Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) Podcast Bench Events

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 revolutionizing the hospitality landscape with innovative technology like digital keys. From boosting local economies to pioneering future-ready solutions, CHIC's story is a testament to the golden era of opportunities unfolding in Africa.

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 exposure and emphasizes Labour Hotels' commitment to local community development. The podcast unfolds insights on co-branding, greenfield projects, and the strategic role of AHIF in shaping Africa's hospitality future.

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, including flexibility, shorter contractual terms, and street-smart management that leads to higher profitability. Learn about Aleph Cares, their sustainability and social responsibility program, and how they engage with local communities in Africa.

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 happening faster than any other continent. Accor was one of the first movers in Africa, and they continue to focus on expanding their network in key cities and growing their brands in tier two and tier three cities, especially with franchise partners.

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 contribute to sustainable tourism and hospitality.

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 and business on the books.