Dubai-based Hospitality Management Holdings (HMH) plans to double its presence in Sudan this year despite the country?s troubles with its southern neighbour.
HMH is also looking to strengthen its budget offerings in its home city with an eye on Expo 2020.
HMH has a hotel in each of Port Sudan and Khartoum, and will increase its market there with another in each of the two cities.
In the second half of the year, the company expects to open the 64-room Ewa Nile Tower in the Sudanese capital, and the 60-room Ewa Port Sudan.
?It can be a land of opportunities in future,? Laurent Voivenel, HMH?s chief executive, said yesterday. ?Sudan is one of the largest countries in Africa. It is safe unless you go to South Sudan, and we want to get in before the bigger guys go in. And you would be surprised by the tourism in Sudan.?
Sudan?s number of tourists last year was forecast at 5 million, and its tourism revenues were estimated at US$600 million in 2012, reported the?Sudan Tribune?in March, quoting the country?s tourism minister.
HMH was started 10 years ago. The company?s founders include two member of Sharjah?s Al Qassimi royal family.
Under its upscale Coral Hotels and Resorts brand, HMH manages two properties in Sudan. At its 114-room property in Port Sudan on the Red Sea, almost 35 per cent of the guests are leisure travellers and the rest comprises corporate and government travellers. At its 272-room Khartoum hotel, the corporate and government travellers make up 85 per cent of the guests. HMH took over management of the hotels five years ago.
HMH is one of a handful of international hotel operators present in Sudan. Abu Dhabi?s Rotana manages a property in Khartoum, while Corinthia Hotels (owned by International Hotel Investments, in which Dubai?s Istithmar World is an investor) likewise has a property in the capital.
Click here to read more.