Africa's hospitality industry is rapidly expanding with more than 100,000 rooms currently under construction. This is an increase of 13% from last year, according to W Hospitality's 2025 Africa Development Report. This growth is driven by the rising middle class, the young population and the desire to travel and prioritize consumer goods. This places hospitality at the heart of the continent's development.
Hilton is proud to lead the charge. Since opening our first hotel in Africa more than 60 years ago, we have steadily expanded our presence and introduced more award-winning brands to meet the needs of our evolving guests. Today, with 63 trading hotels and plans to more than double our presence, our commitment to the continent is unshakable. And at the heart of this growth is our team members. The driving force behind our success and the extremely heartbeat of our hospitality.
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the travel and tourism sector supported a total of 357 million jobs worldwide in 2024. At Hilton, we believe that travel and tourism are powerful engines of opportunity for everyone. With 13,000 team members in Africa, we continue to cling to our commitment to spreading the light and warmth of hospitality to our guests and communities.
It is led by Conrad Hilton's belief that travel should be an eternal force. We help shape the future of hospitality by investing in people, creating opportunities, and strengthening the communities we live in, work and travel to.
One of the most exciting initiatives we support is the Future Leader Challenge (FLC). It is a program that brings together students, educators and industry experts to promote hospitality innovation and collaboration. After the successful multi-year editions in Morocco and South Africa and the completion of more than 330 future leaders, the challenge began in Kenya, expanding its scope to East Africa.
However, our commitment goes beyond the role of traditional hospitality. It extends to the broader social and economic structure of the communities we operate.
In Nigeria, we are unlocking the potential of entrepreneurs. The long-standing partnership with ACE Charity and National Youth Service Corps empowered over 50 women entrepreneurs to build successful businesses and supported over 400 young professionals. Additionally, last year, Wavecrest College of Hospitality was selected as a grantor for the Hilton Global Foundation, providing skills and vocational training for young girls for their careers in the hospitality industry.
Meanwhile, in the Seychelles, we educate education as a path to opportunity. Hilton's own Fitir Academy program has trained more than 60 students since 2022. Recently, he has started a new engineering apprenticeship program in collaboration with the Seychelles Institute of Technology, investing more in people ready for the future.
In South Africa, long-standing academic partnerships pave the way for employment. Since 2013, Hilton Durban has worked with institutions such as International Hotel School, Zurland University, HTA School of the Arts and Durban Institute of Technology to support nearly 600 students with practical training and career opportunities. These efforts have helped strengthen industry-academic relationships and guide students into meaningful hospitality roles across Hilton and the broader sector.
These initiatives reflect the purpose of our actions. The belief that long-term success is rooted in raising and investing in the communities we run. That's why Hilton continues to be recognized as working as one of the world's leading hospitality companies.
From young people to empowering women, the stories that emerge from teams prove what is possible when we live our purpose and invest in people.
On this African Day, we reaffirm our commitment to being more than a hospitality operator. We are the catalysts of growth, an ongoing partner and launchpad for Africa's future hospitality leaders. Together, we are building something bigger than ourselves. It is a bright and promising future for Africa.
For industry-related news, click here.
