5 June 2001
"You will all agree that Johannesburg International Airport is truly becoming a world-class facility worthy of our beautiful country and its people".
Director of Ceremonies;
Dr. Franklin Sonn, Chairman of the ACSA Subsidiary responsible for the Airport Sun Inter-Continental Hotel
Dignitaries;
Colleagues;
Chairperson of ACSA, Mr Mashudu Ramano and other members of the Board
Ladies and Gentlemen.
ALLOW ME TO JOIN YOU, DIRECTOR OF CEREMONIES, IN WELCOMING YOU ALL - COLLEAGUES, OUR BUSINESS COLLEAGUES AT OUR AIRPORTS, OUR VISITORS, ACSA MANAGEMENT, STAFF AND REPRESENTATIVES OF ASSOCIATED SERVICES - TO THIS CELEBRATION.
I AM SURE YOU ALL SHARE MY PLEASURE IN THE LAUNCH OF WHAT WE SEE BEFORE US TODAY: AN ATTRACTIVE, WELL-DESIGNED SUN INTER-CONTINENTAL HOTEL THAT OFFERS THE TRAVELLER AN EXPERIENCE FULLY IN LINE WITH THE BEST INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.
I AM CERTAIN YOU WILL ALL AGREE THAT JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HAS TRULY BECOME A WORLD-CLASS FACILITY WORTHY OF OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE THAT IT SERVES. FIFTY-FOUR AIRLINES PRESENTLY OPERATE FROM THE AIRPORT, LINKING SOUTH AFRICA DIRECTLY WITH MORE THAN 40 COUNTRIES GLOBALLY, CLEARLY POSITIONING JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AS THE GATEWAY TO AFRICA.
IN THE PAST FINANCIAL YEAR ALONE, THE AIRPORT HANDLED JUST OVER 161 000 FLIGHT MOVEMENTS, NEARLY A 5% GROWTH OVER THE PREVIOUS FINANCIAL YEAR.
DURING THE SAME PERIOD PASSENGER MOVEMENTS GREW BY 5,7% FROM THE PREVIOUS FINANCIAL YEAR TO A LITTLE MORE THAN 11,3 MILLION PASSENGERS. WHILST THIS GROWTH IS STILL ENCOURAGING WE NEED TO BE CONSCIOUS THAT IT IS NOT AS HIGH AS THAT WHICH WE HAVE ENJOYED IN THE RECENT PAST.
HOWEVER, OUR SADC PARTNERS PRESENT TONIGHT WILL BE ENTHUSED - TO SAY THE LEAST - WHEN I SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IS TAKING PLACE ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT WHERE 22 COUNTRIES ARE SERVED FROM JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WITH THIS, I AM PLEASED TO SAY, CONTINUOUSLY INCREASING. WITH OUR REGIONAL NEIGHBOURS DEPARTING PASSENGER MOVEMENTS HAVE GROWN ANNUALLY BY JUST OVER 13% OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.
FURTHERMORE, THE LIBERATING IMPACT OF THE YAMOUSSOUKRO DECLARATION - DUE TO THE FREE MOVEMENT IT WILL REALISE ON THE CONTINENT - IS BOUND TO FURTHER BOOST AIR TRAFFIC GROWTH WITHIN AFRICA. THE PIVOTAL ROLE THAT JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY AS THE HUB FOR AIR TRAFFIC TO, FROM AND WITHIN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA CANNOT BE OVEREMPHASISED.
IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE MAGNIFICENT HOTEL WITHIN WHICH WE ARE NOW GATHERED WILL SERVE AS AN ICON OF ACSA'S COMMITMENT TO BE A TRULY WORLD-CLASS AFRICAN AIRPORT MANAGEMENT COMPANY. TO ACHIEVE THIS VISION ACSA HAS REFOCUSED ITS STRATEGY PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO DEVELOPING THE MARKET AND PROMOTING TOURISM TO THE REGION AND TO PARTICIPATE MEANINGFULLY IN AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA.
TO ACHIEVE THIS AMBITIOUS GOAL OF DEVELOPING THE AIR TRAFFIC MARKET ACSA IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN A NATIONAL INITIATIVE INVOLVING GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, AIRLINES, TRAVEL AGENTS, TOUR OPERATORS AND PROVIDERS OF SERVICES IN THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR.
WITH ALL GOVERNMENTS IN AFRICA FACED WITH THE CHALLENGE OF SOCIAL SPENDING IN THE PROVISION OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, BASIC UTILITIES, HOUSING AND ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE, ACSA IS WELL PLACED TO ASSIST IN UNLOCKING THE FISCAL CONSTRAINTS HISTORICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE.
