Africa’s Hospitality Sector Withstands Economic Headwinds
South Africa's hospitality sector is poised for further growth in the next five years bolstered by inbound travelers amid a difficult and volatile economic climate.
Press Releases
Eko Atlantic Hotels to open in new Nigerian city
A new swathe of reclaimed land from the Atlantic Ocean and close to Victoria Island in Lagos, Nigeria, will be home to a series of new hotels that will form part of the Eko Atlantic development. Billed as the "new economic capital of Africa", Eko Atlantic will contribute 10 million square meters of new residential, commercial, retail and recreational space to the Nigerian capital. The new-build city will rival similar cities such as Dubai and Abu-Dhabi, and will be one of the most vibrant and desirable locations in East Africa. Structurally sound and sustainably engineered, a bounding wall, known as the Great Wall of Lagos, will separate the new city from the sea beyond, and a 24/7 power supply will facilitate all of the residents' needs around the clock.
Horwath HTL Special Market Report: Morocco
With its coastline, mountains and desert, a rich cultural and historical heritage and its strategic location within the Mediterranean, Morocco benefits from a strong tourism potential.
AHIF, Africa’s must-attend hotel conference, reveals agenda
The influential Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) has unveiled the agenda for its 2017 conference, packed with contributions from industry leaders, that confirms its reputation as the leading event of its kind for investors and developers. The seventh edition of AHIF takes place in Kigali, October 10 – 12, and, like last year, runs alongside AviaDev, bringing together some of the leading executives from the world of aviation and hotels, with top government officials and politicians. Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of Bench Events, the conference organiser, said: "Our line-up this year is comprehensive and exciting - everything from sustainable development and hard economics, to first-hand practical advice from leaders in their field, plus unique networking opportunities."
Mangalis Hotel Group Announces The Opening Of Seen Hotel Abidjan Plateau
Barcelona, Mangalis Hotel Group is continuing to pursue its ambitious plans in the African continent by unveiling its upper midscale hotel brand with the launch of Seen Hotel AbidjanPlateau.
Protea Hotels by Marriott® Named Coolest Hotel Brand in South Africa for the 7th Consecutive Year
In an announcement that re enforces the brand's growing traction in the South African market, Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) (www.Marriott.com) today announced that Protea Hotels by Marriott® (www.ProteaHotels.com) has been named the Coolest Hotel Brand in the Sunday Times Generation Next Survey 2017. Designed for the progressive yet pragmatic traveller seeking a high-quality travel experience, Protea Hotels by Marriott® has been consistently emerging as a favorite in South Africa particularly with the young travellers winning this coveted recognition for the 7th consecutive year."Our forever-young market comprising of the next generation of travellers consists of a vital segment of progressive individualists and forward-thinkers and we are delighted to see that Protea Hotels by Marriott® is a brand that is resonating with this audience in South Africa," said Neal Jones, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. "South African brands look to the prestigious Sunday Times Generation Next Survey as an industry benchmark and we are excited to be featured in the coveted list, year on year, gaining the confidence of this important and key market and the next generation of travelers."Emphasizing the importance of being perceived as "cool", Danny Bryer, Area Director for Sales & Marketing, Protea Hotels by Marriott added, "Reinvention is the key to success in an extremely competitive market and must take place on a continuous basis to stay relevant. We are committed to providing a dynamic and personalised experience at every touchpoint of the guest journey. Our associates, a large number of them from the next generation themselves, help us deliver a level of service that not only matches global standards but is also uniquely local, understanding and anticipating needs and making each guest stay memorable."Now in its 13th year, Generation Next polls the opinions of over 5,500 young South Africans mainly below 22 years of age from urban and peri-urban environments in six provinces across South Africa. The lifestyle and consumer behaviour questionnaire is boosted by over 4,500 additional face-to-face interviews. The results of the 2017 Generation Next Survey were published on 12 May 2017.
Deutsche Hospitality represented with two hotels in Tunisia
Deutsche Hospitality is now able to offer two hotels in Tunisia for the first time. Since the end of April, guests travelling to the holiday destination of Sousse have had the option of staying at the Steigenberger Hotel Kantaoui Bay or at the Jaz Hotel Tour Khalef. Both hotels have opened following the successful completion of extensive modernisation works and will be operated by the locally based Tunisia Hospitality Group – SARL within the scope of a management agreement concluded with the owner Zohra Driss.
One&Only Announces Plans For Brand Evolution
One&Only, created exclusively for the ultra-luxury market, and conceived as a hallmark of excellence, is evolving its portfolio beyond award-winning Beach Resorts with One&Only Nature Resorts, One&Only Urban Resorts, and One&Only Private Homes. These new experiences will complement the existing award-winning resort collection, set in some of the most beautiful locations in the world, offering guests a distinctive style and personality borne of its local culture, a genuine hospitality, and a lively energy that is unparalleled.
Easter has brought fresh wave of local tourism to Kenyan coast
Kenya's idyllic coastline has seen tourism numbers swell over the Easter weekend, mainly thanks to local visitors taking advantage of the ongoing school holidays. The East African country's coast beckons tourists not only from Kenya, but also from neighbouring countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi and the faraway shores of China and Korea, all flocking to Kenya's pristine white beaches and the crystal blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Kenya benefits from 536 km of beautiful coastline and has long been a desirable destination for those charmed by age-old tales of traders and sailors arriving to the continent.
