Hotel development continues to build pace across the African continent, with the big brands making it their business to grow into opportunities presented by growing tourism.
According to the latest annual roundup of activity in the sector, there are no less than 675 new African hotels and resorts in the works, responding to the fact that Africa has recorded the fastest growth in inbound tourism, anywhere in the world. Consultancy W Hospitality Group has totted up a record 123,846 rooms in the pipeline, a growth of 18.6% year on year.
Two Standout Destinations
Key dominant markets have become ever more clear in the last year, with the top ten countries representing over three quarters of the planned growth across the continent. And standing tall among those ten are Egypt and Morocco, between them accounting for more than 45% of the total pipeline.
It is Egypt that has a remarkable lead in the pace of expansion. The country has 185 properties under construction or planned, with 33 openings expected in 2026 alone. “The data clearly show that Africa’s hotel development story is being driven by a handful of high-performing markets, with Egypt firmly at the forefront in both signings and projected openings,” commented Trevor Ward, managing director of W Hospitality Group.
Among those openings for IHG in 2026 are Dose of Happiness at Sahel Voco North Coast, plus the InterContinental Hotel Direction White North Coast in Ras El Hekma. The group will also open Holiday Inn New Assiut Asayla later in the year. And another Voco branded property, Voco West Cairo 205 Suites will open towards the end of 2026.
Hilton has the launch of the landmark Hilton Amazon Capitol Diamond Tower in Cairo to look forward to, and will also be opening a 200 room DoubleTree branded hotel in Ain Sokhna. And the Abu Dabbab Lodge will open as part of Hilton’s growing Tapestry Collection.
Marriott will add the W Residences Cairo, part of the city’s One Ninety Development, and making plans to open its flagship Ritz-Carlton Cairo Palm Hills in early 2027. For French group Accor, the 2026 pipeline includes Movenpick hotels in Hurghada and in the Sixty Iconic Tower development in Cairo. It will open a luxury Sofitel in the heart of the New Administrative Capital of Cairo, too.
Chinese group H World is also making its mark in Africa. It will open two Steigenberger branded properties, the Steigenberger Hotel Saint Catherine with a mix of hotel rooms and eco-lodges, and the smaller, 90 room Steigenberger Resort Byoum Lakeside.
Morocco Is a Development Hotspot
Second place in the rankings is Morocco, also on the northern coast of Africa, and so with proximity to key European source markets. The country has 75 hotels in its pipeline. In third place is Nigeria, ahead of upcoming east African powerhouses, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Among the major brand groups, Marriott leads with a pipeline of 31,782 rooms, ahead of Hilton and Accor, IHG and Radisson Hotel Group. Between them, these five account for around 80% of planned openings across Africa.
