Emaar Hospitality Group has further strengthened its footprint in the fast-growing markets of Africa, with a new management contract to operate a uniquely designed resort near the world-famous Masai Mara in Kenya.
The Address Masai Mara marks the company’s second hotel management contract in Africa. The Address Hotels and Resorts has already signed management contracts to operate The Address Marassi Golf Resort & Spa, an integral part of the Marassi master-planned community developed by Emaar Misr, the wholly owned subsidiary of Emaar Properties in Egypt.
The Address Masai Mara is scheduled for opening in 2013 and work is currently progressing, with a focus on integrating environmentally sustainable features in line with its strategic location near the national park.
Josef Kufer, chief operating officer of Emaar Hospitality Group, explained: 'The Address Masai Mara will stand apart as a unique resort in our portfolio. As part of the Greater Mara Ecosystem, the resort is designed to uphold the highest standards in environment-friendliness, and all operations will be aligned to provide our guests a lifestyle experience that builds on their expectations of enjoying nature at its pristine best at the Masai Mara National Reserve. The resort will also create direct and indirect job opportunities for the local population, thus highlighting our commitment to work with the local community.'
With easy access from the Olurruk Mara Airstrip, The Address Masai Mara will target safari tourists to the Masai Mara. The resort’s design and architecture interprets the concept of traditional Masai villages (bomas) which incorporate manyattas or tents, each of which will assure a sense of intimacy and seclusion. Each of these tents will provide breath-taking views of the Mara Plains, which is home to a rich variety of wild animals. Featuring an array of restaurants and a wellness spa that uses traditional Mara herbs and concoctions, the resort will bring a new dimension to hotel operation in the region.
Masai Mara is Africa’s greatest-known wildlife reserve. Its vast grassland plains are home to large populations of lions, leopards, and cheetahs, in addition to offering a visual feast of the annual migration of zebras, gazelles, and wildebeest from the Serengeti.