The Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF), a leading hospitality investment forum on the African continent, has announced winners of its 2024 edition that will take place soon in Namibia.

The organisers of Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF), that will take place at Windhoek in Namibia from June 25 to 27, have announced a list of winners for the 2024 edition.

According to a press statement, Alain Sebah, President, Golden Tulip Afrique Francophone and East Africa (GTAF), and Dupe Olusola, Managing Director and CEO, Transcorp Hotels, will both receive awards recognising their professional accomplishments. Alain will receive the Outstanding Contribution Award and Dupe the Leadership Award.

Alain founded GTAF a decade ago, since then he has opened 11 hotels and has five under construction and grown the brand in both French and English-speaking Africa, focussing on management and franchise agreements

The statement adds that Dupe Olusola will be recognised with Leadership Award. Olusola became Managing Director and CEO of Transcorp Hotels during the pandemic when occupancy fell to just 5 pc. She led the company back to profitability faster than most of the world’s hospitality companies, with the share price growing over 600 pc in 2023.

Under her leadership, the company has extended its offer and won over 40 awards. She also won several personal awards, including CEO of the Year.

“I am deeply honoured to receive the Leadership Award at AHIF. This recognition is a testament to the incredible dedication and hard work of the entire Transcorp Hotels team. Together, we have navigated challenging times and emerged stronger, continually pushing the boundaries of excellence in hospitality,” says Olusola.

“It will be an enormous pleasure to see two exceptionally impressive individuals receiving African hospitality industry ‘Oscars’ at AHIF. Alain is one of the great statesmen of the sector, who has achieved consistent success through a brilliant mix of charm, dynamism, flexibility and commercial nous. The operational excellence his team has achieved in Cotonou is fantastic, as was the deal he signed in Abidjan at the height of the pandemic,” says Matthew Weihs, Founder of the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF).

“Dupe’s record is outstanding. She became the first female CEO of a NGN 1 trillion (USD 667 million) company shortly after Transcorp ended the year as the best performing stock on the Nigerian Exchange. One has to admire her ability to inspire people and the innovative way she fought to retain guests when other hoteliers would simply have said they were fully booked,” he adds.

“I am deeply grateful to AHIF for this recognition. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of many individuals. Together, we have built a legacy of quality and service, of which I am immensely proud; and this award motivates us to achieve even greater heights,” says Alain Sebah.

The event is the most influential gathering of hospitality executives in Africa, connecting business leaders and fuelling investment in tourism projects, infrastructure, and hotel development across the continent.