Category: APO-OPA

CAPE-TOWN, South-Africa, June 20, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Durante os próximos 10 anos, o comércio a retalho online vai continuar a ganhar popularidade nos mercados desenvolvidos e nos mercados emergentes e, por isso, as empresas de logística estão numa posição em que terão de desempenhar um papel crucial no fornecimento de soluções de gestão da cadeia de abastecimento essenciais, que possam evoluir à medida que os hábitos de compra dos consumidores mudam.

Para consultar o relatório completo, clique aqui: http://bit.ly/UPmZjh.

Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/dhl_logo2.jpg

Photo Sumesh Rahavendra: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/photos/sumesh_rahavendra.jpg (Sumesh Rahavendra, Diretor de Marketing da DHL Express da África Subsariana)

Esta é uma das principais conclusões do estudo Global E-Tailing 2025* da DHL (http://www.dpdhl.com), no qual se analisa o papel que o comércio eletrónico vai desempenhar na vida do consumidor em 2025 e como este tipo de comércio vai influenciar o consumo, o comércio a retalho e a logística.

O estudo explora cenários futuros apresentando diferentes perspetivas do que o comércio eletrónico pode representar globalmente para consumidores e negócios num futuro próximo, dependendo de diversos fatores económicos. As diferentes projeções para o futuro baseiam-se em análises detalhadas dos principais fatores que afetam as economias – desde os preços da energia e matérias-primas aos fatores tecnológicos, políticos e sociais, passando pelos padrões do comércio a retalho e de consumo. Existem quatro cenários possíveis:

1. Comportamento de consumo híbrido com a convergência dos diferentes tipos de comércio a retalho: uma forte economia global e uma classe média estável criam um paradigma de “Everywhere Commerce” (Comércio em toda a parte), no qual os smartphones e os tablets continuam a ser parceiros inseparáveis dos consumidores. Os painéis interativos estão sempre presentes nas ruas das cidades, atuando como interfaces do mundo virtual e o sector do comércio influencia os consumidores não só através de uma variedade de canais, como por exemplo, os referidos painéis interativos, mas também ao disponibilizar os seus bens online e em lojas, o que permite aos consumidores aceder e comprar produtos a qualquer hora.

2. Inteligência artificial na esfera do comércio a retalho digital: a economia global desenvolve-se, apesar de ter demonstrado uma volatilidade significante nos últimos anos. Neste cenário assiste-se à evolução de uma cultura digital altamente desenvolvida, na qual todos os produtos são vendidos online e os consumidores recebem assistência de consultores virtuais, que não só verificam a autenticidade de um produto e monitorizam a sua compra e entrega, mas também realizam a sua encomenda online.

3. Autoapresentação nas comunidades virtuais: a economia mundial passa por um período de crescimento rápido e o aumento da riqueza provoca o aparecimento de uma classe média próspera orientada para o consumo, cujos valores se afastaram do trabalho para o lazer. Os websites de comércio a retalho especializado, com uma oferta selecionada e em constante mudança para estilos de vida específicos, tornam-se o ponto central das comunidades regionais e globais orientadas para um estilo de vida e são, por isso, os principais influenciadores do comércio a retalho online.

4. Consumo colaborativo num panorama de comércio a retalho regionalizado: um cenário de crise no qual os padrões de consumo dos consumidores se desenvolvem depois de a economia global sofrer outra crise financeira. Nestas circunstâncias, um elevado nível de protecionismo provoca a paralisação total do comércio a retalho internacional. A forte mudança da economia provoca uma alteração substancial nos hábitos de consumo e tem como consequência que os consumidores passam, regra geral, a comprar localmente.

De acordo com Sumesh Rahavendra, Diretor de Marketing da DHL Express da África Subsariana, o e-tailing – a venda de bens e serviços pela Internet – aumentou consideravelmente a nível global, especialmente nos países emergentes e, independentemente dos diversos cenários futuros possíveis, é evidente que o e-tailing vai continuar a crescer rapidamente.

“Atualmente, o comércio eletrónico constitui 8 % do volume comercial total na Europa. Dependendo do cenário, esta percentagem pode subir até 40 % nos países desenvolvidos e 30 % nos atuais mercados emergentes,” afirmou Rahavendra.

“O fator comum a todos os cenários é que a competição no comércio a retalho eletrónico vai intensificar-se, tanto a nível global, como a nível nacional e regional. Não sabemos ao certo como o mundo vai estar em 2025, mas os vários cenários do estudo demonstram a velocidade a que o sector do comércio de retalho global, online e offline, está a mudar e que a logística vai ser uma questão central destes processos de mudança.

