In this podcast focused on #myAfrica we spoke to Yemisi Mokuolu CEO of Hatch Ideas and founder of the Asa Baako music festival in Ghana.  We explored what Africa meant to her through her work and the founding of this growing music festival. We discussed how this particular venture has developed into an event that is regenerating the local community through travel and tourism and how, now, the need has developed into the potential of investing in hotels for the area.   

In this podcast, we discussed with Hala Matar Choufany the President ME/Africa and South Asia for HVS the results of their recent survey on the Africa Traveller & Hotel Guest Sentiments. We discussed the main findings of the survey and how this will impact travel activity going forward for Africa.

In this AHIF podcast, we thought we’d turn the tables and ask the questions to Mary Gostelow, Owner and Editor of the Gostelow report, columnist and Editor of www.girlahead.com.  A fascinating discussion on her life and times and how she ended up the sage of the industry, how she approaches her work, and is able to extract such amazing insights. 

In this podcast we spoke with Trevor Ward, Managing Director of W Hospitality Group, about recent publishing of the 2020 African Hotel Chain Development Pipeline survey – the 12th annual report. Covid-19 has derailed the market as it has the global hospitality industry but we discussed how Africa was being impacted specifically and what it means for hotel development in the short, medium and long term. With that in mind and with the AfricaTomorrow (www.africa-tomorrow.com) event a month away – what we should be expecting from the online conference where Trevor will be presenting his pipeline report

In this podcast with Frederic van Lennep, we discussed how technology can be leveraged to build confidence in a post coronavirus world for hotels. We also explored what role technology would play, how a touch-less future can be created, and how this reflects the customer experience. Frederic also published a white paper recently on the importance of technology in post-COVID19 hotel operations which can be accessed here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/importance-technology-post-covid-19-hotel-operations-van-lennep/

In this podcast, we discussed Marek's journey from Poland to Africa and how his entrepreneurial spirit led him to Nigeria. We discussed his relationship with travel technology and the potential for the African market especially, post Covid-19, his thoughts on the outcomes for the industry and Africa.  

L’Afrique sera dans quelques années le centre du monde, affirme le magnat des affaires camerounais Mamoudou Fadil tout en renforçant son point de vue sur le potentiel à long terme de la croissance de l’immobilier hôtelier et du développement du tourisme sur le continent lors de son entretien avec Jean Perrochon.

Africa will be on the centre stage of the world in a few years, states the Cameroonian business magnate Mamoudou Fadil while reinforcing his views about the long term growth potential for hotel real estate and tourism on the continent in an interview with Jean Perrochon.

This podcast, with Trevor Ward Managing Director of W Hospitality Group, canvassed his opinion on the state of the African hotel market. Looking at the key markets and cities that development is taking place and the trend towards developing mid-scale brands

Un entretien éclairant avec Mohamed Wade (DG du groupe Amandla Capital Real Estate) accordée à Jean Perrochon (Directeur du FIHA), qui suscite des réflexions intéressantes sur les opportunités d'investissement dans une classe d'actifs en immobilier hôtelier en évolution et dans un marché touristique régional qui devrait croître de 6% en glissement annuel au cours de la prochaine décennie.

An eye-opening interview between Mohamed Wade (Managing Director of Amandla Capital Real Estate) and Jean Perrochon (Director of FIHA), that raises some interesting considerations about the investment opportunities in the evolving hotel real estate asset class and in a tourism market that is set to grow at 6% YoY over the next decade.

In this podcast, we discuss with Hala Matar Choufany about her current scope of work in the Middle East, focused on driving value for owners. We also discussed the importance, and growing attention from the investment community on making sustainability work.  Finally – we looked at the difference in the type of work from the Middle East to Africa. 

Podcast FIHA 2020 avec Philippe Gauguier, associé au cabinet de conseil InExtenso, sur les tendances encourageantes des marques hôtelières économiques, les conditions d’investissement en Afrique et l’accroissement de la collaboration économique entre diffèrent pays du continent.

FIHA 2020 podcast with Philippe Gauguier, an Associate of the consultancy InExtenso, focusing on the encouraging trends of economy hotel brands, the investment conditions in Africa and the growth of economic collaboration between different countries on the continent.   

In this podcast, we speak to Matthew Tripolone the Vice President of Development for InterContinental Hotels Group MEA. We discussed the history of IHG in the region, the pipeline for the brand, the VOCO brand growth and the overall opportunities in the Middle East and African markets.

