MÖVENPICK Hotels & Resorts has announced development plans for East, North and West Africa with new properties in Ghana, the Red Sea in Egypt and Tanzania. 'Africa is an important growth market for us, and we are keen to ensure our fair share of the continent,' said Roger Kacou, senior vice president for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts in Africa. 'We are pursuing opportunities in several countries including South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan and Cote d’ivoire' he added. The company was due to open its new African property, the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra in Ghana, in May. Ideally located in the central business district, close to government ministries and major financial institutions, the Accra International Conference Centre is also close by while Kotoka International Airport is only 7 km away. 'Although Accra is one of the leading business hubs in West Africa, there is still more demand than supply in the city', said Kacou. 'This is a great opportunity for us to set our footprint in this emerging business destination.' Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra will offer 260 rooms and suites surrounded by 16 acres of landscaped gardens. The hotel also features a variety of indoor and outdoor dining outlets, the largest swimming pool in Ghana, two floodlit outdoor tennis courts, a jogging track and a fitness centre. For business travellers, the property offers a 750-sq-m sub-divided ballroom and four meeting rooms and an adjoining commercial centre with 2,000 sq m of retail space and 8,000 sq m of office space. In Egypt, the Mövenpick Resort Abu Soma, currently under construction, stretches along the beautiful Red Sea coast, with plans to open early in 2012. This upscale resort is directly poised on the shores of the Red Sea, 45 km south of Hurghada. Abu Soma, known for its serenity and golden sandy beaches, is an ideal point for exploring nearby sea and desert attractions. 'The Mövenpick Resort Abu Soma perfectly compliments our upscale resort portfolio in the Red Sea,' said Kacou. 'Egypt is another strategic growth market for us and we are actively looking for development opportunities in Sharm Al-Sheikh, Marsa Alam, Luxor and Upper Egypt.' The 424-room property offers attractive leisure facilities including a diving centre, for those keen to explore the rich corals and the colourful marine environment, a miniature golf course, tennis courts, a wellness complex and a kids’ club for younger guests. In East Africa, Mövenpick also plans to open the 252-room Mövenpick Resort Arusha. The new hotel lies at the foot of Mount Meru on 100 acres of mature farmland in Usa River between Arusha city and Kilimanjaro International Airport. With the world-renowned Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater and Mount Kilimanjaro all nearby, the hotel has an ideal location for leisure travellers who seek to explore the magic of Africa. 'We have been present in Tanzania since 2005 with the award-winning Mövenpick Royal Palm Hotel in Dar es Salaam – one of the leading hotels in the country,' said Kacou. 'Mövenpick Resort Arusha will be the newest hotel in the city, which will give us a clear competitive advantage.' Last year, in April 2010, Mövenpick opened its first property in Tunisia, the Mövenpick Resort & Marine Spa Sousse adding the Mövenpick Hotel Gammarth, Tunisia, a few months later. 'The political unrest following the Tunisian revolution has naturally affected tourism in the country including our two new properties, but we remain confident of the industry’s resilience and its swift recovery,' said Kacou. 'North Africa is a strategic region for our expansion plans and we will continue to seek additional opportunities in Tunisia, in Jerba and Hammamet; in Morocco, in Casablanca and Marrakech, as well as in Egypt.'