The influential Africa Hotel Investment Forum has unveiled the agenda for its 2017 conference, packed with contributions from industry leaders, that confirms its reputation as the leading event of its kind for investors and developers.

Hilton Worldwide has marked this year’s African Hotel Investment Forum with the announcement of new properties and extensions in three African countries. It continues the company’s commitment to expansion across the continent as it seeks to double its footprint from its existing 39 hotels to more than 80 hotels in the next three to five years.

Carlson Rezidor is accelerating its growth strategy in Africa. The group has opened five Radisson Blu hotels in the first six months of 2016 and signed four new hotels including the first Quorvus Collection in Africa. The group is also entering 28th country in Africa and taking the Park Inn by Radisson brand to the Indian Ocean Islands.

In the run-up to the first Africa Hotel Investment Forum in Lomé, the organiser, Bench Events, has praised Togo’s commitment to far-reaching infrastructure improvements destined to boost economic growth and transform the country into a strategic transport hub in west Africa. Matthew Weihs, Bench Events managing director, said: “We’re very pleased to be hosting an additional AHIF in Togo at this decisive time, as the country embraces a number of important projects that will enhance its standing as a significant investment destination.”

The number of planned hotel rooms in Africa has soared to 64,000 in 365 hotels, up almost 30 per cent on the previous year, according to new figures from the annual W Hospitality Group Hotel Chain Development Pipeline Survey. The increase is largely down to strong growth in sub-Saharan Africa, which is up 42.1 per cent on 2015 and is significantly outstripping North Africa which achieved only a modest 7.5 per cent pipeline increase this year.

The government of Rwanda, through the Rwanda Development Board, will host the Africa Hotel Investment Forum in 2016 in Kigali. AHIF brings together the leading international hotel investors in Africa with local operators, ministers, government officials and industry experts, to discuss all aspects of hotel investment and operation in Africa. The decision to host AHIF in Kigali underlines a clear strategy by Rwanda to attract investment in the tourism sector.