Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide will expand aggressively in Africa and the Indian Ocean region,

the company announced Wednesday. Starwood’s portfolio in the region stands at 34 hotels, and 20 more are under development. During the next five years, the company expects its footprint there to increase 50 percent as it expands its luxury, upper-upscale and midmarket lifestyle brands. It also signed seven properties to add to its 34 existing hotels: W Sharm El Sheikh and The Residences at W Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt; Sheraton Bamako in Mali; The Westin Abuja and Residences in Nigeria; Four Points by Sheraton Abuja and Residences in Nigeria; Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport in Kenya; Aloft Dakar in Senegal; and Element Oyster Bay Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.