Global hotel group Six Continents Hotels has opened its first Holiday Inn property in Tunisia earlier this year.
The Holiday Inn Resort Hammamet, owned by 'Société La Paix', a leading specialist in Tunisia's tourism industry and part of the Poulina Group, features 213 standard rooms, 32 family rooms, 19 deluxe rooms and 12 junior suites and is part of the spectacular integrated resort of Yasmine Hammamet. With a portfolio of more than 3,260 hotels and 514,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories, Six Continents Hotels will use its global reach to promote the new Holiday Inn Resort Hammamet, and highlight Tunisia's business and touristic attractions. "The country will benefit from our ability to attract major new business, leisure, conference and incentive traffic into the country through our worldwide reservations system, and global network of hotels and reservations offices," said David Atkinson, area director, sales and marketing, Holiday Inn, Six Continents Hotels, Middle East and Africa. A 65 km drive south from Tunis-Carthage International Airport, the resort's location within Yasmine Hammamet allows guests access to a 740-ship capacity marina, two golf courses and white sandy beaches. A medieval city, called Medina, is being constructed along with a theme park and a casino which are due to open soon. Tunisian architecture and style, preserved throughout the Holiday Inn Resort Hammamet, contributes to the hotel's enormous charm. Dining and entertainment facilities include a 300-seat main restaurant serving local and international cuisine, an à la carte restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine, a pool snack outlet, a traditional Tunisian café, and a piano bar and American bar. Guests can choose from a host of sports and recreational activities, including a private beach, fitness centre, outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, mini golf, archery, volley and basketball, animation centre, games room and children club. In January 2003, the hotel will open a thalassotherapy centre, including sauna, hammam, massage treatments and indoor swimming pool. Other amenities and services include a multi-purpose meeting room for up to 260 delegates, a shopping arcade, tour desk, car-rental and airport collection. "The resort is ideally situated to take advantage of Tunisia's mild Mediterranean climate and endless sunshine, and we have access to many kilometres of sandy beaches," said Mustapha Blanco, the hotel's general manager.