BON Hotels has taken over
the management, sales and
marketing of four Protea hotels
in Nigeria. This follows the
hotel group’s recent launch of
BON Hotels International West
Africa.
The acquisition is just the
first step in a series of major
developments throughout West
and East Africa, says founder
and ceo of BON Hotels, Guy
Stehlik.
The group’s ultimate strategy
is to dominate the hotel
management space in West
Africa, he says, adding that
it currently has “many” other
hotels under negotiation in
Nigeria. “It can be difficult
for South African companies
to get into Nigeria. However,
we feel we have the right
infrastructure on the ground
and the right existing regional
set-up in terms of senior staff
and management and people
who understand the local
trading conditions.”
The team involved in
negotiations includes founder
of Protea Hotels, Otto Stehlik,
who is executive chairman
on the board of BON Hotels
International West Africa.
While Otto is not operationally
involved in the hotel group’s
expansion into Africa, the
group will leverage off his
strong connections in the
region, Guy says.
In East Africa, BON has
signed a master licence
agreement with a “well-known
and experienced” hotel
operator, Guy says. He adds
that the deal was very recently
concluded and will see the
operator take on the BON
licence to roll out the brand
across Rwanda, Tanzania,
Zambia, Kenya and Uganda.
BON has a working
arrangement with Marriott
International under a bare
licence agreement, whereby
some of the newly acquired
Nigerian properties will be
managed by BON Hotels,
using the Protea Hotels brand,
while others will become fully
fledged BON Hotels. These
are Protea Hotel Abuja, Protea
Hotel Delta, Protea Hotel Ikeja
and Protea Hotel Victoria
Island. The four hotels were
among eight properties that
Marriott International ceased
to manage earlier this year
(see TNW April 22).
Guy says BON Hotels has
positioned itself alongside
large hotel groups such as
Marriott to assist in taking
on properties that they may
consider too small for their
portfolios.
