Alan Vels

With 40 years' experience in the hospitality, education and property development industries and with the size and type of hospitality companies I have run and operated, I have the ability to manage and develop large multi-national hospitality organisations as well as standalone privately owned resorts and hotels. I have overseen hospitality development and management in six African countries as well as Madagascar and Mauritius. My professional objectives are to look at opportunities in hospitality where I can make a difference and to grow these operations to become highly profitable and well-respected contributors in the areas where they operate.

My passion and skills lie in the full ambit of hospitality representing, managing and operating products and people internationally. I am looking to grow and move on to greater things in the hospitality, development and leisure industry. My strongest competencies are in sales, marketing, human resources, training, property development and hospitality operations including finance.

Chief Operating Officer - The Latitude Hotel Group - Uganda, Zambia and Malawi

(2025-09)

Responsible for the day to day management of the group and to grow its footprint across East Africa.

CEO - The Hospitality Corporation of Africa (HOSPICO) - Kenya

(2019-07 - 2025-09)

• Overseeing the management and operations of Swahili Beach Resort and two new island developments in Kenya
• Swahili Beach has been voted Top Beach Resort in Africa for three years
• Swahili Beach Beach Club and Spa has been awarded top Resort Spa in Kenya for four years
• Developing, conceptualizing and operating large scale events at the Greyville Convention Centre, and The International Convention Centre in Durban as well as other venues in the province
• Working in conjunction with other large eventing companies in Durban assisting them with their large-scale events
• Consulting to various privately owned hotels in Kenya - on site since April 2019 with consulting to a large scale five-star resort in Kenya namely Swahili Beach Resort. HOSPICO closed the resort, refurbished and re-opened the property and assists with the day to day operations, training, sales and marketing, financial management and overall long-term strategy for the shareholders
• Consulting to The Blue Diamond Boutique Hotel, a five-star hotel in Gauteng from 2017-2019 overseeing the upgrade, repositioning and setting up operations for the business to be sustainable through HOSPICO

Founder and Owner - Durban Events Company - Durban

(2019-07 - 2025-09)

Past Chairman - Federated Hospitality Association, East Coast South Africa

Director Marketing and Hospitality - Elan Property and Hospitality Group - Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

(2012-07 - 2015-07)

• Overseeing the full ambit of management and marketing of the groups three hotels and the Greyville Convention Centre (2000 seater)
• The overall marketing of the groups eight residential real estate developments in Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands
• The development of new hospitality-based products within the various contracted real estate developments
• Management of an in-house graphic design studio
• Management of the group's overall marketing, sales, social media and development plan in Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Islands
• Management of the in-house PR and Events team
• Identifying new business opportunities and developing strategies around these

Managing Director - Signature Life Hotels - Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

(2009-01 - 2012-07)

The overall day to day strategic management of the group after it was founded in 2009.

• Grew the group to 32 hotels, resorts, lodges in Southern Africa – total 1950 hotel bedrooms
• Developed and project managed the opening of 22 new hotels in Southern Africa over the three years
• Developed an in-house Hotel School in conjunction with the Department of Economic Development in KZN
• Managed ZAR 742 million worth of assets for clients
• Reported into a Board of six Directors

Chief Executive Officer - Three Cities Hotel Group - Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

(2002-01 - 2009-01)

The overall day to day strategic management of the hotel group and International Hotel School after being appointed CEO.

• Grew the group to eventually 62 city hotels, resorts, lodges and boutique hotel in Africa – total 3500 hotel bedrooms
• Personally, oversaw the design, development and opening of 35 new hotels in Southern Africa and Madagascar
• Developed the International Hotel School (owned by The Three Cities Group),to be the largest private hotel school in Southern Africa which is affiliated to the American Hotel and Lodging Association in the USA, some 1500 students by 2009 in three campuses
• Was the head behind the successful Ushaka Marine World bid for management and opening of Ushaka Marine World in Durban with our partners, the City of Durban (largest marine theme park in the Southern Hemisphere)
• Managed ZAR 1.5 billion worth of assets for various clients
• Managed and ran hotels for financial institutions, United Breweries Group of India, private individuals, share blocks, body corporates and listed companies
• Reported into a board of eight directors

Chief Executive Officer - The International Hotel School - Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

(2002-01 - 2009-01)

Projects and Development Director - Three Cities Hotel Group - Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

(1995-07 - 2002-01)

Appointed as Group Projects Director to oversee the development and growth of the group's hotels. At time of joining the Group it had 4 hotels.

• Projected managed the planning, development, opening and first year operations of 17 hotels, resorts and game lodges and led the takeover teams of numerous existing hotels which joined the group
• Large developments included The Riverside Hotel in Durban (270 rooms), Alpine Heath Resort in the Drakensberg (600 rooms), Greenway Woods Resort in White River (150 rooms), Chobe Marina Lodge in Botswana (75 rooms), Lagoon Beach Hotel and Apartments in Cape Town (300 rooms), Le Franschhoek in the Western Cape (78 rooms) and The Royal Palm Hotel in Umhlanga (70 rooms)
• Developed with the Elan Property Group the first three sectional title hotel in South Africa
• Reported into the group's Chairman

General Manager - Sun International - Mmabatho Sun Resort

(1993-05 - 1995-07)

Overall day to day operation of a 170-bedroom four-star resort with 4 restaurants and conference facilities for 400 with a casino and golf course.

• Reported into the Area Regional Manager

Food and Beverage Manager - The Royal Hotel - Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

(1992-08 - 1993-05)

Responsible for the day to operation of 7 restaurants, 4 bars and banqueting for 700 including an outside catering division with a 3000-person capacity at this five-star independent Hotel.

• Reported to the Deputy General Manager
• Voted top City Hotel in South Africa for seven years

Deputy General Manager / Food and Beverage Manager - The Edward Hotel - Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

(1988-01 - 1992-07)

Responsible for the day to operations of this four-star hotel with 100 bedrooms, 6 restaurants seating 650 people and banqueting for 250 guests.

• Reported to the General Manager

Hotel School Practical Training - San Lameer / The Royal Hotel - KZN South Coast and Durban

(1987-01 - 1987-12)

Completed hotel school practical training at San Lameer on the KZN South Coast and The Royal Hotel in Durban.

Higher Diploma - Hotel Management - Johannesburg University (1985-01 - 1987-12)

Certification - Food and Beverage Management - Cornell University (1989-01 - 1989-12)

Certified Hospitality Administrator (CHA) - Hospitality Administration - American Hotel and Lodging Association (2007-01 - 2007-12)