I booked everything like half a year ago, tickets, hotel, planned trips around it. Coming from the Netherlands and promoting Africa via my magazine OOG VOOR AFRIKA doesn't give me other options now. I feel very sad that we are treated this way. If SA doesn't go the extra mile for us to promote the country and continent as the best, why should we walk the extra mile...? It is a decision that i can not understand... There are 365 days in a year, 4 of them Indaba and then May 8 is the only solution??? And what about compensation for what has already been booked and paid for and is now useless?

We criticise for the sake of criticising without the facts at hand. Firstly, the President stated in his SONA, "I have engaged with the Independent Electoral Commission and also with the Premiers of all provinces, and intend to proclaim the 8th of May 2019 as the date of the election." Secondly, the organisers and venue management, knew we were in an election year and were hoping that it will fall outside of this week, since why would they go ahead and confirmed the dates. We not only operate in silos but it seems we also live in them.

So in your opinion, the organisers should have sat on their hands until a politician announced the election date. The President didnt have to announce the date at SONA, he could have waited until the April Fools Day if he wanted to.

Preparing for a trade show doesnt just happen overnight, it takes months of work. The organisers need to line up as many quality buyers as possible in order to attract the quality exhibitors, there is no point in holding a travel trade show without those key ingredients.

There is also the timing of contracting brochure deadlines, as mentioned above, miss that and visitors from your key markets will be spending their money in South East Asia or East Africa.

This is a big mistake and SAT, the ICC and Durban are going to feel the impact as buyers and exhibitors stay away.

It not only helps to read other people's contribution but also to perhaps endeavour to comprehend it.

I tend to agree, elections will without doubt be on the 8th of May, (that ship has completely sailed) and the Indaba organisers seem to be reacting with record speed to circumstances totally outside of their control. Looking forward to hearing the new show dates.

So when are we going to have clarity. I agree with Greg below that nothing has been actually gazetted yet. Surely SAT can talk to Cyril? And surely we, as an industry, can talk too? Where are our famed associations on this? Doing very little for their membership fees? The TBCSA is a toothless dog, and so, it would appear, are Fedhasa and SATSA. This absolutely should NOT be allowed to happen.

Hi Sharon, Yes we can talk, but the proof will be in the pudding. If this goes belly up, watch what will happen to Indaba next year. I will be surprised if they even get 30% of the business. They will not see me (and a lot of others) for a loooong time. Talk is cheap, action will shift mountains.

Once again, this article doesn't recognise the fact that no election date has been proclaimed and that this is a total overreaction to a perceived problem. Only once the President proclaims the election date - after consultation with all role-players (state and private), should we start wringing our collective hands. From the ICC point of view, they have a contract with SA Tourism and cannot unilaterally cancel in favour of being the KZN Election centre.