KIGALI - A renowned Belgium-based hotel group will take over the management of the Kigali Hotel and Convention Centre complex when complete, The New Times has learnt.

Leopold Mukama, the Managing Director of Ultimate Concepts - the company in charge of the multi-million dollar project, confirmed the developments in an interview yesterday.

"We shall still remain owners and they will do the management part of it. We actually did a lot of lobbying to have them come here,” Mukama said. 

Under its brand - Radisson Hotels, the acquisition will make Rwanda the 62nd country on its global portfolio.

"They are the biggest in Europe and we are proud to be associated with them,” Mukama added.

Media reports quote Kurt Ritter, the Chief Executive Officer of Rezidor, the company that owns the Radisson hotel chain, as saying that their entry into the Rwandan market is a testimony of the favorable investment climate in the country.

"This signing symbolizes the new optimism investors have in Rwanda, and further underlines our strong commitment to Africa – this emerging and promising continent is one of our key areas for future business development,” Kurt Ritter said.

Besides 292 guest rooms, the hotel will have six food and beverage outlets, a spa and fitness centre, an outdoor swimming pool, and boutique retail shops.

The adjacent convention centre will have a net floor area of 32,000 square metres, which will house a multipurpose arena with a capacity of up to 2,600 delegates, 7 sub-divisible conference rooms and 10 smaller meeting rooms.

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