The Managing Director of Tibiyo TakaNgwane, Dr AT Dlamini, has confirmed that a partnership between Hilton Group and his company for the Royal Swazi Spa is a "done deal". This development has raised expectations that the Ezulwini-based hotel will reopen soon. Dlamini made the announcement on the sidelines of the UAE Leadership Cocktail Event at Hilton Garden Inn in Mbabane. The event was attended by Hilton Group Vice President of Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean, Victor Chalfoun.
According to Dlamini, negotiations and due diligence on the partnership are substantially complete. He expressed confidence that the hotel would reopen in a few months' time. Dlamini emphasized the significance of the partnership, stating that it would bring back employees and contribute to economic activity at a time when tourism is becoming increasingly important in Eswatini. The partnership is expected to involve Tibiyo TakaNgwane, the Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF), and Hilton Group.
Dlamini's comments were echoed by PSPF CEO Masotsha Vilakati, who described the Royal Swazi Spa reopening as a "known secret" that the properties would be operational soon. Vilakati recalled a recent tourism event where the Royal Swazi reopening was discussed, saying Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini had questioned why stakeholders continued talking about the reopening instead of simply opening the hotel. Vilakati confirmed that PSPF already has other ventures with Tibiyo TakaNgwane.
Victor Chalfoun struck a more measured tone when asked about the possibility of Hilton expanding its presence to the Royal Swazi Spa and potentially other properties in Ezulwini. He confirmed that Hilton was happy with its relationship with the hotel's owners and said the group was "currently exploring other opportunities". Chalfoun added that Hilton would only make an announcement once its evaluation process had been completed.
Dlamini gave his strongest indication yet of the anticipated reopening timeline, saying that the hotel would reopen soon. He emphasized that the deal with Hilton is "good as finished" and that reopening is imminent. The MD also stated that Chalfoun's indication that the process had reached the stage of determining what remained before reopening was encouraging.
The partnership between Hilton Group and Tibiyo TakaNgwane is expected to breathe new life into the Royal Swazi Spa, which has been closed for some time. The hotel's reopening is anticipated to have a positive impact on the local economy, particularly in the tourism sector. Dlamini emphasized the importance of completing the remaining work to turn the long-awaited reopening into reality.
With the partnership nearing completion, stakeholders are eagerly awaiting the official reopening of the Royal Swazi Spa. The hotel's reopening is expected to create new job opportunities and stimulate economic growth in the region. Key players involved in the partnership have expressed optimism about the project's prospects and are looking forward to making the partnership work.
Key points
- A partnership between Hilton Group and Tibiyo TakaNgwane for the Royal Swazi Spa is nearing completion.
- The hotel's reopening is expected to have a positive impact on the local economy, particularly in the tourism sector.
- The partnership is expected to involve Tibiyo TakaNgwane, the Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF), and Hilton Group.
