Stephan Ekbergh is a Swedish entrepreneur celebrated for his transformative contributions to the online travel industry. As the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Travelstart, he has built Africa’s leading online travel agency, with operations spanning 15 countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey.
A natural entrepreneur and innovator, Stephan’s journey began in the travel sector in 1997 when he launched Mr. Jet, Northern Europe’s first transactional online travel platform. In 1999, he founded Travelstart, which quickly gained international success. In 2006, he introduced Travelstart South Africa, the country’s first online travel agency and now a market leader. After selling Travelstart’s European division in 2010, Stephan turned his focus to expanding the brand across Africa, fostering travel e-commerce in emerging markets.
Beyond business, Stephan has been a driving force behind innovation and entrepreneurship in South Africa. As Chairperson of Innovation City Cape Town, he champions initiatives that position the region as a hub for tech, innovation, and creative industries.
Stephan’s visionary leadership is matched by his personal passions. A former professional DJ, he continues to channel his creativity into developing solutions that simplify and enhance the travel experience. Since 2004, Stephan and his wife have called Cape Town home, contributing to the city’s vibrant business and cultural landscape.
Sessions
Spotlight: Rwanda
One of the most up-and-coming destinations in Africa, Rwanda is making strides in its tourism development. Its population of more than 13 million is also young, with about two-fifths under age 15 and another one-third between ages 15 and 29, creating a groundswell of change in consumption and aspiration. We peel back the curtains to reveal the real Rwanda in this panel and get to the heart of changes taking place in this iconic African destination.
Speakers:
Belise Cariza, Country Director, Africa Wildlife Foundation
Fouad Caunhye, CEO, Rwandair
James Bailes, Director, Singita
Moderator:
Outside In: Building Loyalty At Scale
With the evolution in B2B technology making it possible for everyone to sell travel, well, everyone can now sell travel – from banks and other retailers. We meet the outsiders and find out how they want to be insiders. Can they beat us at our own game with their mass outreach and frequency of interactions to build loyalty at scale?
Speakers:
Dinesh Govender, CEO, Discovery Vitality South Africa
Paolo Giuricich, Head, Investec Travel
Mike McGearty, CEO & Co-founder, Meili
Moderator: