The 17th edition of the Arabian & African Hospitality Investment Conference, the annual gathering for the Middle East’s hospitality investment community, will be held Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai live in person from September 20-22.

 

Reimagined for 2021, AHIC will bring together the four investment communities - the Arabian Hospitality Investment Conference, Saudi Arabia Hospitality Investment Conference, Africa Hotel Investment Forum and the Global Restaurant Investment Forum.

 

Under the theme ‘Rise Together’, event organisers Bench and MEED have designed the three-day programme around the themes of innovation, sustainability and the future. 

 

Chairman of Bench and founder of AHIC Jonathan Worsley said: “This year’s programme features more than 50 opportunities for our delegates to deliberate, learn and network over three exciting days. 

 

"There will be a focus on industry transformation and collaboration with debates, data and trend reports written for AHIC, interviews with industry leaders, smaller breakout sessions such as investors focused on Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects, and evening receptions, including the first event at Madinat Jumeirah’s new-look Zheng He’s”.

 

The event will feature 100+ speakers with on-stage one-to-one interviews, roundtables, discussions and workshops as well as off-stage individual meetings, innovation pitches, networking experiences, and culinary tours.

 

AHIC 2021 will present a series of ‘Hard Talk’ interviews with industry leaders live on stage, including Sébastien Bazin, CEO and chairman, Accor; Samih Sawiris, chairman, Orascom Hotels and Development; John Pagano, CEO, The Red Sea Development Company and Amaala; and José Silva, CEO, Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts, host sponsor of AHIC.

 

The ‘Hard Talk’ series will span the three-day event and also include keynotes with Jerry Inzerillo, CEO, Diriyah Gate Development Authority; Gloria Guevara Manzo, chief special advisor, Ministry of Tourism – Saudi Arabia; Puneet Chhatwal, CEO, Indian Hotels Company Limited; and Simon Vincent, President EMEA and EVP, Hilton.-TradeArabia News Service