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Registration has opened for the 3rd annual Hospitality Investment Conference Africa (HICA) and this year promises to be more exciting and relevant than ever.
“When we started planning the first HICA conference in 2006, it was because we recognised that people just did not realise how prosperous this industry is, or the opportunities it offers,” said Mmatšatši Marobe, CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa which is again hosting the event, to be held in Sandton, Johannesburg, from November 4 – 6.
“At that time we felt that people in the industry were not sharing their experience and knowledge of the sector sufficiently, but thanks to the networks and connections that HICA has created, we have seen a great change. And this year we are certainly providing our delegates with more than enough to be excited about!” Marobe said.
The theme for this year's HICA is “Opportunities for Growth”. It is a theme which reflects the buoyant mood of an industry which is bucking the global trends and trading itself through these challenging times.
One of the factors that sets HICA apart is its practical, implementable investment information. As part of the annual highlight of the conference, the results of the hospitality sector “Return on Investment” survey and analysis will be presented. The survey will be answering the question – does it pay to build hotels in South Africa? And, it will give potential investors and developers in-depth information about how three and four star graded hotel developments in South Africa are actually performing.
The conference will also delight potential investors in the SADC hospitality and tourism sector as the first ever publication that indexes the tourism value proposition will be launched. Delegates will be treated to expert information and networking opportunities that are just not available anywhere else in Africa. Potential investors and developers will tap into research that shows what consumers are asking for, the role of sustainable development and community beneficiation and advice on how to minimise risk and identify viable investment opportunities.
The impact of the current global economic climate and outlook for Africa will also dominate discussions, with a special focus exploring investment opportunities and barriers potential investors may come across in the hospitality industries in various countries. In the spotlight will be opportunities in countries such as Nigeria, Angola and Zimbabwe.
Continuing the theme of development opportunities across borders will be a session on “Boundless Southern Africa” which will take a close look at the viable investment opportunities in the transfrontier conservation areas such as Great Limpopo TFCA, the Zambezi TFCA and many others.
HICA is the platform geared to assist African countries to grow their market share of the global hospitality and tourism. To register for HICA 2009, and take advantage of the early bird discount go to www.hica.co.za
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