Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International.
By VICTOR NZE
Global hotel chain, Marriott International, Tuesday, announced further expansion plans in Africa with seven new hotel signings, including two in Nigeria, three Ivory Coast, one each in Ghana and Ethiopia, all slated to open in 2020.
The two pipeline projects in Nigeria are; the Renaissance Landmark Lagos Hotel and the Marriott Executive Apartments, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Others also slated for opening by 2020 across the continent include; the Sheraton Abidjan, Four Points by Sheraton Abidjan, the Abidjan Marriott Hotel, all in Ivory Coast, Protea Hotel by Marriott Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Le Meridien Accra, Ghana.
Marriott International was the first global chain to make a significant investment in Africa with the acquisition of Protea Hotels for $210 million in 2014. The company is now targeting over 200 hotels with 37,000 rooms open or in the pipeline by 2022, equating to around $8.5 billion of capital investment by its real estate partners, reinforcing its continued commitment to expansion in Africa and solidifying its leadership on the continent.
The investment is expected to generate substantial economic activity and around 50,000 direct and indirect jobs once the hotels open.
“Africa today makes a very compelling story. We are seeing unprecedented traction for our compelling brands, driving our momentum of growth.
“We have always believed in the potential of Africa and the opportunities the continent has to offer. With economic growth, a rising middle class and rapid urbanization, the demand for travel and high quality lodging is growing, providing us with a significant opportunity to enhance our footprint and play our part in supporting many emerging markets across the continent,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International.
Marriott is present in 20 African countries, namely: Nigeria, Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.
The company is expected to foray into new markets including Benin Republic, Botswana, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal and has signed 1,300 new rooms marking the debut of Marriott International into Ivory Coast while strengthening its presence in existing markets including Ethiopia, Ghana and Nigeria.
Owned and developed by Landmark Africa Group, Marriott International will manage the 216-room Renaissance Landmark Lagos Hotel, as well as a 44-room Marriott Executive Apartments. Slated to open in 2020, the hotels will be located within the Landmark Village precinct, a premier mixed-use, business, leisure and lifestyle development along the Atlantic Ocean waterfront in Victoria Island, the central business district of Lagos.
The 25-floor hotel will offer a wide range of amenities, including local and international restaurants, spa facilities, a fitness center, and an infinity pool with access to a 100-meter-long boardwalk overlooking a vibrant beach club offering exciting watersports.
Speaking on the increased interest in mixed-use development projects, Kyriakidis said, “As cities evolve and grow into flourishing urban centers, we will continue to see a lot of activity in this space. An international hotel brand can bring cachet to a project that positions it significantly above its peers and differentiates it from its competitors. Our compelling brands spanning every segment from Luxury to Premium to Select to Extended Stay, lend themselves to grow in all markets, city and resort as well as standalone and mixed-use formats, providing developers the flexibility and choice to identify the right brand for the right location.”
It would be recalled that Marriott also recently opened the Protea by Marriott Owerri Select in Nigeria.
Other forthcoming openings over the next couple of months include Sheraton Bamako which marks the debut of Marriott International in Mali, Protea Hotel by Marriott Constantine, the brand’s debut in Algeria and the Accra Marriott Hotel, the debut of the flagship Marriott Hotels brand in Ghana.
Presently, Marriott International has a strong footprint across the continent operating 140 hotels with close to 24,000 rooms across 12 brands.
Abidjan Marriott Hotel, Ivory Coast
Within walking distance from the Presidential Palace, the 200 room Abidjan Marriott Hotel is strategically located in the heart of Plateau, the central business district and the commercial, financial and administrative center of Abidjan. Owned by Ivory Coast Investissement, the hotel is slated to open in 2021 and will be part of a mixed-use development that will include a conference center, offices, retail and a national library.
Sheraton Abidjan and Four Points by Sheraton Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Slated to open in 2022, both Sheraton Abidjan and Four Points by Sheraton Abidjan will also be part of a mixed-use development which will include a convention center, a marina, a shopping center and an office building. The 259 room Four Points by Sheraton Abidjan will be a conversion of an existing hotel, which will be rebranded following extensive refurbishment, while the 300 room Sheraton Abidjan will be a new build property. Owned by the Societe Des Lagunes, the hotels will be set on the waterfront in the affluent neighborhood of Cocody, an upmarket residential commune that also houses the embassy district.
With Ivory Coast being celebrated as one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, and re-emerging as the gateway to Francophone Africa, the new hotels in the capital city of Abidjan are ideally placed for a long and thriving future.
Le Meridien Accra, Ghana
The 160-room Le Meridien Accra, owned by 4-Mac Limited is strategically located close to the international airport, within the prestigious Airport Residential Area of Accra. It will provide easy access to key commercial, diplomatic and government nodes as well as to major city attractions. Scheduled to open in 2021, the hotel marks the debut of Le Meridien brand into Ghana.
Protea Hotel by Marriott Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Projected to open in 2021, the 165 room Protea Hotel by Marriott Addis Ababa, located on Churchill Avenue will mark the debut of the brand into Ethiopia. The hotel will offer a specialty restaurant, a lobby bar and lounge and meeting facilities as well as a fitness center and spa.
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Thanks Victor for this awesome coverage!!!