By Kelechi Deca
Traveling across the African continent in the last three years especially since the world emerged from the stunting period occasioned by the Covid pandemic, one thing I noticed was the rate at which international hotel chains are scrambling for spaces in Africa. Heartwarming as it appears, I tried to dig deeper into the specifics driving this new scramble and partition of the African hospitality space.
The need for African countries to diversify their economies by exploring other avenues for revenue generation cannot come as a more auspicious time, especially the need to explore other avenues for revenue generation against the backdrop of challenges that comes with the overdependence of natural resource wealth, and its ancillary problems.
Africa’s quest for real growth can only come to pass if priorities are given to sectors that only provide opportunities for governments to generate revenues but also create enough employment opportunities to make a dent on the huge unemployment situation across the continent. This is why focus on labour intensive sectors away from natural resource dependence should be explored. And no other industry has huge lift effect as the tourism and hospitality industry.
If there is any sector where the claims that the 21st century belongs to Africa may come to reality, that sector is the hospitality sector. According to the World Tourism Organisation, Africa is expected to attract over 134 million international tourists by 2030. This is the major driver of the present rush by major international hotel chains to expand their presence across the continent as Africa has been described as one of the world’s fastest growing tourism markets.
The above is evidenced by the recent announcement by Marriot International Inc. of its 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. Marriot which is the largest hospitality chain operating in Africa said that its strategy includes the expected entry into five markets – Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and Mauritania, countries where it had no presence prior to now.
The planned expansion aims to further strengthen the company’s footprint across the continent where its current operating portfolio encompasses nearly 150 properties and 26,000 rooms across 20 countries and 22 brands. The multiplier effect of such expansion across 20 out of Africa’s 54 countries is better imagined.
Speaking on the expansion, Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International said that “We are witnessing a transformation of Africa’s tourism sector driven by visionary government agendas, substantial infrastructure development, enhanced regional and international connectivity and diversified travel experiences, all of which are laying the foundation for a thriving hospitality sector,” adding that “With our renowned portfolio of brands, world-class distribution platform and award-winning travel programme, Marriott Bonvoy, we continue to drive robust expansion opportunities with owners and franchisees across Africa and remain committed to supporting the growth of its tourism sector.”
Marriott’s planned expansion aims to enhance the strategic development of the company’s luxury, premium and select-service portfolio across key and emerging destinations in Africa. The company’s growth across the continent is expected to be largely driven by its select-service brands, including Protea Hotels by Marriott and Four Points by Sheraton, and a strong consumer demand for distinctive, high-quality hospitality experiences. Tanzania, Egypt, Morocco, Kenya and Nigeria are the highest growth markets for the company in the continent, making up more than half of the projects slated to open in the next two years.
Conversions and adaptive reuse opportunities are also anticipated to continue to drive meaningful growth for the company, representing more than 30 percent of the anticipated African additions by the end of 2027. The company is also seeing an increased appetite for branded residential projects across the continent.
With the shift by some leading international brands to explore investment opportunities in the continent, there is growing demands for African based portfolio expansions. This was highlighted by Karim Cheltout, Senior Vice President – Development, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International pointed out that “Africa is home to emerging marketplaces that offer significant growth opportunities across major gateway cities, commercial centres, safari circuits and resort destinations. Through our diverse range of extraordinary brands, we are in a position to work with developers to offer high quality accommodations along with distinct and innovative travel experiences that resonate with today’s rapidly evolving consumer.”
If one travels up north in the continent, there is no doubt about the huge presence of Marriott Group in the region with strong growth momentum in the North and East Africa regions, which together account for more than 60 percent of the company’s planned additions in Africa by the end of 2027. Egypt and Morocco are expected to lead the expansion for Marriott in North Africa. Plans in Egypt include the anticipated debut of Aloft Hotels in the continent, with the opening of Aloft Ghazala Bay situated in the North Coast of the country expected in 2027. More than 50 percent of the company’s expected additions in Egypt by the end of 2027 are conversion or adaptive reuse projects. Expansion highlights for Morocco include the anticipated market debut of AC Hotels by Marriott with a scheduled opening in Casablanca in 2027.
In East Africa, the company continues to see growth momentum with safari lodges and camps spurred by a growing appeal for adventure and outdoor travel. Following the successful opening of JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge in 2023, the company is slated to open six safari properties across the region by the end of 2027, including The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp (Kenya), and Mapito Safari Camp, Serengeti, Autograph Collection (Tanzania) – both of which are scheduled to open this year.
Marriott’s portfolio in Tanzania is anticipated to more than double by the end of 2027 while in Kenya the company plans to open five properties including the debut of Courtyard by Marriott with two expected openings in Nairobi in 2027. Growth plans in Uganda include the country’s first Marriott Hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments with scheduled openings in Kampala by the end of this year.
West Africa is not left out as the company expects to add six properties in Nigeria, its largest growth market in the West Africa region by the end of 2027. Plans include the introduction of Courtyard by Marriott in the country with anticipated openings in Abuja within the next two years, and the continued expansion of Protea Hotels by Marriott and Marriott Hotels.
Marriott is also slated to enter three new markets in West Africa in the next two years. Four Points by Sheraton Sao Vicente Resort is anticipated to open this year, marking the company’s debut in Cape Verde. Marriott is also expected to enter Côte d’Ivoire in 2027, with an Autograph Collection Hotel located in Assinie-Mafia, and Mauritania with a Sheraton Hotel situated in Nouakchott, which is expected to open later this year.
South Africa, Marriot’s largest market in Africa, is expected to see an expansion of the Autograph Collection Hotels brand portfolio with the opening of Morea House in Cape Town this year, followed by the anticipated addition of a property within Kruger National Park in 2026. Marriott also plans to enter The Democratic Republic of Congo by the end of this year with a Protea Hotel by Marriott and Four Points by Sheraton in Kinshasa. The company is also expected to make its debut in Madagascar with the opening of a Delta Hotels by Marriott this year and a Protea Hotel by Marriott anticipated in 2026 in Antananarivo. The company’s planned expansion also includes the anticipated debut of Le Méridien in Cameroon in 2027.
With all these new properties coming on board, there is no doubt that Marriot group is on pole position in this new scramble for Africa’s growing tourism and hospitality industry.
Kelechi Deca, a journalist and public affairs analyst writes from Lagos.
