| Business is at the moment faring well and | | | | a membership account with UPU, they receive |
| there is optimism in the air for the | | | | feedback on their service and an indication |
| development of many companies and of the | | | | on their performance and this will help to |
| sector as a whole. The document and small | | | | improve their services. To the Fedex, the |
| parcel business has seen a reasonable growth | | | | market for the courier industry is small and |
| since the start of the year. The growth is | | | | is not growing sufficiently. Therefore, there |
| mainly attributed to the good performance of | | | | is not only a need to offer better services |
| the offshore, financial, construction and | | | | to remain in the competition, but also a need |
| manufacturing sectors. With the economic boom | | | | to find new services. There is an evolution, |
| in the construction industry, their Import | | | | not just competition. The development in |
| Express product has experienced a marked | | | | Information Technology is encouraging people |
| progression. Trade with China and Asia in | | | | to send documents through the Internet and |
| general has increased exponentially on both | | | | they cannot continue to rely on the |
| the import and export sides. The trend | | | | traditional services they have always |
| appears to be ongoing and if one looks at the | | | | offered. They have to understand the new |
| Express business as a barometer then the | | | | needs of the population so as to create new |
| future in these markets looks extremely | | | | services. There came a suggestion of |
| promising. According to the Business | | | | regrouping of all companies in the courier |
| Development Manager at Mauritius Post Ltd, | | | | industry so as to discuss ethics and gather |
| the EMS traffic is continuously increasing | | | | ideas that can help the courier industry face |
| and with the boosting up of the activities in | | | | the new challenges of the industry. |
| the various economic sectors in Mauritius, | | | | |
| they are in an optimistic mood on the | | | | Potential Development |
| potentiality of this business growth. | | | | |
| | | | Hopefully, the development in the IT will not |
| All companies working closely with the | | | | only changes in the sector, but can also |
| tourism sector, such as UPS, particularly | | | | create new markets. The development in IT can |
| feel that there might be a growth in their | | | | have a positive impact on growth too. While |
| market, whereas those relying mostly on the | | | | people use Email and it reduces the delivery |
| textile industry feel threatened by the small | | | | of documents, it can also open opportunities |
| decrease in the turnover owing to the fall in | | | | through e-commerce. With the growth of |
| the textile sector. Some company feel worried | | | | e-commerce, more goods will have to move, and |
| about the decline of the textile industry. | | | | they will be there for deliveries. One of the |
| However, although many companies in the | | | | issues that worry companies in the courier |
| textile sector are in decline, there are | | | | industry is contraband and drug traffic. Some |
| others who are growing very well, and they | | | | companies are starting to use the most recent |
| have to target these companies. Since UPS | | | | technologies to reinforce security and cut |
| works mostly with the tourism sector, they | | | | down on paperwork that can cause the delivery |
| feel that their market will easily expand, | | | | to slow down. There is another suggestion |
| relatively to the tourism sector. | | | | that a legal framework be set to define |
| | | | activities in the courier services so as to |
| Need for new service | | | | protect the companies and enable them to grow |
| | | | healthily. Other companies are using the |
| As for competition, most companies feel | | | | latest technologies and organizing human |
| confident to remain in the game. There will | | | | resources to screen parcels more rapidly. |
| always be competition in the field and they | | | | They are also working closely together with |
| have to find a way to offer better services. | | | | the Mauritius Customs Authority to streamline |
| Fortunately all the courier services in | | | | the bureaucracy associated with clearance of |
| Mauritius started at approximately the same | | | | express shipments coming into Mauritius. This |
| time, so there isn't much to catch up. EMS | | | | includes the pre-clearance of small parcels |
| for example, hopes to improve its services | | | | prior to the arrival of the aircraft through |
| with its new association with Universal | | | | the submission of an electronic copy of the |
| Postal Union (or UPU), which groups more than | | | | manifest and invoice to customs. |
| 130 members over the world. Upon registering | | | | |