“Our main ambition for Africa is to rebalance our current presence in North Africa with a much larger presence in South Africa,” Willis said. Accor, which has a strong historical presence in francophone Africa, also wants to grow in Rwanda, Nigeria and Cameroon, Willis said. Between January and November 2019, government figures show that tourist and business trip arrivals in South Africa fell by 2.3%. Research from Landry Signé at the Brookings Institution in Washington DC argues that visa restrictions are “the most significant barrier to growth” in South African tourism. Accor, which has been in Africa since 1974, plans to open 16 hotels in Africa in 2020, which will increase its presence by nearly 3,000 rooms.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 11, 2020 14:14 UTC