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Ethiopian hospitality firm enters market with luxury Mara lodge

mara

Tourists at the Masai Mara. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Omotic General Trading, the Ethiopian hospitality giant, is set to open yet another of its signature lodges in Maasai Mara after acquiring land in Narok County.

The firm, which operates two similar luxury lodges in Ethiopia said the Masai Mara luxury lodge will have 60 rooms and will be constructed and inaugurated within four months.

“We have been allocated ample land (in Kenya) and we are convinced we will start and complete the construction on time and operate the business this coming summer,” CEO Eyassu Wossen was quoted as saying in Ethiopian media.

“It will be of quality standard and will complement what others have come to expect, something that will fulfil our carefully planned expansion plan.”

The Ethiopian firm, owner of Paradise Lodge in Arba Minch and in Turmi, is also eyeing to open another lodge in Kampala, Uganda.

Its Kenya expansion plan comes against the backdrop of a string of heavy investments by leading luxury hotels in Kenya in the last few years. The list includes Accor Hotels, Hilton, Carlson Rezidor and Acacia Premier.

Nineteen hotels are expected to come to Kenya shortly, with a total of 3,453 new rooms in the pipeline according to a report by Lagos-based consultancy W-Hospitality Group.

A report released at the World Travel Market conference held in London in 2017 said the investment would be underwritten by continued flow of top-dollar clients to the region.

“South Africa and Kenya are expected to register strong growth in luxury hotels as sub-Saharan Africa continues to be popular with luxury travellers,” said Euromonitor International’s Top 100 Cities Destination Ranking 2017 report.

Hotel chains in Kenya are increasingly facing pressure from ultra-affluent clients who demand special service.

Even then the local hospitality industry has slowed down lately with giant chains announcing closures and the Coronavirus could worsen things.