The number of international hotel chains in the country has grown further this week following the entrance into the local market of Swiss International Hotels.

The international hotel group on Tuesday took over the management of Villa Portofino Hotel, located in Nyarutarama.

The move will see the hotel undergo re-branding and training initiatives for a three-month period as well as adopt a new name, Swiss International Villa Portofino Kigali.

The hotel, with a bed capacity of 51 rooms, will also see its facilities upgraded.

Swiss International Hotels operates more than 30 hotels across Europe, China, Middle East and Africa.

Rwanda is the third footprint on the continent after Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

According to Henri Kennedie, the chair and chief executive of Swiss International Hotels, among the reasons they picked interest in Rwanda is the rapid growth the country is going through and its ambitions to become a centre of international conferences.

"A solid hotel sector with quality brands is necessary for the growth to continue for the coming decennia. When we were introduced to the opportunity to commence operating the Villa Portofino, as the Swiss International Villa Portofino, we did not have to think too long,” Kennedie said.

Swiss International Hotels joins a long list of international brands that have joined Rwanda’s hospitality sector.

Last year, Mantis, which has presence in more than 70 countries across the globe, expressed interest in taking over management of Delegations Inn Ltd, based in Kimihurura, Kigali.

Other international brands already operating hotels in the country include Kempinski Hotels which took over the management Hotel des Mille Collines, Golden Tulip Hotels a French outlet that is operating the Nyamata-based La Palisse and Serena Group of Hotels, Marriot Hotels, Radisson Blu, Zinc among others.

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