HiPipo Money

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Huawei’s new 4G LTE smartphone delivers stand-out design, unparalleled camera experience, access to ultra-fast connectivity and superb battery performance 

Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, today unveiled the highly anticipated Huawei Ascend P7. Building on the success of Huawei Ascend P6, the new 4G LTE-enabled smartphone redefines smartphone excellence with top-notch features,ultra-fast connectivity,and easier navigation in a beautifully crafted design that places it in a class of its own. With a 5-inch full high definition display, industry-leading 8MP front-facing and 13MP rear-facing cameras, and thelatest intuitive Emotion UI 2.3, HuaweiAscend P7 will Make it Possible for people to express excellence with edge, anytime, anywhere.

Huawei redesigned Ascend P7 from the inside out, significantly improving the performance of the smartphone’s hardware and software to redefine user experience. At 6.5mm slim, Ascend P7 sets a new record as one of the slimmest 4G LTE smartphones in the market. To relentlessly pursue excellence with edge for discerning global users, Huawei incorporated a perfect harmony of design influences from the West with attention to detail from the East.

“Huawei’s relentless commitment to developing premium quality smartphones over the past three years has paid off.We are now ranked number three globally in terms of smartphone shipments, and our brand recognition is growing steadily in key regions such as China and Western Europe,” said, Richard Yu, CEO, Huawei Consumer Business Group (BG). “Today, the launch of Huawei Ascend P7 once again challenges existing industry standards by redefining smartphone design, camera experience, and connectivity, to provide people with an unprecedented mobile experience.”

“Orange is pleased to witness how Huawei’s products and brand have developed since we first identified Huawei as a global contender several years ago. Today’s launch of the best-in-class Ascend P7 is an illustration of a strategy and investment that is now paying dividends,” said Yves Maître, Executive Vice President, Connected Object and Partnerships, Orange. “As a long-term partner, Orange is delighted to provide its customers with the results of this successful relationship.”

Redefining craftsmanship

Huawei Ascend P7 provides an edge with enhanced strength and durability against everyday use with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 front and rear covers. It stands out from the crowd with a sleek, sophisticated metallic appearance created by a seven-layered rear surface treatment with a refined “spin effect” micro-pattern design.

“HuaweiAscend P7 was inspired by the natural curves of a water dropletwhich instills the phone with a sense of natural purity, and also gives users a more comfortable grip,” said Joon Suh Kim, Mobile Device Vice President, Consumer Experience Design Center, Huawei Consumer BG. “It took us months of extensive design refinements to achieve this excellent balance of form and function.”

For intense visual clarity when viewing multimedia, Ascend P7has a 5-inch FHD touchscreen display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 445ppi and 16:9 aspect ratio.To suit any style, Ascend P7 is available in a range of fashionable colors including black, white, and pink.

Redefining camera experience

HuaweiAscend P7gives users an edge in low-light settings withSony’s 4^thgeneration BSI sensor, Image Signal Processer (ISP), IMAGESmart 2.0 softwareand f/2.0 aperture on its 13MP 5P non-spherical lens rear-facing camera to create unparalleled clear, rich pictures at night or indoors.

To capture spontaneous moments before they are gone, Huawei Ascend P7’s unique Ultra Snapshot function enables the user to be camera-ready 1.2seconds after double-clicking the down volume button intuitively while in locked mode, instead of spending time trying to unlock the screen.

Take better selfies, or the ultimate group selfie — a “groufie” –with the leading 8MP 5P non-spherical lens front-facing camera that comes with a panorama function for panoramic selfie shooting, and 10 level auto-facial enhancement in beauty mode. Users can also take a selfie video with the 1080pHD video playback. Huawei Ascend P7 ensures picture-perfect moments every time with the innovative built-in mirror function and selfie preview window.

Add an extra dimension to photos with the “Voice Photo” function which takes photos accompanied by 10-second audio clips for users to upload photos with special audio expressions on a variety of social media platforms.

In addition to camera improvements, Huawei’s proprietary Image Signal Processor (ISP) allows the smartphone to control a whole range of functions that mimic those found in professional digital SLRs, including autofocus, white balance, and noise reduction, for beautifully-optimized photos under any conditions. Users can also select the focus and exposure metering function with just one touch so the preferred focus and exposure position can be set to maximize image precision.

Redefining connectivity and battery performance

For people seeking even faster and seamless connectivity, Huawei Ascend P7 enables unlimited media viewing with ultra-fast 4G LTE speed and Huawei’s unique dual antenna design to improve signal reception. Ascend P7 also uses smart network switching technology that stabilizes the connection even during weak signal reception to minimize battery drainage.

