Marriott International Inc. (Marriott), the largest hotel company in Africa, has recently announced in a press release that it has started the construction of a new hotel in Ndola, Zambia’s third largest city with a population of almost half a million.
The new hotel will be part of Protea’s network, which Marriott acquired in 2014, and will be located in front of the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium at one of the most important roads of the city, the Ndola-Kitwe dual carriageway.
The new building will be a two-floor hotel offering 80 rooms, three conference rooms with capacities up to 100 delegates and is expected to create 180 jobs at a total investment of USD 9.5 million.
With this construction, Protea Hotels expands its presence in Zambia to a total of eight hotels throughout the country.
According to Marriott’s press release, the new hotel will rely on the potential of the Zambian economy to deliver sustainable results since Ndola, is the gateway to the Copperbelt mineral producing region.
In addition, the city hosts the Ndola Fuel Terminal, the end point of a 1,706 km long pipeline which brings imported oil from Dar es Salaam which feeds 31 oil marketing companies (OMC) in the country.
The presence of these two industries in Ndola, mean for Protea Hotels that business travels to the area are and will be significant in the future, stated Marriott’s Chief Operating Officer and Business Leader for Protea Hotels, Mr. Mark Satterfield.
The new hotel reinforces the focus on continuing growth and expansion of Protea Hotels in Zambia and Marriott’s presence in strategic growth areas throughout Africa, Mr. Satterfield added in the press release.
According to Protea’s website, the company has announced for 2015 a total of four new hotels in Africa with three of them to be inaugurated in Ghana, Rwanda and Nigeria.
Protea Hotels is a leading hotel group in Africa with the largest footprint over 100 hotels spread in eight countries, being South Africa the country where it has the most presence with a total of 77 hotels throughout the country.
Protea Hotels, together with Protea Fire & Ice and African Pride Hotels, are the three brands Marriott manages in Africa surpassing the 10,000 rooms, which is planning to grow in 3% to 5% in the second half of 2015 according to the company’s website.
