A new 170-room Hampton by Hilton hotel being developed near the Accra International Airport is expected to create about 990 direct and indirect jobs, as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) provides long-term financing to support the project.
The hotel, being developed by PLP Properties Ltd., is expected to include about 200 permanent positions when operational and expand the supply of internationally branded midscale accommodation in Ghana.
The project is also expected to create opportunities for Ghanaian businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, through the supply of goods and services to the hotel.
The Hampton by Hilton Accra Airport is set to become Hilton’s first hotel to open in Ghana and one of the first Hampton by Hilton properties in West Africa.
Its location close to the country’s main international airport is expected to position the hotel to serve both business and leisure travellers while filling a gap in the market, where most internationally branded hotels currently target the upscale segment.
The financing from IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is expected to provide the project with the long-term funding needed to complete construction and establish operations.
Jean-Louis Feghali, Executive Director of PLP Properties Ltd., said the project was intended to deliver benefits beyond the construction of the hotel.
“Our vision goes beyond building a hotel,” he said, adding that the facility would strengthen Accra’s hospitality offering, create jobs, support local suppliers and serve business and leisure travellers.
He said PLP Properties valued IFC’s support in helping the company deliver the project in line with international sustainability standards.
Boost for tourism and local businesses
The investment comes as Ghana seeks to strengthen tourism infrastructure and increase the sector’s contribution to employment and economic activity.
Travel and tourism contributed an estimated 5.7 per cent of Ghana’s gross domestic product and supported more than 800,000 jobs in 2024, according to the project information.
Nathalie Kouassi Akon, IFC Division Director for West Africa Gulf of Guinea, said investment in quality and sustainable accommodation could strengthen Ghana’s tourism sector and support jobs across the wider economy.
She said the IFC partnership with PLP Properties would expand Accra’s hospitality offering, increase demand for local goods and services and promote more sustainable hotel development.
The hotel is expected to source goods and services from Ghanaian businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises.
This, the project promoters said, would strengthen domestic value chains and help retain a greater share of the economic value generated by tourism within Ghana.
Focus on green construction
The hotel is also targeting EDGE Advanced certification, IFC’s green building standard.
According to the project details, the facility is being designed to use at least 40 per cent less energy and 20 per cent less water than a conventional building, while reducing embodied carbon in construction materials.
The planned efficiencies are expected to reduce operating costs and establish a benchmark for resource-efficient hotel development in Ghana.
The project forms part of the World Bank Group’s broader priorities for Ghana, including private sector-led job creation, economic diversification and sustainable growth.
