The hotel will produce compost from food waste, which will be used to grow vegetables for the hotel’s restaurants in a roof top vegetable garden.

 

By TZ Business News Staff.

The world-famous Ramada hotel chain officially opened its doors for service in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Tuesday, April 21, 2015, launching the first ‘green’ energy-saving hotel in the country.

Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company based on number of hotels and one of three hospitality business units of Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN), announced the opening of their 139-room Ramada  Resort  in Dar es Salaam on the day.

The new hotel is also seen as a positive step  toward uplifting service standards in a country where hotel owners admit standards need improvement. The Hotels Association of Tanzania (HAT) says in one of its documents one of the challenges facing the hotel industry in Tanzania  is the introduction of “responsible” standards in a country with “inconsistent standards of quality.”

“The opening of Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam is of significant strategic importance for us,” commented Dan Ruff, Wyndham Hotel Group’s president and managing director, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Indian Ocean. “Given the increasing demand for quality, internationally-branded accommodation in Eastern Africa, as well as our commitment to getting closer to our guests and our customers through the expansion of our managed property division, it is a key milestone in our regional growth.”

The magnificent  structure  in Tanzania’s business capital will complement Wyndham Hotel Group’s existing portfolio of franchised properties in Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria and Tunisia;  the hotel marks not only the company’s expansion into Eastern Africa, but is the  first property within the greater continent to be operated via the company’s growing management division, a company press release said.

“With exceptional facilities and a stunning beachfront location, Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam sets a new standard within Tanzania’s midscale segment and we look forward to extending a warm Ramada welcome to our first guests,” Ruff added.

Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam  will offer 139 rooms and suites including 117 superior rooms with a choice of ocean or garden views, 21 executive suites, and one presidential suite.

All rooms have an interactive flat screen TV with satellite channels, free Wi-Fi, mini bar, tea and coffee making facilities, private bathrooms with complimentary toiletries and walk-in shower or bathtub. Tinga-tinga artwork adds local flavour and a sense of the East African spirit.

Extensive leisure facilities include a swimming pool and state-of-the-art rooftop gym, as well as direct access to the white sands of Jangwani Beach. Those looking to host a conference or event have the choice of seven meeting rooms, catering for up to 375 guests and five food and beverage outlets serving a range of African and international cuisines.

Throughout the construction of the hotel, which began in 2009, significant emphasis has been placed on sustainability.

The establishment is also environment friendly, the press release says. Key initiatives include treating and reusing 100 per cent of all waste water, solar-powered water heating, innovative LED lighting systems and beach protection measures to prevent erosion of the hotel’s private beach.

In addition, the hotel plans to produce compost from food waste, which will be used to grow vegetables for the hotel’s restaurants in a roof top vegetable garden.

Mr. Murtaza Fazal, owner of the Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam, commented:  “I am delighted to have signed a long-term management agreement with Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company. I am also proud to be the first investor in Eastern Africa to introduce the well-known Ramada brand to the market. I feel sure that our new resort property on the beautiful Jangwani Beach will quickly become a popular destination for local and international tourists and business visitors alike, thanks to its attractive location, elegant architecture and excellent facilities.”

“I am also especially gratified to be a pioneer in the introduction of many ‘green’ energy-saving hotel features that will help protect the environment, and will hopefully set a precedent for other African hotel owners to follow,” Fazal added.

Guests staying at Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam who are members of ‘Wyndham Rewards’, Ramada’s free-to-join guest loyalty programme, can earn valuable points during their stay.  Points may be redeemed for a wide variety of reward options including free hotel stays, air travel, and  gift cards for leading retailers.

The resort also increases hotel choices for tourists coming into the East African nation. Tourism is one of the fastest  growing sectors in Tanzania and the world at large, where the sector has achieved the phenomenal average growth rate of 15% annually in the last 10 years.

The flow of foreign tourists into the country has kept increasing steadily in the last 17 years since liberalization of  the tourism business in the late 1980s.

Currently tourism plays a vital role in Tanzania’s economic development. It contributes about 16% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and about 25% of the foreign exchange earnings. It also contributes about 14% of total investment and offers employment opportunities to over 300,000 people, according to a Government document on this sector.

Tourist arrivals  continue to be expected to rise considering the many attractions available in the Country.The traditional Northern Tourist Circuit extends from Kilimanjaro region to Arusha and Manyara regions. This tourist zone is endowed with the most glamorous tourist attractions that are renowned all over the world.  The northern circuit contains the 610 meters deep Ngorongoro Crater with a diameter of 20 km and the historic  archaeological site of Olduvai Gorge popularly accepted as the Origin of Mankind.

But Tanzania also contains the so-called “Eastern Tourist Circuit” which includes Pare and Usambara mountains, Mkomazi and Saadani National Parks, the coastal area and the islands of Mafia, Zanzibar and Pemba.

The exotic islands of Zanzibar and Pemba islands are nestled in the sun, and easily reached by a 20 minute flight, or one hour sail by boat from Dar es Salaam.

Tanzania mainland has a more than 850 Km Indian Ocean coastline, which extends from Vanga on the Tanzania-Kenya border to Mwambo on the mouth of the Ruvuma River near the Tanzania- Mozambique border.  This is the longest and most un-spoilt of the African coast: a coast-line blessed with beautiful, un-crowded palm clad beaches and undersea coral gardens–many within easy reach of Dar es Salaam.