The 2024 edition of IBTM World, the premier global expo for the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) industry, is currently underway in Barcelona, Spain.
Among the exhibitors this year is the Azalaï Hotel Group, a leading name in African hospitality, proudly promoting itself as an authentic brand deeply rooted in African heritage.
In an interview with VoyagesAfriq, Issaga Balde, Revenue Manager of Azalaï Hotel Group, highlighted the group’s mission at IBTM World. “We are here to promote our brand because we think that it is important that people know what Azalaï is, which is an African brand for African people. We really want to promote that and share what our hotels are, and show people that they can do meetings comfortably in Africa. What we believe is that Africa is the place to be.”
Azalaï Hotel Group is firmly established as a pan-African brand operating across West Africa. With ten hotels currently in operation, the group is set to expand its footprint in 2025. Balde shared details about the new additions: “Azalaï Ouagadougou is going to open in January and will be our biggest hotel with 272 rooms. We also have one hotel coming up in Conakry and another in Niamey,” Balde disclosed.
The group’s commitment to the MICE industry is evident in the robust facilities they provide. Balde emphasized their growing capacity: “In terms of MICE, we have the capacity. In our hotel in Dakar, for example, we can take 250 people for conferences and meetings. Our biggest one will be in Ouagadougou, where we can take more than 300 people. That really shows that our MICE capacity is going up, and it is our main business.”
Azalaï’s presence at IBTM World is a further commitment to offering world-class hospitality with a distinctly African touch. Balde conveyed the group’s vision: “If you want to see the excellence of Africa, Azalaï is where you can start from because we are one of the few brands operated by African people with an African owner.”
