About Glamping Expo
The Glamping Expo is an annual platform for businesses across the glamping value chain. Participants can showcase their glamping innovations and products, network with industry peers, and seek potential collaborations and investments. Attendees will have access to market and research intelligence.
Why Glamping Expo?
Glamping, a fusion of "glamorous" and "camping," has emerged as a burgeoning trend in travel. It caters to individuals seeking unique, luxurious camping experiences amidst nature. The Glamping Expo is the nexus for this evolving industry, providing a unified platform for stakeholders to showcase their offerings and discuss emerging trends.
Glamping Expo is the only platform that you can:
- Generate Sales
- Get glamping market trends and research
- Future-proof your business with empirical research
- Meet travel innovators and experts
- Have access to the whole glamping value chain
Speakers
The Glamping Expo will have an array of glamping experts, glamping products suppliers, service providers, financiers and regulatory authorities. The panel discussions will consolidate and charter the future of the evolving glamping market.
Glamping Expo 2025
Glamping Expo 2025
Glamping Expo 2025
Johannesburg's Serene Escape
Johannesburg Expo Centre (JEC) South Africa’s largest purpose-built exhibition, conference, convention and events venue is one of Johannesburg’s best-known landmarks. As the commercial capital of South Africa, Johannesburg is a perfect host to the Glamping Expo.
20 - 21 June 2025
Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec
Get your free ticket
Our visitors registration portal has officially opened for the two day Glamping Expo, please make use of the below ticketing links to get your free visitors ticket.
Glamping Expo Seminar Programme
The Glamping Expo will have a vibrant and insightful seminar program that will look at issues pertaining the glamping sector:
Green Dreams:
Pioneering Eco-Friendly Innovations in Glamping
Tech Under the Stars:
Revolutionizing Glamping with Innovative Technologies
Industry Trends & Intelligence:
Unpacking the Latest Trends Shaping Glamping
On The Money:
Ideas that stand out for investiment
Walking on the cliff edge:
Balancing experiemential innovations and risk
Investor Perspective:
Insights into the Glamping Phenomenon
Navigating Red Tape:
Overcoming Regulatory Hurdles in Glamping.
Tales from the Tent:
How Influencer Storytelling Shapes Glamping Trends
Blueprint for the Wild:
Charting the Course for Standardisation and Regulation in Glamping
Pitching Policy:
The Government's Role in Propelling Glamping Forward
More than Tented:
How glamping is taking the experiences from Tented to unique stays.
Insurance and glamping:
The premiums round table
Sales Frontier:
Many ways to sell a glamping product
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Gugu Sithole
Gugu Sithole is a tourism entrepreneur who founded Glamping Adventures; a company that offers roving group glamping (glamorous camping) retreats around South Africa. The adventures are suitable for solo travelers, social groups, corporate retreats and team building. Glamping Adventures also offers incentive travel, FIT (flexible independent travel) in South Africa, the region and internationally.
Gugu founded Glamping Adventures after a long and exciting career in corporate events, marketing and branding. She is passionate about South Africa and is on a quest to discover the hidden gems that South Africa has to offer. Her passion lies is in the development of rural tourism with a particular emphasis on helping women start their own tourism enterprises. She is currently an executive producer of Travelling Again, a travel doccie-series that showcases South Africa’s attractions, landscapes and cultures. The series aims to play a part in reviving the economy by encouraging tourism through the display of South Africa’s splendor. Gugu, through Glamping Adventures Foundation runs workshops and training on story telling and filming in various rural communities. She believes film is a potent tool to raise awareness on issues of sustainability and conservation. Gugu’s background is rooted in project and special events. She is also a traveler and media writer whose expert contributions have been published by various media publications.
Awards: Bold Woman Award by Veuve Cliquot, Kudu Awards for Conservation Education and Woman in Conservation.
Jillian Blackbeard - CEO of Africa's Eden Tourism
Jillian Blackbeard, CEO of Africa's Eden Tourism, brings over a decade of experience to Southern African tourism leadership. With notable roles at the Botswana Tourism Organisation and World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), she has driven initiatives to advance travel and tourism. Jillian's expertise in collaborative and sustainable tourism development shapes strategic initiatives within the regional tourism ecosystem, aiming to strengthen the tourism value chain and enhance the global tourism profile of the Africa’s Eden region.
As a highly sought-after speaker, Jillian shares insights on sustainable tourism, community involvement, and innovation in tourism growth at conferences and panels worldwide. Her presentations are acclaimed for their depth, practicality, and engaging delivery, solidifying her reputation as a respected voice in the industry.
Sisa Ntshona
Globally recognised as a leading voice in Travel & Tourism, Sisa Ntshona is a senior executive with strong commercial experience and expertise established through more than 20 years leading business operations and government entities. Having successfully worked across the African continent and in the Middle East in the tourism, financial services, aviation and manufacturing industries.
