Hotel leaders gathered in
Singapore in late October to network, make deals and hear some of the top names
in the hotel industry discuss what is working in the post-COVID world and what
they are projecting for 2024 and beyond.
The
33rd annual Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) event in Singapore
was produced by Northstar Travel Group in association with The BHN Group. The
event was held from October 23-25 at the Fairmont Singapore and Swissotel The
Stamford hotels.
Follow the links below for insights and analysis from the event:
EXECUTIVE INTERVIEWS
Marriott CEO on how 'scale matters’: Marriott President
and CEO Anthony Capuano said it’s been seven years since Marriott completed its $13.6 billion merger with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. He said he
understands why the big players in the industry will always evaluate
consolidation. “There are significant benefits to
scale.” READ MORE
Optimistic IHG CEO said ‘our company can double’: Elie Maalouf, the CEO of IHG Hotels & Resorts has only
been at his job for four months, but he appreciates the different view. “I see a ton of potential for our company.” READ MORE
How a historic hotel rebirth is defining Gaw Capital’s
success: The Regent Hong Kong holds a special nostalgic
place in Christina Gaw’s heart. The managing principal and head of capital
markets for Gaw Capital Partners said, “There’s a lot of hard work, and
we’ve put a lot of heart into the details,” of the recently reopened hotel. READ MORE
Frasers Hospitality CEO on why extended-stay remains a
premium play: The CEO of Frasers Hospitality said the company
will continue to focus on the premium
space of the rental market. “Ultimately, it boils down to where can we make
money,” Chin Fen Eu, CEO of Singapore-based Frasers Hospitality, said. READ MORE
ANALYSIS
As ‘brandification’ grows in Asia Pacific, so do
expectations: Brands have grown faster in the Asia Pacific region than
anywhere else around the world in the past 10 years, but if there’s one thing that
causes concern for Jesper Palmqvist, senior director – Asia Pacific for STR, about the region’s future, it’s the gap between
expectations and reality. READ MORE
EXPERT PANELS
.jpg?tr=w-780%2Cfo-auto "From left: Steve Carroll, Hannah Yulo-Luccini, Alan Watts, Gregory Lanter, Jihong He and Dave Baswal.")
From left: Steve Carroll, Hannah Yulo-Luccini, Alan Watts, Gregory Lanter, Jihong He and Dave Baswal.
Micro-owners, fort-nightly travel and chasing yields in
Asia Pac: Unique ownership models, the evolution of
all-inclusive, how group and corporate travel is changing and why Asia is
currently such a hot market for hotel capital were hot topics for these leaders
on stage at Day 2 of HICAP. READ MORE
Why
‘quirky’ is a winning formula for hotel development: When discussing the type
of hotel products that bridge the gap between what guests and owners want, a
surprising word came up numerous times during a panel of hotel leaders —
quirky. READ MORE
Give some respect to young India hotel owners: The next
generation of India hotel investors is less risk-averse and is looking to
invest not only in mature markets in India but in bigger markets outside India,
said panelists spotlighting opportunities and challenges in South Asia on Day 2
of HICAP. READ MORE
Meet owners’ new problems; same as the old problems? When
reviewing owners’ top concerns from 10 years ago compared to now, Siew Hoon
Yeoh, founder and editor of WiT (Web in Travel), noted that many of the
concerns — sustainability/ESG and use of technology — have remained the same. READ MORE
AWARDS
Dusit’s Donavanik leads HICAP award winners: Chanin Donavanik, vice
chairman of the Board of Directors and chairman of the Executive Committee and
former CEO of Dusit International, was awarded the HICAP Lifetime Achievement
Award. CLICK HERE FOR ALL OF THE AWARD
WINNERS