Bench Events has confirmed the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) will return in 2012.

The event will be the follow up to the successful hotel investment conference at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Casablanca, Morocco in September.

The new name has come about following a decision by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) to organise its own event next year in Durban under the name HICA.

As a result, Bench Events will re-brand as the ‘Africa Hotel Investment Forum’ (AHIF) going forward.

Bench Events chairman, Jonathan Worsley, said: “We are making this announcement now in order to deal with any confusion there may be in the marketplace that the hotel investment event in Africa, aimed at the international investment community will now be known as The Africa Hotel Investment Forum.

“It will move around Africa providing a platform for education, networking and investment opportunities.

“We will be announcing our dates and venue shortly for 2012.

“While Bench Events will no longer be associated with the HICA brand as organiser, we wish the TBCSA much success with their event in Durban and will continue to support their efforts and activities.”

Following the Casablanca event, an advisory board meeting made it clear that they were very enthusiastic to attend an investment conference that moved around Africa giving participants a chance to meet new contacts and to visit different high-growth destinations each year.

Bench Events is currently working on a destination for the next hotel investment conference but is likely to take place in September 2012 in East Africa.

Further information on AHIF will be announced on the official website.