Embora o e-tailing possa facilitar a transação das tendências de consumo em mudança, é preciso ter em consideração a entrega dos produtos. Muitos comerciantes a retalho concentram-se em atrair clientes, mas são necessários maiores esforços para facilitar a entrega sem problemas aos consumidores. Principalmente quando as entregas começam a ser avaliadas em termos de minutos, em vez de em horas ou dias. Por isso, é necessário adaptar a logística e fornecer vantagens competitivas, tais como proporcionar a entrega no próprio dia e retornos flexíveis.”

“No futuro, a logística vai assumir o papel de facilitador dos comerciantes a retalho online, ainda mais do que atualmente. Como empresa de logística, temos uma boa visão geral das empresas de diversas indústrias em quase todos os países do mundo. Em África, verificamos continuamente o crescimento do e-tailing no continente e estamos cada vez mais a tornar-nos consultores destes negócios e seus parceiros para o sucesso, ao invés de apenas fornecedores de serviço tradicional”, concluiu Rahavendra.

*O estudo Global E-Tailing 2025 foi iniciado pelo Deutsche Post DHL e contou com a participação das instituições de investigação Z_punkt e See More e com inúmeros especialistas internacionais do sector do comércio a retalho, logística e académico.

Distribuído pela APO (African Press Organization) em nome da Deutsche Post DHL.

Nota para o editor: os quatro cenários que exploram o futuro foram desenvolvidos com base numa perspetiva global a médio prazo; não foram elaborados com o objetivo de serem previsões precisas do futuro.

Para consultar o relatório completo, clique aqui: http://bit.ly/UPmZjh.

Contacto para meios de comunicação social:

Megan Collinicos. Diretora: Publicidade e Relações Públicas, África Subsariana

DHL Express

Tel.: +27 21 409 3613 Telemóvel: +27 76 411 8570

megan.collinicos@dhl.com

DHL – A empresa de logística para o mundo

A DHL (http://www.dpdhl.com) é a líder mundial de mercado na indústria logística e “A Empresa de Logística para o Mundo”. A DHL aplica os seus conhecimentos especializados sobre transporte expresso internacional, frete aéreo e marítimo, transporte rodoviário e ferroviário, logística contratualizada e serviços de correio internacional em favor dos seus clientes. Uma rede global composta por mais de 220 países e territórios e com cerca de 285 000 colaboradores em todo o mundo que disponibiliza aos consumidores a melhor qualidade de serviço e conhecimento local para satisfazer os seus requisitos da cadeia de abastecimento. A DHL aceita a sua responsabilidade social ao apoiar a proteção ambiental, a gestão de catástrofes e a educação.

A DHL faz parte do grupo Deutsche Post DHL. O grupo gerou receitas superiores a 55 mil milhões de euros em 2013.

Para obter mais informações: http://www.dpdhl.com

Imagens de stock disponíveis em: http://www.dpdhl.com/en/media_relations/media_library.html

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina-Faso, June 20, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, attends the opening of the second African office of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM)…

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina-Faso, June 20, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, today congratulated Windiga Energy Inc., a Canadian independent power producer, on signing a $50-million contract to build a solar power plant in Zina, Burkina Faso. The project will also include a community development segment involving electrification of a number of rural villages in the area.

The contract comes as the governments of Canada and Burkina Faso conclude negotiations on a foreign investment promotion and protection agreement.

Minister Fast is on a ten-day, four-country trade mission to boost Canada’s trade and investment ties in Burkina Faso, Madagascar, South Africa and Tanzania. The mission has a special focus on the extractive and renewable energy and power sectors—sectors identified as priorities under the Government of Canada’s Global Markets Action Plan.

Quick Facts

• Windiga Energy is headquartered in Montréal and employs eight people there and six in West Africa.

• Sector-focused trade missions are part of the Government of Canada’s pro-trade plan to support Canadian businesses, especially small and medium-sized ones, seeking to explore opportunities in new markets.

• Canada is the largest foreign investor in Burkina Faso, a priority market under Canada’s Global Markets Action Plan.

• Minister Fast is leading his third trade mission to Africa, having previously led trade missions to Libya, Nigeria and Ghana.

