel association backing for the We Are Africa event and community.
- Xo PrivatecoreLuxury travel network partner collaborating with We Are Africa tribe.
- DHL StadiumcoreHost venue partner for the main Cape Town event, unconventional venue setting for trade show.
- Sundance Mountain ResortcoreHost venue for North America edition in Utah, high-end resort recognized by Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure.
- Belmond Mount Nelson HotelmajorHotel partner providing luxury accommodation for Cape Town event attendees.
- One&Only Cape TownmajorHotel partner providing luxury accommodation for Cape Town event attendees.
- Cape Cadogan Boutique HotelsupportingHotel partner providing boutique accommodation options.
- Radisson Collection Hotel Waterfront Cape TownsupportingHotel partner providing accommodation for event attendees.
- InterContinental Table Bay Cape TownsupportingHotel partner providing luxury accommodation.
- Southern Sun The CullinansupportingHotel partner providing accommodation options.
- Taj Cape TownsupportingHotel partner providing luxury accommodation.
- The ColesupportingBoutique hotel partner.
- Africa.comsupportingOfficial partner providing media and marketing support for African travel content.
- Asilia AfricasupportingEast African operator and official partner.
- ATTA (African Travel and Tourism Association)majorIndustry association partnership for African travel trade community.
- Classic Safari AfricasupportingSafari specialist partner.
- Escape+ExploresupportingTravel content and experiences partner.
- FlywiresupportingPayment technology partner for event transactions.
- Great Plains ConservationsupportingConservation and safari operator and official partner.
- Inspirational Places AfricasupportingAfrican travel content partner.
- The JoinerysupportingAfrican tourism platform partner.
- ProfitroomsupportingHotel technology and booking solutions provider.
- Relais & ChâteauxmajorGlobal hospitality association partnership for luxury properties.
- Rescue.cosupportingEmergency rescue services partner for African travel.
- ResRequestsupportingReservation and booking technology for African lodges.
- ShimanskysupportingSouth African jewelry and lifestyle brand partner.
- Smart Operator AIsupportingAI-powered operator solutions for travel businesses.
- Uthando (Love) South AfricacoreOfficial Community Development Partner, a non-profit company and Responsible Tourism initiative creating links between tourism and community development projects in Cape Town townships.
- This is Beyond LtdcoreParent company and founder of We Are Africa. Also runs PURE Life Experiences, LE Miami, and Conservation Lab. Serge Dive is the CEO & Founder.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
We Are Africa competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- World Travel Market (WTM) London: One of the world's largest general travel trade shows run by RX. Comparable B2B matchmaking model but at much broader scale and lower luxury focus.
- ITB Berlin: Global travel trade exhibition covering all segments and geographies. Comparable buyer-exhibitor marketplace mechanics but We Are Africa is a focused niche alternative.
Direct peers
- ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market): Reed Travel Exhibitions' flagship portfolio of luxury travel trade events (ILTM Cannes, ILTM Asia Pacific, ILTM Americas). Directly comparable as a B2B luxury travel trade show connecting high-end suppliers with global buyers via pre-scheduled appointments.
- PURE Life Experiences: Sister brand under This is Beyond Ltd targeting experiential luxury travel designers. Closely comparable curated community, B2B matchmaking model and shared production infrastructure.
- Traveller Made: Members-only global community of luxury travel designers and DMCs with curated supplier connections. Comparable B2B luxury travel matchmaking and community model.
- Africa Travel Week / WTM Africa: Africa-focused travel trade exhibition run by RX (Reed Exhibitions). Directly overlaps on geographic category and exhibitor base, though less luxury-curated than We Are Africa.
- LE Miami: Another This is Beyond Ltd portfolio event focused on Latin America luxury travel. Closely comparable curated marketplace format and shared operational playbook.
Regional players
- Arabian Travel Market (ATM): Middle East-focused travel trade exhibition. Comparable regional B2B travel trade show structure serving a different geography with similar exhibitor-meets-buyer dynamics.
Others
- IBTM World: Global meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) trade show. Comparable event-organizer model and buyer matchmaking infrastructure, though focused on corporate events rather than leisure travel.
- IMEX America: North American trade show for the global meetings and events industry. Comparable in operating large-scale appointment-based B2B trade events for the experiential industry.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
We Are Africa social profiles
Digital presenceWe Are Africa financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
We Are Africa leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
We Are Africa funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
We Are Africa M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about We Are Africa
What does We Are Africa do?
We Are Africa organises annual hosted-buyer B2B travel trade events that bring together vetted African luxury travel suppliers (lodges, tour operators, DMCs, tourism boards) with qualified international travel buyers and travel media. The portfolio includes the flagship Cape Town event, a North America edition, and the We Are Africa Local programme that supports year-round regional engagement.
Is We Are Africa a public or private company?
We Are Africa is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was We Are Africa founded?
We Are Africa was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is We Are Africa based?
We Are Africa is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does We Are Africa make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Exhibitor Registration Fees are the primary driver. The others are buyer Delegate Fees and sponsorship & Partnerships.
Who are We Are Africa's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are World Travel Market (WTM) London and ITB Berlin. Direct peers are ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market), PURE Life Experiences, Traveller Made, Africa Travel Week / WTM Africa and LE Miami. Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is listed as a regional player. Others are IBTM World and IMEX America.
Does We Are Africa have an API?
No public API is recorded for We Are Africa.
What industry is We Are Africa in?
We Are Africa's product category is Travel Trade Events. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHABAB, Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers. Its NAICS code is 561591.