20/06/2018
Hilton Hotels Set To Provide Accommodation To Travellers In Every African Country
There’s nothing better than staying in a hotel provided by a well-known and respected brand. Therefore, the news that Hilton Hotels is set to open up at least one branch of its trusted chain in every country in Africa is very much welcome. Hilton already have 40 hotels open in the continent and have pledged to spend $50 million over the next five years as part of the Africa Growth Initiative.
Africa is a traveler’s hotspot and at the end of a day of exploring, being able to kick back and relax with some online shopping via the hotel’s in-house WI-FI is joyous. But other than great facilities and a friendly face, how will multiple new hotels impact the country’s travelers?
TRAVEL TODAY
The first African Hilton hotel – the Nile Hilton – was launched in 1959 and was closely followed by the Hilton Nairobi. Since then an additional 38 hotels some which includes Transcorp Hilton Abuja and Hilton Yaounde, have been catering for African’s travelers.
However, this growth hasn’t been substantial enough. At present, African travelers are significantly affected by a shortage of quality hotel rooms. The senior vice president of development at EMEA at the Hilton Group states “There is also a shortage of quality hotels in the continent, and as the middle class grows, we are seeing higher demand for the quality hotels.” This is alarming as it’s likely to be putting individuals off from exploring all that Africa has to offer, thus impacting the economy.
THE ECONOMY
Anyone who’s planning on traveling will pack their bags with plenty of new belongings, such as clothes, toiletries and electronic items to keep them entertained during their trip. The Digital Statistics in South Africa 2017 report reveals that 31% of the African population purchased goods via ecommerce websites between 2016 and 2017, many of which would have done so for their planned getaway. With Tejas Shah,the director of acquisitions and development for Hyatt stating that “at least four out of every 10 travelers in Africa are from within the region,” it’s essential that every effort is made to create high quality hotels which people want to stay in, otherwise, they may turn their attention to visiting other locations altogether.
WHAT TRAVELERS CAN EXPECT
Aside being one of the top 5 star hotel in Nigeria and several other large countries in Africa. The Hilton brand aim to double their portfolio and open hotels in countries including Ghana, Tunisia, Botswana, Zambia, Swaziland, Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda, over the course of the next five years. As many as 20,000 new rooms will be created across the new hotels, meaning travelers can rest assured that no matter where in the country they travel, they’ll be a comfortable and familiar room waiting for them.
According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics the number of students enrolling in post-secondary education in Africa is on the rise. Each year, thousands of these students embark on a traveling adventure around the continent. When it comes to making your way around the continent, you’ll need to get your hands on a decent set of wheels so that you can make the most of your journey and truly experience all that Africa has to offer. Financing your new vehicle will be easy thanks to Hilton promising to create hundreds of new jobs which will be up for grabs no matter which country you opt to travel to.
Finding a quality place to stay when you’re traveling around Africa is set to become easier over the coming years due to Hilton’s pledge to expand their empire into every African country. Not only will this boost the economy, but it will make traveling in the continent a much more desirable prospect.