Mark Owens of Colliers International on Structuring Hotel Growth in Today’s Market
In this Brand Insiders episode, Mark Owens, Hospitality Practice Group Leader and Vice Chairman at Colliers International, sita down with Adam Mogelonsky and explains how Colliers supports hotel owners and brands across the full lifecycle of an asset, from investment sales and debt advisory to joint venture equity and strategic consulting. He frames the current lodging landscape as a story of shifting demand patterns, changing capital conditions, and an ongoing push to create experiences that feel differentiated, not standardised.
Owens discusses how travel behaviour has evolved since Covid, including the rise of "second, third tier" destinations with "unmatched beauty" that have become "more institutionalized for that experiential traveler." He also explores what performance metrics such as RevPAR are really signalling, and why owners are increasingly focused on reliability, segmentation, and the fundamentals that keep a property competitive.
The conversation closes with a practical look at ESG and financing, including the "three real main constituents" Owens sees in the equation, government, consumer, and investor, and why, in the end, "it is dollars and cents." He also unpacks CPACE, green capital, and the real world trade offs owners need to consider when structuring a deal.
Timeline:
0:00 Intro
0:44 Elevator pitch: Colliers Hospitality and Mark Owens' remit
2:59 Mark's background and why he focuses on hotels
4:18 Case study: financing a major hotel and convention centre project
7:31 How hotel projects get valued and underwritten (comps, cap rates, lender view)
10:05 What it takes to get a deal financed (packaging, diligence, forecasts)
12:45 Outlook for 2026: why "experiential" demand keeps accelerating
14:38 Where growth is happening: destination led assets and secondary markets
16:10 Who is travelling now: mix shifts, performance signals, and what matters
22:31 Branded residences and mixed use: why the model can unlock value
28:28 Capital markets check in: deal flow, debt availability, and rate reality
30:53 Distress and forced sellers: regional banks, refinancing pressure, timing
32:03 How deals are getting structured today: gaps, preferred equity, seller paper
41:06 Colliers' hospitality platform: integrated advisory across the lifecycle
49:23 Brands and concepts to watch: what is resonating with guests and investors
53:17 Independent vs branded: distribution economics, fees, and financeability
55:37 Data and tech as an underwriting asset: feasibility, loyalty, and proof points
1:02:10 Trends to 2030: experience economy, loyalty evolution, and demand patterns
1:05:30 Hotels inside mixed use: amenity logic, supply constraints, and urban dynamics
1:11:55 ESG and financing: regulation, consumer pull, green capital, and C-PACE
1:15:35 Closing remarks