High-Powered Minister Session Featured at HICA 2014

September 14-16, 2014, The Maslow Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa

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. July 25, 2014

South Africa - July 25, 2014 - The 8th annual Hotel Investment Conference Africa (HICA) is set to host a high-powered Minister session on policies to support investment and growth in sub Saharan Africa's hospitality and tourism sectors.

Leading the session will be South Africa's Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom and his counterparts: Walter Mzembi, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality in Zimbabwe, Lazaro Nyalandu, Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism in Tanzania, Roger Kacou, Minister of Tourism in Cote d'lvoire and Paulinho Domingos Baptista, Vice Minister of Tourism in Angola.

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 hosted by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) in partnership with the Gauteng Tourism Authority.

TBCSA CEO and HICA Conference Chairman, Ms. Mmatsatsi Ramawela says: "Creating an enabling environment for business to thrive is one of the key drivers of investment for any sector in any region of the world. The engagement between the public and private sectors at HICA is a critical one considering the current global economic climate, where resources are limited and investors are more discerning".

Pam Golding Hospitality CEO, Joop Demes added that continued dialogue with the public sector was a sure way to unlock the region's investment potential. "HICA is about ensuring that investors do not miss out on the great potential which lies within Africa's hotel and broader hospitality sector. The fact that we will be hosting some of the most senior industry leaders from the region's public sector speaks volumes about the level of commitment that exists in driving investment in the region. These are exciting times for the industry and the Continent." Pam Golding Hospitality is a regional hospitality investment advisory and consultancy based in South Africa, and supporter of HICA since the Conference launched in 2007.

According to STR Global, the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region reported positive performance year-to-date in June 2014. The region reported a 1% increase in hotel occupancies to 64.6%, an increase of 3.5% in average daily rate (ADR) to US$169.22 and a 4.5% increase in revenue per available room (REVpar) to US$109.24. The region comes a close second to the Asia Pacific region whose hotel occupancies for June 2014 stood at 66.9%.

The report further highlights a rise in average daily rates (ADR) across all three sub-regions, including the Middle East at + 2.4%, North Africa at +2.0% and Southern Africa at 7.2%.

"Looking at the growing number of hotel projects under construction or in the pipeline within the MEA region, it is clear that sub-Saharan Africa is fast cementing its position as the leading region for opportunity and development in the hotel sector. The key question for HICA's Ministerial panel now becomes - how will the countries in the region capitalise on this growth and ensure that it is sustainable?" Ramawela said.

Online registration is open to all senior public sector officials, investors, operators, developers and senior executives from the region and beyond. Early-bird registration closes on 31 July 2014. For more information on the conference and to register visit www.hica.co.za

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 amongst others Best Western International, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Protea/Marriott International and the Industrial Development Corporation.

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. www.tbcsa.travel.