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TourismROI, the world’s premier centralized source for Travel & Tourism management and investment information globally, has launched its Africa Tourism Investment campaign following the web-site’s successful beta-test launch on March 1, 2008.
Speaking at the 33rd Annual Africa Travel Association Congress in Arusha, Tanzania last week, Trevor Ward, managing director of W-Hospitality Group and TourismROI representative for Central Africa, said: "TourismROI has arrived in Africa with perfect timing. As Tourism Investment opportunities become more interesting in Africa, government officials and private developers are eager to bring their projects to an international audience of investors. However, there is a consistent lack of information on the Continent putting these projects into perspective. TourismROI solves this problem by providing an online resource where all government agencies and the private sector can collaborate to provide the information necessary to attract new investment and assist with operating business decisions alike."
At the annual tourism Indaba in Durban, South Africa last week, Mmatsatsi Marobe, chief executive officer of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa and TourismROI representative for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Countries, gave a private briefing on TourismROI to high-level tourism officials.
Commenting on the briefing, Mmatsatsi said, "There was a very positive response to this new and unique tool. Governments in the sub-region are eagerly promoting their countries as Tourism and Hospitality Investment destinations and online marketing forms part of this strategy. However these efforts are often lost in the numerous available resources dispersed throughout the internet. As the only centralized resource for global B2B investment marketing, Tourism ROI provides organizations a high profile home for their online promotion which is the first investors will see if they are interested in tourism investment opportunities."
TourismROI has focused its efforts in Africa working with national and regional Tourism Authorities, Economic Development Agencies, Investment Promotion Agencies and International Development Agencies like United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Bank/International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Commenting on the recently announced World Bank/IFC-financed tourism projects in Mozambique, Richard Miller, CEO and managing partner of TourismROI said: "The Mozambique Tourism Anchor Investment Program is a prime example of the power that Travel & Tourism promises for developing nations to create jobs and economic opportunity. TourismROI is well positioned to assist projects like these to communicate their plans and network with professional and experienced developers and tourism business operators/managers and translate this enormous vision and vote of confidence into a long-term sustainable opportunity."
Miller added, "We look forward to working with destinations like Mozambique, Tanzania, Nigeria, South Africa and more to showcase their tourism industry and help them become more visible to investors and tourism business leaders around the world."