Enjoy long-lasting continuous media viewing and data sharing thanks to the robust 2500mAh lithium polymer battery and proprietary battery saving technology. In addition, the power saving management function enables users to save battery by switching off any applications running in the background that are consuming unnecessary power.

The super power-saving mode enables Ascend P7 to adopt the most suitable use of powerwhen it is running on less than 10 percent of the total battery. When enabled, the screen will dim and only the basic functions of the phone will remain activated, including voice calls and the contact page. It will also stretch the remaining 10 percent of battery power to last 24 hours on standby.

Redefining user experience

Huawei Ascend P7 gives smartphone newbies the edge of an expert with the latest version of the intuitive, easy-to-use interface, Emotion UI 2.3, providing customizable lock and home screens, with two enhanced UIs for effortless navigation. Easily personalize the smartphone management software, including a harassment filter, permission manager, network and notification management, and power saving modes.

The recommended retail price of Huawei Ascend P7 is 449 euros and it will be available in China, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Serbia, Greece, Norway, Hungary, Denmark, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates from May, with other markets to follow. Accessories include HUAWEI TalkBand B1, colorful protective cases, clamshell protective screen covers, and portable batteries.

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Operations and Maintenance contract with Cimento Nacionale Ltd, a major cement producer in Mozambique, is the first step in ASEC Engineering’s plans for geographical expansion into Sub-Saharan Africa.

ASEC Engineering and Management, a subsidiary of Citadel Capital (CCAP.CA on the Egyptian Exchange), the leading investment company in Africa and the Middle East, has just signed an operations and maintenance (O&M) contract with Mozambican cement producer, Cimento Nacionale Ltda.

“This contract with Cimento Nacionale Ltda is the first step in ASEC Engineering’s plans to expand its footprint outside the MENA region into Sub-Saharan Africa,” said Khaled El Sebaie, CEO of ASEC Engineering.  “Our ability move into new territories is the result of the well-established reputation that ASEC Holding has earned as a regional cement, engineering and construction group.”

ASEC Engineering, the engineering and construction services arm of ASEC Holding, is a leading provider of O&M services for cement plants in Egypt and the MENA region. The company will utilize its know-how and expertise to boost production volumes, reduce costs, and improve quality at Cimento Nationale Ltda, located near Maputo, the capital of Mozambique.

The one-year contract, renewable for an additional five years, will see ASEC Engineering introduce and implement new systems for all aspects of the production and business process including quality assurance, maintenance, warehousing and human resources. The scope of the contract will also cover training for local staff in Mozambique to be carried out through programs at ASEC Academy, ASEC Holding’s technical training arm.

ASEC Engineering currently operates and maintains 10 cement production lines in Egypt, which represents approximately 25% of the country’s combined cement production capacity. The company also holds various O&M contracts in the region. The Mozambique contract marks its first entry into Sub-Saharan Africa. 

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Musa Kisibo, an employee of Uchumi Super Market is the latest winner of an all-expense paid trip to Brazil,the land synonymous with fun, merry making, beauty and the famous Samba culture in the ongoing Sip Sip Samba Promotion by Uganda Breweries Limited.

The promotion will give forty Ugandans the opportunity of a lifetime to enjoy the beautiful scenery that has become synonymous with this South American nation and Ronald is among the winners drawn last week who will enjoy this South American paradise for three days.

In addition to the trip, consumers also have the chance to win other prizes like instant cash as well as other customized memorabilia. 

To participate in the Sip Sip Samba promotion, customers have to buy a bottle of any of the four brands, check under the crown for a five-digit code then send an SMS with the code to 6050 for the chance to enter the weekly draw to win the trip. The more codes one sends, the higher their chances of winning.

The draws will be carried out every Monday at 8:35pmonNTV Uganda to pick the winners of the cash award prize of UGX 100, 000 and tickets to Brazil.

The campaign will not only offer the most amazing prize of experiencing Brazil, it will also seek to reward those who will be here at home. There will be lots of prizes like free beer, instant cash via mobile money.”

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The Village Mall Bugolobi in partnership with its sponsors has announced the final winners of its inaugural promotion dubbed “Easter Bonanza”.

During a colourful event marking the completion of the two week Easter promotion twenty nine lucky winners walked away with prizes courtesy of the sponsors Qatar Airways, Vivo Energy, AON Uganda and Sheraton Kampala.

