MENU
17-19 June 2025
The Westin Cape Town, South Africa
Content Library
Videos
Setting the Scene: Assessing Market Dynamics through an Investor's Lens
Wayne Godwin, Co-Chief Executive Officer at JLL Africa and Head of JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group, Africa, provided key insights into the region’s market dynamics, evaluating them from an investor's perspective.
Government Initiatives to support the Hospitality Industry
Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor at CBS News, led a compelling conversation with Hon. Lola Ade-John, Minister of Tourism for Nigeria, and Hon. Pohamba Penomwenyo Shifeta, Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism for Namibia. They discussed the key government strategies and initiatives aimed at strengthening the hospitality sector in their respective countries.
Setting the Scene for Destination & Hotel Development in Africa
Philip Wooller, Senior Director at STR, provided key insights into the evolving landscape of destination and hotel development across Africa, focusing on trends, opportunities, and challenges shaping the region’s growth.
Podcasts
Episode 92: BWH's Global Footprint: Independent Hotels, New Markets, and the Future of Travel
With over 4,200 hotels across 100 destinations, BWH Hotels has transformed from a midscale brand into a global player covering everything from luxury to glamping. In this episode of the FHS Africa Podcast, we sit down with Ron Pohl, President of WorldHotels and Head of International Operations at BWH Hotels, to explore the group's evolving strategy.
Episode 91: Tui Blue's Growth Strategy Across Africa
In this episode of the FHS Africa Podcast, Matthew Weihs speaks with Wesam Okasha, Managing Director of TUI BLUE, about the brand’s ambitious expansion across Africa.
Navigating Africa’s Hospitality Market: Insights on Economic Shifts, Connectivity, and Investment
In this AHIF podcast, host Matthew Weihs and political economist Daniel Silke explore Africa’s booming hospitality market, covering key trends, investment opportunities, and economic shifts driving the sector forward. Tune in to see why Africa is the next big destination for hospitality investment.
Press room
The Bench rebrands AHIF as FHS Africa under unified Future Hospitality Summit portfolio
The Bench, a global leader in hospitality investment events, is rebranding the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF) as Future Hospitality Summit Africa (FHS Africa). Doing so brings AHIF, Africa’s most influential tourism investment conference, under The Bench's flagship Future Hospitality Summit, or 'FHS' brand, aligning it with FHS Saudi Arabia and the Dubai-based FHS World
AHIF Heads to Cape Town for the First Time for its 13th Edition
Africa’s premier conference for tourism and hospitality investment, AHIF, is gearing up for its 2025 edition in Cape Town. Taking place from 17 to 19 June at The Westin Cape Town, AHIF 2025 will introduce an innovative, dynamic format aimed at fostering new partnerships and facilitating deals within Africa’s rapidly expanding hospitality sector - one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.
Dream Hotels & Resorts and CityBlue Hotels Forge Strategic Partnership to Promote Pan-African Hospitality
Dream Hotels & Resorts (Dream) and CityBlue Hotels (CityBlue) announced a strategic sales and representation partnership to strengthen their market presence across Africa. The collaboration, under the tagline "Collaborating for a Brighter African Hospitality Future," unites two leading African hospitality companies with a shared vision for sustainable growth.
Reports
REPORT: Hotel development booms in Africa, boosted by Egypt and Marriott
The latest Hotel Chain Development Pipelines in Africa report reveals a record 577 hotel projects and over 104,000 rooms in the pipeline across the continent — a 13.3% year-on-year increase. North Africa is leading the charge with a 23% growth rate, while Egypt tops the country rankings with nearly 34,000 rooms in development. Marriott, Hilton, and Accor continue to dominate, accounting for more than half of the continent’s pipeline.
REPORT: Unlocking Value in African Hospitality: Insights and Opportunities for 2025
Africa’s hospitality sector is entering a transformative era, driven by strong visitor growth, shifting consumer preferences, and increasing investment. In 2024, the continent attracted over 80 million international travellers, contributing more than $140 billion to global tourism revenue—a 14% year-on-year rise. With the sector poised for a $50 billion expansion by 2030, stakeholders must adapt to evolving traveller motivations and spending behaviours to maximize returns. This report by Euromonitor explores key trends shaping Africa’s hospitality landscape in 2025, including the rise of blended traveller profiles, demand for experience-rich stays, and the increasing influence of digitalization and sustainability. Leading destinations such as South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco continue to dominate, while emerging source markets—including the Middle East, China, and India—are fuelling new opportunities.
From Pipeline to Reality - Hotel Chains Development Report
Following the release of the 2024 Hotel Chain Development Pipeline report, Trevor Ward (Managing Director, W Hospitality Group) has compiled a follow-up analysis examining how many of the pipeline hotels have actually opened across the continent. This exclusive report tracks the performance of hotel chains in delivering on their commitments, offering valuable insight into regional trends, top-performing brands, and the growing gap between scheduled and actual openings.