The Millat Group has secured South Africa as the host of the first-ever Skift Megatrends event on African soil, marking a major strategic win for the country’s tourism and hospitality sector.
The partnership will see the global launch of Skift’s Africa Megatrends 2026 delivered at sunrise on Table Mountain on January 27, 2026, providing industry leaders with exclusive, timely access to the world’s most influential travel intelligence report.
Skift Megatrends is widely regarded as the annual compass for the global travel industry, shaping strategies for airlines, hotel groups, tourism boards, investors, technology companies, and policymakers. The 2026 edition analyses the forces that will define travel behaviour, market performance, and investment flows in the year ahead. This includes the economic and social mega shifts influencing consumer expectations, the next phase of AI adoption in travel, the redesign of destination strategies, and the structural changes reshaping hospitality and aviation worldwide.
The Millat Group played a decisive role in securing the event for Africa, positioning South Africa as a global stage for new ideas, investment conversations, and executive-level tourism leadership. The partnership aligns with Millat’s strategy to elevate Africa’s visibility in global tourism and connect the continent to the most advanced insights and trends shaping the international marketplace.
Hamza Farooqui, founder and CEO of Millat Group, said that the partnership is a milestone for the continent.
“Millat is proud to bring Skift Megatrends to Africa for the first time. This is more than a launch event. It is a statement that Africa belongs at the table where global tourism strategy is shaped. The findings in this report guide the decisions of the world’s leading travel companies, and now those insights will be delivered here, on our soil, in our time zone, with African leaders in the room. We want the continent to have direct access to the intelligence that influences investment, innovation, and opportunity. Millat is committed to building an African tourism sector that is competitive, globally connected and geared for growth.”
Skift’s report offers deep value to the African market at a critical moment. As global travel demand recovers and competitive pressures intensify, tourism boards and private operators require high-quality data to understand shifting traveller behaviour, the rise of experiential itineraries, new digital booking patterns, supply chain disruptions, and the evolving economics of hotel development.
For African destinations, this intelligence helps refine marketing strategies, identify growth corridors, re-engage long-haul markets, and strengthen local investment pitches.
Rafat Ali, CEO and Founder of Skift, said the setting is symbolic.
“Launching Megatrends 2026 in South Africa reflects the energy, ambition, and leadership we see coming out of the continent. Millat Group has been instrumental in making this possible, and we look forward to unpacking the major themes of the year ahead with their partners and stakeholders.”
The sunrise launch atop Table Mountain will be attended by over 100 senior decision makers from across Africa’s travel, hospitality, and technology sectors. Skift’s editorial and research leaders will present the 2026 Megatrends findings, followed by a discussion on how the trends apply specifically to Africa’s tourism growth trajectory in 2026 and beyond.
