This year’s Africa Property Investment (API) Hospitality Forum takes place next week on October 11 at the Marriott Hotel, Melrose Arch in Johannesburg.

According to the event organisers, given the unparalleled changes of the past few years, and the evolving landscape of the hospitality sector, the forum provides a valuable platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration.

For 2023, the API Hospitality Forum has grown and features an expanded list of industry leaders to provide a fresh focus on the South African and broader African hospitality market.

The gathering coincides with the API Summit, the foremost real estate gathering in Africa, creating a prospect for professionals in both hospitality and real estate industries to connect to explore synergies and opportunities.

The event will introduce unique speakers from across the hospitality industry and connect investors, owners, funds, tour operators, hotel operators and more for a day of networking, content and deal-making.

The agenda incorporates topical territory from unlocking institutional funding for hospitality projects to conservation and growth in the safari industry.

Speakers will shine a light on the latest developments in diverse hospitality types from aparthotels to resorts, as well as venture into the realm of technology and explore its potential for the sector.

Daniel Trappler, Senior Director, Development, Africa at Radisson Hotel Group, said: “We have always found the API Summit to be an essential gathering for us, offering a wealth of opportunities to network, exchange insights, and uncover new opportunities for growth across Africa. Given our steadfast dedication to the African continent, it is crucial for us to identify and nurture these opportunities, particularly within the hospitality industry.

“It's been truly inspiring to witness and contribute to API's evolution from a real estate-centric focus to one that fully embraces the hospitality sector – which is why we're thrilled to see the establishment of this dedicated hospitality forum. We're eagerly anticipating a productive, fruitful event this year, with high hopes for even greater success in the years to come.”

Fiona Craw, JLL’s Vice President – Hotels & Hospitality Group, Sub-Saharan Africa, reports that while JLL has seen a strong recovery in hotel demand globally, there is dislocated investor interest as a result of the high cost of capital.

“Capital for development will remain challenging to access in the short-term, with a significantly lower hotel pipeline anticipated across Africa. This will allow for a stronger performance narrative to emerge and potentially be the recalibration that the sector needs. Overall, the outlook for the region is promising, and platforms such as API are important to shine a spotlight on these opportunities,” said Craw.

Interested participants can click here to register for the API Hospitality Forum.