Ernst & Young Hospitality and leisure outlook Europe, Middle East, India and Africa

2009 has gone into the history books as one of the worst for the hotel industry. Revenue per average room (RevPAR) practically collapsed as travelers stayed away. Companies reined in travel expenditure and tourists stayed at home. Business is suffering against all measures and we have seen hotel stocks fall in value around the world. Despite this, hotel closures and large-scale forced sales of distressed assets have not materialized in the Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) region in any great number. Cash-rich funds continue to wait in the belief that the bottom of the market has not yet been reached. Similar trends are also being experienced in other regions of the world.