Although Ethiopia has ample potentials for tourism and hospitality industry, it’s yet to benefit from its untapped tourism industry. Insufficient finance to the industry coupled with few numbers of branded hotels lags the industry behind other sectors.
Ethiopia hosts only a handful of branded hotels, including Ramada Addis Hotel, Radisson Blu, Sheraton Addis, Marriott Executive Apartments, Golden Tulip, Hilton and Best Western International. The number will certainly improve with the coming of InterContinental Hotels Group, Hilton Worldwide, AU Grand Hotel, Pullmann, Crowne Plaza, Wyndham Hotel Group and Crowne Plaza.
Having branded hotels by itself is an attraction because hotels are part of a country prestigious developments. Travelers not only want to sightsee but also want to relax and luxuriate in one of hotel room suites which are surrounded by lavish facilities and services.
Branded hotels such as Radisson Blu and Ramada Addis offer sophisticated rooms and suites with luxuries facilities as well as refreshing terrace signature bars and local and international culinary delights without breaking the bank. Ramada also serves Ethiopia’s first and only Brazilian Churrascaria Restaurant-Fogo No Chao offering an authentic all-you-can-eat Brazilian barbeque along with traditional appetizers and a salad bar. This restaurant also offers access to VIP rooms where you can enjoy the comfort and bites at the same time. Care to sample delight in this luxuries facilities, be sure to dress up for the amazing countdown of Ethiopia’s most lavish hotels. Most of these opulent full of charm iconic structure hotels have the best views of the town. The wow factor of these amenities start from the outside enjoying the natural energizing bliss. The places offer a natural rejuvenation world class treatments and facilities. They also boost largest swimming pools that fit several guests.
Hotel operators are benefiting from the growing focus to tourism to attract both leisure and business travelers. The country strong air transport network and tourism intuitions chaired by Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn also supported the growing interest from investors. Headquartering the African Union, Addis Ababa is home to the world’s third largest diplomatic sits, after New York and Geneva. This has opened up opportunities for major international conferences to come to Ethiopia conducting their events at the branded hotels. The demand from the business travelers due the conference tourism boom has put Ethiopia into a clear advantage than any other country in the continent. Investors eye the country for their share of investment in the chain hotels to serve the upper class traveler’s needs.
Certainly the country has managed to attract high end investors who are taking the hospitality industry into the next level. The untapped sector also attracted Accor Group which is expected to erect its first East African facility in Ethiopia. The country policy to encourage investors through tax holidays, easier land access and right to property enticed the well off to explore the Ethiopian market.
However, the best is yet to come for the Ethiopian hotel industry. “The country is massively undersupplied with brand hotels when compared with almost all other parts of the continent. This suggests there is untouched opportunity in the industry.” David Harper, head of property services at consultancy Hotel Partners Africa told Jumia Travel.