This year’s Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF) attracted hundreds of industry stakeholders from across the continent and beyond, not only to discuss the current state of the industry but also to shape its future.

Hosted in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, AHIF 2024 welcomed both experts in the hospitality field and newcomers eager to connect, learn and stay abreast of the ever-changing dynamics of hospitality operations.

In an interview with VoyagesAfriq, David Eduaful, Managing Director of Ghana-based Labadi Beach Hotel, who was participating in the event for the first time shared his impressions of the three-day event and his insights from various sessions.

“For me, it is the right forum to bring together the best minds to generate valuable information for policymakers. This can help create policies that will foster the growth of the hospitality business across the continent.”

Eduaful attended a session on artificial intelligence (AI) and shared his thoughts: “The AI session was very insightful. AI has the potential to revolutionise our industry by improving efficiency and guest services. However, we must not overlook the importance of the human element. While AI can enhance our operations, hospitality is fundamentally about people, and we must ensure that the human touch is preserved.”

Discussing the sessions on major hotel brands in Africa, Eduaful noted: “Globally, people are drawn to big brands and want to see them in their countries, which is beneficial. However, we must also focus on developing our African brands. I believe in growing the African brands” he noted.

According to him, while big brands contribute to technology transfer and business growth, they sometimes hinder local development by bringing in their own top managers rather than training locals for leadership positions.

“To truly grow our industry, we need to invest in developing local talent” he argued.