Meliá Hotels International has attended the Africa Hotel Investment Forum in Nairobi, looking at opportunities to grow its business and brands in the area, which has become one of the company’s key destinations for development.The company is now facing a period with the aim of consolidating its management strengths and developing exponentially in emerging destinations, with a growing interest in Africa. At this moment, the hotel chain’s presence within the continent is focused in Egypt (4 hotels: Meliá Sharm, Meliá Sinai, Sol Cyrene and Sol Sharm), Cape Verde (1 hotel: Meliá Tortuga), Tanzania (1 hotel: Meliá Zanzibar), and other several projects in the pipeline due to open in next years.
The Spanish company came to Nairobi looking for new projects to develop in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to Gabriel Escarrer, CEO of Meliá Hotels International, “we are very keen to study opportunities under management agreements in countries such as Kenya, Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia, where we are confident to engage hotel owners and investors with our strong brand portfolio and know how, both in urban and resort destinations”. The Northern Africa is also of interest for the hotel group, especially Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt, while other important destination in the continent is South Africa.
Founded in 1956 in Mallorca (Spain), Meliá Hotels International is one of the largest hotel companies worldwide as well as the absolute leader within the Spanish market, which has developed an impressive portfolio of hotel brand concepts and a sophisticated infrastructure of management services. The company’s international growth strategy has allowed Meliá Hotels International, with more than 350 hotels in 35 countries, to target the most dynamic markets, being the first Spanish hotel company with presence in destinations such as China, the Arabian Gulf or the U.S., as well as maintaining its leadership in traditional markets such as Europe, Latin America or the Caribbean.
Meliá Hotels International’s global growth strategy is based on a consistent internationalization plan, via low capital intensive formulas, through its range of midscale, upscale and premium brands. The hotel chain operates seven brands to target different guest profiles. Gran Meliá, ME by Meliá and Paradisus Resorts form the premium portfolio, with stunning facilities in preferred business and leisure destinations. Meliá Hotels & Resorts is the most well-known brand of the portfolio, with over 100 properties worldwide. Innside by Meliá is a modern business brand with a very strong reputation. Both of them form the upscale portfolio, while TRYP by Wyndham (in alliance with Wyndham Hotel Group) and Sol Hotels are the midscale brands.
