Kempinski leads the hospitality expedition across Africa

Kempinski Hotels has announced its intention to become a clear market leader in Africa, leading global tourism’s foray into the rapidly evolving continent with an unrivalled portfolio of diverse luxury properties – from spectacular city hotels and beach resorts to exotic eco forest retreats and game park lodges.

In a bid to get a firm foothold in Africa, the established luxury hoteliers have signed a number of management contracts since last year’s ATM, implementing a strategic expansion across the African heartland and consolidating its position as the leading provider of luxurious hospitality experiences.

“Last year’s announcement of our new properties in Namibia and Tanzania generated a lot of buzz in the tourism industry in the region, heralding a travel and tourism boom in the continent.

Our intrepid formula for success will be to play on the natural exotic appeal of Africa and enhance this with Kempinski’s renowned luxury expertise,” said Ulrich Eckhardt, Kempinski President Middle East and Africa.

“This year, we have set our sights on Rwanda, where in collaboration with Dubai World Africa, we are currently developing four properties in the country, one city hotel and three new luxurious lodges, which we will begin to unveil from 2009 onwards,” he added.

Located in picturesque Akagera National Park in Rwanda, Kempinski Akagera Lodge promises a memorable escape into Rwanda’s stirring landscape decked by magnificent hills and impressive natural reserves.

Brace for an adventure into the wild as herds of elephants and buffalo emerge from the woodland to drink freely from the lakes. Back in the hotel, guests can relax in the luxurious lodge’s 80 well-appointed rooms and suites, or unwind in the restaurant or at the bar by the poolside.

This amazing property also features a spa, a gym and a tennis court for complete recreation and rejuvenation. Phase one is up for completion in December 2008, while phase two is scheduled for unveiling in March 2009.

Heading north towards the Parc des Volcans Kempinski Lodge Gorilla Mountain sits amidst a magnificent mountain range – home of the rare mountain gorilla and the famed Virunga volcanoes.

From the hotel, guests can engage in an adventurous trek across the foothills, before entering the Parc National des Volcans where an exhilarating encounter with rare golden monkeys and mountain gorilla awaits hotel guests.

At the Kempinski Lodge Gorilla Mountain, guests are given a choice of 30-40 exquisitely designed and furnished rooms, as well as a chance to relax in the spa with five treatment rooms. Based on the park’s appeal and with the addition of its conference facilities, the lodge is a perfect site for incentive travel or conferences and exhibitions.

A trip down south leads to the Kempinski Nyungwe Rainforest Lodge located close to the famous Nyungwe National Park, the largest strip of mountain forests in Central Africa that boasts floral diversity as well as 200 different types of trees and thirteen species of primates, including mankind’s nearest of kin in the evolution change, the chimpanzee.

Kempinski Nyungwe Rainforest Lodge is currently in the development stage and once completed in June 2009, it will have 27 luxury forest rooms recreating the ambience of the surrounding rain forests. It also features a conference room and food & beverage outlets, in addition to a fully-equipped spa and conference facilities, ideal for unrivalled MICE opportunities from the Middle Eastern and European markets.

In the capital of Rwanda, Kempinski Hotel Kigali is planned to have a spa, extensive banquet facilities, approximately 150 rooms, 300 golf villa's and 18 hole non-branded golf course. The colonial villa style hotel is set to become the social centre of the city and is scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2010.

In Namibia, Kempinski is prepped to open Mokuti Lodge in the coming months, followed thereafter by the King’s Den Lodge as well as two city hotels in Swakopmond and Windhoek. In nearby Tanzania, a stunning luxury lodge will open within the Serengetti National Park in late 2008, with another equally impressive lodge in the Ngoro Ngoro Crater following shortly after.

Building a collection of stunning beach properties is also part of the group’s African development safari, which was initiated with the magnificent Djibouti Palace Kempinski in 2006, followed closely by Zamani Zanzibar Kempinski. Both deluxe oceanfront hotels have a very distinctive style – one opulent and regal, the other tropical and luxuriously exotic.

Further North in Egypt, Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay is in the final stages of preparation before opening in June, with one of the finest beaches and dive locations on the Red Sea. Moving the development plans off-shore from the mainland, Kempinski will manage a luxurious 150-room resort complex in the Comoros Islands on behalf of Dubai World. Known as the Le Galawa Beach, the beach resort and spa is situated on Grande Comores and is surrounded by exquisite white sandy beaches.

Elsewhere in Africa, Kempinski’s expansion plans are under way, with projects in their final phases of negotiations. Once finalised, Kempinski Hotels will have further boosted its leadership status, with exotic and luxurious properties in such enticing destinations as Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Madagascar, Sudan, Nigeria, Mauritius, Mauritania, Burundi and many more.

“Kempinski has been at the forefront of luxury hospitality for the past 110 years, and will continue to pioneer new services and destinations that will offer the world’s most discriminating travelers a hospitality experience as diverse and rich as the cultures of the territory where we operate.

The tourism industry in Africa is about to leap exponentially, and with its strategic position in place, Kempinski Hotels is well-positioned to take advantage of the rise in tourism numbers,”

ended Ulrich Eckhardt.