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Business Reporter

Batoka Hospitality Group chief executive officer Vimbayi Masiyiwa will headline Africa’s top hospitality event, the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum in Kenya.

The AHIF is the premier gathering of industry leaders, investors, Government officials, and hospitality professionals in Africa providing a platform for discussing investment opportunities, forging strategic partnerships, and promoting sustainable growth within the African hospitality sector.

It will be held from June 12 to 14, 2023.

With its dynamic programme, influential speakers, and networking opportunities, AHIF drives investment and development across the continent.

The AHIF has listed Ms Masiyiwa among the top speakers at the mega hospitality event, which has come at a time Zimbabwe and the rest of the region are looking at post-Covid-19 recovery for the sector, which has also been identified as low-hanging fruit, therefore a key enabler to meeting the upper middle-income economy by 2030.

For Zimbabwe, the tourism and hospitality sector is seen performing well in line with the UNWTO’s projections of increased global travel after the lifting of travel restrictions imposed during the lockdown period. The election season is also expected to be advantageous to the sector.

Other Africa’s largest and most influential hospitality investors will be present and live on stage, including Olivier Granet, managing partner and CEO, Kasada Capital Management; Alyshia Mangalji, VP Europe & Africa, Westmont Hospitality Group; Rahul Chaudhary, managing director, CG Corp Global and more.

Their presence, alongside numerous other hotel owners, has attracted top hospitality executives, Government ministers, officials, bankers, consultants, and industry experts from over 50 countries to network and discuss the most pressing issues affecting the development of hotels across the continent.

The AHIF programme will cover a wide range of topics, including global risks and their impact on Africa’s hospitality industry, achieving net-zero targets, implementing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies, access to capital, transformational travel, hotel development challenges and opportunities, hotel financing criteria, successful tourism entrepreneurship, operational excellence, the importance of human skills, alternative accommodation, emerging market dynamics, the latest trends, the future of hospitality investment in Africa and more.

The event is further enhanced by AviaDev Real Estate, which overlaps with the last day of AHIF. It offers high-level discussion and case study presentations on successful airport real estate projects.

Pre-set appointments will connect the owners and operators of African airports to those with the finance, expertise, and contacts to help them maximise revenue from their airport infrastructure, including from hospitality, as well as retail, cargo, warehousing, and other activities.

“We feel honoured to have such an exceptional list of speakers for this year’s Africa Hospitality Investment Forum,” said Matthew Weihs, Managing Director of the bench, which organises AHIF.

“Their expertise and unique perspectives will undoubtedly produce enlightening discussions on the key issues shaping the African hospitality industry.”