February 15, 2011 – NEW YORK, NY -  H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of Tanzania, officially reopened the Mount Meru Hotel as a five star luxury hotel on December 17, 2010, in Arusha, Tanzania’s safari capital and gateway to the North.  The festive opening included fine cuisine, entertainment and fireworks.

The new 178 room Mount Meru Hotel offers a stunning panorama of Mount Meru, Tanzania’s second highest peak after Kilimanjaro, and 37 acres of beautiful gardens. The luxury property features four presidential suites, four restaurants, golf course, large outdoor swimming pool, spa, conference facilities and a business center.

Dr. Aloyce K.  Nzuki, Managing Director, the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) says, “The opening of the Mt. Meru Hotel comes at an excellent time because the demand for high end hotels, especially with conference center facilities, has increased. Mainly in Arusha, which attracts many international conferences because of the Arusha International Conference Center, there has been a dire need for a large luxury property that would meet the criteria for regional and overseas delegates.”  Mount Meru hotel has a 300-seat conference center with a 24-seat boardroom and two small conference rooms.

Mount Meru sits on the eastern edge of the Great Rift Valley in Arusha, a hub for people visiting Africa’s most sought after attractions such as Ngorongoro Crater, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the famous Serengeti, home to the "great wildebeest migration" that was named the New 7th Wonder of the World by USA Today and ABC TV's Good Morning America.

The Arusha Gemstone Exhibition, scheduled for May 2011, will be the next major international event to be held at the new Mount Meru hotel. This Expo will bring gemstone dealers from around the world to Arusha, where the rare gemstone, Tanzanite, can be found.

For more information, visit http://www.mountmeruhotel.com

ABOUT TANZANIA
Tanzania, the largest country in East Africa, is focused on wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism, with approximately 28 % of the land protected by the Government. It boasts 15 National Parks and 31 game reserves. It is the home of the tallest mountain in Africa, the legendary Mt. Kilimanjaro; The Serengeti, home to the "Great Animal Migration" that was named the New 7th Wonder of the World by USA Today and ABC TV's Good Morning America; the world acclaimed Ngorongoro Crater, often called the 8th Wonder of the World; Olduvai Gorge, the cradle of mankind:  the Selous, the world’s largest game reserve; Ruaha, now the second largest National Park in Africa; the spice islands of Zanzibar; and seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Most important for visitors, the Tanzanian people are warm and friendly, speak English, which together with Kiswahili, are the two official languages; and the country is an oasis of peace and stability with a democratically elected and stable government.