Hospitality leaders and stakeholders in Africa and beyond gathered in Kenya last week for this year’s Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF).
In an interview with VoyagesAfriq, Matthew Weihs, the Managing Director of Bench Events, the organising company behind AHIF, expressed his enthusiasm following the successful return of the event after a four-year hiatus. The event took place in Nairobi, bringing together industry operators and investors across the continent.
Weihs described the event as a significant homecoming, as he personally experienced being grounded for the past two years. The opportunity to witness familiar faces and actively engage with the community was an immensely gratifying experience for him.
“From my perspective, this is a real homecoming because I have been grounded for the last two years, not able to fly myself, and just seeing the faces and being part of the community is massive. So, on a personal level, I was going to enjoy this anyway,” he maintained.
Moreover, he expressed his satisfaction with the positive feedback received from customers and participants, highlighting the considerable efforts being made to foster long-term development and investment opportunities across Africa.
With a renewed focus on the next five to ten years of African development, AHIF showcased a wealth of compelling content and initiatives aimed at attracting investment.
Weihs stressed: “Everyone is making great content and doing what they should do at least and that is sort of helping the next five and ten years of development across Africa for investment. And I have to say that there’s a real god buzz to it and I’m really pleased with the outcomes.”
The event acted as a catalyst for networking, knowledge sharing, and collaborations, setting the stage for accelerated growth in the region’s hospitality industry.
Excitingly, Weihs also announced that AHIF would expand its reach by venturing into the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. For the first time in its history, AHIF will be held in Namibia in June next year. This decision reflects AHIF’s commitment to embracing new markets and exploring untapped potential across the African continent.
As the African hospitality landscape continues to evolve, AHIF remains at the forefront of fostering investment, innovation, and collaboration. The upcoming edition in Namibia promises to be a pivotal moment, offering stakeholders a platform to forge partnerships, exchange ideas, and drive sustainable growth in the region’s hotel and tourism sectors.
