At Index we are passionate about hospitality because of the impact it has on guests, employees and the community – society at large. Historically and globally we see that hospitality was viewed as a sacred art that united people. In the Greco-Roman culture the concept of hospitality (Latin: Hospitium and Greek: ξενία, xenia, προξενία) was viewed as a divine right of the guest and a divine duty of the host, the word itself meant to care for a stranger. As such, the innkeeper was considered as presiding over the house of God, not merely providing a sacred place for shelter and sustenance to travellers but more to receive strangers as guests. At Index Hotels we are conscious that we must balance the commercial value of hospitality, not allowing it to break the ties of benevolence, causing us to shift our focus from the love of people to the love of money. Rather we stand firm on the principle that if we do hospitality right we will yield the fruit of profit. The human factor is key to our success and being authentically hospitable is a matter of our whole orientation. Our goal at Index Hotels is to exemplify the key elements of hospitality: Generous of Spirit Confidently Comfortable Cooperatively Charitable Unsparingly Gracious Ungrudgingly Sincere All-Inclusive and Welcoming Open-Hearted and Joyful Hospitality is a catalyst for creating communities; people are hungry for the sense of belonging that community engenders. We see ourselves as community builders, helping to remove unhealthy barriers and creating communities that are conscious in their acceptance – make room at the table for everyone. Cultivating hospitality is one of the wisest investments; it is an investment in self, in relationships, in community and in unification. Index Hotels has an in-depth understanding of the operational nuances which make a successful hospitality business in the African context. These include revenue optimisation and cost efficiencies with the net result being an operation that has soul, offering heartfelt hospitality, and producing above average profits. Seven of the ten fastest growing economies in the world are in Africa and Africa is likely to double its number of tourist arrivals – to reach 134 million by 2030. Thus, there is no more fertile ground to cultivate hospitality and invest in its coalescing work than Africa. In Africa, Travel and Tourism only contributed 6.5% (24.7 million jobs) to employment and 6.9% to GDP, leaving plenty of room for financial growth and an opportunity to create gainful employment for millions. As an investor or developer wishing to develop hotels in Africa you must be looking for a hospitality partner who has in-depth experience and understanding of the African travel and hotel market. You possibly wish to avoid the corporate red tape, high-cost structure, and the parochial mindset of megabrands. At Index Hotels, due to our entrepreneurial mindset, we take pride in guaranteeing you the personalised and expedient involvement of a highly skilled and diverse team who understand your specific needs. Ultimately you want to achieve a return on your investment. As it is our fundamental belief that profit is the fruit of doing things right, we believe that Index will be your best partner in hospitality.