PROTEA ANNOUNCES NEW BUSINESS HOTEL IN BLOEMFONTEIN - May 2007

Protea Hotels has announced a new R60million business hotel in Bloemfontein, set to open in April 2008. Construction on the Protea Hotel Willow Lake is scheduled for late May, and will see a new 94-bedroomed hotel designed in accordance with the successful model previously used on business hotels in Nelspruit, Kimberley and Mafikeng. 'An unbeatable business model has been designed for business hotels and has proved a success with Protea Hotel Nelspruit and Protea Hotel Mafikeng, and it is this model that will be used for Protea Hotel Willow Lake,' said Mr. Bill Ford, Regional Director for Protea Hotels.

Situated in the grounds of the Bloemfontein Zoo, the hotel will have a befitting game lodge theme, in line with the property's eco-diverse surroundings. A welcome boost to the local economy, the establishment will provide both permanent jobs and temporary jobs during its development and refurbishment phase. This investment is championed by Eizon Investment. Mr. Phanus Zondagh, director of Zoo Lodge (Pty) Ltd, believes that the future of tourism lies in the ability to create eco-diverse and sustainable investments in the tourism industry.

This hotel aligns itself with the accommodation requirements of the 2010 world cup. Protea Hotel Willow Lake will be located within minutes of the Bloemfontein world cup stadium. The Lodge will be a major contributor to the preservation and protection of the animal species in the Zoo.

The Free State Tourism Authority welcomes this initiative and believes that it will set precedence in the tourism investment model. The authority challenges the industry to be conscious of the environment and how tourism should contribute towards the balancing of the endangered eco-system.