Focusing on South Africa and the burgeoning travel markets of Nigeria and Ghana in the west of the continent, the brand is seeking to partner with new and established independent luxury hotels as well as pipeline properties scheduled to launch in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Lagos, and Accra. Spearheaded by Mark Wernich, Preferred Hotels & Resorts Director of Business Development for Africa, the company’s objective is to add upwards of ten luxury properties to the region’s portfolio - with at least five in these key destinations by quarter four, 2018.

Preferred Hotels & Resorts currently represents 26 African hotels, lodges and resorts with ten member properties in South Africa, one member in Nigeria and one member in Ghana.

“Despite sluggish growth in the majority of African economies, the development and improvement of infrastructure in primary and secondary markets across West and Southern Africa continues, paving the way for new business and leisure-focused hotels,” says Wernich. “As Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria boasts the highest number of rooms in the development pipeline for 2018 and 2019, while the South African hospitality industry is taking great strides to increase the amount of upper upscale and luxury hotel options available to accommodate the year-on-year increase in international arrivals.”

Wernich believes Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ ‘soft brand’, performance-based cost business model is an ideal fit for locally-owned luxury hotels in Africa that want to maintain their independence and recognise the important role they play in their localities and within communities.