Luanda, Angola, 27 July -Angola is to get 39 new hotels of various categories in the coming 30 months involving estimated investments of US$ 500 million, an official has said.

Rosa da Cruz of the Luanda tourism ministry’s planning department said Thursday that the new investment was due to a number of upcoming sporting events being staged in Angola, such as the African Nations Cup in 2010, Afrobasket and the African Women’s Handball Championships.

Angola’s hotel sector is set to grow by about 8 percent annually over the next few years, said da Cruz, with a parallel expansion in restaurants and overall improvement in quality of services.

“Angolan tourism has being developing positively. Results achieved and the country’s balance of payment figures are proof of this reality,” added the official. (macauhub)