NAIROBI, KENYA: Mitsumi Group has diversified its investments into hospitality by launching a mid-level hotel in Nairobi. The hotel with a capacity of 94 rooms will be run by Louvre Hotels Group which has now seven hotels in the East African region, including Rwanda, Ethiopia and Tanzania.
According to Jagat Shah, Mitsumi Group chairman and Chief Executive Officer, the Sh2.5billion investment will be managed by Louvre Hotel Group as Mitsumi seeks to tap into the growing hospitality industry in Kenya.
“We are exhilarated to start our first hotel in Kenya with Golden Tulip Nairobi. The country is experiencing a lot of growth and development in the tourism sector and we felt that it was the right time for a world’s renowned hotel chain to set footprint in Kenya,”added Shah.
While officially opening the hotel, Kenya Tourism Board Acting chief executive officer Jacinta Mwatela called on investors to exploit the hotel industry and fill up the huge gap particularly the economy category which has been ignored for a long time to boost domestic tourism.
“We need to diversify our mass markets while maintaining high standards that focus on customer satisfaction”, she added. Ms Mwatela called on the private sector in the hospitality industry to work closely with Kenya Tourism Board in creating an enabling environment that creates job opportunities to many young people across the country.
Louvres Hotel Group is now present in 8 sub-Saharan African countries, with 13 hotels comprising a total of 2,020 rooms under its Tulip Inn, Golden Tulip and Royal Tulip brands as it pursues more growth opportunities in the African region. The 4-star Golden Tulip Westlands Nairobi hotel will offer a multitude of high-end services including several fine dining restaurants, spas and swimming pools as well as conference rooms for business travelers.