Quotes

“We are committed to creating the right conditions for Canadian businesses, especially our small and medium-sized businesses, compete, succeed and expand internationally. Our government will continue to support Canadian companies as they create jobs, as part of our government’s most ambitious pro-trade, pro-export plan in Canadian history.”

– Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade

“We are very pleased with the support we received from both governments, which allowed us to conclude a strategic agreement to build a major—22 solar MW—renewable energy project.”

– Benoît Lasalle, President and CEO of Windiga Energy Inc.

NEW YORK, June 20, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — John Ging, Operations Director for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told media after a three-day visit to Mali that life-saving assistance is still urgently needed across the country and more must be done to build a lasting peace.

“Humanitarian needs will continue to grow in Mali if there isn’t a full commitment by all to peace and stability,” warned Mr. Ging, “In different parts of the country hundreds of thousands of people desperately need water, food, and to feel safe and secure. The recent violence in Kidal underscores the need for a solution to the armed conflict and for civilians to be protected.”

In Mali, almost half a million children under five are suffering from acute malnutrition – 85 per cent of them living in the country’s south – while 1.5 million people do not have enough to eat. In the North, the food crisis has been made worse by a recent deterioration in the security situation which severely limits people’s access to critical services like water, healthcare, and education. Protection from violence, especially increasing sexual violence against women, must be made a priority.

More than 150,000 people remain displaced from their homes, and over 18,000 were newly displaced by the attacks in Kidal in May. Last week John Ging travelled to Gao and Menaka, where he met displaced families and humanitarian aid workers. “The community in Menaka is badly affected by the crisis in Mali. The needs are urgent and severe: water, food and livelihoods support was the common appeal. The women I met there asked for help in ending the violence they face. Their plight is shocking and unacceptable. More must be done to protect them,” he said.

Despite limited financial resources and dangerous operating conditions, so far this year UN humanitarian organizations and their partners have helped provide more than half a million people with food aid, over 200,000 people now have permanent access to drinkable water, and 150,000 people received healthcare.

“The prospects for a peaceful Mali depend on the courage of political leaders to demonstrate their full commitment to the peace process,” noted Mr. Ging. “The international community needs to show strong support for the people of Mali as they take these crucial steps and we also need them to help us scale up our humanitarian aid by giving generously.”

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina-Faso, June 19, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, visits the premises of Koyenga and GSC International, two companies financed through Développement international Desjardins [Desjardins international development] (DID) as part of its development work in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. DID employs approximately 200 people on projects in 20 countries.

Koyenga specializes in the packaging of drinkable water and employs some 150 people. GSC International focuses on the manufacturing of aluminum products and employs approximately 50 people. Women account for almost 50 percent of staff at the two businesses.

After 10 years and a first loan of $3,000, the two businesses now have a combined annual turnover of nearly $5 million. Their success offers real opportunities for technical innovation and more growth. For instance, expansion projects for the packaging of drinkable water and fruit juices are under way in Togo and Ghana.

Minister Fast is visiting Burkina Faso from June 18 to 19, 2014. He will continue his 10-day, four-country visit to Africa by visiting Madagascar and then leading 26 delegates from 19 organizations on a trade mission to South Africa and Tanzania, from June 22 to 27, 2014.

JUBA, South Sudan, June 19, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Preventable diseases and severe acute malnutrition are causing an alarming number of deaths among the estimated 45,000 people taking refuge at a UN base in Bentiu, South Sudan, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned today, calling for a rapid increase in water supplies, hygiene promotion and latrine construction.

The number of people seeking protection at the base increased nearly tenfold in the last two months due to relentless violence in Unity State, while recent flooding has left the area without enough clean water or sanitation facilities.

Medical reports from the camp show that at least three children under 5 years old are dying per day within the Bentiu Protection of Civilians site. Most of the deaths are due to acute diarrhoea, pneumonia and malnutrition, which are linked to the harsh conditions.

“People came here for safety but they are facing life-threatening conditions inside the camps,” said Nora Echaibi, medical team leader of an MSF hospital on site. “It is rapidly becoming catastrophic.”

Recent heavy rains exacerbated an already grim situation, flooding latrines and making it impossible for water trucks to use the roads for deliveries. Medical facilities and other areas where aid organizations provide services have been flooded.

As of mid-June, wells and tanker trucks are supplying only 4.4 litres of clean water per person per day, which is far below the international standard of 15 litres, and residents are forced to drink from puddles that are often contaminated with human waste. There is only one working latrine on average for every 241 people.

