We use cookies to improve your experience. By your continued use of this site you accept such use.
The Bench

  • Multimedia content

  • Images (6)
    • Render of The Ritz Carlton
    • Render of AC by Marriott Casablanca La Corniche
    • Render of Morea House Autograph Collection Suite
    • Render of Mapito Safari Camp Serengeti Autograph Collection- Aerial-View
    • Render of Kampala Marriott Hotel
    • Render of Four Points by Sheraton Sao Vincent Laginha Beach
  • All (6)
Source: The Bench |

Marriott International announces plans to add more than 50 properties and over 9,000 rooms to its Africa portfolio by the end of 2027

Continent expansion plans include entry into five new markets and the debut of Aloft Hotels in the continent

From the Future Hospitality Summit Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, Marriott International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAR) today announced plans to expand its operations in Africa with the anticipated addition of over 50 properties and more than 9,000 rooms by the end of 2027.  The company’s growth strategy includes the expected…

The Bench

  • Multimedia content

  • Images (5)
    • Hilton Luanda Hotel Godinho
    • Hilton Garden Inn Luanda Airport
    • Hilton Cotonou
    • Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof
    • DoubleTree by Hilton Cabinda Futila Residences
  • All (5)
Source: The Bench |

Hilton to Triple its Presence in Africa to More Than 160 Hotels

All hotels will be part of Hilton Honors, Hilton’s award-winning loyalty programme with over 218 million members globally

Hilton expects to open more than 100 hotels in the coming years in markets including Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Angola and Madagascar Most recent hotel openings include Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof, Hampton by Hilton Sandton Grayston and DoubleTree by Hilton Addis Ababa Airport Hilton to make its Ghana debut…

The Bench
Source: The Bench |

CORRECTION: CityBlue Hotels Announces Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue, The Tallest Branded Residences in East Africa

The development will feature luxurious 1, 2, 3, and 4-bedroom apartments, complemented by an extensive array of 22+ world-class amenities

CityBlue Hotels, Africa’s fastest-growing local hotel chain, and SMB Properties, a leading property developer in Kenya, today announced a strategic partnership to launch the 256-unit Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue. This landmark collaboration will introduce a new paradigm of upscale residential living in Nairobi, with Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue…

The Bench
Source: The Bench |

CityBlue Hotels Announces Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue, The Tallest Branded Residences in Kenya

The development will feature luxurious 1, 2, 3, and 4-bedroom apartments, complemented by an extensive array of 22+ world-class amenities

CityBlue Hotels, Africa’s fastest-growing local hotel chain, and SMB Properties, a leading property developer in Kenya, today announced a strategic partnership to launch the 256-unit Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue. This landmark collaboration will introduce a new paradigm of upscale residential living in Nairobi, with Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue…

The Bench

  • Multimedia content

  • Images (3)
    • Andrew McLachlan, Founder & MD, Develop Hotels
    • Cape Town Average Daily Rate 2020-2025 - 3 Month Average
    • Cape Town Occupancy 2020-2025
  • All (3)
Source: The Bench |

Cape Town is Hot Property

Development boom bodes well for Africa’s top hotel investment summit

Cape Town's hospitality and real estate industries are experiencing remarkable growth, reinforcing the city's current status as Africa's premier destination for tourism and investment. This surge bodes well for the upcoming Future Hospitality Summit Africa, the continent’s most influential hospitality & tourism investment conference, which comes to “The Mother City”…

The Bench

  • Multimedia content

  • Images (4)
    • William E. Heinecke, Founder and Chairman of Minor Hotels
    • David Green, CEO of the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town
    • Hala Matar Choufany, President of HVS Middle East, Africa & South Asia
    • Matthew Weihs, Managing Director of The Bench
  • All (4)
Source: The Bench |

Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Africa 2025 Honours David Green, William E. Heinecke and Hala Matar Choufany for Visionary Leadership and Lasting Impact on the Hospitality Industry

Their selections reflect not only individual excellence, but also the values that FHS Africa seeks to champion: ethical leadership, inclusive development, and long-term impact

The 2025 Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Africa Awards will honour three exceptional individuals whose leadership, vision, and integrity have profoundly shaped the hospitality industry in Africa and beyond. David Green, CEO of the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, will be recognised with the FHS Outstanding Contribution to Hospitality Award; William…

The Bench

  • Multimedia content

  • Images (2)
    • Matthew Weihs, Commercial Director of the Bench
    • William E. Heinecke, Founder and Chairman of Minor Hotels
  • All (2)
Source: The Bench |

Africa’s Leading Hospitality Investors and Visionaries Come to Cape Town in June

This year’s speaker lineup features major investors, visionaries, strategists, and dealmakers who are actively reshaping the landscape of hospitality across Africa

Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Africa 2025 comes to Cape Town from 17–19 June 2025, bringing together the most influential voices in hospitality investment, development, and sustainability from across the globe. This year’s speaker lineup features major investors, visionaries, strategists, and dealmakers who are actively reshaping the landscape of hospitality across Africa.…

The Bench

  • Multimedia content

  • Images (7)
    • Regional Summary 2025
    • Top 10 Countries 2025
    • Top 10 Cities 2025
    • Top 10 Chains 2025
    • Top 10 Countries by Rooms 2025
    • Trevor Ward, Managing Director, W Hospitality Group
    • Matthew Weihs, Managing Director, The Bench
  • All (7)
Source: The Bench |

Hotel development booms in Africa, boosted by Egypt and Marriott

Development activity has been growing impressively in North Africa, which saw a 23% year-on-year increase, compared to a 6% increase in sub-Saharan Africa

This year’s Hotel Development Pipeline Report, the definitive study of international hospitality development projects in Africa, reveals record activity. There are 577 hotels and resorts, with 104,444 rooms, in the development pipeline, up by 13.3% on 2024, way ahead of the single digit pipeline growth reported globally by the leading…

The Bench
Source: The Bench |

The Bench rebrands Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF) as Future Hospitality Summit Africa (FHS Africa) under unified Future Hospitality Summit portfolio

At AHIF 2024, over $365 million in deals were signed, further solidifying the event’s role as a catalyst for investment across the region

The Bench (TheBench.com), 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 Bench

  • Multimedia content

  • Images (2)
    • Matthew Weihs, Managing Director, The Bench
    • Daniel Silke, Political Economist
  • All (2)
Source: The Bench |

The Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF) Heads to Cape Town for the First Time for its 13th Edition

New Format Promises Enhanced Networking, Hands-on Workshops, Interactive Insights and Country Showcases

The Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF), Africa’s premier conference for tourism and hospitality investment, 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…