East African safari operator, SafariCo Group, has earmarked $72 million for the expansion and refurbishing of its lodges in Tanzania, joining growing list of international hoteliers betting big on the growth of the country’s hospitality industry.

 

SafariCo Group is set to receive a $50 million loan from International Finance Corporation (IFC) to fund part of its expansion plans on two hotels in Tanzania.

The group which manages 23 lodges under the brands Elewana Collection, Explorer by Elewana and Sopa Lodges, looks at onboarding 184 new rooms in the expansion plan which will see it surpass 1000-keys.“IFC’s proposed loan of $50 million will be used to finance the further development of the group’s Explorer brand, and more specifically, the expansion and refurbishment of existing Sopa Lodges in Tanzania including: Ngorongoro Explorer and an extension N20, for not more than 110 rooms located within the Ngorongoro Conservation and Serengeti Explorer, located within the Serengeti National Park, with 74 rooms,” said IFC in disclosures.

Serena, operated by TPS Eastern Africa, is refurbishing its hotels in Dar es Salaam and Arusha as it aims to enhance guest experience and increase its market share in a growing tourism market.

Siringit Collection is transforming its semi-permanent Serengeti Camp to a permanent camp with enhanced, spacious and modern amenities, to be completed by June this year. Taj Hotels, part of Indian Hotels Company Limited, is setting up in Serengeti with a target of completion by 2027.

Tanzania’s tourist numbers rose 20.3 percent in the six months to June 2025 at 798,605 from 663,444 a year earlier.

Tourism is the highest forex earner for the country, ahead of gold, having earned Tanzania $3.9 billion in 2024. Tourism contributes around one quarter of Tanzania’s foreign exchange earnings, and around 17 percent of its gross domestic product.

Hoteliers are also eyeing the continental football tournament, African Cup of Nations 2027, which will be hosted by Tanzania alongside Kenya and Uganda.

International operator Marriott opened its Mapito Safari Camp last year, and is also working on delivering the 30 room JW Marriott Serengeti Lodge, this year. Also in the Serengeti, Kempinski is planning its Longosa Lodge, a 75-room luxury retreat which will open in 2027.

Tanzania’s tourism sector includes the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Mt Kilimanjaro and the beaches in Zanzibar.

The hotels are funding the projects through private equity, loans from development financial institutions loans such as IFC and local commercial banks.

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