Paul Nkore and Juan Cheng were the lucky winners of the grand prize of a ticket to the US and China respectively courtesy of Qatar Airways. The winners would get to select the destination of choice.

Others won fuel vouchers worth Ugx 100,000 from Vivo Energy (10 winners), life insurance for a year worth Ugx 1,000,000 from AON Uganda (10 winners) and couple dinners at Sheraton Kampala (2 winners).

Tenants from The Village Mall, Elite Digital, Eye Care Center, LaCara  Costmetics and Il Rafinato, were the other sponsors who offered a mini ipad, designer glasses, gift bags and mens accessories respectively.

A statement from Knight Frank (U) Limited, the managers of The Village Mall stated: “We are honored to announce and reward these winners. This was the first time for The Village Mall to hold such a promotion since we opened and we are pleased to share this experience with our shoppers as a way of saying thank you”.

The promotion has been running since April 14th to April 27th where shoppers were given a raffle ticket for ever Ugx 20,000 spent at the mall.

About The Village Mall, Bugolobi

The Village Mall is located in Kampala’s prime mixed use Suburb of Bugolobi. Anchored by Nakumatt it has already been labeled as Kampala’s most “intimate” yet “classy” mall by its patrons. It has a spread of both local and regional tenants with exciting offerings ranging from fashion, lifestyle, fine dining and entertainment, all under one roof. The Food Court and soon to be opened children’s play area provides a safe and comfortable environment for the whole family to enjoy.

The Village Mall (9,700 square metres GLA (gross lettable area) is arranged over 3 floors with ample surface and basement parking fitting in 36 tenants in professionally finished interiors. Its Tuscan meets Baroque architectural style has distinguished The Village Mall from the rest by providing an interesting, exciting, and yet functional layout of the floors and shops, providing an enjoyable shopping experience for everyone.

The Village Mall is managed by Knight Frank a leading global property consultancy and largest independent real estate agency in the world with operations in over 370 offices in 48 countries on 6 continents in mainly established and emerging property markets.

Tenants who will be opening soon include: Java Coffee and Tea Limited, Liquid Silk, Era Salon, Sound City, Dynapharm, CBA, The Clinic-Diagnostic Centre, Javi Investments Limited-Soothing Spa, MTN and 4Life.

Tenants already trading include: Nakumatt, Banana Boat, C&A pharmacy, Kings Gagdets & Accessories, Orange (U) Limited, Brood, La Cara, Dazzle, Design Me, Eye Care Centre, Spot Clean Dry Cleaners, Zain Forex Bureau, KFC, Nawab restaurant, Elite Computers, China Bowl, Olives Kitchen, Big Mama restaurant, Ndahura S Trading, Riders Pub, Parad-Ice U Ltd, Kids World, Book Point, The Groom, Dead Sea Cosmetics, Planet Yogurt, Laville Wines, Stanbic Bank, Fotogenix, JH Kreation and Men’s Refinery. 

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On May 3^rd, 2014, Kampala club challenged and defeated Lugogo club at a return game in the British Airways Tennis tournament.The one day tournament that took place at Kampala Club saw the hosts beat their rivals Lugogo Club, 13 to 7 points, to retain the trophy they previously won in the first Leg, which was hosted by Lugogo Tennis Club in November 2013

Commenting on the tournament, Faith Chaitezvi CountryCommercial Manager British Airways Uganda, said, “British Airways is once again happy to sponsor the 2^nd League of the British Airways inter-club corporate tennis. As promised last year, the games will be played every quarter by participating clubs with each hosting the other. This time, we had Kampala Club challenge and host Lugogo Tennis Club. We hope to engage more clubs to increase the well-being of more of our customers whilst growing the game of tennis in Uganda.”

The games format were outlined as :Fourteen players from each club to makeeight men four women, one veteran (over 55) and a youth player (under 13). Theseplayed a series of double and single matches over the course of the day. The winner of the challenge was determined as the club that won the most matches over the course of the day.

Commenting on their second win of the tournament, AggreyMwesigwa the Captain of Kampala Club stated that it was necessary to retain the trophy in our backyard because Kampala Club has this reputation. “We have always had a strong team which contains a mixture of youth with a lot of experience, and always performed to the best of our capabilities, this is the reason why I was very confident we would win once again. It is also our hope that the tournament expands in the near future to let more clubs join to make it a bigger competition”.

