Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa June 2013 | Page 54

SMART MOVES

BY ANGELIQUE REDMOND

Hotels & Hospitality

Arthur Gillis on growth,
the future & innovation

A

rthur Gillis is the Group Managing
Director of Protea Hotels, a hotel
owning, management and franchise
company which was formed in 1984. The
company’s growth has been rapid and Protea
today has some 120+ hotels in 14 countries
across Africa under its umbrella. Protea has
been rated the largest hotel group in Africa
by the prestigious international magazine,
Hotels. The group has an annual turnover
of approximately US$100 million.We sat

down and chatted to Arthur Gillis about the
hospitality industry and South Africa.
1.You are quite intimately acquainted with
the hospitality industry, how is it faring this
year in terms of previous years?
Nationally we’re looking reasonably bullish.
The industry is certainly on firmer footing
than previously, although some regions are
outperforming others.

2. Where do you see the hospitality industry
going in the next few years?
We’re on an ascending J-curve and the future
for the industry is bright in this country if we
take cognisance of the fact that the global
economy is still far from mended and we work
within that frame of reference.
3. How does growth in hospitality and
tourism touch other sectors?
In provinces like the Western Cape the industry
contributes about 10% of the entire province’s
GDP, so it by extension it arguably affects every
business sector.
4. Tell me a bit about your background and
how you got into hospitality?
I am a graduate of the Johannesburg University
School of Tourism & Hospitality. I’ve also
studied at Cornell University in the States on
several occasions, completing Cornell’s first
Advanced Management Program.
I’ve been managing director and CEO of
Protea Hotels since 1988. In that time we’ve
launched the luxury African Pride Hotels
brand and created the Protea Hotel Fire & Ice!
concept. Protea Hotels has twice been voted
Africa’s Leading Hotel Brand at the World
Travel Awards. The company has also twice

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June 2013 SA Real Estate Investor

www.reimag.co.za