Over the past decade Bench events has launched the ultimate in hotel investment events across Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Events in Berlin, Moscow, Dubai, Istanbul and Nairobi are actually the definitive meeting places for the hotel investment community to be informed, network, and most significantly to do deals. Here Breaking Travel News sits down with Bench chairman Jonathan Worsley to talk about the impending Arabian Hotel Investment Conference.
Breaking Travel News: Preparations are well underway prior to the yearly Arabian Hotel Investment Conference in Dubai. Are you able to let us know what’s new with the convention this year
Jonathan Worsley: The format for AHIC 2013 has changed slightly; the conference is now over a two day period. We continually take heed to feedback from our delegates and we keep in mind that workloads are increasing and folks have less time to spare. We’re still providing an identical content, it’s now just condensed.
The programme is asking more closely at demand than previous years with contributions from the WTTC and UNWTO in addition to the exclusive release of an international Travel Intentions survey undertaken by Visa. This year may also address the problem of country risk that is vital for investors and view the all-important profit contribution from hotel food and beverage and trends which can be shaping this area of the industry.
A collection of confirmed speakers for AHIC 2013 includes: Amr Abdel Ghaffar, regional director, Middle East, UNWTO; Joe Sita, president, IFA Hotel Investments; Paul Griffiths, chief executive, Dubai Airports; Eric Danziger, president, Wyndham Hotel Group; Jennifer Fox, president, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts; Wolfgang Neumann, president, Rezidor Hotel Group; Mark Wynne-Smith, global chief executive, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels; and Gerald Lawless, president, Jumeirah Group.
BTN: Bench Events was hosting a chain of Regional Briefings within the increase to the development. Are you able to let us know a bit in regards to the objectives behind these and the reception Bench was receiving
JW: The theme for AHIC 2013 is ‘Connecting People and Creating Knowledge’ which have been our aim with the regional briefings.
We have organised a sequence of invitation only events bringing together the local investment, development and finance community with our existing conference supporters.
Through both the briefings and AHIC itself we’re aiming to attach people, provide a tutorial platform and help attendees to grow their business.
Briefings have taken place in Riyadh and Muscat with an awesome response in each market.
KSA was a concern marketplace for us as hotel development in Saudi is witnessing a sustained upswing with numerous large scale projects occurring as a result of the religious tourism.
The tourism industry has consistently been a key contributor to the KSA economy and a pillar of the government’s economic diversification program. Our third briefing will happen in Doha on the end of March.
BTN: Which markets inside the Middle East do you’re feeling offer most to hospitality investors as we move into 2013 Do you are feeling the shadow has finally lifted
JW: The Gulf States are of accelerating interest to global investors, and the large story is the resurgence of Dubai with hotels reporting a few of the highest room rates on this planet leading to strong pipeline of recent builds entering the market.
Alpin Capital in its GCC hospitality industry report confirms that hotels as an asset class have the prospective to offer a great opportunity for investors.
The report estimates that the GCC hospitality market is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 8.1 per cent to US$28.3 billion through to 2016 when compared with US$19.2 billion in 2011.
Saudi Arabia is another big growth market and we’ve got included a symposium on KSA at AHIC 2013.
The symposium will provide a platform for hotel owners, developers and investors to profit how their business can enjoy the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s phenomenal growth and likewise address the challenges of operating during this market.
BTN: AHIC is barely the top of the iceberg for Bench, with the Africa Hotel Investment Forum and the Russia & CIS Investment Conference also at the horizon.
Can you let us know a bit about these events and what Bench Events hopes to reach with its growing portfolio
JW: The Bench portfolio is constantly growing, after AHIC our next event would be the Turkey & Neighbours Hotel Investment Conference happening May 29th-30th 2013 on the Marmara Taksim, Istanbul.
The Turkish market provides great potential for both investors and developers with greater than 8,500 rooms set to go into the market by 2015.
We have recently announced that the Africa Hotel Investment Forum 2013 will return to Nairobi, going down September 24th-25th.
AHIF have been a powerful success bringing together 750 key individuals to drive growth around the Africa continent inside the last two years.
Bench Events is proud to be taken with such a thrilling continent and analysts predict that by 2050, Africa’s GDP will equal the combined GDPs of america and the european at current prices (African Business Magazine).
Now in its ninth year, the Russia & CIS Hotel Investment Conference will occur October 21st-23rd 2013. RHIC has become the region’s premier gathering bringing together the foremost senior level professionals.
Development for the 2013 programme is underway and should feature interviews with leading hoteliers, forecasts from top economists and panel discussions at the latest developments, trends and best practice within the hotel and investment industry.
BTN: How useful do you’re feeling ITB Berlin is when looking to get your message out to industry executives and other stakeholders through the increase to a Bench organised event
JW: ITB provides an important platform to succeed in all of our key stakeholders, it’s a perfect opportunity to conduct meetings with existing clients and meet new business partners. With ITB and the International Hotel Investment Forum occurring within the same week, Berlin is often a very exciting place to be – it’s every week filled with learning and networking and there’s always a genuine buzz within the air with all the latest market trends and developments.
It’s really important for Bench to have a presence throughout the industry with a purpose to ensure we’re providing delegates with the main educational content at each event.
More Information
For additional information head over to the Bench Events website.
Recommended