Hilton is the lead developer of new hotels in Africa with 7,250 rooms in its pipeline, spread over 29 new properties according to a survey by global firm W Hospitality. The number of hotel rooms that will be generated by the upcoming Hilton hotels is 18 per cent higher than last year.
According to the Hotel Chain Development Pipeline survey, Carlson Rezidor has the second highest number of hotel rooms under construction with 32 facilities generating a total 6,953 new rooms. Marriott is third with 6,412 rooms in its pipeline spread over 36 new properties.
“Best Western has 12 new hotels in its pipeline, but the average size of hotel is lower, at 93 rooms, and therefore drops out of the top ten when the pipeline is analysed by number of rooms,” states the report by W Hospitality.
The first part of the survey released mid last month showed that more hotels are lined up for construction in Kenya despite a slump in the local tourism business. Other hotel groups in the top 10 list of developers are Starwood, Mangalis, Accor, Rotana, Swiss International, Kempinski and Fairmont Raffles respectively.
“Both Kempinski and Fairmont focus on large, luxury hotels. Kempinski with its single brand and Fairmont which is developing Raffles, Fairmont and Swissotel.They have the largest average number of rooms in the survey,”adds the report.
Kenya is ranked seventh in survey with eight hotels under construction that will add 1,510 rooms to the local market. Radisson Blu is among those building hotels in Kenya with its first facility located in Upper Hill Nairobi. International hotel chain Hyatt is also building a new hotel in Nairobi.
Mangalis which is listed as the fifth lead developer is a new chain, launched in 2013, with its first hotel openings expected later in the year in Conakry and Dakar. “It is of note that Mangalis is achieving its very rapid growth by adopting an “asset-heavy” strategy, funding the development of nearly all of its hotels,” the report states.