Dhawa Ouidah is part of the vast Ouidah Marina project led by the Beninese government, with the ambition of developing memorial, cultural, and seaside tourism.
Ahead of the Vodun Days scheduled for January 2026, the Dhawa Ouidah hotel complex opened its doors to media professionals on Monday, January 5, 2026, in Ouidah. Majestically located to the left of the new Door of No Return, facing the Atlantic Ocean, the establishment welcomed journalists and tourism stakeholders for a brief tour of the site, followed by a press conference announcing its upcoming opening. The meeting brought together the Chief of Staff to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, the Director General of the National Agency for Tourism Heritage (ANPT), as well as representatives of the Banyan Group—the project developer—and private-sector stakeholders.
Together, they unveiled the ambitions, features, and strategic significance of this hotel complex, which is set to enhance Benin’s tourism appeal.
Aligned with the government’s vision of making tourism a major driver of economic development, the Dhawa Ouidah project illustrates the policy of structural investments undertaken over several years in the cultural and arts sectors. Like the Sofitel in Cotonou, several major tourism infrastructures have emerged in the municipality of Ouidah, including the Avlékété hotel complex and a Club Med–style holiday village.
According to the Director General of the ANPT, Achille Moïse HOUSSOU, these investments aim to increase the country’s accommodation capacity, improve the tourism environment, and stimulate private investment to consolidate the momentum already underway. The Dhawa Ouidah complex alone represents an investment of several billion CFA francs, with construction entrusted to the Banyan Group, a leading international player in luxury hospitality.
In Ouidah, Dhawa Blends Tourism, Memory, and Beninese Hospitality
Dhawa Ouidah is part of the broader Ouidah Marina project spearheaded by the Beninese government, designed to promote memorial, cultural, and seaside tourism. Located in Djègbadji, between the ocean and mangroves, on an exceptional natural site spanning 23 hectares, the four-star hotel will feature 132 rooms, several restaurants and bars, a spa, a swimming pool, as well as meeting and event spaces.
Beyond accommodation, the complex aims to be a true place of life and exchange, showcasing Beninese hospitality, local craftsmanship, and the unique history of Ouidah—a major site of memory linked to the transatlantic slave trade. In the long term, the site will also host a five-star Banyan Tree hotel and a four-star Angsana hotel, forming a tourism complex of international standing.
Expected to open in 2026, Dhawa Ouidah marks a significant milestone in the transformation of Benin’s tourism landscape and reinforces the country’s ambition to establish itself as a leading cultural and memorial destination in West Africa.
