Middle East Hotel Industry Experts Forecast Strong Investment Opportunities Ahead of AHIC 2017
While investor sentiment in 2016 was cautious, upcoming Arabian Hotel Investment Conference speakers and sponsors talk up year ahead
Hotel investors, owners, consultants and operators alike share a positive outlook for the Middle East hospitality industry in 2017, with strong market fundamentals in place and attractive investment opportunities on the horizon.
In the lead-up to the 13th edition of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference, being held at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai from 25 to 27 April 2017, key speakers and sponsors at the annual knowledge platform and networking event revealed their forecast for the year ahead.
Jonathan Worsley, Founder of AHIC, Chairman, Bench Events and Board Director, STR, said: "With AHIC 2017 just months away, the debate is already beginning among our speakers. As usual, we expect AHIC to be thought-provoking, topical and at the forefront of promoting hospitality investment in the Middle East and beyond. From discussing global catalysts for change and the macroeconomic outlook to asset management and outbound investment, AHIC 2017 promises to present the latest market intelligence and inspire the investment community, globally as well as locally."
The experts acknowledged that while aspects of both development and operations were challenging in 2016, the market remains robust with investment potential.
Olivier Granet, Chief Operating Officer HotelServices Middle-East and Africa, a speaker at AHIC, commented: "Despite the oil price, the spotlight on elections globally and otherwise volatile regional conditions, our key partners in the region still identify in present market conditions attractive opportunities to invest. Investors may be cautious with their real estate investments in light of RevPAR contractions across certain markets in the region, however, many markets in the region are just beginning to mature and still represent attractive investments across many asset classes."
Hamad Abdulla Al-Mulla, Chief Executive Officer, Katara Hospitality, Platinum Sponsor of AHIC 2017, said that 2016 "will be remembered as a challenging year for hospitality investors as a mix of global geopolitical and economic issues has resulted in a more cautious approach towards investment decisions."
Looking forward, he added: "The Middle East hotel market remains a vibrant and exciting one for investors. The region's fundamentals are strong, making it an attractive investment destination. In Qatar for example, the outlook for the hotel industry is especially promising. According to the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, in 2015, income from tourists amounted to QAR18.3 billion, nine-times the QAR2.1 billion recorded in 2010, demonstrating the clear opportunity for proven investors like Katara Hospitality in the region."
Joe Sita, CEO, IFA Hotel Investments, who is speaking at AHIC, added: "I would agree that 2016 has been a more challenging year particularly with respect to rates. Occupancy has remained robust in prime areas, however, supply dynamics have led to an element of price competition that was previously absent from the market. Notwithstanding this, we still feel that, most specifically in Dubai, the market remains robust and continues to generate higher yield than competitor arenas. We therefore still see further investment in this sector in the medium term."
One of the hotel markets viewed as being particularly robust is Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), which reported a 14 percent year-on-year increase in RevPar between June and August 2016 compared to the same period in 2015, and an increase of 15.9 percent in occupancy during the same period, according to Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority.
Hotel owners and developers in RAK remain bullish for the year ahead, bolstered by the emirate's attractive investment environment, a topic that will be discussed in depth at AHIC 2017.
As the emirate continues towards its target to attract one million annual visitors by 2018 and three million visitors per year by 2025, speaker at AHIC Yannis Anagnostakis, CEO of RAK Hospitality Holding LLC, said: "As a company that is deeply rooted in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, we are certainly biased towards RAK, and rightly so. The emirate is living proof of the tremendous success witnessed in its hospitality and tourism sector.
"What increases the appeal of the Emirate on the tourism front is that the growth in demand for its hotel rooms is exceeding the growth in supply, which creates attractive opportunities for investors. Additionally, the demographic mix that has evolved in recent years underlines the momentum that the emirate is generating outside the GCC."
Another market with potential for further growth is Bahrain, reported Jerad Bacher, Executive Director, Tourism and Leisure at the Bahrain Economic Development Board, who is speaking at AHIC on the topic of 'Concepts for the GCC'.
"In Bahrain, we have seen somewhat less volatility in hotel performance mainly due to a lower inventory of supply paired with a consistent volume of demand. We expect market stability to continue in 2017 with moderate supply growth and continued advancement in demand. We have a strong pipeline of new inventory coming into Bahrain over the next five years; however, the products that are in development will be demand simulators and have an aggregated inventory that the market can withstand," he said.
The AHIC speakers and sponsors agreed that future investment would be focused on exciting master developments, new brands and gaps in the market, from growth in the economy, mid-market and upscale segments to luxury at scale, such as all-inclusive premium resorts.
AHIC 2017 is the premium knowledge and networking platform for hotel investors in the Middle East. For more information, visit: www.arabianconference.com
About AHIC 2021
AHIC, now in its 17th year, is the annual gathering for the Middle East's hospitality investment community organised by global hotel investment event organiser Bench in partnership with Middle East business intelligence brand, MEED. AHIC creates a knowledge and networking platform for global and regional investors of all backgrounds, offering essential insights to investing in hotels, showcasing regional and international hospitality investment opportunities and facilitating direct connections with hospitality industry stakeholders. AHIC 2021 will be held at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai from 20 to 22 September under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and Group, whose continued support of the industry and AHIC has been critical to the region's tourism growth.
AHIC 2021 Sponsors
Sponsors include: Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts as Host Sponsor; Accor, Dur Hospitality, Hilton and SMIT as Platinum Sponsors; Emaar Hospitality Group, IHG, Marriott International, Millennium Hotels and Resorts, NEOM, Radisson Hotel Group, Rotana and Taiba Investments as Emerald Sponsors; Aleph Hospitality, Bespoke Modular Solutions, Colliers International, Compass Project Consulting, Farnek, HVS, The Indian Hotels Company, Insignia, IT Hospitality Group, Katch, Louvre Hotels Group, OBMI Architecture, SSH, STR, TIME Hotels, Toggle Hospitality and The London Project as Gold Sponsors; Al Tamimi and Company, Colliers Project Leaders, Deutsche Hospitality, Diriyah Gate Authority, Hotstats, JLL, MMAC Design, CHIC-NAIA, PWC, Ròya, Shangri-La Group, The Red Sea Development Company, and Voltere by Egis as Silver Sponsors; The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, Hospitality Asset Managers Association, Sustainability Hospitality Alliance and WiH Global as Supporters; JA Resorts and Hotels as Golf Supporter; and Nespresso as Official Coffee Partner.
Frances Barton
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