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Emaar Hospitality unveils hotel in Togo

Emaar Hospitality Group (EHG) and Kalyan Group on Wednesday announced a partnership that will see Emaar mark its first foray into Sub-Saharan Africa.
Under the partnership, EHG will operate the Address Hotel 2 Février Lomé Togo, which is a completely refurbished property with 256 rooms & suites, 64 serviced apartments, and an array of themed restaurants, meeting venues, and other attractions. The iconic hotel, which first opened in 1980, is the tallest building in Togo, and is located 7km away from the Lomé-Tokoin International Airport. The Address Hotel 2 Février Lomé Togo will be operated by Address Hotels + Resorts, and will open its doors to guests shortly.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday morning, Olivier Harnisch, CEO of Emaar Hospitality Group, said that the announcement was the group's next step in its expansion beyond the UAE and the GCC.
"Togo is a fascinating country with a rich diversity of beautiful landscapes," he said. "We hope that this partnership will contribute to fostering better relationships with many key players in the region's tourism industry. This is a milestone announcement for us, and we foresee many growth prospects in the region in the future; especially as Togo is strengthening its tourism sector, with the goal of increasing the share of the industry from two to seven per cent of the GDP by 2020."
Asked if EHG had plans to introduce more of its hotel brands in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, Harnisch said that there were no such concrete plans yet, but that the group was open to exploring opportunities for international expansion in the coming years. "Right now, we want to help showcase the attractiveness of Togo, not just as a leisure, but also as a business destination, to travellers that might not be aware of it. The country is also a hub that serves as an entry for many businesses into Africa."
Ashok Gupta, CEO of Kalyan Group, which owns the hotel, described Africa as "the continent of the future" and that the hospitality industry would play a key role in attracting more people from various industries to the region.
Attigbe Yaovi Ihou, Togo's minister of Industry and Tourism, noted that there are several reforms taking place in the country right now that would impact its hospitality and tourism sectors. "Emaar is a renowned player in the global hospitality industry, and we could not have chosen a better partner to highlight Togo's offerings."
The upcoming international projects under Address Hotels + Resorts are: Jabal Omar Address Makkah in Saudi Arabia; Address Marassi Golf Resort + Spa and Address Marassi Beach Resort in Egypt; Address Istanbul and Address Residences Emaar Square Istanbul in Turkey; Address Marassi Al Bahrain; and Address Madivaru Maldives Resort + Spa in The Maldives. EHG now has 13 operational hotels and three serviced residences in Dubai under Address Hotels + Resorts; Vida Hotels and Resorts, the upscale lifestyle hotel and residences brand; and Rove Hotels, a contemporary midscale hotel and residences brand.
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com