Leading hospitality player, IHG Hotels & Resorts, is recording strong growth trajectory in the African continent as they are set to open additional 35 hotels and over 6,500 rooms from the pipeline in next three years. 

The bold vision has signalled sustained regional growth for one of the world’s leading hospitality companies and its rapidly expanding hospitality landscape. 

IHG’s portfolio in Africa includes 38 open hotels and over 9,200 rooms.

IHG expects milestone hotel openings this year across Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa, including the voco Cairo Arabella Plaza, InterContinental Rabat, and the iconic InterContinental Table Bay Cape Town.

Managing Director for IHG Hotels & Resorts for India, Middle East & Africa (IMEA), Haitham Mattar, said: “Driven by the vast tourism potential and increasing urban development across various countries, Africa continues to generate strong demand for international-standard accommodations, presenting an incredible opportunity for growth in the hospitality sector. Travellers are eager to explore the continent’s diverse offerings – its natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, unique wildlife experiences, and business potential, presenting exciting opportunities for IHG.”

Set to open in December 2025, the InterContinental Table Bay hotel in Cape Town is a hotel they are especially excited about, said Mattar, as it will build on the hotel’s rich history and usher in a new era of luxury hospitality in the market.  

“With its scenic location and a legacy of excellence, this iconic property embodies the essence of the InterContinental brand, and we’re pleased to be working with V&A Waterfront and Sun International to bring this to life in one of Africa’s most vibrant cities,” said Mattar.

Head of Franchise, Amith Khanna, said that as one of the largest hospitality companies with over 6,700 hotels, and more than 1,000 in the pipeline, franchising in Africa was established three years ago. 

“It is growing and developing. In this part of the world, our boldest strategy in most of the markets is franchising. So we don’t mix one operating goal over another because it’s always about the right operating model, with the right brand, the right buyer, and the right market.

“For franchising, owners need to have their expertise and experience in managing. We set standards, and they need to deliver on those standards. If they cannot do it, then we are willing to work with party management companies, and that is how we see people wanting to own their franchise,” said Khanna. 

Khanna said they currently have seven operating hotels in South Africa. 

The African hospitality industry is experiencing significant growth, driven by international hotel chains increasing operations and expanding their footprints. As per a report by UN Tourism, in 2024, the continent welcomed 74 million international visitors – a 7% increase from 2019 and a 12% increase compared to 2023.

North Africa led the recovery with a 22% increase in international arrivals compared to 2019, with intra-African travel also playing a significant role in the overall tourism increase. Such figures indicate an enhancement of infrastructure and experiences and a growing perception of Africa as a premier tourism destination.

Speaking to the challenges of the hospitality industry, Khanna said: “You will always have challenges but it’s about how to mitigate those challenges. Whether it’s the economic instability of a country that’s a trigger that once stability sets in, you get a lot of demand getting to you where owners reach out to us wanting to take on a specific brand. 

“So whether it’s the inflation or devaluation of currency and the build of operational costs, many owners share the challenges they face. Regarding skilled manpower, we aim to counter this by providing training and community upliftment,” said Khanna.  

chevon.booysen@inl.co.za

Source link