Displaced people continue to arrive every day from the surrounding region in very bad condition, generally after walking long distances or surviving for a long time in the bush without assistance.

Ongoing hostilities make it impossible to use the roads safely, even to collect supplies such as sand, which is essential to protect areas from flooding. Due to the flooding of the roads, all materials have to be transported by plane at high cost.

MSF teams are very worried about the prospect of further disease outbreaks, such as cholera, hepatitis and malaria.

“It is a very challenging environment, but more aid is needed to avert a catastrophe. MSF is currently increasing its hospital’s capacities in the camp and sending additional emergency medical teams to try to tackle the situation,” said Raphael Gorgeu, MSF country director in South Sudan. “We call on aid organizations to do everything they can to improve conditions here, especially water and sanitation. We also call on armed groups to allow aid to travel freely on the roads.”

In the Bentiu Protection of Civilians site, MSF currently runs a hospital with 90 beds, which admitted 202 patients between May 17 and June 9 and performed 70 major surgical interventions.

JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, June 19, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Op-ed by Amanda Jane Wilde*, Managing Director & Company Guardian of Umsinsi Health Care (http://www.umsinsihealth.com):

With President Zuma’s State of the Nation address declaring strongly that the time has come to tackle poverty, inequality and unemployment, and the recent downgrade of our outlook to “negative” by international rating agencies Standard & Poor and Fitch, it’s clear that South Africa’s economy is in need of some serious attention. At the same time, angry workers and politicians are making themselves heard as they decry gross economic inequality in a nation where big business appears to do little to address this issue. It’s only a matter of time before changes take place, and business leaders would do well to start adapting right away.

Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/uhc.jpg

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1183

Link to a radio interview in May: https://soundcloud.com/afrofusion-advertising/umsinsi-health-care-workers-day-2014-part-2

There has been significant disruption in our platinum mining industry, as underpaid workers demand better pay from the massive corporations profiting from the resources of South Africa. And a political party has gained prominence – and seats in parliament – by demanding economic freedom for the South African working class, through the nationalisation of key resources and sectors.

Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe, the model for this kind of redistribution, President Mugabe is taking a portion of whatever international concern he can get his hands on. And, while we may not agree with his methods, to a certain extent, his demands, and those of the Economic Freedom Fighters are understandable. International companies simply can’t continue to come into Africa and take what they want from the continent to realise profits elsewhere. That is not the true growth potential that Africa offers.

The writing is on the wall in South Africa. While we may never achieve the heights of turmoil that the redistribution of land and wealth have reached in Zimbabwe, I believe that it is only a matter of time before more compromise is demanded of both international companies making a profit within our borders, as well as our larger local businesses.

And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Companies have to stop resisting and actively start identifying ways to grow profitable businesses within South Africa that also create benefits for the South African people, beyond simple employment opportunities. It can be done; it just requires a departure from the traditional business mind-set.

I believe that it’s better to start early and go way beyond legislative requirements, adhering more closely to the ‘spirit’ of the legislation, rather than the ‘letter of the law’ (while quietly exploiting any loophole that corporate accountants and lawyers can find). And with the advent of National Health Insurance, as well as the upcoming Competition Commission Enquiry into Health, it is inevitable that the spotlight currently shining on the mining industry will shift to health care. At which point, will the health industry be found wanting?

We have already begun this journey at Umsinsi Health Care and we started early because we wanted to, rather than later because we might one day have to. On the surface of it, we appear to be the South African-based arm of an international medical devices company called ConvaTec. In reality, we are a standalone local business, responsible for selling and marketing ConvaTec wound, stoma and faecal incontinence care products, as well as educating public and private sector health care professionals in wound and stoma care. By inverting several typical business practices, we have doubled turnover and tripled employees in five years, as well as winning several awards and nominations for our diversity and transformation efforts. But the biggest difference in how we structure our business is that we have adopted something called the John Lewis Partnership Trust Model, which began over 100 years ago in the UK.

The John Lewis Partnership is an employee-owned and managed company, which operates John Lewis department stores and Waitrose supermarkets, as well as an online business and a farm. The company is owned entirely in Trust on behalf of circa 90000 employees, who have a say in how the business is run and who receive a share of annual profits. They are so committed to their successful experiment in industrial democracy and employee happiness that they have contributed towards guidelines for employee ownership, alongside giving support to organisations that request it.

