Carlson Rezidor announces first Radisson Blu hotel in Uganda and further strengthens leading position in Africa

Carlson Rezidor, one of the largest and most dynamic hotel groups worldwide, extends their African network and adds a new country to their growing portfolio: The company announces the Radisson Blu Hotel Kampala Carlson Rezidors first property in Uganda. The upper upscale hotel featuring 195 keys will be located in Kampalas prime business district and will welcome the first guests in Q4 2016.

We are delighted to arrive in Uganda. Tourism is one of the countrys fastest developing sectors, and Uganda is also becoming an important market for foreign investment due to its rich oil reserves, said Wolfgang M. Neumann, President & CEO of Rezidor, at the African Hotel Investment Forum in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia).

Carlson Rezidor further strengthens their leading position on the African hospitality market: With 30 hotels under development, the group holds the largest pipeline on the continent (source: W Hospitality Group, Hotel Chain Development Pipelines in Africa 2014).Besides Radisson Blu in the upper upscale segment, Carlson Rezidor develops and operates Park Inn by Radisson in the full service mid-market segment. In early 2014, the group also launched two new brands: Radisson Red for the lifestyle select segment and the Quorvus Collection for the luxury market.

We are committed to the African continent. We aim to establish Radisson Blu as the leading upper upscale brand in the region present in capital cities and financial & economic hubs and to pursue the scaled growth of Park Inn by Radisson in high potential primary and secondary destinations, explained Neumann. Quorvus Collection and Radisson Red will offer additional potential to accelerate our growth in the region and to cover all market segments. Neumann stressed that our goal is always to form part of the local communities, blend and engage with the societies of the markets which we enter.

Africa is one of our most important markets for growth. We believe in the great potential of this continent and are committed to becoming a key player in the travel and tourism sector across the continent, added Elie Younes, Senior Vice President & Head of Group Development of Rezidor. The groups overall development strategy is built on a proactive asset-lightgrowth with a considerable focus on emerging markets.

Africa offers excellent opportunities due to its huge natural resources and workforces, improved infrastructure, and a growing middle class. We want to grow further on the continent together with our existing and new partners through transparent and responsible long-term business relationships. We also want to be a leading employer in Africa. By creating new jobs for local talent and by contributing to the communities where we operate in, we can make a huge difference, said Younes.

Carlson Rezidor opened their first hotel in Africa in 2000, the Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel, Cape Town (South Africa). Since then, the group has built up an impressive network of 51 hotels and 11,500 rooms in 21 countries in Africa, and has a Regional Office in South Africa. Recent flagship openings of the group include the Radisson Blu Hotel, Maputo (Mozambique), the Radisson Blu Hotel, Lusaka (Zambia) and the Park Inn by Radisson Foreshore Hotel Cape Town (South Africa). Future openings include Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson hotels in Nairobi (Kenya), Kigali (Rwanda) andCape Town (South Africa).