Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is looking to open 10 new hotels in Africa over the next three years, boosting its African portfolio by nearly 30%.
The US-based operator currently manages 38 hotels comprising more than 10,000 rooms in Africa, mostly under its Sheraton and Le Meridien brands.
By 2015, Starwood plans to have nearly 50 hotels in Africa with new hotels confirmed to open in Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Senegaland Mauritius (see next page for further details). Its expansion on the continent, which was announced yesterday (November 13), will add more than 4200 rooms and create thousands of job opportunities.
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Furthermore, as part of its Africa-growth strategy, Starwood is investing in development, sales and the expansion of its Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) programme in Africa. By the end of this 2013, Starwood will double its dedicated development team focused on growth in Africa.
“Home to seven of the world’s 10 fastest-growing economies, there could not be a better time to expand our footprint in Africa,” said CEO Frits van Paasschen.
“From a vastly improving infrastructure, major investments from China, rapid economic growth, rising personal incomes and a growing middle class – we are seeing exciting changes that are driving the African future and we intend to be a part of it,” he added.
Members of Starwood’s senior executive team, including van Paasschen, are visiting Africa this week to explore opportunities in key growth markets including Nigeria, Angola and Gabon.
At a press conference in Lagos yesterday, van Paasschen shared Starwood’s plans to further expand its Nigeria portfolio, the company’s largest growth market in Africa.
The firm currently operates five hotels in Nigeria, in Abuja, Ibom, Port Harcourt and two hotels in Lagos, under its Sheraton, Le Méridien and Four Points by Sheraton brands. By 2015, Starwood will open three additional hotels in Nigeria, one property in Benin City and two in Lagos.
“Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and boasts the second-largest economy on the continent, presenting tremendous opportunities for the country to play a key role in our African expansion. With investor-friendly policies in place and on-going economic growth, Nigeria epitomizes the economic ascent of Africa as a development destination,” said Simon Turner, president of global development & acquisition, Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
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