Premier podcast de la série du Forum de l'Investissement Hôtelier Africain 2020 avec Alexis Janoray, Chef de développement pour l'Afrique chez le Groupe AccorHotels; le commanditaire principal de cet évènement annuel. Une perspective sur les opportunités d'investissement dans l'immobilier hôtelier en Afrique de l'Ouest et de l'engagement du Groupe AccorHotels dans la région et sur le continent.

In this podcast, Karl de Lacy Director, International Hotel Services for Best Western Hotel Group talks about how the recent acquisition of WorldHotels brand has added value to their organization. In particular, we look at how this increase in brands enables them to work with more owners from luxury down to mid-scale products.   

Rick Taylor, the Founder of Business Tourism Company spoke to us about his organisation as one specialising in destination development, branding and tourism marketing strategies in emerging markets.  We focus on some of the work they have done in Rwanda enabling them to embrace the potential of MICE as a way to diversify their tourism products and look forward to the work in Ethiopia. 

In this podcast, we speak to Cyril Jacob, Managing Director at Ascentis, an engineering and project management organisation. We explore the similarities between the work he’s done in Asia and Africa; what the current challenges are for his organisation in the market and we look forward to his session on Developing Hotel Projects at the Africa Hotel Investment Forum on 24th September 2019 at Sheraton Addis, Ethiopia

This podcast with Nicolas looks at the changing role of media in Africa.  We discuss the investment into the sector and the impact this is having on local media, discuss the impact this will have and explore the role of media portraying the continent.  We also discussed the APO/AHIF partnership and what this will look to achieve – not least bringing interesting new speakers to the conference such as Amadou Gallo Fall, Vice President of National Basketball Association (NBA) and President of the Basketball Africa League (BAL)

In this podcast, we explore more about the CityBlue Hotels concepts and look at what plans it has as an African brand. Explore the challenges for the brand and the opportunities that come from being a regional player. Finally, we discuss Jameel’s coming session at the African Hotel Investment Forum and look at their needs as a regional brand and the types of deals they are considering. 

In this podcast, we talk to Fabio Nava, Vice President of Capital Markets, JLL (Hotels and Hospitality) and Wayne Godwin, Head of Hotel Advisory in Sub-Saharan Africa from JLL who, as part of their survey into the current investment sentiments, are producing an independent report on the current state of debt financing and hotel lending across Africa. We discussed how commercial and DFI banks view financing, requirements for banks, cross border lending, portfolio, and single asset lending requirements, tax incentives and mezzanine funding options.

In this Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) podcast, we speak to the Founder of Stuart & Partners, James Stuart about his work in the African hospitality market. Working closely with local independent hoteliers and helping them develop their own brand we explore why the African market is so important for him, the comparisons to this continent to his work previously in Asia and how he expects the African market to develop.

In this podcast I talk to Thomas Emanuel, Director of STR, looking at the African hotel performance data from Q1 2019.  We also look at the pipeline data and discuss the markets that are looking strong across the continent.

This Africa Hotel Investment Forum podcast speaks to Trevor Ward, Owner and Managing Director of W Hospitality Group about the recent publication of the 2019 Hotel Chain Development Pipelines in Africa. I asked Trevor about the findings of the report – what it tells us about branded development across Africa – which countries are leading and what it tells us about the key international and regional brands strategies

In this podcast, we talk to Panos Loupasis the Vice President of Development for Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. Panos covers Africa, the Middle East and Eurasia for development so we explore how the brand looks to develop geographically. The podcast also explores the plans for the company and what products work for these markets.  Finally, at the AHIC conference, Panos was presenting the Ramada Encore product at the 3-minute pitch session so he outlines this brand and why it is good for the Middle East and African markets. 

In the first podcast of AHIF 2019, we speak to Daniel Silke, Director of Political Futures Consultancy, before he presents his keynote session at the AHIF Regional Briefing in Cape Town on April 24th. Daniel has been a keynote speaker of the Africa Hotel Investment Forum previously and will present on the Headwinds and Tailwinds of the African economy at the briefing.  In this podcast we discuss whether the slower global growth will affect Africa, understand more about which regions he expects will sustain high levels of growth and explore the South African market with elections looming, power and water shortages is it just doom and gloom? 

In this podcast, with Maria Zarraluqui, the Vice President of Global Development for Melia Hotels International, we talked about the recent successes of Melia in the MENA region and the plans for the development of their brands in key markets.