Millennium & Copthorne to expand in Africa

Millennium & Copthorne Middle East and North Africa (MENA) will undergo a corporate restructure to incorporate the whole of Africa in its regional expansion plans.
Currently, the hotel group has 120 owned- and managed hotels across 20 countries, including in the Middle East and North Africa.

However, the firm released a statement today that said it had identified “particular opportunities” for its portfolio of brands in South Africa and other key markets across the continent.
“We see tremendous opportunity in Africa. There are many key markets under-served by quality hotels offering international standards and value in every class to guests, as well as solid returns to owners,” said MEA president and CEO Ali Hamad Lakhraim Alzaabi.
“There is also significant bilateral trade between the Middle East and many African countries. We look forward to spearheading the group’s foray into this continent. We already have a few agreements on the table and look forward to announcing our first African properties soon.”
With 12 hotels open and 40 in the pipeline, Millennium & Copthorne Middle East is one of the fastest-growing hotel groups in the region.
The hotel group’s brands include Grand Millennium, Millennium, Copthorne, Kingsgate and the recently- launched destination brand Biltmore, with the first Biltmore property due to open in Abu Dhabi in 2013.