CEO, Neil Bald of aha Hotels & Lodges says the group plans to double the number of rooms it operates from 2 500 to 5 000 within the next five years.

“We have determined four streams to generate growth – new property management contracts, acquisitions of other companies, property leases and limited property acquisitions,” says Bald.

The expansion plan will see aha grow its footprint in key locations, both within South Africa and regionally. In terms of hotels, Bald says aha wants to enhance its presence where it’s currently under-represented. “Cape Town and Sandton in Johannesburg are big focus areas,” he says. 

The company is also looking to take on lodges in iconic destinations, like SA’s private reserves and the Kruger National Park, especially since SANParks has implemented its commercialisation strategy.  Key routes such as the Garden Route are equally important, where Bald said aha wants to have a hotel and a lodge.

Outside of SA, he says lodges need to be in or near Etosha in Namibia, the Chobe or Delta in Botswana, the Serengeti in Tanzania, the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, or the Masai Mara in Kenya.

The company has recently taken on a number of regional properties. in Zambia, aha has signed a full management and marketing contract for the Kafue River Cliff Hotel and Conference Centre, which is scheduled to open in August 2018. “This expansion in Zambia is a step in the right direction in terms of our growth strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa and contributing towards Zambia’s rapidly growing hospitality sector,” said Bald.

Bald mentioned that they have an opportunity to go into Uganda, and aha is trying to establish themselves within the country since there is the potential of developing a tourism circuit, with the gorillas and the Nile being some of the key tourist attractions.

There is massive opportunity for the group in Namibia, says Bald, specifically in terms of the lodge space, as Namibia continues to attract a growing predominately inbound leisure market. He said there is enough demand in Namibia for an additional 20 to 30 top-run lodges, which allows for aha extending its footprint in the country.

The company  is also focusing on East Africa. Bald says: “We had some presence in East Africa through our sister companies and naturally this is a good base to work from. He told Tourism Update that aha is focused on growing significantly in Tanzania.