we are ready for the challenge.”

Mr Farooqui continued, “In every respect, this new hotel symbolizes the spirit and substance of our dynamic country, economy and culture which as business men we have an obligation to promote. I wish to thank all partners with us in this amazing investment that means so much to Cape Town. I commend also the main contractor, the architects, the operators and all others who played a terrific part in the planning, design, financing and construction of this impressive property.”

With the outline of Table Mountain just in front of it the view from some of the rooms at Coral International Cape Town is absolutely spectacular. Jacqui Booyzen, General Manager of the hotel said, “Coral International Cape Town takes modern luxury to a higher level. All its 137 well-appointed rooms and suites are elegantly furnished and equipped with indulgent amenities. Superior meeting facilities, outstanding dining outlets and superb leisure options make for a memorable experience. Along with an excellent range of facilities we offer our guests those added extras that make all the difference to a trip. The goal is to appeal to both leisure and business travellers with an intimate, more personalized service and greater attention to detail in a comfortable environment that doesn’t feel over bearing.”

		Coral Hotels & Resorts is the first Gulf hotel brand to make the journey to South Africa and is looking to expand its presence in the country. The CEO of HMH - Hospitality Management Holdings, Mr Michel Noblet said: “Cii Holdings is a leading business house specializing in property, finance, technology and broadcasting and we are extremely proud to associate with the group. We are also truly grateful to the local authorities for their continued support. “With Coral International Cape Town we are happy to bring for the first time to South Africa a truly authentic experience of Arabian hospitality combined with world-class modern
facilities.Too many hotels are built without adequate forethought or fore-consideration of a community’s needs. Our aim with Coral International Cape Town is to offer a prestigious new address with a distinctive experience. The hotel is a beautiful addition to our portfolio and offers a safe haven for travellers in an alcohol-free environment.”

The demand for accommodations far exceeds supply in South Africa and hence swamped with business, it is currently the most attractive place in the world for hotels. The country is spending a whopping R40bn ($5.4bn, €3.4bn, £2.8bn) on projects related to the World Cup including new hotels, safari lodges and stadiums. A record 450,000 international visitors are expected during the month-long tournament which kicks off in June.

Notes for Editors

About CII Holdings

Cii Holdings is among the most established business houses in South Africa with a wide range of commercial activities spread across diverse segments. Prominent among these are Cii Broadcasting (Pty) Ltd (a pioneer in global Islamic broadcasting); Cii Stores (Pty) Ltd (a unique Islamic retail store concept); Cii Finance (Pty) Ltd (a trusted Shariah compliant financial firm) and Cii Hotel & Resorts Cape Town (Pty) Ltd.

The group is now poised to be a major player in the hospitality sector. Plans are already underway for developing hotels in key destinations across South Africa.

About Coral Hotels & Resorts

A member of HMH (Hospitality Management Holdings), Coral Hotels & Resorts is a quality-driven 5-star brand with a vision of excellence based on attention to detail and maximum efficiency. Headquartered in Dubai, the chain has very quickly spread across key destinations in the Middle East and North, South and East Africa and offers an array of exciting properties. Designed for discerning travellers who seek intimate surroundings, distinctive service and safe environment, Coral Hotels & Resorts is dedicated to ensuring the highest levels of comfort and hospitality.

About HMH

Founded in 2003, HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings is one of the fastest growing, fully-integrated hotel management and development companies in the Middle East. Headquartered in Dubai, HMH offers a complete spectrum of options in hotel categories from top-end luxury hotels to budget properties. Comprising 4 distinct hotel brands namely Coral Hotels & Resorts, Corp Executive Hotels, ECOS Hotels and EWA Hotel Apartments, HMH provides a comprehensive selection of accommodations and services to suit all budgets and clientele.

HMH’s Expansion Strategy for 2010

Despite the global economic downturn, HMH (Hospitality Management Holdings) is forging ahead with aggressive plans to expand its strong network of 33 hotels making it one of the fastest growing hospitality groups in the Middle East. Girding the globe with new hotels practically every few weeks, HMH continues to add rooms at a furious pace across its brands. The group’s expansion strategy is mainly focused on Africa and Asia aside from the home turf i.e. the Middle East. HMH plans to open 20 new hotels by the end of 2010 taking its existing portfolio of 33 to 53 - thus increasing the group’s total number of rooms by more than 40 %. HMH has already signed 55 hotels and has a tall target of 100 hotels by 2012.

Key Facts about HMH

Tourism in South Africa

South Africa has established itself as the world’s most sought after tourist destination with nearly 10 million tourists. Continued growth in African tourism this year will be credited to the soccer World Cup in South Africa, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisations (UNTWO).  

African tourism was, in the last quarter of 2009, among the best performers recording a growth rate of over 5 per cent with a total of 812,652 visitors. “Against the backdrop of both the upturn in international tourism figures and overall economic indicators in recent months, UNWTO forecasts a growth in international tourist arrivals of between 3 percent and 4 percent in 2010 for Africa,” UNWTO said.

The total number of travellers who visited South Africa through all its ports of entry during October 2009 lifted 4.6% year-on-year (y/y) to 2.375 million from the 10.4% y/y increase in September, according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) data released recently. A month-on-month (m/m) increase of 3.1% was seen. The travellers through the ports were made up of 722,616 South African residents and 1,652,673 foreign travellers. A detailed analysis by Stats SA reveals that all the overseas regions had at least 92.0% of their tourists coming to South Africa for holidays.

Cape Town’s Main Attractions

With the unmistakable flat-topped Table Mountain rising to 3,563ft above it, Cape town is one of the world’s most iconic cities offering the greatest holiday experience with an amazing range of scenery, culture and history. Its attractions are myriad – the cable car that takes those with a head for heights to the mountain’s summit; the colourful, hilly streets of the Bo-Kaap district; the busy shops and restaurants of the Victoria and Albert Waterfront, the curled finger of the Cape of Good Hope, extending south of the urban area; the gorgeous beach at Muizenberg, on False Bay.

Haunt of poets, artists and writers, Kalk Bay is Cape Town’s unpretentious creative zone. Its bohemian mix of craft shops and galleries — most of them on the same stretch of road — is made all the more alluring by the town’s cobbled streets, historic cottages and brightly colored fishing boats. Most unmissable, though, is the offshore museum on Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 20 years.

Coral International Cape Town is well located to experience the high life of the city, indulge in its many pleasures, soak in its spectacular sights and sounds, and discover the legendary opulence of its shopping centres.