The current economic recession in Europe and America is driving world’s big hotel chains to explore new opportunities in resource-rich Africa. One of such is Marriott, which is planning to open new sites in Kigali, Rwanda and Acrra, Ghana. According to a report by Reuters, it also plans to double the number of hotels it has in Africa and Middle East to 100 between now and 2017.

Ed Fuller, international director at Marriott, told Reuters, “We’ve been trying to get into Africa for 15 years, but the issue was financing.” But the the wave of investment from China and other places is making the expansion possible.