Mohamed Alabbar Moves Closer to Zimbabwe Hotel Investment

UAE billionaire Mohamed Alabbar is moving closer to a major luxury hospitality investment in Zimbabwe, with Emaar Properties preparing to send an executive delegation to the country later this month to inspect potential sites and finalise details of the proposed developments.

The development follows a meeting between Alabbar, the founder of Emaar Properties, and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on 5 September. The discussions have now moved the long discussed investment opportunity closer to the site selection and project planning stage.

Following the meeting, Mnangagwa said the discussions had produced plans for what he described as a “massive new investment in premium hospitality” aimed at bringing world class luxury hotels to Zimbabwe.

Alabbar also confirmed the engagement through his official Instagram account, where he was pictured with President Mnangagwa alongside his son, Rashid Alabbar. He said they hoped to visit the President in Harare soon.

According to Mnangagwa, Alabbar and an Emaar executive delegation are expected to travel to Zimbabwe during September to inspect potential sites and finalise the details of the proposed developments.

The planned visit represents a notable progression from an earlier expression of interest to a process focused on identifying locations and defining the structure of the investment.

The relationship between Alabbar and Zimbabwe has been developing for more than two years. His interest in the country’s hotel and property market was publicly reported after talks with Mnangagwa in Dubai in February 2024, when potential investments in hotels and luxury apartments were discussed.

Alabbar founded Emaar Properties in Dubai in 1997 and has built a global business portfolio spanning real estate, hospitality, retail and other sectors. Emaar is internationally recognised for developments including Downtown Dubai, Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall.

Emaar’s 2025 annual report states that Alabbar has led the company’s expansion across more than 20 markets. His wider business profile also states that ventures connected to his portfolio extend across more than 20 countries, with more than 400,000 homes, over 90 hotels and approximately 21,000 hotel rooms.

Emaar’s hospitality portfolio includes Address Hotels + Resorts, Armani Hotels & Resorts, Vida Hotels and Resorts and Rove Hotels. However, no specific hotel brand has been named for the proposed Zimbabwe investment.

The financial scale of the proposed development also remains undisclosed. Neither the investment value, number of hotels, locations, construction timeline nor financing structure has been publicly confirmed.

There is also no public confirmation of a signed investment agreement or a final construction timetable. It remains unclear whether the project would be developed directly by Emaar Properties, another company linked to Alabbar or a dedicated investment vehicle.

Those details are expected to become clearer as the Emaar delegation conducts site inspections and continues discussions with Zimbabwean authorities.

Why the investment could matter for Zimbabwe

For Zimbabwe, attracting a developer with Alabbar’s international experience could have implications beyond increasing the country’s supply of luxury hotel rooms.

Premium hospitality developments can support a broader tourism ecosystem by creating demand for construction companies, transport operators, food producers, professional service providers and tourism businesses.

Mnangagwa said the proposed investment could generate thousands of jobs, stimulate local business activity and strengthen Zimbabwe’s position as an international tourism destination.

Those projections will ultimately depend on the scale, location and delivery model of the final projects.

The potential investment comes as Zimbabwe’s tourism industry records renewed growth. Figures attributed to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority show that the country received 384,561 international visitors during the first quarter of 2026, representing an 11 percent increase from the corresponding period in 2025.

Tourism receipts increased 14 percent to US$251 million during the same period, while reported investment in the tourism sector rose from US$12.6 million to US$67.8 million.

Zimbabwe already has globally recognised tourism assets, including Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park, Great Zimbabwe and the Eastern Highlands. The challenge is converting those assets into sustained economic value through continued investment in accommodation, aviation access, transport infrastructure and service standards.

A major luxury hotel development could strengthen Zimbabwe’s premium tourism offering, particularly if the projects create opportunities for local suppliers, employment and skills development.

For Emaar, Zimbabwe would offer access to a tourism market with internationally recognised attractions and growing visitor activity. For Zimbabwe, the arrival of an internationally established property and hospitality group could strengthen the country’s efforts to attract additional private capital into tourism.

The planned September visit will therefore be an important test of whether the discussions can progress from investor interest to a defined and bankable project.

For the Zimbabwean government, the next stage will involve providing clarity around potential sites, approvals, land arrangements, incentives and supporting infrastructure.

For the investor, the commercial case will depend on tourism demand, air connectivity, operating conditions, access to foreign currency and the long term ability of the properties to attract regional and international guests.

The discussions also highlight the growing investment relationship between Zimbabwe and the United Arab Emirates. Dubai has become an important platform for African governments seeking international capital, property developers, tourism partners and access to Gulf markets.

For Zimbabwe, however, the ultimate measure will be whether discussions translate into completed projects, new jobs, stronger local supply chains and increased tourism activity.

Alabbar’s expected visit to Harare could provide the first indication of where the proposed hotels may be located, which hospitality brands could enter the market and how quickly the investment could progress.

Until those details are confirmed, the proposal remains an advanced investment discussion rather than a finalised construction project.

Nevertheless, the planned site inspections represent a significant step in Zimbabwe’s engagement with one of the Middle East’s most prominent property developers and could mark the beginning of a new chapter for the country’s luxury hospitality market.