So that’s what we’ve done here in South Africa with Umsinsi Health Care. We’ve created a local business for an international entity that will be wholly owned in Trust for the benefit of our employees in South Africa, as well as the social responsibility projects that they choose to adopt. They already take a share in our profits, before which, we decide how much will be reinvested into our business to ensure future job creation, skills development, community upliftment and growth. And those employees that stay with the company until retirement will benefit from provisions that ensure they will be comfortably looked after for the rest of their natural lives. Our international partner ConvaTec, on the other hand, gets no shares in our business, directorships in our operations, or profits from our sales. They benefit as we grow because we then have to buy more from them and, as long as their pricing remains reasonable, we will all do well.

We’ve learned some important things along the way. Participating in a business model that benefits everyone in the medium to long term requires sacrifice on an individual level, today. For example, I do not drive a fancy car. My vehicle meets my needs and that’s all it needs to do. Where I live speaks likewise, comfortable but modest and certainly not excessive. And this is where I may well depart from the leadership of the Economic Freedom Fighters, in making clear the point that we will all need to pass up on some things that we’d like to have for ourselves, if our country is to benefit as a whole. Potential solutions to our national challenges fundamentally lie in the roots of reasonableness, as noted by the retired John Spedan Lewis in his ‘Dear to My Heart’ radio broadcast for the BBC:

‘The present state of affairs is really a perversion of the proper working of Capitalism. It is all wrong to have millionaires before you have ceased to have slums. If we do not find a way of correcting that perversion of Capitalism, our society will break down. We shall find ourselves back in some form of government, without the consent of the governed, some form of police state.’

On a micro level, this reflects the kind of thinking that is also required of international and larger local businesses that want to succeed in South Africa. It’s not about reaffirming the traditional top-down structures of business and generating as much corporate and personal wealth as possible for the people at the top, or those shareholders beyond our borders. Obviously, business is still about making money, but it also has to be about real, humane benefits for everyone who contributes to its success.

The world can’t sustain ridiculous models in which the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and the rich actually get bonuses for making the poor poorer (or driving the business into the ground and then abandoning it). At some point, after repeated failures, this economic model is going to collapse. And those that succeed in the wake of this will be the ones who saw the need for a more equitable, more humane distribution of wealth and power.

I’m not saying that the John Lewis Partnership Trust Model is the perfect answer to the challenges that we face in business throughout South Africa today, or the only answer for that matter. What I am saying is that the thinking behind it, the genuine intention to share the wealth and growth that a business can offer, with its employees and local communities, is what will drive successful and socially responsible South African businesses into the future.

*Amanda Jane Wilde is the Managing Director for Umsinsi Healthcare (Pty) Ltd (http://www.umsinsihealth.com), which was established in South Africa in November 2008. It is a medical device company which markets and sell wound, stoma, incontinence products and critical care.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Umsinsi Healthcare (Pty) Ltd.

For further information, please contact:

Antoinette Prophy

Afrofusion Advertising and Marketing

O: +27 11 5134291

M: +27 79 9898086

Email: antoinette@afrofusion.co.za

Website: www.afrofusion.co.za

JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, June 19, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Despite South Africa’s economy facing headwinds, the hospitality sector is poised for further growth in the next five years in the wake of a number of inbound travellers into the African continent, according to a report issued by PwC today (http://www.pwc.com).

For more information on the PwC Hospitality Outlook, visit http://www.pwc.co.za/hospitality-and-leisure

Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/pwc.png

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1181 (Nikki Forster, PwC Leader of Hospitality and Gaming)

Photo ‘cover of the report’: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/photos/1406196.png

Nikki Forster, PwC Leader of Hospitality and Gaming, says: “Although South Africa’s economy has weakened, growth in international travel and tourism and rising room rates have bolstered the hospitality sector.”

PwC’s 4th edition of the ‘Hospitality Outlook: 2014-2018′ projects that by the year 2018 the overall occupancy rate across all sectors in South Africa will increase, rising to an estimated 58.4%. Total room revenue is expected to reach R28.7 billion in 2018, a 10.7% compound annual increase from 2013.

“Occupancy rates are expected to increase for hotels over the next five years, overtaking guest houses, bush lodges and guest farms to again become the leading category,” says Forster. Occupancy rates for hotels are projected to increase from 58.9% in 2013 to 71.1% in 2018.

The report features information about hotel accommodation in Nigeria, Mauritius and Kenya. Accommodation sectors in South Africa consist of hotels, guest houses and guest farms, game lodges, caravan sites, camping sites and other overnight accommodation. For the first time the report includes a detailed analysis of the cruise industry in South Africa.

