Industrial development zones, or IDZs, are a growing phenomenon in many countries of the world. With plenty of vacant land newly zoned for industrial use, for those looking at investing in industrial property they are attractive prospects. Let’s look at them in more detail.

What exactly are Industrial development zones?
In South Africa, IDZs are an initiative by the Department of Trade and Industry to encourage economic growth by attracting foreign investment. They are located in specially chosen geographical areas that have good access to a major port or airport and aim to boost exports and jobs in these areas by attracting new industries. South Africa has several operational IDZ’s and a few more proposed ones with approval imminent.

Why are industrial development zones worth investing in?
Because they are aimed at attracting major foreign investors, IDZs are designed with world-class infrastructure, good transport and services and plenty of support industries all designed to feed off each other. There are sizeable areas of vacant land available in new industrial development zones with opportunities to develop it to your exact requirements. There are excellent facilities for any export-driven business, including customs facilities, and because the government is promoting internationally competitive manufacture and exports, there may well be incentives that make the location even more attractive. » Read more: Investing In Industrial Development Zones

Many people think of Texas as a big desert or a dusty plain but Texas is one of the most diverse states in America. It features one of the largest coast lines of any state, old growth forests in the eastern portion of the state, great plains to the north and mountainous deserts to the west. One of Texas’ most treasured features is its Hill Country located in the central part of the state and owning a piece of it is like owning a piece of heaven.

Hill Country ranches can vary from valleys with bubbling creeks to hilltops grandly displaying the countryside. Some ranches feature cleared pastures for grazing goats and cattle while others are ranch owners choose to keep their properties in a more natural state to attract wildlife.

Some of the most coveted Hill Country ranches even feature broad, clear limestone rivers such as the Pedernales, Colorado, Frio, Comal or Blanco rivers. These rivers are mostly spring fed from underground aquifers whose waters are filtered through porous limestone which gives these waterways exceptional clarity and create beautiful environments for swimming, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. » Read more: Hill Country Ranches

West of Austin and north/northwest of San Antonio lies the Texas Hill Country, true to its namesake with rolling hills and deep valleys. Settled in the 1800s, the Hill Country offers a diverse yet rural population who enjoy living the way things used to be. Many of the early settlers were liberal minded Germans who were fleeing after the Revolution of 1848 and with them they brought Old World tastes and traditions that one can enjoy by pulling into town.Towns like Fredericksburg offer beer gardens, markets and restaurants that celebrate this diverse populace.

Their stalwart rock homes of the 1800s pepper the countryside and it’s much en vogue in recent years to restore these old settlements. Many of the ranch owners can trace back to these settlers and can be seen working their fields and livestock during the day and enjoying the fine dining in the evenings, true of so many of the small towns that bustle with energy. This energy has supported the establishment of extensive wineries across the region known as the Texas Hill Country Wine Trail, leading the New York Times to rank the Hill Country as the #1 travel destination and comparing it to Tuscany and the south of France. The Texas Hill Country has also been named the fastest growing wine destination by travel site away.com. » Read more: Texas Hill Country Ranches