Hyatt Hotels Corporation yesterday announced plans to open nine additional Hyatt-branded hotels in Africa by the end of 2020. Beginning with the Kenyan market, the announcement highlighted the first dual-branded Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotels on the continent. It also mentioned the return of the Hyatt brand to Cairo, two new brands in Morocco, and three new Hyatt hotels in Algeria, Ethiopia, and Senegal where they will be making a debut.
Speaking the entry into Kenya, Hyatt’s vice president Tejas Shah said, “At last year’s Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF), Hyatt set a goal to bring Hyatt-branded hotels to Kenya and we are delighted to announce plans to deliver on that just twelve months later with additional executed hotel developments across the continent. There is huge potential for further growth in Africa, and our approach is to grow thoughtfully in markets where our guests are traveling.”
The growing economic fortunes in Africa, and particularly East Africa, remains a focus for Hyatt with an increasingly favourable business climate and heightened tourism spend, encouraged by relaxed visa rules, travel incentives, and a growing middle class.
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As a result, the demand for diversified accommodation has grown, providing opportunities for hotels expansion. Especially lucrative have been opportunities in select-service hotels and service luxury destinations
According to the World Tourism Organization, international tourist arrivals in sub-Saharan Africa have grown by 5.8 percent from 2005 to 2017, well above the global average of 4.2 percent and last year the continent saw a sustained growth of 8.6 percent in international tourist arrivals last year.
Further, the Single African Air Travel Market (SAATM) initiative launched earlier this year is expected to increase domestic travel upon its adoption. This will increase the number of interregional travels which currently stands at 4 out of 10 according to UNCTAD, creating additional demand especially for mid-market accommodation in the continent’s major city like Nairobi, Lagos, Addis Ababa, and Johannesburg.
Of the expected nine hotel, five will be market entries in Algeria, Ethiopia, Senegal and Kenya.
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In East Africa, Hyatt is already present in Neighbouring Tanzania where it will be expanding its footprint with an addition in Arusha next year. Ethiopia, the region’s leader in hospitality will also feature a Hyatt facility in the capital, Addis Ababa.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation is a leading global hospitality company based in Chicago, with a portfolio of 14 premier brands. The company’s has in its portfolio, more than 750 properties in more than 55 countries across six continents.
