The Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF), slated for 2016 in Kigali, will create an opportunity for local hotel developers to forge partnerships with investors.

Amb. Yamina Karitanyi, the chief tourism officer at the Rwanda Development Board, made the remarks, yesterday, while briefing journalists about the upcoming event.

AHIF brings together the leading international hotel investors in Africa with local operators, Cabinet ministers, government officials and industry experts, to discuss all aspects of hotel investment and operations in Africa.

The decision to host AHIF in Kigali underlines a clear strategy by the Government of Rwanda to attract investment in the tourism sector, according to Rwanda Development Board.

"We see AHIF as an excellent platform to meet many of the most important decision makers and investors, who have the power collectively to influence investment in the hospitality industry in Africa,” Karitanyi said in a statement released yesterday.

"We are determined to build relationships and showcase Rwanda as the right place to do business and, therefore, we believe that hosting the event will create an opportunity for local hotel developers to forge partnerships with global investors.”

Goals to pursue

In signing the agreement to bring AHIF 2016 to Kigali, all parties committed to pursuing five goals; of supporting hotel and infrastructure development within Rwanda and across Africa, promoting Africa to the international hotel investor and operator community, and educating the hotel investment community about the tourism potential of Africa.

Others goals are; facilitating networking between African stakeholders and the international community and supporting Rwanda’s ambition for growth through travel and tourism.

The agreement was signed in Kigali yesterday.

In Africa as a whole, travel and tourism is seen as a highly attractive growth industry. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), it is responsible for 8.1 per cent of GDP and it is forecast to rise at 4.9 per cent per annum until 2025.

Rwanda’s tourism sector continues to grow positioning itself as the leading foreign earner for the country. For the financial year 2013/14, the sector registered a 3-per cent increase in the number of visitors to Rwanda.

The numbers grew from 1.14million visitors to 1.2 million visitors – accounting for an increase in revenue from $293.4 million in 2013 to $303 million in 2014.

In Rwanda, leisure has recently been a major driver of tourism industry. Currently, the country is focusing on Meetings Incentives Conference and Exhibitions/Events (MICE) tourism, capitalising on safety, developed infrastructure, accessibility and new entrants in the hotel industry.

Hosting the AHIF will no doubt contribute to growth of Rwanda as a leading MICE destination in the region, officials added.

Jonathan Worsley, the chairperson of Bench Events, the company that organises AHIF and other top international hotel investment conferences, said: "I know of at least three hotel projects in Rwanda that came about as a result of a conversation at AHIF. I have every confidence that the proactive approach that is being displayed by Rwanda Development Board will pay off, as all the major hotel chains are seeking new opportunities in Africa – and one of the most crucial issues for them is to find public sector partners that are making a serious effort to speak their language.”

In 2014, the event took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and attracted over 500 participants from more than 40 countries who represented over 400 companies. editorial@newtimes.co.rw