Meetings’ must-know minutia
Protea Hotels by Marriott makes a debut in Botswana As Protea Hotels by Marriott continues to grow its footprint in Africa, the official opening of the Protea Hotel by Marriott Masa Square at the beginning of July signifies the brand’s entry into Botswana. The property is located in Gaborone, in the heart of the Southern African nation’s capital, and is a mixed-use development featuring 152 rooms and 30 extended stay apartments. “I am confident that the brand’s extensive regional equity, the hotel’s strategic location and the global distribution of Marriott International will help position Protea Hotel by Marriott Masa Square as a preferred choice for business and leisure
travellers to Gaborone,” commented Volker Heiden, area vice president, Marriott International, in a statement by the hotelier. Offering panoramic views of the city and 24-hour room service, the Protea Hotel by Marriott Masa Square is a short 20-minute drive from Sir Seretse Khama International Airport and is ideally situated in Masa Square’s lifestyle hub. With strict cleaning and safety measures in place that are aligned to both Botswana’s national Covid-19 regulations and Marriott’s Global Cleanliness Council protocols, guests can rest assured that their well-being is a priority during their stay.
Hilton Cape Town City Centre to close doors
Following an announcement on 10 July 2020 from the Office of The Presidency allowing intra-provincial leisure travel under the advanced Level 3 lockdown restrictions, a retraction was issued 30 hours later. In a now deleted tweet, The Presidency published an infographic detailing activities that can take place under the restrictions, which have been revised on an ongoing basis to mitigate the risk of Covid-19 infections. “Here are the activities that are now allowed at Level 3. We picked up an error in the previous graphic which suggested that accommodation for leisure travel was permitted. This is not the case,” The Presidency tweeted. The retraction was met with backlash on Twitter, as South Africa’s travel and tourism industry continues to experience significant losses, with the Tourism Business Council of South Africa putting this at R68 billion. Amended regulations clarifying under the Disaster Management Act (No. 57 of 2002) were gazetted on 12 July 2020, where the regulations state that hotels, lodges, BnBs, timeshare facilities and resorts, and guest houses, can only be used for accommodation if: • tourists are confined to these facilities • it is for work purposes • guests are in quarantine or isolation. There is a specific exclusion for leisure purposes, with shortterm home-sharing, letting, leasing or rental, as well as domestic passenger air travel for leisure purposes, remaining banned.
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Retracted announcement on leisure travel disappoints industry
After nine years in Cape Town’s CBD, Hilton Cape Town City Centre will hand the property back to its owners, Millat Properties. According to a statement on its website, Hilton said: “Please note, as of 11 July 2020, Hilton Cape Town City Centre will cease to operate as a Hilton hotel. As a result, stays booked past this date will not accrue Honors points. Please contact the hotel directly with any questions.” Last year, Hilton celebrated its 100th hotel in Africa. With its withdrawal of its City Centre property, it has also noted that it will continue to operate DoubleTree by Hilton Cape Town Upper Eastside. Travellers to the city can also look forward to Hilton’s first boutique-style hotel with Canopy by Hilton due to open towards the end of next year. The hotel in Longkloof Studios, Gardens, will be owned and developed by Growthpoint Properties.
MEETINGS l JULY/AUGUST 2020 •
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