DURBAN HOSTS THE HICA SYMPOSIUM

LEADING KwaZulu-Natal trade and hospitality industry stakeholders have hailed the hosting of the sub-Saharan Hotel Investment Conference Africa (HICA) symposium in Durban's North Coast Fairmont Zimbali Resort on May 5-6, 2011 as the country's biggest hospitality investment Indaba to date.

According to the stakeholders, HICA is the 'Think Tank' that aims to provide insight into global best practise in the hotel sector and promote actual investment projects, and has evolved over the years to have a more specific focus on hotel investment opportunities.

KZN MEC for Economic Development and Tourism spokesperson Bheko Madlala has described HICA 2011 as 'the most influential hotel investment conference'.

"As the provincial government arm tasked to regulate the trade and economic development, we are excited with the hosting of HICA in our province.
This will translate into numerous business opportunities to our citizens, be the well-established hospitality industry operators, emerging hotel industry entrepreneurs, investors and developers in the wider South African hospitality industry sector" said Madlala.

Madlala added, the HICA symposium was organized by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) and both the Tourism KZN and Trade and Investment KZN were named as the official partners of the HICA 2011 two-day symposium.

And Tourism KZN Chief Executive Officer Ndabo Khoza could not contain himself and said 'it makes good business sense to host HICA because this conglomerate of hospitality industry stakeholders has proved itself as a viable economic platform for both investors and developers to maximise their business opportunities.'

"HICA brings together many trade and tourism stakeholders from all over the world. We are humbled to host and support this event as important business suppliers and vital service providers will converge in Durban to explore new and sustain existing business opportunities." noted Khoza.

According to TBCSA CEO Mmatsatsi Marobe, they were very proud to be hosting HICA in KwaZulu-Natal for the first time.

"We have been pushing for quite a number of years now to bring HICA to the East Coast region.
The HICA 2011 programme will brainstorm and discuss in details the hospitality investment climate post the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup finals, how the world moves out of the recent economic meltdown.
Invited experts will give practical advise on intended ventures related to financing, navigating the hotel industry potential as we aim to present Southern Africa as a viable, solid and long-term investment option for the hospitality industry sector." explained Marobe
ENDS