Tanzania, UAE investors in Sh43bn city project
The Ramada Encore Hotel in Dar es Salaam. PHOTO | MAJUTO OMARY
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The money, according to the hotel managing director, Mr Abdul Ismail, went towards activities pertaining to procurement of various construction services as well as on furniture and other operational expenses that are associated with the setting up of a world-class accommodation facility.
Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian investors and their United Arab Emirates (UAE) counterparts have invested a total of $20 million (about Sh43 billion on the prevailing exchange rate) to set up the Ramada Encore Hotel in the city’s central business district.
The money, according to the hotel managing director, Mr Abdul Ismail, went towards activities pertaining to procurement of various construction services as well as on furniture and other operational expenses that are associated with the setting up of a world-class accommodation facility.
Some 180 people have also secured jobs at the 116-room facility that is located along Ghana Avenue adjacent to Exim Towers and the Home Affairs Ministry Headquarters.
“We saw the need and decided to venture into the area….we want to play a role in alleviating a shortage of hotel rooms in Dar es Salaam as the country’s economy grows,” Mr Ismail told The Citizen at the weekend.
He said a growing economy, coupled with decades of political stability, has attracted domestic and foreign investments which have increased business activities in Tanzania’s major urban areas. This, he said, is what has boosted investments in the hospitality and leisure industry.
He said despite the increasing investments, Tanzania was still in need of international hotels and lodges in strategic areas for visitors, including high profile personalities, who come to the country for business or leisure.
He said that former minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, LazaroNyarandu, was quoted in the media as saying that hotel investment in the country has been moving at a snail’s pace derailing tourism development in terms of visitor arrivals.
He was hopeful that with the number of people coming to Dar es Salaam on the increase, the company will realise its business goals. The group is also looking up to opening more hotels in other locations. “Specifically, we also plan to open a hotel in Morogoro and also a Resort at Amani Beach, Kigamboni,” he said.
According to the hotel’s executive assistant manager, Saumitra Gaur, close to 99 per cent of their procurements are local and have outsourced some of their activities like laundry to local facilities.
