UAE billionaire Mohamed Alabbar moves closer to major luxury hotel investment in Zimbabwe

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

The development follows a meeting between Alabbar, the founder of Emaar Properties, and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Mnangagwa said the discussions had resulted in plans for a “massive new investment in premium hospitality” that would bring world-class luxury hotels to the country.

Alabbar and an Emaar executive team are expected in Zimbabwe later in September for site inspections. The visit is also expected to help determine the scope and structure of the proposed developments, meaning the project has moved beyond an initial expression of interest toward identifying actual sites and finalising plans.

The investment is expected to create thousands of jobs and generate business for local suppliers, while helping Zimbabwe strengthen its position as a destination for international travellers. The planned hotels would also give Emaar, one of the Middle East’s largest property developers, a deeper presence in Zimbabwe’s tourism and hospitality market.

However, the financial scale of the project remains undisclosed. Neither the investment value, number of hotels, specific locations nor construction timeline has been announced. Those details are expected to become clearer after Emaar’s site inspections and further discussions with Zimbabwean authorities.

The proposed investment is being led by Alabbar, whose business interests extend across real estate, hospitality, retail and other sectors. Emaar is best known globally for developing the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world's tallest building, as well as major hospitality, retail and residential developments across international markets. Emaar’s 2025 annual report says Alabbar has led the company’s global expansion across more than 20 markets.

The latest move also revives an earlier connection between Alabbar and Zimbabwe, but with a significant difference. In February 2024, Billionaires.Africa reported that Alabbar was considering Zimbabwe for luxury hotels and upscale residential developments following discussions with Mnangagwa. The latest announcement represents a further step, with Emaar now preparing to inspect sites and work toward finalising the proposed hospitality projects.

For Zimbabwe, the timing comes as the government continues to court foreign investment in tourism and hospitality. President Mnangagwa has been using high-level engagements with international investors to attract capital into sectors beyond the country's traditional mining base. The government sees luxury hospitality as an opportunity to bring in higher-spending international visitors while creating employment and demand for local businesses.

For Alabbar and Emaar, the next major milestone will be the September visit. Until the sites are selected and the project details are finalised, the investment's ultimate size and scope remain unknown. But the planned inspection marks a notable progression from Alabbar's earlier interest in Zimbabwe to a potential new luxury hospitality development in the country.