As the global airline industry finally shows signs of sustained recovery and the latest government forecasts point to an imminent, sharp increase in inbound visitor numbers, Australia & New Zealand’s hotel industry leaders will meet in Sydney in June 2004 to discuss the future of the industry.

ANZHIC 2004 (Australia and New Zealand Hotel Investment Conference 2004) will be held on 23 June at the Westin Sydney. The Conference, now in its 4th year, is jointly convened and hosted each year by real estate and hotel advisers Sonnenblick-Goldman, hotel consultants Horwath Asia Pacific, and lawyers Blake Dawson Waldron.

Whilst discussion at last years Conference was dominated by the impact of SARS and other global problems, this year’s event is expected to focus on and assess the potential for the hotel industry to rebound and deliver investors and operators, significantly increased revenues and profits.

Industry experts from Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region will provide in-depth insight into:

• Recent and prospective revenue and profit trends - including highlights of Horwath Asia Pacific’s yet to be released 2004 Survey of Operations, as well a feature session on the burgeoning Sydney and Queenstown markets
• What’s changing, why & how will it affect the hotel outlook?” – an industry leaders insight session
• Independent views of the industry – from a panel of outside experts and analysts
• Outlook for the airline industry – from leading airline executives
• State of the hotel investment markets & outlook – including highlights of Sonnenblick-Goldman’s, yet to be released 2004 Hotel Investor & Lender Survey
• Who is still investing in hotels, what they want & how they are financing them
• Viability of creative financial structuring options – including hotel syndications, strata title and timeshare options
• Critical legal issues facing the hotel industry – from specialist hotel lawyers
• “Do “different” hotels perform better?” – findings from recent research on this question
• Whether hotel construction and conversion are still viable - and if so, where
• Key predictions for 2004/05

A session sure to create some lively debate will be a panel discussion on the impact of the internet on the industry, titled “The Rise and Rise of the Portals – Are Hotels Losing Control of Their Rooms Rates?”

Over 275 delegates attended the sell-out ANZHIC 2003 Conference, and an even larger number is expected for ANZHIC 2004.

Conference chair and Sonnenblick-Goldman Managing Director, Mr John Smith, commented “With 45 speakers and panelists, covering 13 sessions in nine hours of presentations, this year’s Conference promises to provide delegates with fast paced, key information on what is really going on at the money end of this business”.

Enquiries in relation to attendance at the Conference should be directed to Glennyth Thompson on (612) 93720740.