Bloomberg on Tuesday reported that luxury operator Kempinski is looking for development opportunities in five more African countries.
“Our focus is in Nairobi as the gateway to the sub-Saharan region as we seek to unlock opportunities,” said Kempinski President and CEO Reto Wittwer. “We are looking at opportunities in Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo.”
Tourism in Africa is expected to grow 6% in 2012 after attracting some 50 million tourists last year and generating US$4 billion in revenue.
Geneva-based Kempinski is already very active on the continent and this year will open the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra, Ghana’s capital, as well as the 202-room Villa Rosa Kempinski in Nairobi and the Olare Mara Kempinski tented camp in Kenya’s Masai Mara game reserve. An additional hotel is expected to open in Angola.
Simba Corp., a Nairobi-based automotive conglomerate, has spent US$35 million to build both Kenyan properties.