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Clickatell Research Finds Travelers Embrace Mobile Messaging and Payments with Travel Brands

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Clickatell’s latest Chat Commerce Trends Report found 95% of consumers desire a personalized experience in chat for booking updates, especially for flight delays, late check-ins and upgrades

REDWOOD CITY, United States of America, October 5, 2022/APO Group/ — 

Clickatell (www.Clickatell.com), the CPaaS innovator and Chat Commerce leader, revealed the results of its latest Chat Commerce Trends Report: Travel Edition, which uncovers new insights about how today’s consumers want to communicate and make purchases with hotels, airlines and rental car companies in mobile messaging conversations. The survey, which fielded responses from over 1,000 US participants, found 87% of consumers prefer to use mobile messaging to communicate with travel companies.

To deeply understand how consumers communicate with travel brands, Clickatell’s new research found widespread demand for personal and convenient customer experiences through messaging conversations, such as 92% of participants would like to use mobile messaging to interact with hotels, 89% would like to use mobile messaging to interact with airlines, and 85% would like to use mobile messaging to interact with rental car companies. Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X also all place mobile messaging as their top method of communication with travel brands, showcasing that younger generations are the most inclined to interact with brands via mobile.

The report also highlights that travel companies are missing out on a unique application of the mobile messaging experience: payments. In fact, 73% of consumers indicated that they have never made a purchase via an SMS payment link. However, with 77% of consumers saying they’re willing to use a mobile payment link with travel brands, there is a major opportunity for airlines, hotels and rental car companies to enhance the travel experience and allow consumers to browse, purchase and track their travel plans all on their mobile phones. 81% of consumers would likely make a purchase via a payment link with any type of travel company, with hotel reservations topping the list (58%).

Additional key findings include:

77% of consumers say they’re willing to use a mobile payment link with travel brands

  • Airlines:
    • 48% want mobile communications from travel companies at the time of booking, and 63% said within 24 hours.
    • Consumers would most like to receive a message on the day of their trip with important information, with 60% of consumers wanting to receive a notification of any last-minute changes to their flight itinerary.
    • 48% of consumers would like to book a flight reservation with an airline via mobile messaging
  • Hotels:
    • Consumers would prefer to use mobile messaging with hotels (92%) vs. airlines (89%).
    • For hotels, receiving a mobile message that your room is ready and requesting early or late check-in is the highest preference among consumers (58% want a notification that their room is ready and 41% want to be notified to upgrade their room).
    • Hotel reservations and room upgrades are the highest preference for using a chat payment link – 58% would like to book a reservation, 47% want to upgrade their room.
  • Rental cars:
    • 54% of consumers would like to receive a message on the day of their trip with important car rental information, and 50% of consumers want to receive a notification of any last-minute changes.
  • Payments:
    • 71% of consumers indicated that they are more willing to make a purchase with a travel company through a payment link only after chatting with a live agent or automated bot.
  • General travel:
    • 27% prefer mobile messaging to communicate with a travel company (the highest of any category), while only 8% prefer to communicate with a travel company on website chat.
    • 48% of consumers would expect mobile messages to begin at the time of booking, 63% would expect mobile messages to begin 24 hours before their trip.
    • 80% of consumers say it is more convenient to use a travel desk via mobile messaging compared to other channels.
    • iPhone users are more compelled to use mobile messaging with travel companies compared to Android users.

“By enabling communications and purchases for their customers in chat, Clickatell has opened the doors to convenience and personalization across travel brands,” said Pieter de Villiers, CEO and co-founder of Clickatell. “The data shows that there is an opportunity for travel brands to deliver services to their customers easily and conveniently via mobile messaging, which consumers desire and demand. Perhaps now more than ever, consumer loyalty is up for grabs and travel brands need to capitalize on every touchpoint.”

To view the Chat Commerce Trends Report: Travel Edition 2022 infographic see here (https://bit.ly/3RRoERz) and for the full report see here (https://bit.ly/3RCBpiF). If you are interested in learning more about how Clickatell is enabling some of the world’s largest travel brands to deliver personalized mobile messaging, please visit https://bit.ly/3rCp6YR.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Clickatell.

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MSGBC Gas Boom Puts Regional Infrastructure and Investment in Focus at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026

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Sponsored by Technip Energies, the “Invest in the MSGBC Basin” session will examine how the region can translate its major gas resources into reliable domestic power, industrial development and integrated energy infrastructure

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 3, 2026/APO Group/ –The MSGBC Basin is moving from a story of world-class discoveries to one of project execution, with Senegal and Mauritania increasingly emerging as gas and LNG hubs for West Africa. At African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, taking place October 12–16 in Cape Town, the session Invest in the MSGBC Basin: Scaling Gas, LNG and Regional Infrastructure Across West Africa, sponsored by Technip Energies, will bring investors, governments and industry leaders together to examine what is needed to turn this resource base into a broader regional energy and industrial opportunity.

