by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 7:30 AM ET, Fri April 6, 2018
AccorHotels and South Africa-based hospitality and travel conglomerate Mantis Group are joining forces to protect wildlife in Africa.
The two companies are launching Community Conservation Fund Africa (CCFA), a non-profit organization aimed at amplifying both groups' commitment to preventing the continued decline of the continent's many endangered and threatened animals.
The new NGO will bring together three internationally renowned conservation organizations - Wilderness Foundation, Tusk Trust and African Parks.
The announcement about the launch of CCFA was made in conjunction with news that AccorHotels has entered a strategic partnership with Mantis Group, acquiring a 50 percent stake in the company.
"Mantis is a pioneer in customized one-of-a-kind travel services in some of the most imaginative hotels across the world," Sebastien Bazin, chairman and CEO of AccorHotels said in a statement. "With this strategic partnership, we are reinforcing the Group's footprint in Africa and we have access to a brand with strong roots and heritage, recognized for its commitment to preserving the environment and its prestigious credentials in the hospitality space."
Mantis Group is a collection of award-winning, privately owned, managed and branded five-star properties and lodges located around the world, across all seven continents.
Altogether, the Mantis network features 28 managed properties and a global network of branded hotels and residences, including boutique villas and flagship properties such as Founders Lodge - a South African game reserve located in the Eastern Cape.
Mantis St Helena is also part of the group. The boutique hotel is located on the remote island in the Atlantic Ocean. Mantis also owns the Draycott Hotel in London, a property synonymous with Old World elegance and quintessential British luxury.
Celebrated for its far-flung experiences aimed at the adventure curious, the Mantis Group also owns and operates a number of unique luxury houseboats and a lodge under the Zambezi Queen Collection brand.
"AccorHotels is one of the fastest growing hotel and travel operators worldwide," Founder and Chairman of the Mantis Group, Adrian Gardiner, said in a statement. "This agreement presents an attractive proposition for the Mantis Group to utilize AccorHotels' robust distribution channels and worldwide reach to further develop the hospitality concepts and sustainability projects we have worked so tirelessly to grow. We are excited to embark on this new chapter alongside AccorHotels where we will act as ambassadors for the development of both our Groups' portfolios and offerings."
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