MARKINOR POSITION PROTEA HOTELS TOP BRAND AGAIN - August 2007

The struggle for top brand recognition in the tourism sector has never been fiercer, as the industry’s three major players continue to compete for best brand relationship scores from South African big business leaders. Protea Hotels secured the top position once again, a proud achievement for the group. SA Tourism CEO, Moeketsi Mosola, has been quoted, saying that it is a clear reflection on the efforts and dedication of the tourism industry. "The Top Hotel Brand in South Africa" in the Business section of the Markinor – Sunday Times Top Brands Survey 2007 is completely independent and unsolicited, giving the rating enormous credibility.

This is the third time that Protea Hotels has reigned supreme since 2004, proving that their customers are brand loyal. Markinor’s Business-to-Business component in their independent annual brand survey polled 100 big South African businesses, interviewing business leaders at Directorship and Executive level.

Respondents were surveyed with the purpose of tracking spontaneous brand awareness, brand trust, brand confidence and brand commitments, which resulted in Protea Hotels rating best within the hospitality industry – once again.  "In essence, this means that our brand has achieved higher brand recognition and conviction than our major competitors and emphasizes the significance of adding value for customers and ensuring that customers are treated as individuals who, in turn, become brand ambassadors," commented Group Managing Director, Arthur Gillis.