Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) Podcast
The official podcast of AHIF, which is attended by the highest calibre international hotel investors of any conference in Africa. It is the only annual hotel investment conference that connects business leaders from the international and local markets, driving investment into tourism projects, infrastructure, and hotel development across Africa. This podcast brings year-round exclusive content from our community in the form of interviews, discussions, archives, and previews of future events, all hosted by our executive team.
Episodes
In this podcast, Matthew Weihs hosts Jameel Verjee, CEO of City Blue Hotels, and Claire Van Enk, founder of Farm to Feed, exploring their innovative partnership in tackling food waste and promoting sustainability across Africa. Claire introduces Farm to Feed's mission as a B2B marketplace for surplus produce, addressing significant food loss issues in Kenya. Jamil discusses City Blue Hotels' commitment to sustainability and their s...
This episode of the AHIF podcast features Erwan Garnier, Development Director for Africa at Radisson Hotel Group. Erwan discusses Radisson's extensive presence across the continent, with over 100 hotels operational or under development in 32 African countries. He highlights their strategic focus on key markets like Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt, while also pursuing opportunities in emergi...
In this AHIF podcast episode, Matthew Weihs sits down with Wesam Okasha, Managing Director of TUI Blue, to delve into the brand's remarkable journey since its establishment in 2016. Okasha sheds light on TUI Blue's ambitious growth targets, surpassing expectations by opening 97 hotels in their initial three years. He discusses their strategic expansion into new markets, including Africa and Asia, highlighting their innovative appro...
Discussion with Wytze van den Berk, VP of International Operations for BWH, highlighting BWH's growth post-acquisition of World Hotels, expansion plans in Africa, diverse brand portfolio, and opportunities and challenges in the African market.
In the latest episode of the AHIF podcast, Matthew Weihs and Trevor Ward delve into the intricacies of Africa's hospitality market. With a focus on the annual Hotel Chain Development in Africa pipeline report, they explore the challenges, trends, and opportunities shaping the continent's hotel industry. From the surge in resort developments to the impact of currency devaluation on project viability, this conversation offers valuabl...
In this episode of the AHIF podcast, Rahul Chaudhary, MD and CEO of CG Corp Global and CG Hospitality Holdings, shares insights on the remarkable growth and strategic ventures of CG Global over the past two years. From expanding into emerging markets like Nepal and Sri Lanka to venturing into the automobile industry, Rahul highlights the group's dynamic approach to investment. Furthermore, he emphasizes the significance of wellness...
In this episode of the AHIF podcast, Michael Aldridge, the Founder and CEO of Kofisi, shares profound insights into the dynamic world of shared workspaces. The conversation unfolds the strategic growth of Kofisi, fueled by a unique blend of hospitality and co...
Suhail Bhatia, Director of Asset Management, shares the inception of CHIC, highlighting its commitment to bringing world-class accommodation to a region hungry for quality. Dive into the challenges and triumphs of simultaneously developing five state-of-the-art hotels, fueled by a vision for sustainable growth. Explore the strategic partnerships, including the game-changing collaboration with Accor, and discover how CHIC is revolut...
JS Anand, Founder & CEO of Labour Hotels, shares his vision for expanding in Africa, exploring opportunities in Rwanda, Ethiopia, and West Africa. He highlights the need for service improvement, training, and government support in the African hospitality landscape. Discussing challenges, JS addresses financial struggles, decision-making complexities, and the importance of synergizing efforts in the region. He commends AHIF for expo...
Dive into the world of hospitality investment in Africa with Matthew Weihs on the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum podcast. In this episode, he interviews Barney Haddad, the Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality. Discover how Aleph Hospitality operates as a third-party white label hotel operator, providing flexible management services for hotel owners across Africa. Explore the unique challenges and benefits of their model, inc...
Maya Ziadeh, the Chief Development Officer for premium midscale and economy brands in the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey at Accor discussed Accor's strategy for the African hospitality investment market, their portfolio of brands, and their priorities for growth in Africa in our AHIF podcast series,
Maya highlighted the potential for hotel investment in Africa, with its young and fast-growing population, and urbanization happenin...
TUI Blue is not just another hotel operator, but a socially responsible company that invests in people and communities. In a recent AHIF podcast episode, tHead of Global Development and Managing Director, TUI Hotels & Resorts discussed their journey, development opportunities, and pipeline in Africa. TUI Blue's social corporate responsibility is at the heart of their business model, and they have created the TUI Care Foundation to ...
Thomas discusses the data solutions provided by STR, which collects data from over 78,000 hotels worldwide on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. The company provides benchmarking analysis to help clients understand their competitive position in the market and their direct competitors. They offer a range of key performance indicators, including occupancy, average rate, and revenue per available room, as well as segmentation data an...
Discover the Affordable Lifestyle in Africa's Hospitality Industry. Join us on the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum podcast as we dive into the latest episode featuring Paul Bridger, CEO of Rove Hotels, and Mark Dunford, CEO of Knight Frank. Learn about Rove Hotels, an affordable lifestyle brand bringing quality design and service without compromising on price. Explore the potential for affordable lifestyle in Africa, the demand...
Investing in the African Hospitality Industry: Challenges and Opportunities
Are you looking to invest in the hospitality industry? Have you considered Africa as a potential market? In a recent podcast episode, Halla Matar Choufany, President of HVS in Middle East, Africa, and Asia, shared her insights on the challenges and opportunities in the African hospitality ind...
Best Western's Strategic Approach to Growth and Expansion in Africa and Beyond
Best Western Hotel Group's recent acquisition of World Hotels and expansion into the luxury market is a reflection of their CEO's global growth strategy. With a goal of having 80 hotels in Africa by 2026, Best Western is actively working with existing hoteliers and owners to rebrand and expand their footprint on the continent.
Wytze Van Den Berg, the Vic...
Welcome to the AHIF podcast featuring Stephan Sebah, VP of Development at Golden Tulip, as we delve into Africa's hospitality investment landscape. Gain valuable insights from his 20 years in the financial market, specializing in analysis, risk management, and investment strategies. Discover how his expertise seamlessly transitions into the hospitality industry, bridging the gap between investors and the sector.
Stephan shares exci...
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