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TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
Indian-based hospitality group plans luxury brand expansion in SSA
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025
Taj Hotels brand is revamping three bush lodges in South Africa and eyes Zambia, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania.
The Taj Hotels luxury brand, which is part of the Indian Hotels Company Limited, has announced an expansion strategy aimed at strengthening its footprint across sub-Saharan Africa.
Illustration: Taj Hotels
This regional expansion is part of the group’s broader growth strategy, which has a target of 700 hotels globally by 2030. The intention is to reinforce its position as a global premier hospitality business.
The first step in the new SSA strategy is the acquisition of three lodges in South Africa’s Greater Kruger National Park. Phased openings are planned during 2026 and beyond.
“Here in sub-Saharan Africa, Taj Hotels has kept pace with the group’s growth through noteworthy acquisitions,” comments Mark Wernich, Cluster General Manager: Africa and Business Development Africa for the Taj brand.
He adds that Taj is evolving to offer travellers a broad scope of experiences, ranging from city stays to bush and beach experiences.
Next phase of the sub-Saharan Africa strategy
The next phase of the sub-Saharan Africa strategy is to establish a presence in Zambia, Botswana, the Maasai Mara in Kenya, and the Serengeti in Tanzania.
“We aim to build a robust infrastructure across East Africa to support our sub-Saharan portfolio, allowing travellers to explore the region’s best destinations seamlessly,” notes Wernich.
The expansion follows Indian Hotels Company Limited’s recent recognition as the World’s Strongest Hotel Brand for 2025 by Brand Finance – marking the fourth time the group has earned this accolade.
Enhancing Africa’s travel and tourism sector was a focus of the African Marketing Confederation’s 2025 annual conference held in Ghana recently. The AMC is collaborating with UN Tourism on its Brand Africa initiative to create a responsible, sustainable and attractive pan-African tourism brand.
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