Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced recently that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with ASB Holdings Limited for two Hyatt-branded hotels in Tanzania – Park Hyatt Zanzibar and Hyatt Regency Arusha. There is currently one hotel in Tanzania, Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam, The Kilimanjaro, which opened in 2011.

Park Hyatt Zanzibar will offer 72 luxurious guestrooms, and will be located on an UNESCO heritage site in the historic part of Zanzibar City known as Stone Town. The hotel will have unrestricted and direct access to the beachfront for leisure travelers looking to enjoy Africa’s coastline. Initial construction began on the site earlier this year and the hotel is expected to be completed in time for Tanzania’s Zanzibar Revolution Day in January 2014.

Expected to open in 2016, Hyatt Regency Arusha will be a 144-room hotel occupying a 29 acre-site in central Arusha, a city in northern Tanzania and home to the East African Community headquarters, an intergovernmental organization. Located in the heart of Arusha, the hotel will be in close proximity to some of Africa’s most famous natural landscapes and national parks, including Tarangire National Park and Mount Kilimanjaro.

“We are thrilled to work with ASB Holding Limited to expand Hyatt’s brand presence in Tanzania, one of the premier tourism destinations in Africa. We believe that the company’s experience of developing world-class hotels will help us drive preference for Hyatt’s brands in Tanzania,” said Peter Norman, senior vice president, real estate and development, for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. “Tanzania has seen strong growth in the number of business and leisure travelers – the number of international visitors grew by almost a quarter to surpass one million in 2012, driving demand for hotels in the country. By building a brand presence in Tanzania, Hyatt is able to offer more choices to guests as they travel within the country.”

“We are excited to work with Hyatt on Park Hyatt Zanzibar and Hyatt Regency Arusha,” said Mahmoud Gasim, a director of ASB Holding Limited. “Hyatt is known for providing authentic hospitality to its guests and we believe the Park Hyatt and Hyatt Regency brands, coupled with the hotels’ prime locations, will deliver an exceptional hospitality experience to guests visiting Tanzania.”