JULIUS BAUMANN

Aviation and Tourism Editor

Hilton Hotels is eager to expand its presence in SA and is in discussions with several hotel groups and developers about potential hotel sites around the country.

Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president of development for Hilton Hotels in Africa and Europe, said yesterday the group had in recent years lagged behind its competitors in SA and was particularly keen to expand aggressively, particularly in Cape Town, where another Hilton hotel is on the cards.

The group already has two hotels in Sandton and Durban. The 329-room hotel in Sandton is due to undergo a multimillion-rand room refurbishment programme.

“Cape Town has been missing from our mix in SA and we are exploring various sites in the city,” Fitzgibbon said. He said the group had neglected the country for too long and would soon appoint a country manager to oversee the company’s developments in SA.

Fitzgibbon said the group would consider all its brands for the local market, from the luxury Conrad hotels, to the mid-market Hilton Garden Inn and the down market Hampton hotel brand.

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Source: Business Day