IHG Expands in Africa with hotel in Ethiopia

An artists impression of the Crowne Plaza Addis Ababa

Crowne Plaza Addis Ababa is situated near significant landmarks including the African Union headquarters, African Union Convention Centre, the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the United Nations Convention Centre. It is also located close to one of the largest international communities in the city. The new hotel will feature an all-day dining restaurant, a speciality restaurant and a bar. Guests can enjoy facilities such as the health club and spa, or kick back with a drink at the bar by the swimming pool.

Catering to the business traveller, Crowne Plaza Addis Ababa will also offer a range of meeting facilities including a boardroom, seven large meeting rooms as well as ballroom for larger events. A business centre is also available for guests who require access to business facilities on the go.

Pascal Gauvin, chief operating officer, India, Middle East and Africa, IHG, said: "Addis Ababa is evolving at pace, with infrastructure such as the Bole International Airport now serving almost 20 million passengers a year. We're always on the lookout for the right partner to grow our brands in the right location. Now we're bringing Crowne Plaza to a new country with Tsemex Hotels and Business Plc. Crowne Plaza Addis Ababa is a strong addition to the brand and with this being our first hotel in Ethiopia we will now have a presence in 13 countries across Africa."

Rezene Ayalew, MD of Tsemex Hotels and Business Plc, said: "We own a number of real estate developments but with this being our first venture into hospitality, we couldn't have asked for a better partner to embark on this project with. Addis Ababa has great potential for tourism but is currently under-supplied in catering to business travellers and meetings and events. The Crowne Plaza brand comes highly recommended with a unique positioning for the business market and we believe this is the right brand to bring into our vibrant city."

IHG currently has 29 hotels open on the continent of Africa across five brands: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites. The new development marks the sixth Crowne Plaza hotel in Africa. Across Asia, Middle East and Africa there are 68 Crowne Plaza hotels and resorts totalling more than 19,000 rooms, with an additional 16 due to open in the next three to five years.