Africa is growing as a favourite travel destination. And international hotels are boosting their capacity to meet demand – not just in existing markets but entering new countries as well. The top three countries are Egypt, Nigeria and Morocco, the Africa Business Communities reported over the weekend.
A total of 75 155 branded rooms in 401 hotels are in development across the whole of Africa – a net increase of almost 11 000 rooms in the pipeline, 17 percent up from 2018.
Ethiopia, coming in fourth, has seen another increase in pipeline deals, up from 31 hotels in 2018, signed by international chains such as Accor and Hilton as well as by regional chains such as aha and Latitude. Best Western and IHG each signed two hotels in 2018.
The majority of these deals, 27 hotels with 84 percent of total rooms, are in Addis Ababa.
This year the top ten countries account for 69 percent of the total hotels in the survey, and 74 percent of the rooms.
Full details will be revealed and discussed at the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) in Addis Ababa, September 23 – 25 2019, organised by Bench Events. It is the leading conference of its kind in Africa, connecting business leaders and fuelling investment in tourism projects, infrastructure and hotel development across the continent.
