JOHANNESBURG - Hilton Worldwide Holdings plans to spend $50 million (R680m) over the next five years to add 100 hotels to its chain in Africa, it said yesterday, joining other chains keen to tap growing business and international travel on the continent.
One property will open in Nairobi by the end of this year and another in Kigali next year, it said. There was 11percent growth in sub-Saharan African tourism in the past year, according to data from the UN World Tourism Organisation.
Hilton said the remaining additions to its 39 existing African properties would be operational within the next five years.
“The model of converting existing hotels into Hilton branded properties has proved highly successful in a variety of markets and we expect to see great opportunities to convert hotels to Hilton brands through this initiative,” said Patrick Fitzgibbon, Hilton’s senior vice-president for development in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Hyatt Hotels & Resorts said it would open six new hotels on the continent by 2020.