The 2014 Africa Hotel Investment Forum moves from Nairobi to Addis Ababa

The Africa Hotel Investment Forum 2014 (AHIF) will take place at the Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia on 29th Sept – 1st Oct 2014, organizers said.

 “We are delighted that AHIF 2014 has received strong interest from both delegates and sponsors this year, which has resulted in a move to Addis Ababa highlighting the growth story of the continent,” said a statement from the organizers, a UK based Bench Events.

The forum was originally scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya. But “the speed of demand from new sponsors has taken us by pleasant surprise… with over four months left, we’ve already reached capacity and with a strong pipeline of exhibitors, we felt a move to a bigger location means we’d not have to disappoint anyone and we’d also be better able to reflect the growth story of the continent,” Bench Events Managing Director Matthew Weihs was quoted as saying by Standard Digital.  

Matthew Weihs/Bench Events

 “The move will allow AHIF 2014 to take a closer look at Ethiopia, which has a tourism economy that is currently growing at 4.5% per annum and which the World Travel & Tourism Council expects to grow at 4.8% per annum for the whole of the next decade. That, coupled with its good air connections, makes Ethiopia a fantastic destination,” bench Events further said.

 Among the key speakers expected to throw weight at the event include: David Harper, Head of Property Services, Hotel Partners Africa, Tewolde GebreMariam, CEO, Ethiopian Airlines and Valentina Zeisler, Vice President, Tourism & Hotels, DEG German Development & Finance Institution. Over the last 12 years, Bench Events has other upcoming hotel investment forums in Berlin, Dubai, Istanbul, London, Sochi, Morocco and Nairobi.

Cover Photo: Previous speakers at Bench Events 

Photo: Bench Events