This decision was based on proof that this year, the industry had added at least 1000 new sustainable jobs in the Western Cape and is scheduled to grow even faster next year. For instance one of the UK's fastest growing insurance companies, the Budget Group, in February announced a R100 million investment to set up a call-centre in Cape Town.

The Provincial Government's own research has shown that this industry is competitive and performing well compared to international competitors.

Based on these factors Minister Brown will visit the United Kingdom and Holland from September 19-30 to promote the Western Cape as a viable destination for the call-centre and business process outsourcing industry.

Premier Ebrahim Rasool will join Minister Brown during the first week of the two-week long investment mission.

The call-centre industry in Cape Town comprises over 80 companies, operating over 100 call centres, and employing more than 11,000 people directly; with thousands more jobs in support industries. Wesgro, the Western Cape's trade and investment promotion agency estimates that higher levels of investment in this industry can create as much as 10 000 jobs in the next ten years.

Minister Brown said: "The UK and Holland mission gives us an opportunity to promote Cape Town as a destination that offers the call-centre investor robust technology and infrastructure, first-class service providers and staff that is skilled and friendly. And this is all done at a fraction of the price companies pay for operational costs in the UK, other parts of Europe and the US".

Minister Brown's delegation will comprise officials from the Department of Economic Development & Tourism, and Wesgro. An official from CallingtheCape, the agency responsible for attracting foreign investment to the local call-centre industry, will also accompany the Minister.

In the UK and Holland the delegation will be meeting with key existing and potential new investors. We will be hosting a lunch with the Dialogue Group, one of the biggest outsourcing companies in Cape Town, and meeting Budget Insurance, which is already an investor in the Province.

A series of meetings, media interviews and breakfasts/lunches with South African vendors and UK consultants have been arranged to improve the profile of the country and the Province as a destination for inward investment in call centres.

Minister Brown said: "We want to use the trip to raise the Western Cape's profile as an investor-friendly destination to the UK business market. To ensure that this happens, the Premier and myself will also be talking to some of the UK's most influential business publications, including the Financial Times".

The Minister will also lead a South African delegation to the Call Centre Expo 2004, to be held at the Birmingham NEC from 29-30 September.

Minister Brown will also use the trip to visit Aberdeen in Scotland, which is the UK's oil and gas hub. It is hoped that the experience gained during the visit will help the Province in its' endeavours to position itself as a service and supply hub for the booming West African oil and gas operations.