Victor Drile the LugogoTennis Club Captain in reaction to their loss to Kampala Club said, ‘As LugogoTennis Club we have not been deterred by our loss in the last two legs. We shall continue playing until we take the trophy home. We hope that it will be our turn in the next Leg. It was a good match, and we hope to do better in the next Leg. “

The Tennis interclub challenge’s main aim is to promote health benefits as one of British Airways’ main priorities for its passengers. 

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1. Young aspiring footballers get world class professionally -run football training with Arsenal coaches
2. Over 20 boys and girls from a select group of Rising Stars spotted last year attend the  Soccer clinic

A total of 26 boys and girls from five African countries have started a week’s football training at the Federation Rwandese de Football Association (FERWAFA) football grounds in Kigali. The training will be facilitated by Arsenal Soccer School coaches. The participants are from Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia and Uganda jetted into the country on Sunday joining their Rwanda counterparts for the much anticipated Airtel Soccer Clinic. The training will take place and will focus on teaching professional football.

Airtel partnered with Arsenal football club to facilitate the hosting of a week-long football tournament for select players identified through the last season of the Airtel Rising Stars tournament.  These young talents will be trained by two UEFA qualified coaches. The young footballers will have once in a life time chance to meet an ex- Arsenal player who will attend the training sessions later this week. This soccer clinic takes place before the launch of the fourth season of Airtel Rising Stars. 

“Football is not just a fun sport but it can also be a career path that can change a player’s life. We know that through this football clinic that Airtel has organized in partnership with Arsenal will equip young talent for professional football careers. We anticipate that the skills gained will empower the young stars to play for national teams in their respective countries,” said FERWAFA president, Vincent DeGauleNzamwita.

The training involves physical, behavioral and technical ways of playing football with emphasis in both practical and theory lessons. It includes dribbling, passing and shooting tactics and most importantly equips the footballers with discipline measures. This soccer clinic offers the young footballers an opportunity to get football knowledge, improved skills and experience from the Arsenal Soccer School coaches.

In his remarks, Airtel Uganda Managing Director, Mr. ArindamChakrabarty said, “Airtel is dedicated to nurture young talent through the Under 17 grassroots football initiative that enables us to reach out to the youth. It is our desire to see young Africans live their dream and soccer is one of our major platforms in doing so .This Soccer Clinic provides world-class training to the youngsters and creates a great opportunity for the young players to engage more in the game. We believe that this training will earn them skills that will empower them in this career path.”

The Airtel Rising Stars initiative is the biggest Under-17 grassroots tournament on the African continent that aims at identifying talent and nurturing upcoming footballers. One of the aspects of this initiative is the soccer clinics where selected talent gets the opportunity to sharpen their raw skills.  This football initiative gives equal opportunity to both boys and girls to get a chance to love their dreams of playing on a national stage. This football tournament has yielded many success stories and has enabled several upcoming soccer talents to join Africa Premier League clubs and their respective countries’ national teams.

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Emirates, a global connector of people, places and economies today announced that it will launch a new daily service to Brussels, Belgium, from 5^th September 2014.

Hosting the European Commission, the European Council and over 120 other international organisations, Brussels is a key decision making centre. Home to thousands of international diplomats and civil servants, Emirates’ new service will add to the city’s global connectivity and contribute to further stimulating the country’s economic growth.

Brussels will be Emirates’ 147^th destination, closely following the launch of Oslo, Norway on 2^nd September. The non-stop service will be operated by a Boeing 777 in a three-class configuration. Emirates will be the first international airline to offer a First Class product from Brussels to the Middle East and Asia offering customers an unrivalled travel experience.

“As the centre of European politics and a hub of economic activity, Brussels is already an important offline market for Emirates.  Our research has shown that there is high demand for this route from across our network, from both the business and public sector as well as leisure travellers. Belgium operates an open and private enterprise-based economy and we expect this new service to further boost bilateral trade and commerce between the UAE and Belgium, which currently sits at around €4 billion per year,” said Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates airline.

The new service will greatly increase convenience and choice for the large number of Belgian consumers who currently have to travel via other airports to reach Dubai.

Drawing around 7.5 million tourists each year, Belgium is also home to 11 UNESCO World Heritage sites. In tandem with the country’s growing tourism segment, Emirates expects strong passenger traffic into Brussels on the route from Dubai and also an increased tourism demand for Belgium from large markets on Emirates’ network such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the Philippines and Korea which currently lack direct passenger flights to Belgium.

“Brussels complements our existing European destinations and with our new flight, customers will now be able to fly direct from Brussels to Dubai, and onwards to key cities in the Far East, Australia, South Asia, the Middle East and South Africa,” added Mr Clark.