“One of the most significant developments in 2013 in the South African hospitality industry was the rise in average room rates, which increased 8.4%, well above the 5.9% rate of inflation,” says Forster.

Despite the recent economic uncertainty, the total number of foreign overnight visitors to South Africa rose 3.9% in 2013, down from the 10.2% increase in 2012, but still reflecting continued growth in foreign travel to South Africa. Foreign travel to South Africa was boosted in early 2013 by the African Cup of Nations football tournament and in December following the death of the late President Nelson Mandela, which led to an increase in the number of visitors to Robben Island where he spent many years in jail. “The continued depreciation of the Rand is also credited with contributing to the growth in foreign tourism by making South Africa a less expensive country to visit,” adds Forster. South Africans are also tightening their belts when it comes to luxury holidays abroad and turning to local travel as an alternative. The total number of travellers in South Africa is projected to reach 17.6 million.

Hotel accommodation

In 2013 overall spending on rooms in South Africa in all categories rose 14% to R17.3 billion, reflecting an increase in stay unit nights and an 8.4% rise in the average room rate. The pick-up in hotel occupancy rates has stimulated new activity in the industry, with a number of major hotel chains in the process of upgrading facilities, renovating their properties or making plans to open new hotels. The report estimates that by 2018 there will be about 63 600 hotel rooms available up from 60 900 in 2013.

Elsewhere, Nigeria’s economy is booming, buoyed in part by regional and international investment. Hotel room revenue rose 59% between 2009 and 2013. Conversely hotel room revenue in Mauritius decreased by 8.7% in 2013 but is projected to grow at 4.6% compounded annually to 2018. Kenya’s hotel market declined during the past two years, largely due to terrorist concerns.

Outlook: South Africa 2014-2018

Overall room capacity is projected to increase at a 1.3% compound annual rate to 123 400 in 2018 from 115 700 in 2013. Guest houses are expected to be the fastest-growing category in respect of the availability of rooms averaging 3.7% compounded annually, with slower growth in other areas. Stay unit nights for hotels rose 4.8% in 2013 whereas guest houses and guest farms fell 4.5%. The overall occupancy rate across all sectors rose to 52.6% in 2013. Although guest houses/ guest farms had the highest occupancy rate at 60.5%, it was the only category to show a decline in 2013, having posted an occupancy rate of 65.3% in 2012.

Hotels accounted for 71% of total accommodation revenue in 2013 and this share is expected to rise to 73% by 2018.

Outlook: Nigeria, Mauritius and Kenya 2014-2018

The hotel market in Nigeria grew 9% in 2013, which was the smallest gain since 2010.Stay unit nights increased 6.3% in 2013 and have grown faster than room availability over the past three years. Average room rates have grown slowly in the last two years, rising by only 2.5% in 2013. The number of hotel rooms is expected to triple during the next five years, rising from 8 400 in 2013 to 24 000 in 2018. Overall hotel room revenue is also anticipated to expand at a 22.6% compound annual rate to $1.1 billion (R12.1 billion) in 2018 from $413 million (R4.4 billion) in 2013.

Mauritius competes with the Maldives, Sri Lanka and the Seychelles for the tropical tourist market. The average hotel room in Mauritius costs €170 (R2 492); 2.7 times higher than average rates in South Africa and 28% higher than South Africa’s average five-star room rate. Due to the number of renovations and projects taking place in the industry, the number of available hotel rooms is expected to increase at a 2.9% compound annual rate to 14 250 in 2018. The average occupancy rate will edge down from 63.3% in 2013 to 61.5% in 2018.

Kenya’s hotel market declined during the past two years, falling 6.6% in 2012 and an additional 2.6% in 2013. Concerns about terrorism led several countries including the US and the UK, to issue travel alerts that discouraged people from visiting Kenya. The number of available rooms in Kenya is however projected to increase from 17 500 in 2013 to 19 400 in 2018 with an increase in the average room rate from $155 (R1 641) in 2013 to $163 (R1 726) in 2018. Total room revenue is expected to expand by 2.5% compounded annually, rising to $668 million (R7.1 billion) in 2018 from $589 million (R6.2 billion) in 2013.

Cruise industry in South Africa

The cruise industry in South Africa consists of spending by South Africans on cruises originating or departing from South Africa. Currently the industry is not seen as a direct competitor for the mainstream hospitality industry. The number of cruise passengers from South Africa totalled only 153 000 for the entire 2013/14 season, compared with 13.1 million stay unit nights for hotels in South Africa in 2013.

