KEMPINSKI USES NAIROBI HOTEL CONFERENCE TO BREAK NEWS
Kempinski has announced plans for further expansion into Africa during the ongoing Africa Hotel Investment Forum held at the InterContinental Hotel in Nairobi. It was learned from a usually reliable source that with new management agreements under review in more than a dozen countries, and five hotels under development across the continent, Kempinski plans to significantly increase its presence in Africa as one of the globally leading luxury hotel brand over the next five years.
Kempinski representatives, including Chief Operating Officer Mr. Duncan ORourke and Regional President of Middle East & Africa Mr. Ulrich Eckhardt, arrived in Nairobi on Monday to attend the Africa Hotel Investment Forum. Mr. Eckhardt said in a media statement given to this correspondent: Its no longer a secret that Africa is going to be the next big growth story in the world, which is why we are already operating hotels on the continent in places like Djibouti, Tchad, Namibia, and the Seychelles; as well as looking for more opportunities to expand our portfolio in this region.
The forecast for Kempinski in Africa is estimated to produce more than 5,000 additional jobs, thus providing a great opportunity for Africas next generation to find careers in one of the worlds fastest growing industries – hospitality. Mr. Eckhardt then added: Africa is poised for impressive growth and its not only rich in natural resources, more importantly its rich in people. Africa has a growing population of creative and driven young people, who are seeking opportunities for long-term careers. Kempinski prioritizes talent development and provides ongoing opportunities for our staff to learn and to grow. We are committed to building sustainable business in Africa and the key to our success so far has been to build on the strength of local talent and African traditions of hospitality.
Kempinski at the moment operates seven hotels in Africa and has five more under construction, including the much-anticipated Villa Rosa Kempinski, Nairobi and the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, Accra which are both set to open over the next few months. Additional hotels have been announced for Nigeria, Angola, and Namibia. Kempinski is also working with key partners on future projects in various countries in Africa including Morocco, Senegal, Côte DIvoire, Benin, Malawi, Cameroun, Central African Republic, Tanzania, Madagascar, La Reunion, and South Africa.
In a related development were some additional details revealed about the new Kempinski in Nairobi. The five-star Villa Rosa Kempinski is located on Chiromo Road, Westlands, near the Central Business District of Nairobi. The new luxury hotel will offer 200 spacious rooms and suites over ten floors, including two Presidential Suites on the top floor. The hotel will when open feature three stylish concept restaurants in addition to an all-day dining restaurant, a bar, and a cigar lounge. Watch this space for regular and breaking news from East Africas exciting hospitality sector.
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HOW SAFE IS TANZANIA?
READ THIS !
Greek woman dies after thieves drag her on road
Monday, 24 September 2012 22:52
By The Citizen Reporter
Dar es Salaam. A Greek woman has died in the course of preventing her handbag from being snatched by unidentified people in a vehicle.Ms Petroula Chatzipantazi, 48, who was spending her last night in the country before travelling back to Greece yesterday, was walking by a roadside with her colleagues, she died of internal bleeding at the Aga Khan Hospital late Sunday night.
The Ilala regional commander, Marietha Minangi, confirmed the incident and said investigations were still underway.
Ms Minangi told The Citizen in a telephone interview yesterday that Ms Chatzipantazi, a medical doctor seconded to work in Tanzania as a volunteer by the ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, was in a group of about 30 colleagues walking down the road going to an event at the Hellenic Centre along Ali Hassan Mwinyi road in the city centre. But as they were walking a vehicle approached from behind but upon reaching Ms Chatzipantazi was in front of the group, one of the persons in the vehicle snatched her handbag. She held firmly as the vehicle speeded up.
Because she could not let go of the bag, she ended up being dragged for some metres before letting go.
“She started breeding profusely and a preliminary report from the Aga Khan hospital indicated that she died of internal bleeding,” ACP Marietha said.
The body is preserved at the Agha Khan hospital, waiting to be flown to Greece for burial.
Efforts to get the ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations and the Consulate of Greece in Dar es Salaam to comment on the incident proved futile, but information from compatriots who spoke to The Citizen said she visited hospitals in Ifakara and Iringa districts.
“Sunday night was her last night in Tanzania because she was to travel back to Greece yesterday. She came on September 13,” a compatriot, who preferred anonymity, told The Citizen yesterday. ………………/.
N.B: This lady was walking along a popular tourist road, few meters from Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel and the famous Las Vergas Cassino. It is clear that Tourists are no longer safe if they walk from Serena Hotel to a nearby shopping centre.
Tanzania seems to be running to security risk area if a tourist can be killed in this area.
Tanzanian Police are corrupt, only respond to kill innocent people including journalists who dare report their evils. How safe are visitors to Tanzania? This is Rubbish – to hell with Tanzania, to hell with Tanzania police force – corrupt, corrupt, corrupt ….
Actually I had written about that last night after I got the information from a source in Dar es Salaam, Generally I still consider Tanzania reasonably safe but there are certainly issues and the authorities need to wake up and act and not let things get so out of hand.
Thanks for reading my blog.
W.