A multi-modal hub, Brussels International Airport has its own train station allowing quick and frequent travel options linking it to all major cities in Belgium as well as the major industrial centres of Europe.

 “Brussels Airport is delighted to welcome Emirates to Belgium. With this new daily flight, Emirates opens a direct connection between Belgium and Dubai, supporting the economic and leisure ties between our country and the United Arab Emirates. Furthermore, this new route provides the Belgian traveller with a broad choice of convenient transfer connections throughout the Middle East, Asia and beyond to Australia and New Zealand,” said Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport Company.

Ranked as one of the world’s top 20 trading nations, Belgium is a key cargo hub with exports accounting for a significant percentage of the country’s GDP. Key export commodities which Emirates SkyCargo expects to transport include; pharmaceuticals, automotive spare parts, chocolates, machinery and equipment and electronics. Imported air freight is also expected to be considerable.

Emirates’ new daily flight to Brussels will depart Dubai as EK183 at 0750hrs* and arrives at Brussels International Airport, at 1315hrs* the same day. The return flight, EK184 will depart at 1445hrs* and arrives at Dubai International Airport at 2325hrs* the same day.

Throughout all cabin classes, passengers can enjoy over 1,600 channels of entertainment on demand on ice, the airline’s award-winning in-flight entertainment system. 

Passengers on all Emirates flights also have the added bonus of generous baggage allowance with 30 kilogrammes for those travelling in Economy Class, 40 kilogrammes for Business Class and 50 kilogrammes for First Class.

The UAE is home to over 30 Belgian companies and over 3,000 Belgian residents. Emirates currently has over 160 Belgian nationals working in various roles across the company. 

Brussels will be the eighth new destination from Emirates this calendar year following the earlier launches of Kiev, Taipei and Boston as well as Abuja and Kano launching on 1^st August, Chicago launching on 5^th August and Oslo launching on the 2^nd September 2014.

*Flight times are per summer scheduling

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Leading regional investment company sells its full majority stake in a leading Sudan-based bank as part of its program to shed non-core assets over the coming three years; firm remains a large-scale investor in Sudan

Citadel Capital (CCAP.CA on the Egyptian Exchange), the leading investment company in Africa and the Middle East, has exited its full 66.12% stake in Sudanese Egyptian Bank (SEB) in a US$ 22 million sale to the Islamic Solidarity Bank of Sudan.

“Having helped grow it from a small, trade-focused bank into a full-fledged Islamic financial institution, we are delighted to have exited our investment in Sudanese Egyptian Bank and placed it with a strategic parent with the capacity to take it to the next level,” said Citadel Capital Chairman and Founder Ahmed Heikal. “This transaction is entirely in line with our program of divesting non-core assets to focus on proven winners in our five core industries: energy, transportation, agrifoods, mining and cement across a footprint that concentrates on Egypt, North Africa and East Africa.”

Originally established to facilitate trade between Egypt and Sudan, SEB is a full-service, Shariah-compliant bank with a diverse portfolio of corporate and individual clients. Sudanese Egyptian Bank is a portfolio company of Finance Unlimited, a non-core Citadel Capital platform in the regional banking and finance industry.

Citadel Capital is shedding non-core investments at appropriate times and valuations over the coming three-plus years.

“This said, we will continue to be significant long-term investors in Sudan, where we see great opportunities to create value for our shareholders in the years ahead,” Heikal noted.

Citadel Capital subsidiaries in Sudan operate in sectors including cement (leading cement producer Al-Takamol Cement Co.); agrifoods (Rashidi for Integrated Solutions, leading Sudanese confectioner Al-Musharraf, and large-scale farm Sabina); and transportation (NRTC Keer Marine, a division of river transport company Nile Logistics).

“Proceeds from our divestment program will be used to both deleverage and fuel growth at core subsidiaries,” Heikal noted. “We are also continuing to invest in governance at the Citadel Capital and subsidiary levels to ensure we have the people and systems we need to make our growth sustainable.”

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For the fourth year running, the Airtel Africa Championship will provide an opportunity for budding stars around Africa to showcase their football skills and to gauge their raw talent against continental peers. Airtel announced today that the Airtel Rising Stars Africa Championship finals will take place in Fort Portal from the 19^th to 23^rd June 2014 in partnership with partnership with FUFA, Rwenzori Water and Arsenal FC.

