Cecil, Omadu hotels join Hala

By The Standard and Newsday | Oct. 23, 2014

LOW-COST hospitality group Hotels and Leisure Africa (Hala) has added two units to its portfolio as it expands its footprint across the country.

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Cecil Hotel in Bulawayo and Omadu Hotel in Plumtree joined the Hala family early this month to bring the total to eight hotels under the group’s wings.

Hala executive chairman Cornelius Nyahunda said yesterday the group would add two more units by the end of the year. Of the hotels to be added, one would be in Chiredzi, Nyahunda said, but would not be drawn into revealing the location of the other hotel.

Cecil Hotel has 50 rooms and is a one-star property. Nyahunda said the group was working at converting the hotel to a two-star status.

Omadu is a gateway to Botswana and has 37 keys (rooms).

“We are looking to grow in administrative centres such as provincial capitals. We also want to have a presence in commercial and leisure centres,” he said.

Nyahunda said the expansion programme was financed mainly from internal resources, explaining why the group was targeting existing assets which they would spruce up.

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He said the group would be aggressive to ensure presence in administrative, commercial and leisure centres.

Hala is growing its presence in the country through turnaround of previously uncared for hotel assets.

“Gaining presence in most of Zimbabwe’s commercial and administrative hubs enables us to reach markets cost effectively, reach suppliers cost effectively and in turn we can give good value, sleep, work and play in our hotels,” Nyahunda said.

The push for a low-cost product comes at a time when the government wants to build domestic tourism through the civil service that would enjoy a holiday per year as part of conditions of service.

Nyahunda said occupancy levels for its city hotels were above 70% while out-of-town hotels had occupancy levels of over 40%.