Durban is the leading cruise port in South Africa, accounting for about 70% of cruise passengers, Cape Town is the next largest. The average cruise cost R13 365 in the 2013/14 season, comparable to the cost of a week at a five-star hotel in Cape Town. Cruise prices locally are nearly 30% less than the global average of R18 525, in part reflecting the popularity of shorter and less expensive cruises to local destinations, and also lower incomes in South Africa.

The number of cruise passengers is projected to increase to 186 000 in 2018/9. Although the number of passengers is expected to decline in 2014/15, the occupancy rate is projected to increase to 85.2% from 74.6% in 2013/14 as supply will fall faster than demand. Passenger capacity is affected by the number of ships serving the market, the size of the ship and the number of cruises per season. Another factor affecting capacity is the quality of the cruise terminals. Transnet National Ports Authority is in the process of soliciting and evaluating for new cruise terminals in Durban and Cape Town.

“The construction of world-class terminals will improve boarding, which will enhance the cruise experience and encourage cruise lines to increase the number of cruises they offer in South Africa,” adds Forster.

Total cruise revenue is expected to increase by a projected 9.4% compounded annually, rising to R3.2 billion in 2018/19 from R2 billion in 2013/14.

Looking ahead

Foster concludes: “Tourism is considered to be a key element in South Africa’s economy and is recognised in the National Development Plan as an important driver of economic and employment growth.

“Growth in travel and tourism is expected to fuel growth in the accommodation industry across the African continent during the next five years.”

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC).

Contacts

Nikki Forster: PwC Leader of Hospitality and Gaming

Office: +27 11 797 5362

Email: nikki.forster@za.pwc.com

Or

Lindiwe Magana: Media Relations Manager, PwC

Office: + 27 11 797 5042

Email: lindiwe.magana@za.pwc.com

Note to editor:

For more information on the PwC Hospitality Outlook, visit http://www.pwc.co.za/hospitality-and-leisure

About PwC

PwC (http://www.pwc.com) firms help organisations and individuals create the value they’re looking for. We’re a network of firms in 157 countries with more than 184,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. Tell us what matters to you and find out more by visiting us at http://www.pwc.com.

BRUSSELS, Kingdom of Belgium, June 19, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — “This signing of National Indicative Programmes with 16 partner countries, at the EU-ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific countries) Joint Council of Ministers in Kenya, marks the official go-ahead for the future of EU aid in these countries1. These documents lay down the priorities for our joint work for the next seven years and will allow us to move ahead with the concrete preparations of our projects and programmes.

For the European Union it is essential that our programmes are drawn up in close cooperation with our partner countries, based on governments’ own policies and strategies and reflecting their stated needs. This is how we ensure that programming documents really support national priorities where the EU can add value.

Europe remains ACP’s main development partner, and it’s determined to help its partners exploit their potential to the full on the way forward. The European Commission will grant, through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), 29.1 billion euro over the next seven years for that purpose.

The benefits of our relationship are clear. Since 2004, thanks to EU support, 14 million new pupils enrolled in Primary Education, over 18 million children have been immunised against measles, and 70 million people have been connected to improved drinking water.

Building on the strong relationship that already exists between us in the coming years will also mean getting better at what we are doing. The National Indicative programmes we signed today will contribute to this aim, as they are in line with the Agenda for Change, the EU’s policy blueprint to target its resources where they are most needed and can be the most effective”.

MEMO/14/433: Signing of National Indicative Programmes with 16 ACP countries

1: Signatory Countries in Africa: Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome e Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Swaziland, and Tanzania. Signatory Countries in the Caribbean: Surinam

CAPE-TOWN, South-Africa, June 19, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Over the next 10 years, online retail will continue to gain popularity in both developed and emerging markets and as a result, logistics companies are set to play a key role in providing vital supply chain management solutions that are able to evolve with consumers’ changing shopping habits.

This is one of the key findings in the DHL Global E-Tailing 2025* study, which analyses the role which eCommerce will play in consumer’s live in the year 2025, and how it will influence consumerism, retailing and logistics.