Sisa most recently served as CEO of South African Tourism, a role he held for 5 years from 2016 – 2021. Currently he is actively invested in businesses along the Tourism Value Chain in hotels & lodges, OTAs and adventure activities. Internationally, he undertakes various consulting & advisory roles in the Travel & Travel sector particularly in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia and UAE). He is a Board Member of SATOVITO (South African Township and Village Tourism Association), chairing the Special Projects Committee.
Faith Meyer
Faith Meyer, Visionary Founder and CEO of Geodesic Forests, is leading a groundbreaking movement in Africa by establishing the continent's first wooden geodesic dome village. With a deep-rooted passion for nature's healing power and over a decade of experience guiding tech leaders as a certified Enneagram Practitioner, Faith channels her love for the natural world into every aspect of her work. Her vision goes beyond building domes; it's about creating beautiful, affordable wooden spaces that resonate with the sacred geometry of nature and blend seamlessly into the African landscape.
Driven by a mission to bring sustainable, eco-friendly architecture to Africa, Faith founded Geodesic Forests to merge the timeless elegance and strength of geodesic domes with the earth's natural elements. These stunning structures not only inspire awe but also leave a minimal environmental footprint, offering a harmonious balance between modern living and the natural world.
With the launch of her first dome-building workshop in South Africa, Faith is empowering others with the skills to bring this transformative vision to life. Her goal is to spread this knowledge across the continent, making an enduring impact by integrating sacred geometry into Africa's future. Faith Meyer is not just creating domes—she's building a legacy that will resonate with the land, the people, and generations to come.
Advocate Nkhensani Ntuli
Advocate Nkhensani Ntuli is a distinguished legal professional committed to justice, equality, and constitutionalism. Her career is marked by a focus on advancing the rights of historically marginalised communities in South Africa. As a member of AFSA Johannesburg Chambers, she is a leader in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), specialising in arbitration, mediation, and negotiation. Her work exemplifies her dedication to using the law as a force for meaningful societal change.
Throughout her career, advocate Ntuli has played a pivotal role in dismantling entrenched systems of inequality, championing justice for vulnerable groups. Her impact extends beyond the courtroom, contributing to the development of legal frameworks that promote good governance and sustainable development.
Her deep understanding of socio-economic challenges, coupled with her commitment to transparency and accountability, has strengthened South Africa’s legal and institutional frameworks. Advocate Ntuli continues to ensure that both public institutions and private enterprises operate with integrity.
With an LLB and LLM from the University of Pretoria, her career is defined by intellectual rigour and expertise across various branches of law. Her early work on intellectual property law, including a dissertation on satire’s impact on trademarks, highlights her ability to blend legal precision with social awareness — a hallmark of her esteemed career.
Advocate Nkhensani Ntuli
Advocate Nkhensani Ntuli is a distinguished legal professional committed to justice, equality, and constitutionalism. Her career is marked by a focus on advancing the rights of historically marginalised communities in South Africa. As a member of AFSA Johannesburg Chambers, she is a leader in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), specialising in arbitration, mediation, and negotiation. Her work exemplifies her dedication to using the law as a force for meaningful societal change.
Throughout her career, advocate Ntuli has played a pivotal role in dismantling entrenched systems of inequality, championing justice for vulnerable groups. Her impact extends beyond the courtroom, contributing to the development of legal frameworks that promote good governance and sustainable development.
Her deep understanding of socio-economic challenges, coupled with her commitment to transparency and accountability, has strengthened South Africa’s legal and institutional frameworks. Advocate Ntuli continues to ensure that both public institutions and private enterprises operate with integrity.
With an LLB and LLM from the University of Pretoria, her career is defined by intellectual rigour and expertise across various branches of law. Her early work on intellectual property law, including a dissertation on satire’s impact on trademarks, highlights her ability to blend legal precision with social awareness — a hallmark of her esteemed career.
Frank De Lima
Frank De Lima is an experienced project manager with decades of experience in the hospitality industry, specializing in hospitality refurbishments and renovations across various African countries.
Frank was involved in the Silos MOCCA museum and Silo hotel, V&A Waterfront, and the Radisson Red in Cape Town, also involved in many refurbishment projects including Cardoso Hotel, Maputo, Fourpoint Hotel Lagos, Marriott Hotel Casablanca, Fairview Hotel, Nairobi.
Her deep understanding of socio-economic challenges, coupled with her commitment to transparency and accountability, has strengthened South Africa’s legal and institutional frameworks. Advocate Ntuli continues to ensure that both public institutions and private enterprises operate with integrity.
With the remarkable rise of glamping globally, and Frank's experience in hospitality projects, Frank developed a keen interest in the emerging glamping sector. He actively collaborates with his architect, engineers, and municipalities to navigate the regulatory challenges that arise
This journey has been a significant learning experience for him, transitioning from naivety to a more realistic understanding of the industry, while also facing the occasional lengthy bureaucratic hurdles.
A year ago, Frank founded afriglamping.co.za, which builds timber frame geodomes in Cape Town, specifically aimed at the glamping sector.
Frank has a diploma electrical engineering, and has a Diploma in construction management UCT.
