It has been almost a year since Protea Hotels secured its third hotel in Tanzania - which saw Protea Hotel Pangani River and Protea Hotel Amani Beach joining Protea Hotel Dar Es Salaam. “Protea Hotel Dar Es Salaam was our first property in East Africa, and has never been below 80% occupancy. In fact, in the three years that we have managed the hotel, this property has been accustomed to over 95% occupancy for months on end,” commented Allan Duke, Group Marketing Services Director of Protea Hotels.

Protea Hotel Amani Beach has proved extremely popular with the diplomatic core of Dar Es Salaam. “Another popular market, which we were previously unaware of, are the “European Honeymooners”. The charm of the natural and tropical surrounds are very popular with this niche market, who seem to prefer Tanzania because of it’s simplicity, compared to destinations like Mauritius which are a lot more commercial,” continued Duke. This hotel, which is set amongst 40 acres of indigenous woodlands overlooking the glorious shoreline of the Tanzanian coast, boast miles of virgin beach. Besides offering luxury accommodation, the resort also offers its guests’ safe swimming, windsurfing and endless opportunities to view tropical fish. This stylish hotel is just 30 kilometers south of Dar Es Salaam’s CBD and just 20 km from the airport.

The third property, Protea Hotel Pangani River, is built on a magnificent cliff overlooking the sea, midway between Dar es Salaam and Tanga. “One of the main appeals of this hotel has been its’ setting which ensures seclusion. Despite its seclusion, and the nearby landing strip being closed, this hotel has managed to maintain occupancy in the region of 60%, ” said Duke. “We foresee that the re-opening of the landing strip this month will see further increases in the occupancy levels,” continued Duke.

It is as a result of the high occupancy levels, the broad appeal of Tanzania, and especially the charm of Zanzibar, that Protea Hotels have announced their intention to pursue continued growth within Tanzania. “Our options for growth in Tanzania are vast. This is a country with huge tourist appeal - from the virgin beach, historical ruins and even the ecological aspects, we foresee tremendous potential,” concluded Duke. Two potential new properties have already been identified - which Protea hope to be able to confirm shortly!

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