The global hospitality market remains buoyant despite economic and geopolitical uncertainty, and customer behaviours and needs are changing.

That is according to new research released ahead of the International Hotel Investment Forum, which begins in Berlin today.

Hotel investors are looking more than ever at new strategies as they need to be adaptable to remain successful.

Real estate investors specialising in other asset classes are now looking more closely at hospitality as an incubator for new investment opportunities: there is a potential for convergence of strategies, new thinking, new deals.

The International Hotel Investment Forum invites the leaders and innovators of hospitality investment to build ever more opportunities by Partnering for Peak Performance.

The IHIF 2019 conference programme will look at new growth strategies for all stakeholders, whether they are to be found in traditional markets, emerging destinations, improved asset management or operational strategies, or alternative lodging concepts.

Over three days, the programme will include 200 or more speakers, three general sessions, eight tracks, in-the-round interactive sessions, masterclasses, and not to forget the unmissable Global Chief Executives Panel.

The IHIF 2019 conference programme will look at new growth strategies for all stakeholders, whether they are to be found in traditional markets, emerging destinations, improved asset management or operational strategies, or alternative lodging concepts.

Over three days, the event will bring together over 2,300 leaders of hospitality investment from 80 countries to share their expertise, meet new partners and make deals.

IHIF is recently announced the speaker line-up would include Ramón Aragonés, chief executive, NH Hotels; Sonia Cheng, chief executive, Rosewood Hotel Group; Even Frydenberg, chief executive, Scandic Hotels; David Kong, chief executive, Best Western International; and Thomas Magnuson, chief executive, Magnuson Hotels.

Christopher Nassetta, president of Hilton, will also deliver a keynote address under the title of Leading for Performance: The Chief Executive’s Vision.

During the session, he will share his experiences on leading a 100-year-old brand into the future, discussing his strategy to sustain and boost the performance of a major company.

Industry veteran Sol Kerzner will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award during the International Hotel Investment Forum .

The founder and former chairman of Kerzner International Holdings is widely credited for redefining the scope and scale of destination resorts.

STR

As part of the STR 500 launch, the company will release the top 100 companies and brands in Europe during the event in Berlin.

Accor maintains the top room count among parent companies in Europe, and Ibis is the continent’s largest hotel brand, according to the STR 500.

Accor’s 330,863 hotel rooms as of January 31st ranked well ahead the next two largest parent companies with a room presence in Europe - Jin Jiang International (147,416) and InterContinental Hotels Group (118,025).

Ibis (83,303) is one of four brands with more than 50,000 rooms in the region.

“Global companies have seen continued performance growth in Europe as added incentive to expand their portfolios in the region,” said Alexander Robinson, STR senior manager of industry partners.

“Looking at the supply offerings across Europe, we see a range of chain-scale segments represented - most notably economy, midscale, upper midscale and upper upscale - but the expansion of the economy product is quite evident with the presence of Premier Inn and Ibis Budget, both in existing supply and in the development pipeline.

“We expect Europe to remain a top focus in the global development scene.”

More Information

IHIF is organised by Questex Hospitality Group.

The organisation serves the worldwide hospitality, travel and related industries that together contribute over $6 trillion to global GDP.

Through its innovative platform of targeted solutions, the group serves the sector’s entire ecosystem from tourism and hotel development and investment to hotel design, purchasing, management and operations.

For more information visit the official website.