AccorHotels, Mantis Group partners to boost ecotourism footprint in Africa

Adrian Gardiner and Sebastien Bazin

This partnership is accompanied by the launch of Community Conservation Fund Africa (CCFA), a non-profit organisation (NGO) which aims to amplify both groups’ commitment towards preventing the accelerating decline of Africa’s wildlife and bringing together Wilderness Foundation, Tusk Trust and African Parks.

AccorHotels chairman and CEO, Sebastien Bazin said: "Mantis is a pioneer in customised one-of-a-kind travel services in some of the most imaginative hotels across the world. With this strategic partnership, we are reinforcing the group’s footprint in Africa and we have access to a brand with strong roots and heritage, recognised for its commitment to preserve the environment and its prestigious credentials in the hospitality space."

Founder and chairman of the Mantis Group, Adrian Gardiner commented: "AccorHotels is one of the fastest growing hotel and travel operators worldwide. This agreement presents an attractive proposition for the Mantis Group to utilise AccorHotels’ robust distribution channels and worldwide reach to further develop the hospitality concepts and sustainability projects we have worked so tirelessly to grow. We are excited to embark upon this new chapter alongside AccorHotels where we will act as ambassadors for the development of both our groups’ portfolios and offerings."

The Zambezi Queen

Draycott Hotel

The Mantis network features 28 managed properties, a global network of branded hotels and residences, including boutique villas and flagship properties such as the Founders Lodge – a South African game reserve located in the Eastern Cape, Mantis St Helena – a boutique hotel on the remote island in the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the Draycott Hotel in London. Celebrated for its far-flung experiences for the adventure curious, the Mantis Group also owns and operates a number of unique luxury houseboats and a lodge under the Zambezi Queen Collection brand.

Curating conservation and education operations

Highlights of Mantis’ success in conservation include the support and sponsorship of initiatives for the Wilderness Foundation Africa, Tusk Trust and various other conservation NGOs. Mantis strives to conserve the biodiversity of the landscapes that host its properties and share the ecotourism benefits with local communities via job creation.

Education, also a core value of the Mantis Group, is exemplified in ‘Worldwide Experience’, which offers international students the opportunity to take up conservation placements throughout Southern Africa. The group also has a partnership with Stenden University, a hotel management institution in South Africa that educates students in hospitality and disaster management and also offers practical experience via internships at Mantis properties and is the only institution in the world that offers a course in conservation and lodge management at a private game reserve.