EXHIBITION venues in at least three provinces are expected to bid to host South Africa’s premier tourism marketing event, the Indaba, between 2001 and 2003. Durban hopes to hold on to the event for the next three years but the North West province and venues in Gauteng have also thrown their hats into the ring. Bids to host the four-day showcase will close on Wednesday, South African Tourism (Satour) spokeswoman Estelle Walmsley said on Monday. Satour, which coordinates the annual event, would announce the successful venue on August 27, she said. The tender to host the Indaba is awarded for three-year cycles. Durban has hosted the event for eight successive years and is scheduled to host it again in 2000. Indaba ’99 at the International Convention Centre and the adjacent Durban Exhibition Centre attracted more than 1400 journalists and travel industry representatives from 68 countries. More than 800 exhibitors and 3000 trade and tourism representatives took part in the Indaba.