Seize the Opportunities, Invest in Africa's Hospitality Sector: HICA 2014, September, 14 - 16

The Maslow Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa - HICA's Hot Topics to Include Policy & Infrastructure for Hospitality Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

. August 20, 2014

August 20, 2014 - With less than four weeks to go to the 8th annual Hotel Investment Conference Africa (HICA), the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) and its partner Gauteng Tourism Authority are encouraging both business and governments to participate in the conference and invest more in the development Sub Saharan Africa's hospitality sector.

HICA is an investment conference, which brings together regional and international hoteliers, investors, developers and senior public sector leaders to network and engage on business matters pertaining to the hotel sector. The conference is scheduled to take place from 14 to 16 September, at The Maslow Hotel in Johannesburg.

This year's conference is inspired by the theme, Seizing Opportunities, and calls upon delegates to capitalize on the opportunities, which exist in the continent's hotel and broader hospitality sectors - particularly in the sub Saharan region. According to Ernst & Young's 2014 Global Hospitality Insights report, approximately 30 sizable hotel groups operate in the continent, representing more than 60 brands. From a geographic standpoint, approximately 47% of existing hotel rooms are in sub-Saharan Africa. However, this distribution does not reflect geography, as there are nearly 50 countries in the region, while only five countries make up Northern Africa.

Stuart Smith, CEO and MD of US/SA-based AfriHIC Events Company and a member of the HICA Advisory Board says the program presents the right mix of topics, which appeals to both seasoned hoteliers and those who are new to the sector.

"Hot" topics will include policy and infrastructural development in the region, aligning service standards to human capital goals and discussions on maintaining brand equity and integrity to the more technical issues such of understanding management contracts, sourcing finance and capitalizing on the opportunities presented by the business tourism sector.

Conference Chairman and TBCSA CEO, Ms. Mmatsatsi Ramawela said: "Judging by the enthusiasm shown by hotel developers in countries such as Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and even in South Africa, it is clear that sub Saharan Africa is fast cementing its position as the leading region of investment and development opportunities. In hosting HICA, our objectives are to ensure that we showcase where these opportunities are, share information about how to take advantage of them and assist delegates to connect with the relevant people to take these discussions forward".

A myriad of hotel brands will be represented at the conference. These include organizations, which have global and regional operations such as:

African Sun Hotels
Azalaї Hotels
Best Western International
City Lodge Hotels
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Hilton World Wide
Legacy Group
Manglis Hotel Group
Marriott International
Peermont Hotel Group
Protea Hotels
Starwood Hotels and Resorts
Sun International
Sun Resorts Group Mauritius
Taj Hotels
The Preferred Hotel Group
The Rezidor Hotel Group

Ramawela said the number of global and regional hotel operators participating in the conference was a testament to the value of HICA as a key industry platform. "We are grateful for the support that HICA continues to receive, particularly from our partners, sponsors and delegates. Their support bears testimony to the value of HICA as an important catalyst for investment in the region and we call upon all role-players from both the public and private sectors to make sure that they don't miss it."

Online registration is open to all senior public sector officials, investors, operators, developers and senior executives from the region and beyond. For more information on the conference and to register visit www.hica.co.za A detailed conference program with the speaker line-up is now available for download.

About HICA:

The Hotel Investment Conference Africa (HICA) is an established business-to-business networking platform, focused on strengthening the position of Southern Africa and the sub-Saharan Africa region, as viable investment destinations for the international hotel and investment community. The event brings together senior executives and decision-makers in the hospitality industry and the leading global hotel operating and management companies. As sub-Saharan Africa's leading hotel investment conference, this event connects the region's high net-worth private investors with government and the banking and private equity community with a "let's do business" agenda. HICA provides an excellent platform for delegates to share views, observations, ideas and proposed strategies for overcoming challenges in the region. www.hica.co.za.

HICA is hosted by the TBCSA in partnership with the Gauteng Tourism Authority and in association with Pam Golding Hospitality and US/SA-based AfriHIC Events Company.

The conference is sponsored by: Best Western International, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Protea Hotels and Marriott International, the Industrial Development Corporation and South African Tourism. HICA supporters include US-based AETHOS Consulting Group, the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (FEDHASA), Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) and the Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA).

About TBCSA: The Tourism Business Council of South Africa is a member-based, umbrella organization representing the voice of business in the South African Travel and Tourism sector. HICA was originated by the TBCSA in 2007 and is one of the few platforms in the continent where the promotion of investment in the hotel and broader hospitality sector is led by the private sector.

Media Contact:

In the United States:
Ms. Leora Halpern Lanz
[email protected]
Mobile: 516-680-8529
SKYPE: LeoraLanz

In South Africa:
Ms. Kagiso Mosue
[email protected]
Tel: +27(0)12 654 7525 or
+27(0)73 015 4530; SKYPE: Kagiso Mosue

Business Contact:

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