01.02.2026
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Expands into Central Africa
and Takes Over Business Hotel in Tanzania
In keeping with its expansion objectives, Mövenpick Hotels
& Resorts has now gained a foothold in Central Africa:
It has just signed a management agreement with Kingdom Hotel
Investments for the takeover of an existing 4-star business
hotel in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Since January 2005 the hotel
is known as the Mövenpick Royal Palm Hotel Dar es Salaam.
Set within lush tropical gardens in the city centre of
Dar es Salaam, the Royal Palm Hotel is a 20 minute drive
from the International Airport. While it is aimed first
and foremost at international business clientele, the hotel
is also ideally suited as a base for individual travellers
keen to discover tropical Tanzania and its plethora of sights,
which include Zanzibar, Mount Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti
National Park as well as the Ngorongoro Crater renown for
its wildlife safaris.
The Royal Palm Hotel offers a total of 251 modern, fully
equipped rooms, with 9 Junior Suites, a Diplomatic Suite
and a Presidential Suite. Other amenities include a fitness
centre with sauna, an outdoor pool, a hair and beauty salon,
as well as offering tennis, squash and golf facilities nearby.
Culinary treats include the steak specialities served at
the Tradewinds Restaurant and the ever popular Mövenpick
gastronomic delights at the Serengeti Restaurant. Refreshments
and light meals are also served at the Kibo Bar or Pool
Bar.
The comprehensive range of conference and banquet facilities
which can cater up to 440 participants and the lavishly
furnished Business Centre provide business executives with
the ideal conditions to stage successful meetings and events.
Furthermore the hotel offers high speed internet access
as well as wireless access in the public areas.
“We’re delighted that, thanks to our partner
Kingdom Hotel Investments, we now have our very first hotel
under management in Central Africa, complementing our hotel
project in Accra, Ghana. The region has great potential
for other Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, which is
why we’re keeping a very close eye on the market,”
explains Jean Gabriel Pérès, President &
CEO Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.
“The Mövenpick Royal Palm Hotel Dar es Salaam
represents yet another milestone in our expansion strategy,
and we firmly believe that, based on our successes in North
Africa, our brand will very soon become synonymous with
genuine Swiss hospitality in East Africa too,” adds
Bernard Granier, Senior Vice President France, North &
Central Africa. |
31.01.2026
Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa appeals to businesses
and tourists
Following the positive lifting of government travel advisories
to Phuket, and the need for the return of the 'tourist dollar'
to support and sustain the already fragile livelihoods of
local communities, Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa,
together with local authorities and business partners, is
appealing to the leisure and conference business to return.
Getting tourists back is even more important for the community
than it is for hotels. A recent analysis by Deloitte showed
that for every $1 spent at a hotel, almost $1.50 is spent
on outside businesses for activities like transport and
entertainment.
Mr Peter Hourigan, General Manager for the Hilton Phuket
Arcadia said, "Not only will our staff and their families
benefit from the return of business, but hotels sustain
a broader supply chain from operators who take visitors
to dive sites, farmers and fishermen who supply produce,
through to the florist who decorates the lobby. "We
estimate that for every 100 rooms booked or every conference
with 100 delegates, we engage around 145 people both within
and outside the hotel. Diverting your holiday or a business
event to an affected destination will not undo what has
happened. But it is a very encouraging sign for the people
during these bleak times."
Hourigan added that more than 85 percent of the island's
32,000 rooms are "in full swing and ready to welcome
visitors. The infrastructure is back up and functioning,
hotels are open, beaches such as Kata and Karon are clean
and some of the deep-level diving sites are undamaged."
Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort has introduced packages to
encourage a return of business. The Arcadia For Free Package
offers holiday makers a free night for every three booked
and two free nights for every five nights booked. Said Mr
Koos Klein, President of Hilton International, Middle East
and Asia Pacific, "The global neighbourhood has been
overwhelmingly generous in their support for the stricken
provinces. But what Phuket needs now, is for the tourist
to return. Contribute to affected provinces in the most
effective manner possible, by taking your next holiday or
redirecting your next conference, meeting or event to Asia's
holiday coast."
According to a report from the Economic Intelligence Unit
dated January 10, 2005, the tourism industry accounts for
6-7% of Thailand's GDP and employs 10% of the Thai population.
The six provinces badly affected by the tsunami earn approximately
25% of the country's total tourism receipts and welcome
more than nine million tourists annually, the majority during
the peak months from December through to March. If visitors
avoid these areas altogether there could be a potential
drop of 3.2 million visitors. According to Thailand's tourism
and sports minister around 200,000 jobs are at risk
Phuket Facts: Phuket Airport is open for business. Water
supplies, transport, government services in Phuket are functioning
as before the tsunami. Some deep-level dive sites are undamaged
and others are healthy Beaches on Phuket such as Karon,
Katta, Kata Noi and Bangtao Bay are back to normal.
Hilton Phuket Arcadia is offering an "Arcadia For
Free" package from now until May 31, 2005. Book three
nights and get one additional night free. Prices for an
Andaman Garden View room start from THB 3,600.
The 685-room Phuket Arcadia Beach Resort was rebadged Hilton
Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa in October 2004 following
a multi-million dollar renovation program and a stunning
transformation. Set in 75-acres of landscaped gardens, the
resort has the largest conference and meetings facilities
on the island of Phuket.
|
