Banyan Group expands Africa footprint with Newmark acquisition
Singapore based Banyan Group is expanding its African hospitality platform through the acquisition of a majority stake in Newmark Hotels & Reserves, adding 26 hotels, lodges and reserves across seven countries to its global portfolio.
Banyan Group has announced a strategic partnership with Cape Town headquartered Newmark Hotels & Reserves and the acquisition of a majority stake in the African hospitality management company under a phased ownership structure that will lead to full ownership over time.
The transaction gives Banyan Group a significantly broader presence in Africa, with Newmark bringing properties across Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe into the group as a collection brand. Newmark will retain its existing name, management team and local operating approach.
For Banyan Group, the deal represents an expansion not only in geographic scale but also in a segment that is becoming increasingly important to international tourism: nature based, wildlife and experiential hospitality.
With the addition of Newmark, Banyan Group's portfolio will comprise nearly 130 hotels, resorts and reserves, more than 30 branded residences and over 140 spas and galleries across 14 hospitality and residential brands in 28 countries.
Newmark was founded in 2007 by Neil Markovitz and has developed a portfolio spanning heritage and city hotels, country and nature lodges, island retreats and private game reserves.
Its properties include QWABI Private Game Reserve in South Africa's Waterberg, which covers 11,000 hectares within a UNESCO designated biosphere, as well as Motswari Private Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger ecosystem. The portfolio also includes Gorilla Heights Lodge near Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and properties in Zanzibar and Mauritius.
The acquisition builds on Banyan Group's existing African operations. Before the transaction, the group had four hotels and four spas across Morocco, Mauritius, South Africa and Tanzania, while it is also preparing to enter West Africa with the upcoming Dhawa Ouidah in Benin.
Newmark extends that footprint into Namibia, Nigeria, Uganda and Zimbabwe while giving Banyan Group a more established platform in wildlife and nature based tourism.
Banyan Group president and chief executive officer Eddy See described Africa as a long term growth market for the company, pointing to Newmark's established management platform, owner relationships and local market knowledge as assets that can support further expansion.
The strategy also fits Banyan Group's broader approach of combining international distribution and commercial capabilities with locally rooted hospitality operations.
The African tourism market provides a significant backdrop to the expansion. According to UN Tourism, Africa recorded 81 million international tourist arrivals in 2025, an increase of 8 per cent from the previous year. The World Travel & Tourism Council expects the region's Travel & Tourism economy to grow by a further 5.4 per cent in 2026.
The deal therefore gives Banyan Group access to a larger platform at a time when international demand for African destinations is growing, particularly across wildlife, conservation, wellness and nature based travel.
Importantly, the transaction is structured to preserve Newmark's local identity. Markovitz and the existing management team will remain in place, while day to day operations, property branding and owner relationships will continue under the existing arrangements.
Banyan Group said the approach is intended to protect the local character of Newmark's properties while providing access to the group's international sales, distribution and development network.
Over time, Newmark properties are expected to become available through Banyan Group's booking platforms and participate in its withBanyan guest recognition programme, potentially giving the African portfolio access to a wider international customer base.
The transaction also reflects Banyan Group's evolution from a single resort brand into a multi brand global hospitality business. The group opened its 100th resort in 2025 with Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree in Singapore and has continued to expand across different hospitality segments and markets.
For Newmark, joining Banyan Group provides international distribution and access to a larger hospitality network while maintaining the operating model and local expertise that underpin its African portfolio.
The combination positions the two companies to pursue further opportunities across a continent where tourism growth, wildlife experiences, conservation and destination based hospitality are becoming increasingly important components of the international travel economy.
