Zoom Africa on the first Michelin Keys 2025 rankings: Morocco in the lead
- Eric ALAUZEN
- Oct 9
- 4 min read
From the tyre industry to the hotel industry
Created in 1900 to assist motorists, the Guide Michelin was long a traveller's companion before becoming the gastronomic reference with its stars.
In 2024, the company created a distinction for the hotel industry equivalent to stars: the Clefs MICHELIN (One, Two or Three Clefs), awarded after anonymous stays by the Guide's teams, to reward ‘exceptional hospitality experiences’.
On 8 October, for the first time, the selection was revealed on a global scale.
The first Michelin Keys 2025 rankings
This first global map features a total of 2,458 hotels distinguished by Michelin, constituting a directory of the best addresses on every continent. The breakdown is as follows:
1,743 hotels One Key
572 hotels with two keys
143 hotels with three keys
By continent:
North America, Central America and the Caribbean: 526 hotels
South America: 84 hotels
Europe, including the Caucasus and Turkey: 1,314 hotels
Africa: 87 hotels
Asia: 396 hotels
Middle East: 51 hotels
Oceania: 63 hotels
Focus on Africa
Two big winners in Africa: Morocco, which received 28 keys, and South Africa, with 27. Far behind, Egypt comes in with 9 keys, followed by the Seychelles with 6, Kenya with 5,
Mauritius with 4 keys, Namibia with 3 keys, Tanzania with 2 keys, while Tunisia, Zambia and Mozambique only garnered one key each. Morocco, a natural driving force behind African tourism
Unsurprisingly, Morocco leads the way. The harvest is driven by Marrakech and its icons — among the most recognisable to the general public:
La Mamounia, a palace-museum with legendary gardens,
Royal Mansour Marrakech, a masterpiece of living craftsmanship,
Kasbah Tamadot, an Atlas retreat that has become a flagship address outside the city.
Southern Africa also has a say
In South Africa, several lodges in Kruger or Lowveld are among the top-level landmarks (e.g. Royal Malewane). Namibia and Zambia are also on the list.
Tunisia honoured for a hotel in the south
Tunisia has entered the Michelin Keys rankings with a single prestigious address in Tozeur, but since the selection, the hotel that received two keys, the Anantara Tozeur, has been rebranded as The Mora Sahara Tozeur, a hotel collection belonging to the TUI Group. It will open in November 2025.
Zoom Africa on the first Michelin Keys 2025 ranking: Morocco in the lead
The new Michelin ranking is not insignificant
The Key does not transform a hotel into an icon; it frames its value and highlights its uniqueness. Everything then depends on execution: an experience that lives up to the narrative, supportive teams, and the patience to work consistently. It is less a trophy than a contract with the traveller. And that is precisely why receiving one, two or three keys is far from insignificant!
In a market saturated with reviews and labels, La Clef speaks quickly and clearly. It reassures without the need for an explanation manual: a legible signature, backed by a well-known method, which places the hotel in an immediate mental map for travellers.
Being distinguished means entering the Guide's narrative: selections, thematic dossiers, media sharing. The result: less ‘curious’ traffic, more decisive. Visitors who arrive from these contents already know why they are coming and convert better.
La Clef does not magically print the price. On the other hand, it allows for a more confident stance: assume your value when the experience is maintained. Where the competition discusses price, La Clef refocuses the conversation on perceived quality.
The distinction creates a reflex to return: ‘we'll come back to where we slept well and were well received’. It also fuels useful word of mouth — that of customers who recommend a specific address for specific reasons, rather than ‘just another hotel’.
For press relations, La Clef is a robust angle: announcements, company profiles, destination reports, storytelling, influence... It opens doors, not all of them, but the right ones: lifestyle, travel and local economy publications. When done well, it lasts all year round (new menu, seasons, off-season).
For teams, La Clef enhances everyday life. It facilitates recruitment (‘we come to grow’), legitimises training (‘we maintain standards’) and instils a discreet pride that permeates the service.
The distinction raises standards: better attention to detail, stabilised rituals, more attentive listening. It also requires consistency, updating and sober promises. A Key that is not inhabited quickly becomes a dead weight. Well maintained, it becomes an asset.
This first global map establishes the MICHELIN Keys as the common language of the hospitality industry. In Africa, Morocco plays the role of showcase, Southern Africa offers high-end nature tourism, and emerging markets (Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia) are beginning to show signs of tourism growth. Tunisia, a country that has gained extensive experience in tourism since the 1960s (more than 10 million tourists in 2024), will have to do better in 2026 to draw more attention to its hotels and resorts, some of which undoubtedly deserve the MICHELIN Keys.
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