At a Glance
- Cairo leads Africa’s luxury hotel boom with over 70 active development projects.
- Marrakech, Cape Town, and Casablanca follow, driving regional tourism and investor confidence.
- Rising business travel and tourism recovery fuel Africa’s multi-year luxury hospitality surge.
Across Africa, a luxury hotel building boom is reshaping skylines and driving investor interest like never before.
As of 2025, Cairo leads with 70-plus hotel projects, accounting for nearly a third of the continent’s development pipeline.
Following closely is Marrakech, with 45–55 ongoing projects, and Cape Town, hosting about 40-plus high-end properties in gestation.
Cities such as Casablanca, Johannesburg, Lagos, Nairobi, Dakar, Accra, and Kigali are also in the race—each now boasting pipelines ranging from 8 to 35 luxury or upper-upscale hotels, many anchored by international brands or high-profile boutique conversions.
The surge reflects growing demand for premium stays, upscale resort offerings, and conversion of heritage properties.
With rising business travel, tourism recovery, and priority trade-city infrastructure, Africa’s luxury hotel sector appears poised for a transformational decade.
Here are 10 African cities dominating the luxury hotel boom—with strong pipelines, international brand activity, and growth trends that signal a multi-year upswing.
Cairo, Egypt — 70+ projects
Egypt leads continent-level pipeline share and Cairo is the largest single city concentration: national reports list Egypt as commanding nearly a third of Africa’s pipeline, and Cairo’s mix of resort, business and conversion projects places it at the top of city lists. Major international brands and local investors are heavily active.
Marrakech, Morocco — 45–55 projects
Morocco’s tourism push and event calendar (luxury tourism, festivals, and World Cup-related infrastructure) have driven a wave of high-end riad conversions and international branded openings in Marrakech. Recent development roundups for Morocco show robust activity focused on the city and resort belt.
Casablanca, Morocco — 30–40 projects
Casablanca’s commercial profile and port economy, plus major chain signings and regional investor announcements, have created a sizable urban luxury pipeline ahead of broader Moroccan infrastructure upgrades.
Cape Town, South Africa — 35–45 projects
Industry briefings and local reporting point to 40+ hotel projects in the Cape Town pipeline — from boutique lifestyle brands to urban resorts around the V&A Waterfront and Camps Bay — making the city one of the densest development hotspots. Tourism recovery and strong conference demand underpin the surge.
Johannesburg, South Africa — 25–35 projects
Johannesburg’s corporate travel base and conference calendar have attracted conversions and new luxury flag openings. The city trails Cape Town in leisure demand but remains a primary hub for business and lifestyle hotel pipelines.
Lagos, Nigeria — 20–30 projects
Nigeria’s pipeline strength (country-level counts reported in 2025) and Lagos’s role as commercial capital make it a prime site for luxury hotels and lifestyle brands. Recent country tallies show strong signings and openings across Nigeria that concentrate in Lagos.
Nairobi, Kenya — 18–25 projects
Nairobi’s mix of business travel, safari feeders and diplomatic traffic fuels steady demand for branded luxury hotels. High-profile openings and pipeline announcements (regional brand rollouts, international flag entries) place Nairobi in the top tier.
Dakar, Senegal — 12–20 projects
Dakar’s emergence as a West African hub — boosted by air connectivity and government incentives — has attracted resort and city-style luxury investments, many announced in the last 18–24 months. Trade press highlights growing pipelines in Dakar and Senegal generally.
Accra, Ghana — 10–18 projects
Accra’s improving connectivity, oil-sector business travel and boutique luxury repositioning have produced a growing list of branded and independent luxury projects. Multinational chains have signaled expansion plans into Ghanaian gateways.
Kigali, Rwanda — 8–15 projects
Kigali continues to punch above its weight: conference tourism, premium safaris and a stable investment climate have attracted lifestyle and upper-upscale hotel projects — a trend visible in recent signings and government tourism roadmaps.
