The South East Asia Hotel Investors’ Summit returns for its third edition in May and will again feature top executives from both hotel owning groups and management companies addressing issues facing the regional hospitality sector.
In Thailand, the past couple of years have seen a big rebound in the results of hotels, hostels and serviced apartments. Can it continue? There are some definite challenges ahead for the Thai owners and developers who build these properties:
• A slowdown in the growth of visitors from China, especially in Phuket
• Occupancy falling in some Thai markets, especially in Samui and Krabi and in the second half of the year across Phuket
• The rapid growth of Vietnam as a competing destination
• Competition from the sharing economy as more and more private homes enter the hospitality market
• The danger of debt costs rising as global easing is reduced
• The increasing cost of acquiring guests
• Possibilities that too many new hotels open, reducing occupancies and average rates – 12,000 new rooms to be absorbed in Bangkok
SEAHIS will examine all of these issues and look for solutions, with contributions from experts from among hotel owners, operators, consultants, law firms and participants in the new economy.
“Many hotel conferences are reluctant to put the real issues up front in order to avoid treading on sensitive ground, but at SEAHIS we believe our attendees want a very honest discussion about the prospects for the hotel sector in South East Asia” said Simon Allison, CEO of HOFTEL. “We have top executives giving real insights into how hotel owners and their key business partners can improve their profits.”
