The hotelier Kempinski, for operations, together with the Dubai developer Nakheel entered a veritable race against the clock in order to erect Djibouti’s first luxury hotel in less than a year. The goal: to be ready before the meeting of the Heads of State of Comesa, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. Deadlines were met thanks to intense work. In order to guarantee the success of the opening, Kempinski put together an outstanding team of one hundred members from ten hotels in the luxury group – and from the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi first and foremost. They arrived a few weeks before the opening to train and assist local personnel with regard to Kempinski standards. 177 rooms are now available to the public before the hotel shifts into high gear next summer. This state of the art hotel complex includes a conference center with a reception room measuring 1,000 square meters and many possibilities for sports activities: diving, windsurf, boating. This strategic port at the gateway to the Red Sea has plenty of tourist appeal with its magnificent beaches, Lake Abbe with its pink flamingos or the volcanic formations on Lake Assal. With this new property, Kempinski confirms its interest in the African continent after opening properties in Mali, Chad and Tanzania, Dar Es Salaam and Zanzibar. The Djibouti Palace Kempinski is also one of the first creations by Nakheel outside Dubai, confirming its desire for international expansion.