Tourism Marketing

Radisson investment decision a boost for Africa’s tourism marketers

By our News Team | 2021

International hotel group’s decision to invest heavily in West and Central Africa should create confidence and help to lure visitors back.

In what must be good news for Africa’s tourism and hospitality industry marketers, who have been struggling with the impact of Covid-19 on their businesses, one of the world’s biggest hotel chains has given a vote of confidence to the continent.

The giant Radisson Hotel Group announced that it has identified West & Central Africa as key markets in its African development strategy. Its aim is to double its portfolio of properties in this market by 2025 and bring the total number of hotels to 25.

“We have identified six countries for growth in West and Central Africa, with a clear strategy to have scaled growth in the key African capital cities, financial hubs and resort destinations,” said Erwan Garnier, Senior Director, Development, Africa at Radisson.

“We have also identified eight pro-active cities in West and Central Africa in which we are focusing our efforts for scaled expansion. The focus destinations are Abuja, Lagos, Accra, Abidjan, Dakar, Yaoundé, Douala, and Kinshasa.”

Radisson

Catering for a variety of customer needs

He continued: “Our development strategy for West and Central Africa focuses on business hotels, resorts, serviced apartments and mixed-use developments.

“What sets us apart is our owner-centric approach with dedicated teams and relevant brands with the lowest development cost and access to development solutions, plus our adaptive solutions to meet local needs from compact offering, midscale to luxury, serviced apartments, lean operational model and clustering efficiencies.”

According to tourism researcher and academic, Dr Tafadzwa Matiza, the African tourism sector has, as a result of Covid, shed an estimated $83-billion in GDP contribution (down by 49.2%) and lost up to 7.2-million industry jobs compared to 2019 levels.

To help get the sector back on track, he believes marketers must promote African destinations as attractive but socially responsible locations. They must share information such as measures put in place to protect tourists to help travellers make their decisions.

Most importantly, tourism product owners must innovate and adapt their tourism offerings to meet the demand for safe domestic tourism. This would kick-start the tourism sector and prepare it for international tourism, Matiza says.

Pre-conference masterclass discusses taking African brands to the world

Participants challenged to identify, articulate and commercialise the cultural assets that make their brand ready for a global audience.

Three people stand side by side in front of a sports direct backdrop the woman in the middle holds a blue and orange 'sports direct' sign

Africa’s first Sports Direct retail store opens its doors in Nairobi

Second outlet planned for Nairobi before year end, with Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco said to be future target markets.

Person wearing a beige sweater holds a phone with a translucent search bar reading 'search' and microphonecamera icons in the foreground

Search is fragmenting – credibility and trust create the new visibility

Online search behaviour has changed significantly with the rise of AI. How can African brands adapt to this new marketing landscape?

Person shopping at a deli counter holding an orange shopping basket in a cheese section of a supermarket

The move toward future-ready food packaging where materials meet AI

Researchers propose a framework for packaging that senses, learns and acts – making packaging an active, AI-powered tool against food waste.

Conference stage with a woman in a patterned dress speaking to an audience large screens display '' logos and banners for a marketers conference with 'institute of marketing in malawi' branding on stage panels and backdrop

Malawi’s marketers urged to put trust at the heart of the profession

Country needs marketers to build recognition and consumer trust around Malawian products and national brand, says Deputy Minister.

Lingerie brand creates street-stopping advertising in Manhattan

Fashion brand suspends giant lingerie high above the city’s streets, using shadows to create a moving billboard for pedestrians and motorists.

We know AI influencers aren’t real – so why do we trust them?

Researchers describe AI influencers as having a ‘dual identity’. Consumers evaluate both ‘person’ and ‘technology’ identities at once.

Hotel receptionist assisting a guest at the check in counter with a gray suitcase nearby behind the desk

Why trust has become a critical asset for hotel industry marketers

Reputation and trust, once modest influences on hotel choice, have become some of the strongest predictors of patronage, study finds.

Three people in formal attire pose for a photo at an awards event a woman in a pink dress holds a trophy while two men in suits stand beside her against a gold confetti backdrop

FNB bank’s eBucks programme dominates the 2026 SA loyalty awards

South African brands are increasingly setting the global benchmark for customer loyalty strategies, organisers say.

Portrait of a man with short black hair and a beard wearing a black button down shirt against a light gray background

Zambia’s strongest creative ideas are emerging from local truths

Global influences among younger consumers are still present, but they are being filtered through a distinctly Zambian lens.

Yellow humanoid robot at a bakery counter inspecting a display of donuts on display in front of glass cases

Consumers have doubts about products when they’re designed by AI

Researchers find that lack of perceived ‘genuine care’ is the mechanism connecting AI involvement to lower trust ratings.