Hospitality and Tourism International Consulting

The tourism industry is the largest industry globally contributing significant economic benefits to countries, especially emerging economies. As such it is widely regarded as a key development sector in many developing countries forming a key economic pillar. Tourism development has the ability to attract large sums of direct foreign investment, especially in countries with limited mineral and other resource bases. Wherever cultural, historical, environmental or even commercially significant sites are located, the potential exists to attract visitors and therefore pursue tourism development. The scope of tourism development in a particular region needs to adhere to development principles including optimally using available assets, having a clearly defined concept and have tourism development plans based on accurate market research. In many instances, it is possible to create man-made tourism attractions where natural attractions do not exist. The tourism industry is however prone to extreme market sensitivities with successful tourism development hinging on quality planning prior to development.

At HTI Consulting, we have the necessary experience and expertise to undertake effective planning of tourism development opportunities. This is realised through conducting extensive market research including acquiring sensitive market data, thorough analysis and producing functional business and financial models and reports assessing current tourism environments, project viability or recommending a best practice tourism development plan. Hereafter, we are able to assist and advise Clients from initial implementation through to evaluating project success at completion. Our strong advisory capabilities are trusted by esteemed international organisations for which our consultants regularly conduct tourism development consulting assignments including the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, Centre for the Development of Enterprise ( Belgium) and French Development Agency (AFD).

We have provided an extensive range of tourism development consulting services including country wide hospitality and tourism development programmes, tourism tax structure analysis, tourism investment climate analysis and tourism economic impact assessments. The large scale of these assignments has often meant that our Clients are national governments, international aid organisations or public and private sector partnerships between government, international organisations and large international developers. We have also provided tourism consulting services for smaller tourism developments embarked upon by smaller, private sector investors. Some of the tourism development consulting assignments which HTI Consulting has recently undertaken include:

Conducted an analysis of the tax policies and structures in the tourism sector of various countries in Africa and the Middle East over a period of two years; the series of projects includes Zambia, Lesotho, South Africa, Rwanda, Madagascar, Tanzania and Zanzibar, Mozambique, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Yemen and made recommendations on tax reforms in the tourism sector for the World Bank;
Tourism economic impact study for the expansion of the international airport at Vilanculos, Mozambique;
Country wide study involving the analysis of the hospitality industry in Rwanda to facilitate foreign direct investment;
Appointed as an associate consultant to the Centre for Development of Enterprise ( Belgium) to provide advice on eco-tourism programme implementations undertaken in the ACP African countries;
Conducted a review and evaluation on the programme of support provided by a European development agency to the private sector in the tourism industry in Tanzania and Zanzibar;
Conducted a tourism investment climate analysis in East Africa involving Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda for the World Bank; and
Involved in the development of a private sector investment strategy for the tourism sector in the Mtwara Development Corridor which covers Southern Tanzania, Northern Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia.

For further information on our tourism development consulting services and broader hospitality and tourism consulting services, please visit our website: www.hticonsulting.co.za