AFRICA now ranks among the fastest growing economic regions in the world, according to a recent report by the McKinsey Global Institute, and the hotel sector reflects this exciting trend with established and international brands and developers entering the marketplace. Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International and The Rezidor Hotel Group are among those developing in the region and recent construction pipelines indicate that there are more than 190 hotel projects in planning and development, with combined guest rooms totalling more than 37,000. Examples of recent planned hotel developments and openings include: • Hotel operator Monte-Carlo SBM has teamed up with Aerium Atlas Management (part of the Aerium Group) to develop a 34.5 acre site in the Menara district of Marrakech: the £120-million ($197-million) Jawhar Resort, Spa and Private Residences; • Rocco Forte Collection is launching a new five-star 90-key all suite hotel, golf and spa resort, the Assoufid Resort in Marrakesh, with the North Africa Holding Company. Rocco Forte will also be managing the 275-room Shepheard Hotel in Cairo with The Egyptian General Company for Tourism and Hotels (EGOTH) to launch in 2013; • Jumeirah Group is developing the Jumeirah Gamsha Bay Resort in Egypt, a luxury 250-room hotel on the mixed-use development of Palm Gamsha; • The Rezidor Hotel Group has recently announced the planning of its seventh hotel in Nigeria, The Park Inn Lagos, Apapa featuring 125 rooms and set to open in 2013. Rezidor has the largest pipeline in Sub-Saharan Africa with new openings planned in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Zambia, Rwanda and Mozambique; • Taj Hotels is set to launch the Taj Palace Marrakesh, later this year, following on from the successful opening of the Taj Cape Town in 2010 and • Sol Melia is set to open a new hotel on the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania, the Melia Zanzibar – a five-star holiday resort following the inauguration of its first hotel in Cabo Verde. The company has six hotels on the African continent, with four in Egypt. Providing a unique insight and overview into the opportunities available, Bench Events is organising the inaugural Hotel Investment Conference in Africa (HICA) taking place in Casablanca on September 26 and 27 and already attracting delegates from around the world interested in benefiting from the networking opportunities. A programme of seminars and sessions with a list of influential speakers which will educate potential investors and developers and raise awareness to optimise the opportunity of sustainable development of the hospitality industry on the African continent. Jonathan Worsley, chairman of Bench Events, said 'We have been aware of the huge potential of Africa for some time and have been actively building relationships with governments and consultants in the region to launch a hotel investment conference, which I am pleased to say will take place in Casablanca from September 26 to 27 this year…much of the problem has understandably been a lack of knowledge of how to successfully carry out business here. 'There have been many challenges which governments have been working hard to resolve. 'The purpose of the conference is to show delegates how successful investors and operators have overcome these hurdles and to explore ways in which to work in partnerships to attract further hotel investment to the region.' As further outlined in the McKinsey report, the rate of return on foreign investment in Africa is higher than in any other developing market (from $9 billion in 2000 to $62 billion in 2008) providing early entry adopters the chance to develop their own markets and establish brand presence and profile while shaping the future economic climate and promoting new levels of tourism both domestic and international. The World Travel Organisation has recently forecast that in-bound tourism (to Africa) will increase by more than 50 per cent from 2010 to 2020 while Africa’s combined consumer spending is now $860 billion and set to continue to grow.
