Marriott International Hotel Comes to Addis
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Donald Booth, United States ambassador to Ethiopia, believes that US brands are very good in Ethiopia but very rare. Having spent two years of his three-year term, he wishes to see more brands from his country come to Ethiopia. Most recently, he has witnessed the openings of two giant US companies, General Electric (GE) and Hewlett-Packard (HP), and, to his pleasure, a renowned US lodging facilities brand, Marriott, officially announced its arrival in Addis Abeba, this week.
Marriott, founded in 1927 and joining the hotel business 30 years later, is the third US hotel chain to enter the Ethiopian hospitality industry after Hilton and Starwood through Sheraton. It has also become the fourth franchisor company to make its presence in the country. Marriott International Inc, a company that owns 3,700 properties in 73 countries, is extending its footprint into Ethiopia, after reaching a hotel management contract agreement with Sunshine Business Plc.
Sunshine Construction Plc, which is owned by Samuel Tafesse and Fetlework Ela, has a 95pc share in Sunshine Business Plc while its sister company, Sun Sister, owns the rest. The company dedicated its already constructed building, located near Meskel Square on Jomo Kenyatta Street, to the first hotel in Ethiopia under the brand of Marriott Executive Apartments. Read full story on Addis Fortune.
