The hotel sector is best described as in a state of blissful disconnect. Simply, hotel business fundamentals continue to remain healthy and vibrant in contrast to the harsh realities taking place in the wider real estate and financial markets. RevPar rates continue to grow and asset values remain strong. Yet the subprime fallout has brought new rules of engagement where the availability of debt has contracted dramatically and large scale deals have suffered most significantly. September in London represents the perfect opportunity to come together with the rest of the hotel industry to learn and debate about what exactly the future does hold.
Some of the questions that will be addressed at this year’s event:
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Why should deterioration in the capital markets affect the hotel industry?
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What will be the impact of the swelling pipeline of rooms across Europe? Just how reliant is the European hotel sector on the US today? How significant are new market travellers to the sector?
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Sovereign wealth funds, private equity houses, pension funds – how has the hotel investor changed? Where do asset managers fit into the picture and what value do they add?
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Given the present environment how important will be a diversified portfolio or is it a case of flight to quality? How hot are the new emerging markets such as Russia?
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What does the future of the hotel debt finance? When will CMBS market come back, will club deals continue to dominate and exactly what deals can get done? How important will alternative sources of liquidity be?
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Plus many more…
Here is a sample of what last year’s audience thought of the event:
“A very informative and well put together two day event”
Dan Wakeling, Hilton Hotels
“The best qualified informants in a comprehensive forum”
Knud Larsen, Nordic Hospitality
“Very topical issues were raised, discussed and innovative resolutions and recommendations made. Importantly also, the networking potential wa phenomenal”
Roland Tglosinoba, Pison Housing Company