This third annual report by Prof Dr Hilary Murphy analyses and interprets the data from an independent survey of EAME, property level hotels (and, in some cases, Asian properties). It reports IT benchmark figures for 2009 at PROPERTY LEVEL SPEND for EAME regions and provides an overall view and directional indicators of EAME and Asian IT spending. This survey was designed in collaboration with CIOs of the major European hotel companies and with reference to the previous IT benchmarking report (published by Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne at ).

The survey shows that at all the levels (EAME, REGIONAL & PROPERTY) the level of IT spending is LOWER in financial year 2009 than in 2008. Moreover, as reported last year, a wide variation between regions is observed on the IT spending and on its distribution (CAPEX vs. OPEX), with CAPEX spending lower in 2009 than in 2008, except for regions in the Middle East, Africa & India. There is a corresponding increase in OPEX spending, for most regions.

The stated levels of spending in the survey are ‘actual’ as opposed to projected budgets. The increasingly evolving model of hotel ownership and, particularly the increase in the ‘management contract’ style of management within EAME has consequent impact on capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operating expenditure (OPEX). However, the predictions for IT spending remains inexorable linked to economic conditions and seem likely to remain volatile while the G8 economies take a varied policy approach to solving the ongoing crisis.

The full 27 page report, based on an independent survey of EAME property level hotels, includes competitive set information on IT spend (by room, property, region) plus capex & opex breakdowns etc. This report analyses and interprets the financial and IT data from annual figures from 2008, 2009, 2010 and is a key resource for both hotel companies (for budgeting and benchmarking) and for technology suppliers (market insight) and is available at

Hilary Murphy
Professeur, Information Technology
+41 21 785 14 96
EHL