IN MANY AFRICAN COUNTRIES THERE IS INCREASING EMPHASIS ON AIRPORTS BECOMING SELF-SUFFICIENT AND SERVICE ORIENTED. ACSA'S SUCCESS IS A MODEL THAT MANY WISH TO FOLLOW AND ACSA HAS DEVELOPED VARIOUS AIRPORT-RELATED PRODUCTS, SERVICES, CAPABILITIES AND CAPACITY THAT IT CAN OFFER TO ITS COUNTERPARTS NORTH OF OUR BORDERS.
ACSA HAS NOT ONLY IDENTIFIED THE NEED TO EXTEND ITS PRESENCE BEYOND SOUTH AFRICA'S BOUNDARIES, BUT ALSO WITHIN THE COUNTRY. HOWEVER, AT ALL TIMES IT WILL BE CONSCIOUS OF ITS SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND SUPPORT THE VISION OF THE AFRICAN RENAISSANCE. A NEW DIVISION HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO ENABLE ACSA TO ACHIEVE THIS AND ITS KEY FOCUS AREAS ARE TO OFFER AIRPORT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY SERVICES, CONCLUDE AIRPORT MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS AND TO EVALUATE ACSA'S POTENTIAL PARTICIPATION IN CONCESSION AND BOT AIRPORT PROJECTS.
ACSA HAS ALREADY BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES TO DATE. IT HAS PROVIDED CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO THE NAMIBIAN AIRPORTS COMPANY IN RESPECT OF VARIOUS AIRPORT OPERATIONAL ELEMENTS. AFTER AN INITIAL EXPRESSION OF INTEREST ACSA HAS BEEN PRE-QUALIFIED AND SHORTLISTED AS PART OF A CONSORTIUM FOR THE CONCESSION OF MAPUTO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN HELD WITH THE AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF ANGOLA AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE BEING EXPLORED IN NIGERIA AND ALGERIA.
THIS HOTEL IS PART OF ACSA'S COMMERCIAL PORTFOLIO THAT HAS RE-FOCUSSED ITSELF TO BE COMPLEMENTARY TO THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF THE AVIATION INDUSTRY. IN DOING SO PRIORITY IS TO BE GIVEN TO COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF ACSA'S STAKEHOLDERS AND TO LESSEN THE BURDEN ON AERONAUTICAL REVENUES. THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT OF AN AIRPORT ON THE ECONOMY OF A REGION IS ENORMOUS AND ACSA'S COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES ARE DIRECTED AT OPTIMISING THESE BENEFITS.
IN ITS ECONOMIC FORECAST FOR 2001, THE WTTC CONFIRMED TOURISM TO BE AMONG THE LEADING ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATORS IN BOTH MATURE AND DEVELOPING ECONOMIES. IT SAYS THE TOURISM SECTOR IS EXPECTED TO GENERATE 207 MILLION JOBS AND R103BN OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY WORLDWIDE THIS YEAR. TRAVEL AND TOURISM DEMAND IS EXPECTED TO GROW BY 4,7% PER ANNUM, IN REAL TERMS, BETWEEN NOW AND 2011.
WHILE POOR COUNTRIES TYPICALLY COMMAND ONLY A MINORITY SHARE OF THE TOURISM MARKET, AFRICA HAS SHOWN ONE OF THE STRONGEST GROWTHS OF ANY OF THE WORLD REGIONS OF LATE.
IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, TRAVEL AND TOURISM IS ESTIMATED TO ACCOUNT FOR OVER 11% OF GDP.
SOUTH AFRICA, IN PARTICULAR, ATTRACTS AN IMPORTANT SHARE OF THE AFRICAN TOURISM MARKET AND RANKS IN THE TOP 40 TOURISM DESTINATIONS WORLDWIDE - THE ONLY SUB-SAHARAN COUNTRY TO DO SO.
IT IS THUS GENERALLY ACCEPTED THAT TOURISM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE SIGNIFICANT JOBS AND REVENUE FOR SOUTH AFRICANS IN FUTURE. IT IS ALSO CLEAR THAT IF WE ARE TO REALISE THIS POTENTIAL, WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE RIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES UNDERPINNED BY A STRONG FOCUS ON SERVICE, VALUE AND SAFETY.
