This year the event launched the SAHIC Awards in order to distinguish those who contributed to the development of tourism in the continent. The CEO of Territoria Chile, Francisco Rencoret (left), won the award for Best New Hotel or Mixed Use Development; Roland de Bonadona (middle), the one for Personality; and the award for Best Developer was for the owner of the Alvear Palace Hotel in Buenos Aires, Llao Llao Hotel & Resort in Bariloche and Galerías Pacífico in Buenos Aires, David Sutton (right). — Photo by HVS
Steve Rushmore (left), President and Founder of HVS Global Hospitality Services; Graciana García Iribarne (middle), Managing Director HVS Buenos Aires; y Arturo García Rosa (right), President of SAHIC and President of HVS Buenos Aires, the consulting firm that organized the conference for the second consecutive year. — Photo by HVS
1st South American Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference

The 2nd South American Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference (SAHIC), which took place September 14 and 15 at the Hotel Sofitel in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, attracted nearly 300 attendees from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, Spain, Greece, and the United States.

After two days of meetings and break-out sessions, the theme was strong: In 2010, South America will attract the greatest volume of investment in hotels and tourism in the world, and Brazil is poised to reap the greatest benefit from this influx of capital, primarily from international groups. It is Brazil’s performance throughout this current world financial crisis – considered to be very good by the experts who attended the Conference – as well as the performances of the Peruvian, Colombian, and Chilean economies, which led to this projection.

"Last year, we didn’t know how the region would weather the economic crisis, but now we are certain that South America is not at the level of risk observed in Europe and the United States," explains Arturo García Rosa, President of SAHIC and President of HVS Buenos Aires, organizer of the Conference. "Brazil, in particular, shows clear signs of a very strong economy with a promising future, which makes it very attractive to investors from all over the world."

During the SAHIC, leading hospitality executives from around the world discussed the course of hospitality and tourism in South America and exchanged experiences about current topics. Organizers of SAHIC also presented awards to acknowledge leaders who contribute to the development of tourism in the continent:

  • The award for Best New Hotel or Mixed-Use Development was presented to Francisco Rencoret, the CEO of Territoria Chile;
  • The Best Personality Award was bestowed on Roland de Bonadona;
  • The Best Developer Honor was awarded to David Sutton, owner of the Alvear Palace Hotel in Buenos Aires, Llao Llao Hotel & Resort in Bariloche, and Galerías Pacífico in Buenos Aires.

According to García Rosa, “It was exciting to witness the participation of the leading executives of our industry. Our expectations were exceeded as the quality of the presentations was outstanding, and the interest in investment in our region was heard loud and clear.” The third SAHIC conference is scheduled for September 27 and 28, 2010. For more information, visit .

About HVS:

HVS Hospitality Services is the leading global consulting and services firm dedicated to the hospitality, tourism, restaurant, gaming, and leisure industries. For further information, visit .

HVS Argentina actively operates in the regional markets – mainly in Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Panama, Costa Rica, and Ecuador – offering a wide range of services to the hotel and real estate industries and to tourist destinations.

The staff of HVS Buenos Aires, led by Graciana García Iribarne, consists of highly experienced professionals whose track records are known to the industry. A qualified team of economists, experts in hotel management, and specialists in marketing, human resources, tourism, and demographics, just to name a few, have participated in the successful development of numerous projects in Latin America.

Flavia Salvatierra
Press & Communication SAHIC 2009
+ 54 11 4515-1461 ext. 200
HVS