 
 




 

The region has already crossed a major threshold. The Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project, spanning the maritime border between Mauritania and Senegal, achieved first gas in December 2024 and first LNG in February 2025, with its first LNG cargo exported in April 2025. The project is now providing a foundation for the two countries to develop both export revenues and domestic gas markets.

The MSGBC Basin has moved beyond the discovery phase; the priority now is execution

In Senegal, the Yakaar-Teranga gas project is advancing as a major domestic gas opportunity, with development costs estimated at around $7.5 billion. The project is expected to play a central role in reducing reliance on imported fuels and supporting power generation and industrial consumers. Mauritania, meanwhile, is advancing plans for the BirAllah gas development, adding another potentially significant source of gas supply to the basin’s growing project pipeline.

The infrastructure required to monetize these resources is becoming equally important. Senegal is prioritizing public-private partnerships to accelerate development of a planned 400-km domestic gas pipeline network connecting offshore resources with power plants and industrial users. The infrastructure is intended to help translate offshore gas production into more reliable domestic energy supply and wider economic activity.

The session comes as broader investment interest in African gas continues to grow. Africa is projected to attract substantial midstream gas investment over the coming decade, while LNG developments are increasingly being linked to domestic market obligations and gas-to-power strategies. In the MSGBC region, that dual-track model could allow gas exports to generate revenues while supporting affordable electricity and industrialization at home.

“The MSGBC Basin has moved beyond the discovery phase; the priority now is execution,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The region has the resources to become a major gas and LNG hub, but that opportunity will only translate into lasting economic value if investment keeps pace with the infrastructure needed to deliver gas to markets, power industry and support regional integration.”

With major projects advancing across Senegal and Mauritania and exploration continuing elsewhere in the basin, the AEW 2026 session will provide a platform to examine the commercial, infrastructure and policy frameworks needed to unlock the next stage of MSGBC growth. For investors and technology providers, the discussion comes at a pivotal moment as the region moves from resource potential toward large-scale gas monetization and infrastructure development.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

 




 

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Asia’s premier flower hub sets new benchmarks in trading scale and logistics efficiency

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YUNNAN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 September 2026 – The Dounan Flower Market in Kunming, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, is strengthening its position as a leading flower trading hub in Asia, with record annual trading volumes, high-speed auction operations and increasingly efficient international logistics.

The Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center, a key trading platform within Dounan, begins daily trading at 1:00 p.m. Buyers can complete bids within as little as 0.6 seconds as prices decrease on electronic auction screens, enabling large volumes of fresh-cut flowers to be traded rapidly.

The market experienced a significant increase in trading activity ahead of the Qixi Festival, widely regarded as China’s Valentine’s Day. Tens of millions of flower stems were sold to domestic and international markets during the peak trading period.
 




 

According to the Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center, the average price of major fresh-cut flower categories reached 1.1 to 1.3 yuan per stem during the pre-festival period, approximately 15 percent higher than pre-festival levels. Premium flowers recorded substantially higher prices, with high-quality roses reaching nearly 15 yuan ($2.23) per stem.

In 2025, Dounan recorded a trading volume of 15.476 billion fresh-cut flowers, with total transaction value reaching 13.484 billion yuan (approximately $2 billion).

The market currently hosts 3,300 enterprises and more than 15,000 business entities and individual proprietors. Of Dounan’s approximately 70,000 permanent residents, 46,500 are employed in the flower industry.

Approximately seven out of every 10 fresh-cut flowers sold in China originate from Dounan. Its distribution network now reaches markets across China as well as more than 50 countries and regions worldwide.

High-Speed Auction System

Dounan’s auction system is designed to accommodate the highly time-sensitive nature of fresh-cut flowers.

“Field-grown ‘Purple Glow’ (75 percent maturity), 140 stems; field-grown ‘Beloved’ (80 percent maturity), 120 stems; ‘Beloved’ (75 percent maturity), 120 stems…” said Li Qian, a flower auctioneer at the Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center.

The trading center uses a descending-price auction model, with prices continuously decreasing on electronic screens. Buyers must respond within approximately 0.6 seconds, allowing transactions to be completed rapidly and supporting the high turnover required by the fresh-cut flower industry.

“Since fresh flowers are perishable goods, we use a descending-price auction format. This helps facilitate rapid circulation,” Li said.

The auction process is integrated with sorting, packaging and transportation operations, reducing the time between trading and shipment.

Logistics Network Expands International Reach

Fresh-cut flowers require particularly efficient logistics because their quality is highly sensitive to transportation and storage time.

Tang Minghong, a client manager with the flower logistics division of SF Express Yunnan, said fresh flowers have among the most demanding logistics requirements in the fresh produce sector.

Trading begins in the afternoon, while pickup, packaging and dispatch can be completed as early as 3:00 a.m., allowing flowers to move quickly from auction facilities into domestic distribution networks.

For international shipments, Dounan has established logistics routes to destinations including Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia. Customers in these markets can receive shipments within two days, according to logistics operators.