To view the full report, please click here: http://bit.ly/UPmZjh

Photo Sumesh Rahavendra: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/photos/sumesh_rahavendra.jpg (Sumesh Rahavendra of DHL Express Sub-Saharan (SSA)

Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/dhl_logo2.jpg

The study explores future scenarios with alternative views of what eCommerce globally could look like for consumers and businesses in the near future, depending of various economic factors. The different future projections are based on a detailed analysis of the most influential factors effecting economies – from energy and raw material prices to technological, political and social factors, to retail and consumption patterns. The four possible scenarios are:

1. Hybrid consumer behavior in convergent worlds of retailing: A strong global economy and stable middle class establishes a true model of “Everywhere Commerce” where smartphones and tablets remain consumers’ constant companions. Interactive displays are ever-present in city streets, serving as interfaces to the virtual world, and the retail sector targets customers through a variety of channels, such as these interactive displays, as well as offers their goods online and in stationary stores, which results in consumers being able to access and purchase products at all times.

2. Artificial intelligence in the digital retailing sphere: The global economy thrives, despite exhibiting significant volatility in preceding years. A highly developed digital culture evolves in this scenario, which sees all products being sold online, and consumers receiving support of virtual consultants, which will not only check the authenticity of a product and monitor purchase and delivery, but also place the actual order online.

3. Self-presentation in virtual communities: The world economy experiences rapid growth and the increase in wealth creates an affluent consumption-oriented middle class, whose values have shifted away from work and more towards leisure. Niche retail websites, which offer selective and a dynamically-changing assortment for individual lifestyles, becomes the focal point of regional and global lifestyle communities primarily driving online retail.

4. Collaborative consumption in a regionalised retailing landscape: A crisis scenario whereby consumer consumption patterns develop after the global economy suffers another financial crisis. Under these circumstances, a high degree of protectionism brings international retailing to a complete standstill. The powerful shift of the economy leads to a substantial change in consumer habits and results in consumers buying locally, as a rule.

According to Sumesh Rahavendra, Head of Marketing for DHL Express Sub Saharan Africa (http://www.dpdhl.com), e-tailing – the sale of goods and services through the Internet – has exploded globally, especially in emerging countries and despite the various possible future scenarios , it is clear e-tailing will continue to boom.

“Currently, eCommerce already makes up 8% of the overall trading volume in Europe. Depending on the scenario, this share could rise up to 40% in developed countries and up to 30% in today’s emerging markets,” says Rahavendra.

“The factor which all scenarios have in common is that the competition in electronic retail, whether on global, national or regional level, will become more intense. We don’t know for certain what the world will look like in 2025, but the study’s various scenarios show how rapid the global retail sector, both online and offline, is changing and that logistics will be a focal point of these change processes.

“While e-tailing can facilitate the transaction of the changing consumer trends, the delivery of the product needs to be considered. Many retailers put significant focus to attract customers, but more effort needs to be paid to facilitating flawless delivery to customers. Even more so when deliveries begin being measured in minutes, as opposed to hours and days. This will require logistics to adapt, as well as deliver competitive advantages, such as offering same day delivery and flexible returns.”

“In the future, logistics will take over the role as an enabler for online retailers even more so than today. As a logistics company, we have a good overview on companies in various industries in almost all countries of the world. In Africa, we are continually noticing the rise of e-tailing on the continent and we are increasingly becoming an advisor to these businesses and partner for success, as opposed to a just a traditional service provider,” concludes Rahavendra.

*The Global E-Tailing 2025 study was initiated by Deutsche Post DHL with participation of the trend research institutions Z_punkt and See More as well as numerous international experts from retail, logistics and academia.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Deutsche Post DHL.

Note to editor: The four exploratory future scenarios have been developed on the basis of a global, medium-term perspective; they are not intended to be precise forecasts of the future.

To view the full report, please click here: http://bit.ly/UPmZjh

Media Contact:

Megan Collinicos. Head: Advertising & Public Relations, Sub-Saharan Africa

DHL Express

Tel +27 21 409 3613 Mobile +27 76 411 8570

megan.collinicos@dhl.com

DHL – The Logistics company for the world

DHL (http://www.dpdhl.com) is the global market leader in the logistics industry and “The Logistics company for the world”. DHL commits its expertise in international express, air and ocean freight, road and rail transportation, contract logistics and international mail services to its customers. A global network composed of more than 220 countries and territories and about 285,000 employees worldwide offers customers superior service quality and local knowledge to satisfy their supply chain requirements. DHL accepts its social responsibility by supporting environmental protection, disaster management and education.

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL. The Group generated revenue of more than 55 billion euros in 2013.

For more information: http://www.dpdhl.com

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