The new coronavirus pandemic will slow down the development of hotels in Africa in 2020 despite the sector returning growth at the start of the year, the latest survey by W Hospitality Group indicates.
Hotel development in the region was on the rise at the beginning of the year, with more than 78,000 rooms in 408 hotels in the pipeline, according to the 12th annual survey by the Group.
This year's African Hotel Chain Development Pipeline survey covers 35 international and regional hotel contributors across the 54 countries in north and sub-Saharan Africa, and in the Indian Ocean islands.
Marriott, the world's largest hotel chain, has the largest pipeline in Africa, 22 per cent more hotels and 6 per cent more rooms than second-placed Accor.
"It is quite clear from the numbers that the chains, the developers, the investors - and all of us at W Hospitality Group continue to believe in the opportunities that Africa presents in the hotel and tourism industry," he said in a statement.
