Over the past four years, the UAE has strengthened its position as one of Africa’s leading foreign investors, funneling more than US$118 billion into a wide range of sectors. While mining, energy, technology and logistics continue to receive the most attention, tourism is emerging as a strategic pillar of Emirati engagement across Africa, driven by both private capital and state-backed investment vehicles.
As African governments seek to expand and diversify their hospitality offerings, Emirati actors are entering into projects that combine long-term commercial ambitions with capacity-building goals. From the Comoros to Morocco, the coastline of Tanzania to the ruins of Egypt, the UAE is helping rebuild tourism infrastructure in both mature and emerging markets. This change reflects not only commercial dynamics, but also a broader diplomatic orientation towards tourism as a means of economic diversification, job creation and regional connectivity.
Expanding the private sector: Hospitality projects from the Indian Ocean to the Sahel
UAE-based companies are playing a central role in Africa’s new tourism landscape. On October 27, Mayan Properties, a subsidiary of Resources Investment, signed a development agreement with Accor for five new hotel projects, including a 159-room Movenpick in Moroni (Comoros) and a 170-room Novotel in Nouakchott (Mauritania). Prior to this partnership, the company already had operations in Chad, Guinea, Morocco, Republic of Congo and Somalia, emphasizing a continental strategy that extends beyond hospitality to logistics, real estate and public infrastructure.
Dubai-based Jumeirah has also announced its intention to enter the African market in 2024. The group has partnered with Tanda to operate the luxury Jumeirah Tanda Island in Tanzania’s Shunginbili Marine Reserve and safari properties in South Africa, adding premium coastal and wildlife destinations to its global portfolio. The rise of luxury private islands and safari experiences is a trend noted across Africa and reflects a growing investor ecosystem, with Emirati groups now rubbing shoulders with world-famous companies from Europe, the US and Asia.
Wessal Capital, an investment vehicle backed in part by Abu Dhabi’s Aabar Investments, is also pursuing large-scale projects such as the Wessal Bouregreg development in Rabat-Saleh, positioning Morocco as a gateway for European and African tourist flows.
State-sponsored strategic investments: heritage, global brands, and national development challenges
Sovereign funds are supplementing private sector efforts with large-scale capital injections. In March, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) announced the launch of the US$120 million Sofitel Legend Pyramid Giza project. The project is a 302-room luxury facility managed by Accor and aimed at enhancing tourism infrastructure near Egypt’s most iconic monuments. ADFD holds 84.28% of the project, demonstrating the scale of its commitment to Egypt’s tourism-led development strategy.
Mubadala has taken similar steps, investing $360 million in Swiss operator Aman Group in 2023, giving it a stake in assets such as the Amanjena Hotel in Marrakech and two Nobu-branded hotels being developed in Egypt. These moves are consistent with broader Gulf investment patterns, with major funds acquiring or developing premium assets in markets such as Morocco and Egypt, where tourism is central to the country’s growth model.
For emerging destinations like the Comoros and Mauritania, projects in the Emirates provide not only infrastructure but also a signaling effect that can attract further partners. Established hubs such as South Africa, Tanzania and Morocco are contributing to market consolidation and diversification of hospitality offerings.
Institutionalizing partnerships: connectivity, job creation, and intercontinental collaboration
framework
The institutional aspects of UAE-Africa cooperation are also becoming more structured. The UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit held in Dubai on 27 October brought together delegations from more than 20 African countries, underscoring the UAE’s ambition to act as a long-term partner in the continent’s tourism development. During the event, the UAE committed $6 billion to Africa’s travel and hospitality sector with a goal of creating 70,000 jobs, while highlighting the role of frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in improving connectivity and investment flows within the continent.
Air connectivity already reflects this growing exchange, with around 550 flights connecting the UAE and African destinations each week, facilitating both tourism and business travel. The summit also pointed to opportunities ranging from green tourism and resort development to fintech solutions for travel services, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 8 and 9 on decent work, industry and infrastructure.
As African economies diversify, the role of Emirati actors in tourism will increase, and new forms of partnership, the contours of which remain fluid, are likely to form. Much will depend on how governments and investors balance commercial ambitions with long-term development needs, and whether this new situation can create shared benefits beyond already announced projects.