Hilton eyes North African expansion with new Casablanca Office
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) (www.Hilton.com) has signalled its intention to ramp up its expansion in North Africa with the establishment of a dedicated development office in Casablanca. Building on an active pipeline in the region, which has grown to 15 hotels across Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia, Hilton has identified North Africa as a focus area for further growth. Its office is located in Casablanca, the city where it announced its debut hotel earlier this year, Hilton Garden Inn Casablanca Sidi Maarouf.Carlos Khneisser, vice president, development, MENA Hilton said: "Having a dedicated presence in the market is important for us in order to sustain further growth. We pride ourselves on forging strong relationships with owners and being present on the ground is the best way to achieve this. We have almost 5,000 rooms under development in North Africa at this stage but with the majority of those being in Egypt there is a great opportunity for us to expand our presence more widely across the region."Having worked within Hilton's Development team in Dubai, Feras Hasbini takes on responsibility of spearheading Hilton's growth in North Africa and will now be located in Casablanca. Hasbini said: "It is very exciting to focus on North Africa at a time where we are beginning to make real strides in terms of our positioning in the market. We are bringing a portfolio of world-class brands to the region with new offerings at every sector of the market. From the mid-scale Hilton Garden Inn to our Upper Upscale collection brand Curio, our brands are ideally suited to North Africa and owners have more opportunities to work with us than ever before."
AccorHotels Enters Agreement with New Mauritius Hotels for Management of Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech
AccorHotels, world leading travel and lifestyle group, today announced the signing of a hotel management agreement (HMA) with New Mauritius Hotels Limited, one of the oldest and largest owning and management hospitality companies based in Mauritius. The new agreement will see AccorHotels relaunch the existing property under the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts brand in May 2017. The reflagging will mark a major step for the luxury brand in Africa.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Mabrouk Group to Open New Luxury Hotel in Tunisia in 2017
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the world's leading luxury hospitality company, and the Mabrouk Group, Tunisia's preeminent investment group, will be introducing a new luxury experience to Tunisia with the opening of Four Seasons Hotel Tunis in late 2017.
Marriott International Opens First Property in Kenya
In East Africa alone the brand is set to open three more hotels later this year with the opening of Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport, Four Points by Sheraton Dar es Salam and Four Points by Sheraton Arusha
UNWTO welcomes Morocco as a partner of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017
Morocco has become the latest country to join UNWTO as partner of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017. The commitment was delivered at the Moroccan Day of Sustainable and Responsible Tourism held on 20 March in Rabat.
Destination Africa: big growth in international arrivals
Africa is seeing a significant growth in international air travellers – arrivals were up 10.3% between September 2016 and January this year. Europe remained the leading source market with a 47.3% share, while Asia Pacific was the fastest growing, up 21.7%.The encouraging figures for the continent's economy are released today by ForwardKeys, which monitors future travel patterns by analysing 16 million flight reservation transactions each day.The data comes ahead of the influential Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) which will again run alongside AviaDev Africa in Kigali, Rwanda on October 10 to 12. Organised by Bench Events it brings together leading executives and investors from the worlds of aviation and hotels, alongside top government officials and politicians.
Hyatt Announces Plans For First Hyatt-branded Hotel In Algeria
Hyatt announced today that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with Société d'Investissement Hôtelière EPE SPA for a Hyatt Regency hotel to be located at Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers, Algeria. The hotel, expected to open late 2018, will mark the first Hyatt-branded hotel in Algeria. Hyatt Regency Algiers Airport will add to Hyatt's growing brand presence in Africa, following the successful openings of Hyatt Place Taghazout Bay in Morocco and Park Hyatt Zanzibar in Tanzania in 2015, which brought the total number of Hyatt-branded hotels in Africa to six.
Market focus: Conakry, Guinea - Horwath HTL
Guinea has witnessed a boom in the hotel sector, supported by the mining industry. These hotel developments are mainly concentrated in the capital, Conakry. Guinea was severely hit by the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and experienced a dramatic slowdown in the economy. After two difficult years, the country seems to be gradually recovering. Over the last 5 years, we have witnessed significant changes in the market, with the opening of renovated hotels and a 4* international hotel. The long-term outlook remains positive and Guinea, despite the crisis, has a significant pipeline of hotel projects.
Park Inn by Radisson opens its fourth hotel in South Africa –in Polokwane
Park Inn by Radisson, the colorful and dynamic mid-market brand, today announced the opening of its first property in Polokwane. The Park Inn by Radisson Polokwane is the ninth hotel in South Africa by The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the world.
Bon Hotels Launches 10th Property In Nigeria
BON Hotels, a hospitality company that owns, manages and markets hotels throughout Africa, has added a tenth property to their Nigerian portfolio - BON Hotel GRAND Pela, located in Abuja. The grand opening, held on Friday 10 February, was attended by VIP guests, members of the press, dignitaries, politicians, airline executives, hotel owners, stakeholders and government representatives.
The Pearl of Africa Hotel Kampala to join Quorvus Collection
The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the world and a member of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, is very pleased to announce the addition of a new member to its luxury Quorvus Collection: The Pearl of Africa Hotel Kampala, Uganda. The 296-room property will welcome its first guests in Q2 2017.