Boon for top African hotels

increased demand from both international tourists and the continent’s own fast-emerging middle class.
Africa was the only region in the world to show growth in tourism in 2009, according to the World Tourism Organisation.
In 2010 international arrivals rose by 6 percent to 49 million, slower than Asia or the Americas but double the growth rate for Europe.Industry executives say that as consumer spending stalls in developed markets, more multinationals are betting Africa’s growth will eventually translate into meaningful revenue – if they can negotiate the considerable regulatory and infrastructure challenges of doing business there.
InterContinental Hotel Group, Accor, Starwood and Rezidor Hotel Group, the group that operates the Radisson Blu chain, are among those looking to capitalise on the continent’s urbanisation and build up its underdeveloped hotel industry.
“In the last 48 months we’ve added 33 hotels – some already opened and others under development – to the African continent,” Andrew McLachlan, Rezidor’s vice-president for business development Africa and Indian Ocean islands, told Reuters in an interview in Cape Town, one of the continent’s tourism hot spots.
“If we do not have any curve balls, we should open another eight hotels in 12 months across five countries,” he said. – Reuters.