Strengthening Yunnan’s Global Flower Trade

The combination of large-scale flower production, centralized trading, high-speed auctions and integrated logistics has enabled Dounan to develop a comprehensive supply and distribution network.

The market connects flower growers in Yunnan with buyers and consumers throughout China and overseas, while supporting the expansion of the province’s fresh-cut flower industry into international markets.

With billions of stems traded annually and distribution covering more than 50 countries and regions, Dounan is emerging as an important regional hub for fresh-cut flower trading and distribution, contributing to the international growth of China’s flower industry.
 




 

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Unstoppable Africa 2026 to bring African and global Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and leaders to New York to drive investment, ownership and growth across the continent

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The program will focus on how Africa can capture more value from its critical minerals, strengthen infrastructure and trade, mobilise capital at scale and build more integrated and competitive markets

NEW YORK, United States of America, September 2, 2026/APO Group/ –More than 2,000 African and global business leaders plus heads of state will gather in New York on September 20–21 for Unstoppable Africa, flagship event of the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) (https://www.GABI.biz/).
 




 

Convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and organized and coordinated by the UN Global Compact, the fifth edition of Unstoppable Africa will convene under the theme “Powering Business, Scaling Economies, Shaping the Future”.

Held on the sidelines of the opening of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Unstoppable Africa will feature leading  investors, policymakers, creatives, sports executives and decision-makers working to accelerate Africa’s business, trade and investment and amplify its role in shaping global markets.

Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO of the United Nations Global Compact, said: “This year, we are sharpening the focus on mobilising capital, forging partnerships, building businesses and turning Africa’s assets and opportunities into investable, scalable outcomes. The ambition is not simply to shape how the world sees Africa, but to shape where global capital flows, where value is created and how Africa can capture it.”

The ambition is not simply to shape how the world sees Africa, but to shape where global capital flows, where value is created and how Africa can capture it

The high-level convening comes at a time of global supply chains being redrawn by geopolitical tension, energy insecurity and shifting trade rules. For the African continent, these pressures  create an opportunity to leverage its critical minerals, renewable energy potential, expanding consumer markets and young workforce to attract long-term capital and capture more value from global shifts.

Unstoppable Africa 2026 will look at how the continent can turn these shifts into lasting economic opportunity.  The program will focus on how Africa can capture more value from its critical minerals, strengthen infrastructure and trade, mobilise capital at scale and build more integrated and competitive markets. Discussions will also explore Africa’s energy transition, the development and ownership of AI and digital infrastructure, the financing and global distribution of African creative industries, and how sport can become a stronger engine for investment, talent development and economic growth.

Other confirmed speakers include:

  • H.E. Julius Maada Bio, President, Republic of Sierra Leone
  • H.E. Duma Gideon Boko, President, Republic of Botswana
  • H.E. Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation, Rwanda
  • Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO, African Finance Corporation
  • Nolitha Fakude, Chairperson, Anglo American South Africa
  • Tidjane Thiam, General Partner, Allied Critical Minerals Fund
  • Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, CEO and Executive Director, Naspers
  • Olugbenga Agboola, CEO, Flutterwave
  • Cameron Bailey, CEO, Toronto International Film Festival
  • Wanuri Kahiu, filmmaker
  • Akunna Cook, Founder and CEO, Next Narrative Africa Fund
  • Luol Deng, former NBA All-Star and President, South Sudan Basketball Federation
  • Clare Akamanzi, CEO, NBA Africa
  • Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations
  • Massad Boulos, Senior Advisor to the President of the United States on Arab and African Affairs
  • Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All

The five themes of GABI and Unstoppable Africa, namely Energy, Digital Transformation, Trade, Creative Industries, and Sport, will be supported by high-level plenaries, CEO and investor roundtables, ministerial dialogues, startup showcases, and GABI Solutions Labs. The 2026 edition will create opportunities to spark transactions, develop investment vehicles, and form cross-border alliances and partnerships. Full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area could create a $3.4 trillion market, according to UNCTAD’s 2024 Economic Development in Africa Report, highlighting the scale of the opportunity as regional integration deepens.

Once again, the event will be hosted by Folly Bah Thibault, Senior News Anchor at Al Jazeera Media Network, and Larry Madowo, International Correspondent at CNN, and will spotlight more than 500 nominees in the Unstoppable Africans campaign.

Media partners to date include African Business/New African; African Renewal; Afrique Media; AllAfrica; Arise News; Business Digest Magazine; Citizen TV; EIB Network; Envoy Magazine; The Kenyan Wall Street; News Central TV; SDG News; The Africa Report; The Nation Media Group; TIME Africa.

Unstoppable Africa 2026 will take place at the New York Marriott Marquis, Times Square, 1535 Broadway, New York City. Accredited media and other eligible communication professionals can register at https://apo-opa.co/4xvM3xh.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Global Africa Business Initiative.

 

 




 

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