Photo caption: Group General Manager of Continental Hotels Group, Karl Hala
By Emeka Ugwuanyi
The Group General Manager of Continental Hotels Group, Karl Hala, has called on Africans to upscale their involvement in hospitality industry with home grown models.
“Africa’s hospitality future should be built on African-centric models that will ensure efficiency and growth without losing the heritage and peculiarities of the continent,” he said.
Speaking at the Hotel Managers Africa Conference, hosted by Lagos Continental Hotel , Hala emphasized that hospitality in Africa is not just a sector, but a solution. “We need to develop African-centric models that will drive growth and stability in our industry,” he said.
In his keynote address, Hala explained that a workable model for Africa’s hospitality industry is the one that is people-oriented. “It will be powered by our own people — retooled, reimagined, and ready to lead,” Hala said.
Photo caption: Karl Hala
He noted that Africa has the youngest population in the world, yet many of its brightest minds are still queuing for jobs or worse, queuing at embassies. “We import training manuals and export talent,” he said. “That is the paradox we must end.”
He emphasized that Africa’s hospitality industry cannot keep standing at a fork in the road. “Either we become a training ground for other continents, or we become the epicentre of a bold, African-driven hospitality revolution,” he suggested.
Hala believes that the gap in Africa’s hospitality industry is real and must be closed by Africans for the continent to be at par with other hospitality industries across the world. “I have seen it all — outdated curriculums, instructors who have never worked a five-star shift, students memorizing what they should be mastering,” he disclosed.
To address the gap, Hala insisted that training matters. “We will bring classrooms into our hotels,” he said. “We reward curiosity over conformity and we invest in AI, and gamification — tools that speak to today’s digital-native youth.” A cleaning supervisor in Kigali should be able to learn the same skills, on the same digital platform, as a hospitality trainee in Geneva, Hala argued.
“That is equality and innovation,” he added. Hala urged stakeholders to see hospitality beyond service, and more of strategy. By doing so, Africa can create a thriving hospitality industry that drives growth and stability.
The Group General Manager emphasized that hospitality in Africa is not just a sector, but a solution. As Africa’s hotel projects are soaring, and top global hotel chains are sustaining their expansion projects across the continent’s hotel markets, Hala believes that Africa should build and own its hospitality market.
“We need to develop African-centric models that will ensure efficiency and growth without losing the heritage and peculiarities of the continent,” he said. Hala’s call to action is timely, considering the current state of Africa’s hospitality industry.
By working together, Africans can create a hospitality industry that is driven by innovation, technology, and a focus on local talent. The future of Africa’s hospitality industry is bright, and it’s up to Africans to shape it.
The Hotel Managers Africa Conference provided a platform for industry stakeholders to come together and discuss the future of Africa’s hospitality industry. Hala’s keynote address was a call to action for Africans to take ownership of their industry and create a thriving hospitality industry that drives growth and stability.
