Africa for Marriott

Marriott International has completed the approximately US$200m acquisition of Protea Hotels and its sub-brands, African Pride Hotels and Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! making it the largest hotel operator on the African continent.  The Protea web sites now link through to Marriott.

Prior to the acquisition, Marriott was already operating 10 hotels across Africa but with it Protea adds a further 116 hotels bringing its total Middle East and African presence to 162 properties in 18 countries.

The pioneering strategic move into Africa by the company based in Bethesda, Maryland, is set against a backdrop of burgeoning economic growth throughout the continent, with the World Bank expecting in excess of 5% in sub-Saharan Africa through 2015.

Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director of Marriott International Middle East and Africa, commented:  “I am delighted that just a few weeks after the acquisition of Protea Hotels our valued guests have access to the portfolio of hotel options continent-wide and globally across our entire range of brands.  Clearly this has been an unprecedented growth phase for our regional business but this is only given context and meaning when we can connect our guests with the experience.  This is happening now and it heralds the start of a completely new chapter in the history of Marriott International."  www.marriott.com

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