IHG signs franchise agreements for expansion across Africa

IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed franchise agreements to rebrand three properties across Tanzania and Kenya to join the IHG portfolio of brands. The move sees IHG Hotels & Resorts swiftly expand its presence across Africa as the continent’s profile continues to grow.

Holiday Inn Nairobi Two Rivers Mall and The Fairview Nairobi in Kenya and Crowne Plaza Dar es Salaam in Tanzania are now open and are welcoming guests. Across each property, IHG Hotels & Resorts and the new owners will elevate the guest experience by completing renovations and enhancements, incorporating brand hallmarks and standards that IHG guests are recognized and loved worldwide.

“Africa’s hospitality and tourism industry has weathered the disruption of the past two years, with a rising number of inbound travelers highlighting how much potential the region has,” commented Haitham Mattar, Managing Director, India, Middle East & Africa at IHG.

“Our expansion across Kenya and Tanzania is testament to how IHG Hotels & Resorts is encouraging this potential and meeting the returning demand quickly. We are delighted to have these properties join the IHG family and are excited to offer our guest the exceptional hospitality that we are known for.”

He added: “an ownership that includes Actis and Westmont Hospitality is important partnership to IHG, we are pleased to grow together in the region and to bring exceptional properties and hospitality to guests visiting these two important gateway cities.”

A representative on behalf of the ownership said: “We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with IHG and expand our portfolio together into new markets and different brands.  Africa has tremendous MICE, business and leisure growth potential. Franchising with IHG at a time when travelers are increasingly purchasing branded offers on the continent also makes sense. These three hotels that are joining the IHG platform are very well located and will offer guests a great place to stay. We expect all three properties to benefit from the strength and scale of IHG’s global systems, technology and strong loyalty program.”

Funke Okubadejo, Director Real Estate, Actis commented: “We are excited to establish a relationship with IHG, through our joint venture with Westmont Hospitality and this continues our track record of investing in exciting Real Estate opportunities across key locations in Africa.”

Holiday Inn Nairobi Two Rivers Mall
The hotel is located in the vibrant Gigiri/Runda district, in northern Nairobi. Holiday Inn Nairobi Two Rivers is within the 100-acre Two Rivers Mall & Entertainment complex; offering guests unrivalled access to over 200 shops, the City’s theme park and an array of family fun activities, such as go-karting and the skate park.

This new Holiday Inn Nairobi with 171 rooms, will be a popular choice amongst families, groups and those visiting the United Nations, NGOs, embassies and the many companies moving to this growing part of the city.  Along with excellent rooms, the hotel offers modern facilities, meetings rooms, a gym, a swimming pool and an all-day dining terrace.

Fairview, Nairobi, Kenya
The Fairview Hotel, located in Upper Hill Nairobi, is one of the City’s landmark addresses. The Fairview was converted from a 1920s manor house in 1932 and has been an established destination amongst discerning travelers, domestic and international, for decades. The property will be undergoing a sensitive refurbishment before operating under one of IHG’s boutique brands. In addition to offering an upscale hospitality experience, the Fairview’s reputation for its restaurant and bars will be further enhanced during the refurbishment.

The new ownership’s investment at Fairview is anticipated to have a positive social, environmental and economic impact. The Fairview team is already engaging in new skills training and a greater social awareness has been incorporated into how the hotel operates within its local environment. Following the refurbishment, the team also hopes to achieve a material reduction in the property’s energy consumption.

Crowne Plaza, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Located within the central business district of Dar es Salaam, Crowne Plaza Dar es Salaam is anticipated to receive high demand from business travelers visiting Tanzania’s commercial centre and those leisure guests who know to stop-off in Dar es Salaam in the hope of enjoying some Taarab music before connecting through to Tanzania’s world-renowned Serengeti and Mount Kilimanjaro.

Crowne Plaza Dar es Salaam offers 148 bedrooms, an all-day dining restaurant, a bar, meeting rooms, a modern gym and a swimming pool.  Additionally, the property is conveniently located just one km from the city centre and 11km from Julius Nyere International Airport, making it an attractive option for international and regional travelers.

IHG currently operates 28 hotels across 5 brands in Africa, including: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and voco with a further 22 hotels in the development pipeline due to open within the next three to five years.