Radisson Hotel Group is today 13th June signing record-breaking expansion deals that will significantly increase its presence in Africa in the race of hospitality market on the continent. Radisson Hotel Group is adding seven new hotels to its African portfolio in various cities including Nairobi, growing its capacity to 1,400 rooms.
The new hotels expand the Group’s brands, ranging from upscale to premium luxury lifestyle, with a new market entry in Gambia and the introduction of new brands in key markets with the first Radisson collection in Nigeria and Egypt and the first Radisson RED hotel in Nigeria. Radisson Hotel Group, one of the fastest-growing hotel companies in Africa, targets to hit 150 hotels within the next five years across Africa, reinforcing the continent as a key growth market.
With close to 100 hotels and 16,000 rooms in operation and under development in Africa, Radisson Hotel Group has opened 14 hotels in the region and signed over 25 new hotels, adding more than 4,800 additional rooms to its portfolio in the last two years alone. This equates to 90% of its African pipeline and translates to a 15% growth to its African operating portfolio.
“Over the last two years,” said Mr Ramsay Rankoussi, Vice President, Development, Africa & Turkey, Radisson Hotel Group, “we have accelerated our growth timeline locally and reached new record milestones across Africa, thanks to our balanced development strategy, our tailored approach, and our swift response to changing market conditions.”
As a Group, Mr Rankoussi said Radisson Hotel Group has prioritized consolidating its market share in key focus markets and expanding its presence in new territories.
Key focus markets for the Group’s Africa expansion in 2023 remain Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt, in addition to new markets of interest such as Gambia, Cameroon, Ghana, Tanzania and the Seychelles. The Group has reduced the period between its hotel signings and openings from between five and seven years to two to three years.
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The newly opened Radisson Blu Livingstone Mosi-oa-Tunya Resort in Zambia, located close to the renowned Victoria Falls, for example, opened in less than 24 months, while Radisson Blu Hotel & Conference Center Niamey in Niger opened in 12 months.
Additional hotel openings in 2023 in Africa include the Group’s first hotel in Reunion Island and Ghana and new hotels in Casablanca, Taghazout, and Saidia in Morocco as well as in Hoedspruit (South Africa), Lusaka (Zambia) and Tunis (Tunisia).
Highlights from 2022 included entry into several key new African markets, including three new hotels in Madagascar. The Group signed Radisson Hotel Addis Ababa Bole Airport and the Radisson Individuals brand was introduced to the continent with the opening of Marina Resort Port Ghalib, a member of Radisson Individuals, in Marsa Allam, Egypt.
The opening of Radisson Blu Hotel, Juba, South Sudan marked the country’s first internationally branded 5-star hotel, while the signing of Radisson Resort Dakar Saly in Senegal continued the brand’s growth strategy locally.
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In South Africa, Radisson Hotel Group expanded its portfolio to more than 14 properties with the opening of its latest addition, Radisson Blu Hotel Durban Umhlanga and upcoming opening of Radisson Safari Hotel, Hoedspruit later this year. Additionally, the opening of Radisson Hotel Sfax in Tunisia and the rebranding of La Maison Blanche Tunis as a Radisson Individuals property reinforced the Group’s presence in the region.
The Group also signed Radisson Collection Marsa Alam, Egypt with 294 rooms and Radisson Hotel Yaounde, Cameroon with 220 rooms – both opening in 2024.
