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The Capital Hotel Group will open hotels in other African countries in the next two years.
Speaking on the sidelines of the official launch party of the Capital Hotel Menlyn Maine (which opened its doors in March), the Group’s Managing Director, Marc Wachsberger, revealed he had already begun looking at countries in Southern Africa. “The ones I’m looking at currently are countries we can access easily, like Namibia and Botswana, but we’re also looking at Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa and hopefully North Africa further down the line,” he said.
For now, though, the Group will continue its mission to conquer South Africa by opening two hotels every year. “We are the fastest growing hotel group for good reason,” Wachsberger told Tourism Update. “We’re opening three hotels this year – Capital Menlyn Maine in Pretoria, which has officially opened, then the Capital on Park in Sandton later this year and another planned for Umhlanga.”
Wachsberger kept mum on the exact location of the Umhlanga hotel. “All I can say is it will be located in the best location on the beach,” he hinted.
Staying true to the aim of opening at least two hotels every year, the Capital Hotel Group will open one hotel in the Melrose Arch vicinity in 2018, and another in an undisclosed location. Said Wachsberger: “I can’t say at this stage where our second hotel for 2018 will be, but I will admit we do need to fill in the gaps in some of the smaller cities in South Africa before expanding into the continent.”
South Africa’s recent investment ratings downgrade and the announcement that the country was in recession had not impacted on the group’s plans at all, Wachsberger added. “The Capital Hotel Group has always taken advantage of tough economic conditions for expansion as we know the property sector swings from oversupply to undersupply every four years or so.
“By sticking to our no-frills approach of offering clients what they need and nothing they don’t – and, thereby, keeping our rates down – we trade well in tough times as corporates shift more business to establishments delivering on value.”
Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (MICE) is proving to be a key sector for The Capital Menlyn Maine, with corporates holding conferences constituting most of its customers in the first three months of operation. The property has two boardrooms that can accommodate up to eight people each; a conference room that can accommodate between 190 and 350 people; two meeting rooms and an events area on the deck.
The Capital on Park in Sandton as well as the new hotel in Umhlanga would also both offer conference facilities, Wachsberger added.
Sоurсе: tourismupdate.co.za