The interest is due to economic growth, extensive oil and mineral wealth and a unique diversity of cultures, wildlife and landscape across 53 countries that are attracting a growing numbers of tourists.
Trevor Ward FIH, Managing Director of industry consultants W Hospitality Group, says: “We have seen the major international brands focusing more and more on sub-Saharan Africa in recent times. They have been involved in North Africa for many years, particularly in Egypt, due to the more mature tourism industry there. Civil unrest in parts of North Africa is inevitably going to slow the pace of development of new hotels there, but I see that as a temporary setback, with a rebound once the ‘hot spots’ stabilise again. New governments in these countries may, indeed, lead to new opportunities as growth through tourism development is raised up the political agenda.”
Ward further commented that “Sub-Saharan Africa has, so far, been unaffected by the unrest in the north, and there is considerable development activity taking place in Nigeria, where InterContinental and Radisson Blu both have deluxe hotels under construction, and in Angola, where another InterContinental Hotel is due to open soon. Best Western has finally established a presence in West Africa, with three hotels open in Nigeria and a fourth in Accra, Ghana, where Mövenpick also recently opened a property. Best Western has also signed up new hotels in Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya and Nairobi, with a second hotel in the pipeline in Takoradi, Ghana’s new oil capital.
For a case study on hotel growth in Lagos and the rest of Nigeria click here
Bench Events in association with SMIT (Moroccan Tourism Development Agency) and the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) will explore the opportunities in detail at the Hotel Investment Conference (HICA), Hyatt Regency, Casablanca, Morocco, 26-27 September 2011. Panel sessions will focus on the risks and rewards associated with developing hotels across Africa, those countries offering the most attractive returns and in depth review of successful case studies.
In addition to the event in Morocco, the TBCSA in association with Bench Events will also stage a separate HICA conference just before INDABA on 5-6 May 2011 that will focus on Southern Africa.
Further information for HICA, Morocco visit www.africa-conference.com
Further Information for HICA – Durban visit www.hica.co.za
