Haile Resort Jimma, the tenth destination in the 15-year-old Haile Hospitality Group, was inaugurated last week at a cost of 1.7 billion Br, with financing sourced internally. Located 350km southwest of Addis Abeba in Jimma, in Oromia Regional State, the hotel spans 16,000sqm with a total built-up area of 15,300sqm. The resort boasts 105 rooms, two villas, five conference halls, and four restaurants, as well as other recreational facilities. The construction of the hotel took one and a half years. Gadisa Girma, the managing director of Haile Hospitality Group, stated that the southwest area of Ethiopia lacks developed hotel infrastructure. “We do not expect to experience a shortage of customers.” He anticipates a diverse customer base, including coffee traders, tourists, as well as business-leisure travellers. The Haile Hospitality Group has more than 2,500 employees, and the Jimma branch currently employs 210 people. Gadisa disclosed that its Hawassa, Arba Minch, and Adama hotels have strong performance especially during holiday seasons and school winter break. All branches have an occupancy rate of more than 60pc. This year, Gadisa expects the reopening of the Shashemene branch, severely damaged in June 2020 during a period of unrest and violence, as well as the launching of the Debre Berhan branch, both of which are at 90pc completion