| Mon 16 Jan 2006, 10:00 | | Tourism Investment Corporation Limited - Tourvest |
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Tourism Investment Corporation Limited - Tourvest Named Best Airport Retailer
Tourism Investment Corporation Limited
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
(Registration number 1996/008144/06)
Share code: TRT
ISIN: ZAE000012472
TOURVEST NAMED BEST AIRPORT RETAILER
Johannesburg, 16 January 2006 - Out of Africa, a member of Tourvest"s Retail
Merchandising division, has been awarded the 2005 Airports Company of South
Africa (ACSA) Feather Award for the best retail outlet in the international
departures hall at Johannesburg International Airport.
The award, which was based on independent research by Ratile Research Services,
rated customer perceptions of product quality, range and pricing as well as the
efficiency of till operators and sales personnel, and the overall shopping
experience.
Tourvest Retail Merchandising division managing director Eric de Jager said the
award was a tribute to recent improvements in the merchandise range, an
increased focus on service quality and tightening up on back-office functions.
Improvements included higher levels of stock availability and much improved
inventory control through the introduction of a new computer system, as well as
a diversification of the merchandising range to encompass lifestyle, homeware
and children products.
The Out of Africa store at Johannesburg International Airport, directly supports
more than 400 jobs in rural South Africa through one of its shareholders,
Khumbulani (an S21 not-for-profit company). The outlet has over the past five
years built a reputation of being one of the most exciting retailers of hand-
made African craft, fashion and accessories in Southern Africa.
The Retail Merchandising division consists of three sub-divisions, namely
African Curio, Crafts and Fashion, Jewellery and Tourvest Duty Free. The
largest operation is Tigers Eye, a chain of 60 stores situated in high-traffic
tourist hubs. The chain consists of 23 African curio, craft and fashion
outlets, nine destination-specific outlets, 17 eco-orientated outlets and eleven
stores dedicated to ethnic lifestyle products. It recently entered the tourist
destination restaurant market. The jewellery operation consists of 22 outlets
trading under seven well-known brands. Tourvest Duty Free operates in-flight
duty free shopping services for six international airlines, including SAA and
Virgin Atlantic Airways.
"Our expertise in destination retailing is undoubtedly world-class and we
believe these skills are eminently exportable to other regions and applications,
which will help the group to achieve growth beyond its existing borders or in
new market sectors. A number of very interesting new opportunities in these
fields are currently being considered," he said.
De Jager also noted that the company has come to grips with the start-up
problems associated with the Virgin Atlantic concession. "In fact one of the
airline"s cabin crew Jane Nuttall received the coveted International Sales
Person of the Year (ISPY) Award for best scheduled airline. ISPY is a week long
event which sees cabin crew from over 50 airlines compete against each other in
onboard duty free sales," he said. "We invest substantially in sales training
for cabin crew of the airlines in which we hold concessions and, as such, this
award is as much a feather in Tourvest"s cap as it is in Virgin Atlantic"s."
For further information call
Eric de Jager on 011 334 8883
Issued by du Plessis Associates on behalf of Tourism Investment Corporation.
dPA contact Helen McKane Tel : +27 11 728 4701, Fax: +27 11 728 2547, Mobile:
082 330 2034 or e-mail: tourvest@dpapr.com
website : www.tourvest.co.za
Date: 16/01/2006 10:00:05 AM Produced by the JSE SENS Department
