Zinzi Bobani

General Manager, Intrepid Southern Africa

Zinzi Bobani is a dedicated travel leader who believes in the transformative power of locally rooted, well-run tourism to create a lasting global impact. As the General Manager for Intrepid Southern Africa, Zinzi leads the region’s operations from Johannesburg, driven by a mission to deliver travel experiences that are as responsible as they are unforgettable. With nearly 20 years of industry experience—including eight transformative years at Intrepid—she stepped into her current leadership role in 2024, bringing a wealth of expertise in scaling sustainable travel models.

 

A leader who thrives on the intersection of strategic clarity and operational excellence, Zinzi draws on her strong finance background to foster a culture of accountability and precision. She is known for her ability to turn thoughtful, high-level strategies into real-world outcomes, ensuring the seamless delivery of Intrepid’s signature “experience-rich” trips across the region. Her work reflects a deep-seated passion for community partnership and sustainable growth, consistently proving that when travel is managed with integrity, it can be a powerful force for good for both the traveler and the destination.

Sessions

April 9, Thursday
Venue: Innovation City Cape Town  

 

OTAs: The Next Frontier

 

As we enter The Next 20, online travel agencies face a new frontier shaped by AI interfaces, shifting traveller trust, regional platform strength, and new paths to discovery and booking. Will OTAs become invisible infrastructure, intelligent trip partners, or powerful super-platforms? And as travellers gain more tools and control, how must intermediaries evolve to stay essential? This session brings together global and regional OTA leaders to examine where value will be created next – from product and payments to partnerships and localisation – and how competitive dynamics between global giants and homegrown champions will play out across emerging markets. Expect candid perspectives on what OTAs must reinvent, defend, and double down on in the next era of travel distribution.

 

Speakers:

Andy Hedley, CEO, Travelstart
Albert Fernando, CEO, Travelwings 

Bayo Adedeji, Group Chief Executive Officer, Wakanow

 

Moderator:

Yeoh Siew Hoon, Founder, WiT