The world's richest are pouring money into Africa's luxury resorts
Notable investments in African luxury travel include Richard Branson's Virgin Limited Edition and expansions by Kasada Capital Management.
Global investors, including billionaires and Middle Eastern firms, are increasingly interested in African tourism due to untapped potential and cost efficiencies.
The Jumeirah Group teams up with Thanda Group to develop high-end African destinations, such as private islands and safaris.
A private island off Tanzania's coast, where guests pay around $50,000 per night for exclusive use of a villa, catamaran, and helicopter transfers inside a protected marine reserve, is emerging as the latest marker of Africa's fast-growing luxury hospitality market.
According to a Bloomberg report, the resort is run by Dubai's Jumeirah Group LLC, part of the emirate's royal business empire, and reflects a broader surge of global investor interest in African tourism.
From vineyard retreats to elite safaris and gorilla treks, billionaires, tech moguls, and Middle Eastern investors are turning their attention and capital toward Africa, now seen as one of the last untapped frontiers of luxury travel.
Jumeirah has teamed up with the Swedish founders of Thanda Group to offer a private island escape off Tanzania and a Big Five safari experience in South Africa.
Kasada Capital Management, backed by Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, is expanding its footprint, eyeing deals in Morocco and adding to its 19-hotel portfolio across seven African nations.
Meanwhile, Albwardy Investment, the firm behind Dubai's Desert Palm Polo Estate, is pushing ahead with developments in Zanzibar and Seychelles.
It's a marked shift. Where African hospitality was once largely shaped by state-led initiatives, it's now being redefined by private capital, keen to meet a growing appetite for luxury experiences in untamed destinations.
Billionaires are betting big
Billionaires are increasingly drawn to Africa. For many, the cost of entry, from land acquisition to development, is significantly lower than in more established markets.
Meanwhile, tourism numbers are soaring. In 2024, Africa surpassed pre-pandemic levels of international arrivals, welcoming 74 million visitors, according to UN Tourism.
A 2024 Deloitte report on next-generation travellers forecasts that the Middle East and Africa will lead global growth in inbound tourism through 2040. Africa alone is expected to expand at a compound annual rate of 3.5% from 2019 to 2040, showing the region's long-term appeal.
Virgin Limited Edition, the luxury hospitality brand founded by Richard Branson, has made Africa central to its strategy; over half its properties are on the continent, with more investments on the horizon.
Others are following suit. Koos Bekker, the billionaire behind Naspers Ltd., recently opened his second ultra-luxury lodge in South Africa.
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