Marriott expands into Africa

MARRIOTT International
has signed 14 new
hotels in Africa and
the Middle East.
The new properties
include one each in South
Africa, Botswana, Nairobi
and Zambia and two new
properties in Uganda. The
other eight are spread
across the UAE, Qatar and
Kuwait.
The hotel group also
confirmed the opening of
11 new properties in the
Middle East and Africa in
the last quarter of this year.
These include Fes Marriott
Hotel in Morocco, Accra
Marriott Hotel in Ghana,
Courtyard by Marriott Riyadh
Olaya in Saudi Arabia, and
Renaissance Lagos Ikeja
Hotel in Nigeria, to name
a few.
“Africa is particularly
important to Marriott
International’s expansion
strategy because of the
continent’s rapid economic
growth, widening middle
class and youth population,
and the increase in
international flights into
the continent,” said
Alex Kyriakidis, president
and md of Marriott
International for Middle East
and Africa.