New Hotels for the Burgeoning Addis, Also Expansion of Existing Ones

A number of hotels are either opening up, expanding or set to join the industry in this fiscal year, according to industry insiders. As the city becomes a major travel destination the business is becoming lucrative. And one of the new additions that joined the industry is Aphrodite Hotel. The 4 star hotel made the latest entrance to the hospitality industry with inaugural ceremony held in its new facility on March 22, 2013. The hotel which is owned by Desalegn Mengistu, a name normally associated with oil seeds exports is located around Kazanchis. The facility is built on 538m2 area of land and has 52 rooms divided in to executive, deluxe and twin standard rooms, according to Dawit Girmay, front office and marketing division manager. The hotel which was established with a capital of 60 million Br has created job opportunities for 115 people.

Kenenisa Hotel, owned by Ethiopia’s legendary athelate Kenenisa Bekele is also set to join the industry before Ethiopians’ new year. The 7 story hotel located in front of Medanihalem Church on Cameroon Street will have 83 accommodations when it goes fully functional. It is built on 1,400m2 of land is expected to cost close to 200 million Br up on completion, and will hire 200 full time employees when it goes operational, according to Wondossen Disso, a personal friend of Kenenisa responsible for the management of the construction of the Hotel.

Some others with an existing foot hold in the industry are also undertaking expansion projects to accommodate their growing businesses. Harmony Hotel, a growing brand in the sector is expanding its facility. Since October 1, 2012, the new wing, which is built on 1,200m2 has already started giving services and accommodations in its 83 rooms. The new 7 story building was necessary in order to improve the already existing services of the hotel and to accommodate the growing demands, which are mainly foreigners who come here for the different mining projects and tourists who visit the city for business purposes, according to Sileshi Debebe, general manager of the hotel.

The city will witness a booming hospitality sector in the near future. “Hotel has become a lucrative business; you can get the return of your investment in a relatively short period of time,” concludes Sileshi.