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Three Cities
Group Enters Tanzanian Market The Three Cities Group Ltd has been contracted
to operate five Tanzanian hotels in a joint venture
with Hotels & Lodges Tanzania, the new owners
of the establishments. This will see the group hold
42% of the beds on the lucrative Kilimanjaro
tourism circuit in the northern region of
Tanzania. "All five of the hotels will now be run
privately and each one will undergo a complete
refurbishment in the forthcoming months," commented
Three Cities Executive Chairman, Russell Stevens.
"The contract is a great scoop for the group - the
hotels are situated in Tanzania's prime tourist
locations and in the best hotel sites in these
destinations", he added. Three Cities staff is in
place at each establishment - these include general
managers, chefs and public relations personnel who
have already introduced improved levels of food and
service. In addition, Three Cities has opened a
Tanzanian head office situated in Arusha to oversee
the lodges and operate a central reservations
facility. In terms of marketing, the group's extensive
northern European and American sales team has been
boosted with the appointment of Ferruccio Tirone in
Milan, Italy, who will assist the existing team in
selling these resorts internationally. Two of the lodges are situated in the
world-famous Serengeti National Park. Both offer
prime locations for spectacular viewing of the
annual animal migration. The 75-roomed Lobo
Wildlife Lodge borders the Masai Mara and is the
northern most lodge in the Serengeti. Seronera
Wildlife Lodge, comprising 75 rooms is in the
central Serengeti. Also offering an array of magnificent wildlife
is the 75- roomed Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge
situated on the rim of the Ngornogoro volcanic
crater, and Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge - a
100-room hotel overlooking Lake Manyara National
Park. The fifth hotel situated on the eastern side of
Zanzibar Island is Zanzibar Safari Club, which will
open in February 2004. Situated at Chwaka Bay the
resort is an easy drive from Stone Town and the
international airport. The hotel will offer
accommodation in 40 rooms, direct access to a
private beach and a choice of dining options. The
beach restaurant promises true island- style
dining, and a jetty and deck going out to sea will
offer themed dinners. Commenting on the recent rates increase, Alan
Vels, Managing Director of the Three Cities Group
explained that although there has been some
resistance to the increase, the new rates are being
set in consultation with all local operators. "We
have no intention of overpricing the hotels in the
future, but are positioning these products in the
market at a fair price, which was not done in the
past". "The hotels have been grossly undersold
considering the prime locations in which they are
situated," he said. "Issues such as the improved
service levels and forthcoming refurbishments have
been taken into account", he added. For Reservations in Tanzania, email:
<mailto:sales@hotelsandlodges-tanzania.com>sales@hotelsandlodges-tanzania.com Three Cities Group Three Cities Group is a major hospitality
management, marketing and training group serving
the Southern African hospitality industry. The
group presently manages and markets some 35
properties made up of city hotels, game lodges,
resorts and luxury boutique hotels as well as being
a leader in the hospitality training industry with
three hotel schools and two bush academies. For sales support and further information,
please contact: Cheryle Schumacher Velsor North American Sales Representative, Three
Cities Group Central Reservations: mailto:ceres@threecities.co.za email: mailto:cvelsor@bellsouth.net voice: 954-922-8097 |
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