GO M C L FPIANNGY P R O F I L E
RAD RADISSON Radisson Hotel Group signed five new hotels across Africa within the first quarter of 2022. Meetings magazine speaks to Sandra Kneubuhler, sales director: South Africa, on the group’s growth strategy.
R
adisson Hotel Group is serious about Africa, and this is clear from not just its achievements thus far, but also its ambitious growth targets. In 2021, Radisson signed 14 new hotel deals for the continent and by the end of the first quarter of this year, it opened five new hotels. It is hoped that by 2025, the group will have 150 hotels in Africa operating under the Radisson umbrella. “Our next big and important opening for us is the Radisson Blu in Umhlanga, which will open in June. With 207 rooms, it’s located in the heart of the Umhlanga Rocks Village,” says Sandra. Another exciting development on the cards for Radisson is Radisson Blu Livingstone, ideally situated on a river bend on the Zambezi River. The hotel will open its doors in Q3. In addition, Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit will start
welcoming guests in Q1 2023. The 138-room hotel made history when it was announced in 2020 as the first Radissonbranded hotel in South Africa, as well as the first international luxury hotel, for the Lowveld area. Although the current hotels in the pipeline are all on track to open as scheduled, and Radisson are experts in hotel developments and openings, these aren’t straightforward. And as a rule of thumb, says Sandra, they need to expect the unexpected.
A VARIED OFFERING Operating in South Africa and competing among a host of different international players, Radisson believes the country presents some rather attractive prospects.
“I believe there is always an opportunity for a great product at the right price, regardless of the location. I think there are still some markets within South Africa that are underrepresented, and what we’ve learnt from our experience in places like Dubai is that there is plenty of space for new products that deliver value,” Sandra explains. Sandra is optimistic about Radisson’s expansion within South Africa, and Africa in particular, noting the potential of both the country and continent to grow and change as a destination. “Africa’s airspace is operating at nearly half of where it was compared to 2019. Looking at the rate of our recovery, even if we address the shortfall, we still have a long way to go. This shows the huge potential for the right opportunities on the continent,” says Sandra. Interestingly, Covid-19 resulted in Radisson laying claim to a lot more market share than
32 • MEETINGS l MAY/JUNE 2022 www.theplanner.guru
