For the first time, the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS)—the world’s most influential event in hotel investment, development, and sustainability—will take place on African soil. From June 17 to 19, 2025, Cape Town will host this global summit, marking a turning point in how the industry views Africa’s role in the future of tourism. The decision to bring FHS to the continent confirms a clear trend: the global hospitality sector is betting on Africa’s tourism potential.
Since its launch, FHS has traveled through key global hospitality hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Doha, and Bangkok, serving as a platform for strategic announcements, multimillion-dollar partnerships, and cross-sector collaboration among investors, operators, and governments. With over $4 billion in hospitality deals signed since its inception, the summit has earned its reputation as a catalyst for high-impact hotel investments. The choice of Africa as its next host reflects a growing recognition of the continent’s sustained tourism growth—over 70 million international arrivals were recorded in 2023.
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The lineup for FHS Africa 2025 reflects the significance of the moment. William E. Heinecke, founder of Minor Hotels, will open the summit with a keynote on entrepreneurial vision and expansion across Africa. He will be joined by top executives from Hilton, IHG, Marriott, Accor, and other leading brands, who will outline how they are tailoring their strategies to meet the continent’s dynamic and diverse markets. Investment giants such as Actis, Kasada Capital, and Janus Continental Group will also share insights on profitability and risk management in African contexts.
The program will also address key themes such as environmental sustainability, regenerative tourism, and community development, featuring expert voices from WWF South Africa, Bring The Elephant Home, and Nkombe Rhino. The goal is not only to attract capital but to promote a model of responsible hospitality aligned with the challenges of climate change and conservation.
For Matthew Weihs, Commercial Director at The Bench—the summit’s organizer—the move to Africa is a bold statement of intent: “Cape Town symbolizes what Africa represents for global hospitality today: innovation, diversity, and a new frontier for growth. Now is the time to invest in the continent—and to do so strategically and sustainably.”
With an agenda designed to foster high-value relationships, technical visits to local hotel developments, and side events such as a community-focused charity run, FHS Africa 2025 is shaping up to be more than a summit—it will be the epicenter of Africa’s hospitality transformation in the years to come.