The Airtel Rising Stars initiative, the biggest Under-17 grassroots tournament on the African continent, aims at identifying talent and nurturing upcoming footballers. This is one of the few football equal opportunity initiatives that targets boys and girls. Over the years, the Airtel Rising Stars initiative has yielded many success stories and has enabled several upcoming soccer talents to join Africa Premier League clubs and their countries’ national teams. The selected players would then get an opportunity to get the best-in-class sports training, during a residential clinic due to take place in Gabon this year is organized by Airtel and her partners.

Airtel’s Managing Director, Arindam Chakrabarty, said: “Airtel Rising Stars andThe Airtel Africa Championship are committed to growing grassroots football in Africa.  We believe emphatically that nurturing young talent is the means by which we will ensure the foundations of the game in this country stay strong.As one of the most unrelenting investment programs in grassroots sports in Uganda it would be great to see Ugandans cheer on the Airtel Rising Stars team that represents Uganda as the go to Gabon for the Soccer clinics.”

Minister of State for Housing Hon.SamEngola said: “, I would like to encourage the youth across Uganda to come out and participate in this program and showcase their potential not only nationally but on an international platform. I would also like to congratulate Airtel Uganda on partnering with FUFA, Rwenzori Water and to encourage them to work hand in hand in order to keep building football in the country and being role models for the youths.”

The Fourth Edition of the Airtel Rising Stars (ARS) initiative has taken place in 16 countries across Africa with hundreds of thousands of youngsters taking part in the regional and national tournaments. The best teams of each country will be pitted against each other in the Airtel Africa Championship. The winning teams will receive the grand prize of USD 10,000 which will be put towards the players’ education. The teams representing Uganda will be selected from the regional games and finals that take place in the next few months across the country.

By designing a big stage for the teams and the future soccer stars, Airtel is inching closer to its objective of becoming the biggest and most consistent supporter of grassroots football in Africa.

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Thulani Nzima, Chief Executive Officer, South African Tourism: “A quick, easy solution for hosted buyers wanting to plug into a diverse array of South African leisure tourism offerings”

SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM’s Speed Marketing Sessions, the highly successful engine for brokering business at INDABA, are kicking into high-gear again this year, introducing an array of South African tourism product to 200 top quality hosted buyers from around the world.

These fast, highly effective sessions have been a huge hit since they were introduced at INDABA 2012. With inbound tourism to South Africa continuing on an encouraging growth trajectory, the sessions are expected to be a hive of potentially lucrative deal making.

“The Speed Marketing Sessions are specifically designed to facilitate as many fruitful trading contacts as possible, and given that South Africa is currently among the fastest growing inbound regions in the world – arrivals to the country rose by 10,2 % in 2012 and the 2013 figures are showing a similar growth trajectory, so we are expecting that international travel buyers will be keener than ever to plug into South Africa’s tourism offering,” says South African Tourism Chief Executive Officer Mr. Thulani Nzima.

The Speed Marketing Sessions will take place at Room 22 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre in Durban. In the sessions, global buyer delegates will be introduced to a wide variety of South African product, including everything from action-packed adventure and unique experiences to cosmopolitan hot spots.

Three types of tourist experiences have been identified for this year’s Speed Marketing Sessions. These are: Hidden Treasures (Saturday, May 10 from 12.30pm to 2pm), Urban Vibe (Sunday, May 11 from 12.30pm to 2pm) and Action Adventure (Monday, May 12 from 12.30pm to 2pm). Twenty products will be represented for each theme, and each will have 4 – 5 minutes each to make their sales pitch to the buyers.

Hidden Treasures is a collection of unique countrywide innovative products collated by the Tourism Enterprise Partnership, including heritage tours and attractions that offer insight into the people of

South Africa.

These are high quality, value-for-money products that authentically represent the people and stories of South Africa. “Market research has shown that global inbound tourists are increasingly seeking these experiences, so an enticing spread of these products will definitely be good for buyers attending the Speed Marketing Sessions,” says Nzima.

For the Urban Vibe session, South Africa’s most popular urban hubs will have the opportunity to showcase their attractions and experiences, while for Action Adventure, the most sought after adventure experiences have been chosen, including hot air ballooning, shark diving, river rafting, horse riding and hiking.

“We are committed to showcasing the best of South Africa to buyers in innovative, relevant ways at Indaba 2014, and this is what Speed Marketing is all about. Above all, these sessions are about doing business, and generating robust profits for our tourism industry over the next year,” says Nzima.

INDABA 2014 opens on May 10. For more information, please visit

http://www.indaba-southafrica.net