“The conference, from 4 - 6 November, is all about sharing knowledge,” said Mmatsatsi Marobe CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa which is hosting the event. “We will be bringing together industry leaders to share world trends, industry insights and experiences.
“One of our aims is to align the development of tourism in the region with international best practice,” she said. “We are all excited about the 2010 World Cup, but as an industry we need to be looking beyond the big events. We need to be showcasing Africa as a whole as a viable investment destination.”
“This conference brings together industry leaders and emerging entrepreneurs from across the continent. The dialogue the conference encourages between government leaders and the private sector role players has far reaching implications for the formation of policies that will affect the hospitality industry,” Marobe said.
HICA 2009 will be putting an emphasis on "Responsible Tourism" as a means of creating better places both for people to live and to visit. With its close ties to sustainable and green tourism, "Responsible Tourism" is about tourists making environmentally friendly, sustainable, ethical and respectful choices and minimising the negative impact of tourism.
“Delegates will have a chance to discover how "Responsible Tourism" is good for business on all levels,” Marobe said. “Tourism is a commodity and a resource that must be protected. "Responsible Tourism" is a global phenomenon which everyone in the hospitality industry needs to be aware of.”
As a measure of the success of the conference, an impressive 85% of the delegates who attended HICA 2008 have clearly expressed their interest in attending this year's meeting.
Current sponsors of HICA 2009 include FNB, the Johannesburg Tourism Company and top hotel groups IFA, Rezidor and the Golding Hotel Investment Consultants.
For more information about HICA 2009, go to www.hica.co.za or contact Kagiso Mosue at TBCSA on tel: +27 (0)12 654 7525 or .
