Marriott International has signed five new deals in Africa under its Protea Hotels brand, spanning four countries: Botswana, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Nigeria.

Karim Cheltout, Regional Vice President of Development, Africa, and All-Inclusive, EMEA at Marriott International, said: "Protea Hotels has a rich legacy in Africa, and we are thrilled to further strengthen the brand's footprint. We have noticed an increase in conversion projects, where developers are looking to rebrand their existing properties into Protea Hotels, in addition to new-build opportunities.”

The newly announced projects are as follows:

Botswana

Marriott International will expand its presence in Botswana by signing Protea Hotel Serowe in collaboration with Letsatsi Partners.

The hotel, scheduled to open in 2026, will feature 155 guest rooms and suites, an all-day-dining restaurant, a fitness centre, a swimming pool, and multiple meeting rooms.

Situated near the Khama Rhino Sanctuary in Serowe, the hotel will be between Gaborone and Orapa, one of the world's largest diamond mines.

Ethiopia

Protea Hotels by Marriott will debut in Ethiopia with the conversion of Blue Nile Resort to Protea Hotel Bahir Dar.

The agreement with Blue Nile Resort Hotels PLC includes a full renovation of the property, which is expected to be rebranded by 2025.

The hotel will offer 127 guest rooms and suites, multiple dining outlets, a fitness centre, and nearly 1 000sqm of meetings and event space. It is located near Lake Tana and a short distance from the Blue Nile.

Tanzania

Marriott International has agreed with Parklane Holdings Zanzibar Limited to convert its property into Protea Hotel Zanzibar Stone Town.

This project, set to open by the end of 2023, is in Stone Town, a Unesco World Heritage Site and a popular tourist area in Zanzibar.

The hotel will feature 26 guestrooms, an all-day-dining restaurant, and a rooftop bar.

Nigeria

Projected to open in 2027, Protea Hotel by Marriott Abuja Jahi will have 144 guestrooms, two food and beverage outlets, a swimming pool and meeting facilities.

The hotel will be situated in the developing district of Jahi which is northwest of Abuja’s city centre and close to Gwarinpa and Jabi.

The company also signed an agreement with Dutch Gate Hotel & Suites Limited to convert its property to Protea Hotel by Marriott Delta.

The property is expected to open as a Protea Hotel in 2024 with 108 rooms, four food and beverage outlets, meeting facilities, a fitness centre and swimming pool.

Protea Hotel by Marriott Delta will be in Warri, a central oil and gas hub in the south of Nigeria.

The hotel is a franchised property owned by Dutch Gate Hotel & Suites Limited and will be managed by BON Hospitality West Africa. Read more

Source: https://www.tourismupdate.co.za/article/global-hotel-brand-expands-african-footprint