IN ITS OCTOBER 2000 REPORT ON TOURISM IN AFRICA, THE WORLD BANK NOTES THAT SUCCESSFUL TOURISM CREATES ADDED VALUE AND A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE FOR INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS. TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES SHOULD SHOWCASE INTRINSIC ASSETS THAT CAN COMPETE INTERNATIONALLY - WHETHER CULTURAL, COASTAL, WILDLIFE OR CITY-BASED. THE NATURAL ASSETS MUST BE PACKAGED IN A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT WITH SUITABLE BUILT ASSETS, SUCH AS ACCOMMODATION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AIRPORT SUN INTER-CONTINENTAL HOTEL DEMONSTRATES ACSA'S COMMITMENT TO THIS PROCESS.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AS AFRICA'S BUSIEST AIRPORT, IS A GATEWAY TO REGIONAL, SOUTHERN AFRICAN DESTINATIONS FOR BOTH LEISURE AND CORPORATE TRAVELLERS. IT HAS ALSO BECOME A HUB FOR TRAVELLERS USING INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES TO INTER-CONTINENTAL DESTINATIONS.
A WORLD-CLASS AIRPORT HOTEL THAT MEETS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE FREQUENT REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLER IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF JIA'S DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA'S ONLY LUXURY AIRPORT HOTEL. IT IS UNIQUE IN SEVERAL WAYS - ITS LOCATION WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE HALLS; ITS AERO AFRICAN CUISINE CREATED ESPECIALLY FOR THE FREQUENT FLYER; ITS FOCUS ON PHYSICAL AND MENTAL RELAXATION TO EASE THE STRESS OF MODERN TRAVEL; AND ITS CELEBRATION OF CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE AND FOODS.
LOOKING AROUND YOU, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT IT REFLECTS MODERN AFRICA AND THE PRIDE OF AFRICA IN ITS DESIGN. THIS IS ALSO ENCAPSULATED IN THE CUISINE, WHICH OFFERS ELEMENTS FROM THROUGHOUT AFRICA.
FOR ACSA AND THEIR PARTNERS IN THIS PROJECT, SOUTHERN SUN HOTELS, THIS HOTEL ENHANCES THEIR ABILITY TO CAPTURE A MAJOR PORTION OF THE CORPORATE TRAVEL TO AND FROM SOUTHERN AFRICA. WITH THE OPENING OF THE HOTEL, JOHANNESBURG NOW HAS THE CONVENIENCE OF STATE-OF-THE-ART MEETING FACILITIES AND A TOP QUALITY RESTAURANT AT THE AIRPORT, ENABLING TOP-LEVEL MEETINGS WITH LOCAL BUSINESS PEOPLE OR IN-TRANSIT PASSENGERS EN ROUTE TO GLOBAL DESTINATIONS. THE INTER-CONTINENTAL BRANDING REINFORCES THE HOTEL'S COMMITMENT TO GLOBAL STANDARDS OF SERVICE AND COMFORT.
THE HOTEL ALSO CATERS FOR LEISURE TRAVELLERS STOPPING OVER EN ROUTE TO OR FROM DESTINATIONS LIKE OKAVANGO, KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, MOZAMBIQUE AND NAMIBIA.
TOURISM PLAYERS WITH WELL-POSITIONED, INTERNATIONAL BRANDS TARGETED AT DIFFERENT MARKET SEGMENTS AND A FOCUS ON EMERGING MARKETS WILL BE ABLE TO BENEFIT IMMEDIATELY FROM A GROWTH IN TOURISM TO SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA. HOWEVER, NO-ONE WILL DISPUTE THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT UNLOCKING TOURISM IS ACCESSIBILITY AND THIS CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE WELL-CONSIDERED PROVISION OF TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT THEREFORE IS A GREAT PLEASURE FOR ME TONIGHT TO HAVE SHARED WITH YOU THE ROLE THE TRANSPORT SECTOR IS PLAYING IN THIS REGARD AND IN PARTICULAR THE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION BEING MADE BY ACSA AND THEREFORE I AM SURE YOU WILL JOIN ME IN PAYING TRIBUTE TO THEIR EFFORTS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THEIR VISIONARY CHAIRMAN, MASHUDU RAMANO, AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
IN CONCLUSION, MAY I IN PARTICULAR WISH DR. FRANKLIN SONN, CHAIRMAN OF THE ACSA SUBSIDIARY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AIRPORT SUN INTER-CONTINENTAL HOTEL, THE HOTEL OPERATOR, SOUTHERN SUN HOTELS, AND ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN ITS DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION EVERY SUCCESS WITH THE NEW HOTEL. WELL DONE AND GOOD LUCK.
THANK YOU.