· As Accor set to expand dominance in Africa
Accor, a world-leading augmented hospitality group has revealed that it will unveil the world’s first Eco-Lodge Innovation Hub by Mantis, the brand in which it has a 50% stake by 2020 in a bid to showcase the future of eco-travel to investors and guests. Accor made this revelation at the sideline of the recently concluded Africa Hotel Investment Forum AHIF 2019, the leading hospitality investment forum in Africa organised by Bench Events, which took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The one-of-a-kind concept, which will be launched in early 2020 at South Africa’s famous Mantis Founders Lodge, will bring together conservation partners from across the globe to showcase the future of eco-travel to potential investors and sustainability-minded travelers.
This collaboration of leading eco innovators will see Mantis build five new room models known as ‘Innovate Hospitality Units’ close to the luxurious Founders Lodge – two tents, a pod, a log cabin and a treehouse that integrate the latest green technology on a site designed to showcase to business leaders and future travellers, alike, the vast possibilities of low eco-impact accommodation and activities.
“Mantis, a global pioneer of conservation tourism, is once again pushing the boundaries, creating a hub where experts can collaborate to give investors and guests a glimpse into the future of sustainable hospitality models and eco-experiences,” said Mark Willis, CEO, Middle East & Africa.
“This bolsters Accor’s commitment to sustainable tourism development in Africa as we embrace innovation to pursue responsible expansion that supports local communities and protects and promotes wildlife and the natural environment.”
Eco-Lodge Innovation Hub is the combined brainchild of digital strategist and product innovator, Craig Llewellyn-Williams, and Paul Gardiner, CEO, Mantis.
Mantis, a collection of luxury boutique hotels, eco-escapes, and waterways around the world, includes Mantis Founders Lodge, the original Mantis Group property. Located adjacent to the world-famous Shamwari Game Reserve on South Africa’s Eastern Cape, the entire project created was by Paul’s father, the globally-revered conservationist, Adrian Gardiner.
“As the heartland of conservation tourism, Founders Lodge is the natural home for our hub, providing an inspirational setting where suppliers can test, develop and showcase off-the-grid accommodation and green energy innovations,” said Paul Gardiner.
“At the same time, the new units tap into popular global travel trends including wellness tourism, multi-generational holidays and eco-education, offering future guests new travel and lifestyle experiences that are central to the Mantis and Accor hospitality offering,” he said.
Sustainable development has been the focal point of the Accor/Mantis strategic partnership signed in May of 2018, with both parties founding the Community Conservation Fund Africa (CCFA) as part of the deal.
This non-profit company (NGC) signaled the commitment of both groups to prevent the accelerating decline of Africa’s wildlife and over the past year, the CCFA, which is aligned to Accor’s conservation platform Planet 21, has donated more than US$500,000 to approved community projects across Africa.
In a related development, the Mantis partnership has revealed plans to infuse seven new projects by 2020 in a bid to further strengthen Accor’s leadership position on the African continent, where it has been operating for more than 40 years and is an economic driving force with more hotel rooms than any other hospitality player.
The Group’s current footprint spans 25,826 rooms in 164 hotels across 22 countries and five new hotels with a combined 705 rooms have been signed year to date, growing its total Africa pipeline to 13,642 keys across 61 properties.
Mantis, one of 12 Accor brands represented in Africa, operates 19 properties in South Africa and is due to launch seven new projects by the end of 2020 across five destinations – Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ghana, Zambia, and Nigeria.
The Sub-Saharan region has emerged as a development hotspot for Accor, firmed up with new signings in Kenya and Ethiopia in the east and Nigeria in the west, with 8,555 keys scheduled to open in these markets over the next two years.
In Ethiopia alone, Accor has seven new management contracts signed across the ibis, Pullman, Mercure, MGallery, Mövenpick, Mantis and Novotel brands, demonstrating the country’s vast growth potential and a key reason for its selection as the AHIF 2019 host nation.
Luxury and upscale brands account for more than half of Accor’s Africa network and building on this momentum, the group has secured major project wins including MGallery, Pullman and Mövenpick properties in Addis Ababa, a Pullman in Nairobi, and in North Africa, a Fairmont in Taghazout, Morocco and the world’s largest Rixos resort on Egypt’s Red Sea Riviera.
“As one of the world’s fastest-growing continents, positioned as the next global market, Africa is a priority development region for Accor,” said Gaurav Bhushan, Global Chief Development Officer, Accor.
“With the industry’s most dynamic portfolio brands, covering every market segment from economy to luxury and more than four decades of African market expertise, we can build on our position of strength to benefit guests, investors, local communities and the wider economy, taking a leading role in shaping a sustainable hospitality industry for the future” Bhusan added.