By Abdi Ali
Published December 4, 2018
A United States of America-based hospitality company has announced rapid expansion plans across Africa with five new hotel signings that are expected to consolidate its presence in Kenya, Ghana, Morocco and South Africa and mark the company’s entry into Mozambique.
The company known as Marriott International says the signings put it on track to increase its portfolio by 50 percent with more than 200 hotels and 38,000 rooms by 2023 estimated to generate 12,000 new job opportunities.
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Marriott International says its planned growth underscores the substantial emphasis that countries across Africa are placing on the travel and tourism sector. The company estimates that the five new projects signed will drive investment of more than US$250 million by the property owners and will generate substantial economic activity.
“Marriott International’s acquisition of Protea Hotels followed by the acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has given an impetus to our organic growth on the continent. Today we are seeing strong owner interest in our brands, backed by our combined loyalty program, the collective strength of our global platform and our highly-experienced, local teams,” says Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director of Marriott International in charge of Middle East and Africa. “African economies have sustained unprecedented rates of growth, which have mainly been driven by a strong domestic demand, improved macroeconomic management and increased political stability. The continent is still under capacity as far as branded hotel supply is concerned, presenting us with a fantastic opportunity to grow our brands and enhance our footprint.”
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Marriott International says it is currently operating in 21 African countries: Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia. The company says it is set to expand into Benin, Botswana, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Mozambique and Senegal.
