More than 2,500 members of the hospitality investment community gathered at the International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) at the InterContinental Berlin today, where world class speakers delivered content under the theme Fortune Favours the Bold.

The 25th annual conference kicked off on Tuesday 16 May with an introduction from Questex President Hospitality, Travel and Wellness, Alexi Khajavi, VP Market Leader Operational Real Estate, Joe Stather and Content Director Julie Rey-Gore, who outlined the event’s aims: to discuss bold strategies, inspire and inform in a volatile macro environment.

The opening keynote from Professor Ian Goldin, Professor of Globalisation and Development, Oxford University, told delegates hospitality was a ‘good investment’ but noted it had been a neglected sector due to lack of effective lobbying and was continuing to be impacted by high inflation and staffing issues.

Goldin suggested the industry be proactive and ‘ahead of the curve’ to seize opportunities. The hospitality industry needs to do better, to deliver experiences that people want and that last. People are drawn magnetically to find like-minded people – being in the right place is becoming increasingly important for investors he said.

Giving people valuable experiences and creating a sense of community was echoed in sessions focusing on diversification and merging hospitality concepts, held at Adjacent Spaces at The Pullman Hotel across the road. You need to add substance, not just style, said Shafi Syed from Equinox Hotels. If you want to extend the brand you need to have credibility and a strong, authentic story – and focus on the specific needs of the customer.

A session led by Jenny Southan, Globetrender examined travel trends and the continued growth of the rebel spending traveller, while the panel discussion with Robin Rossman of STR, Michael Grove of Hotstats, Carine Bonnejean of Christie & Co and Julien Allen of CBRE Capital Talks, saw them unpick asset values and identify opportunities for investors, reinforcing the message that those stuck in old ways may not survive.

Anchoring a place of sense and purpose was delivered through the newly introduced ESG and F&B hubs, where stats and guidance were shared on designing and developing profitable concepts for today’s consumer.

Sébastien Bazin, chairman and CEO of Accor took to the stage to share his honest and personal insights, and what being bold means to him.

Bazin spoke about his continuing journey with the brand, managing brand standards and his hate of the term AI within hospitality. He said: There is nothing artificial about artificial intelligence, it should be called augmented intelligence. You need AI, but remember people want and need to travel to build moments and interactions so that can’t be replaced.

The final session of the day saw CEO Keith Barr, who has headed up IHG Hotels & Resorts for the last six years, speak of his next move after it was revealed he would be standing down from his position at the end of June.

He said: I’ll be moving to my wife’s birthplace of Hawaii and taking some time with my family, but after 20 years in the industry, I’m sure I’ll be back sooner rather than later.

Barr said he believed hospitality had the ability to thrive as post-pandemic consumers were more interested in experiences than material objects. People aren’t buying TVs, cars and goods, they are buying experiences, airline tickets, booking restaurants and hotels and that’s a great sign.

IHIF also provided the perfect platform for exciting announcements including IHIF owner Questex who revealed they will assume management control of the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference following its June 2023 event and thus expanding its global hospitality portfolio.

In addition, several high profile hospitality partners announced key developments including:

  • The launch of hospitality management company Kinsfolk & Co. Born in London, but created with an international perspective, the company will be led by Paul Brackley, previously managing director of The Beaumont Hotel, Mayfair.
  • The launch of LyvInn, a new European-based hybrid hotel brand founded by Navneet Bali, which opened its first hotel in Frankfurt on 15 May.
  • The signing of an exclusivity agreement between Zeal Hotels and IHG Hotels & Resort for their first net zero carbon hotel.
  • Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Zeus International Hotels & Resorts have expanded their strategic collaboration with a new non-exclusive agreement to develop multi hospitality asset developments in the next few years under the Trademark Collection by Wyndham and Registry Collection Hotels brands.
  • Choice Hotels EMEA and Borealis Hotel Group have signed a strategic partnership agreement to expand their European portfolios. Through this agreement, Borealis will have the ability to franchise upscale and midscale hotels from the Choice Hotels EMEA portfolio of brands, across the territories they currently operate including The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, Spain and Denmark and look for new opportunities in other European countries.
  • Hilton has signed a franchise agreement with Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager, and Event Hotels to open DoubleTree by Hilton Berlin Ku’damm. The hotel is set to become the first DoubleTree by Hilton in Berlin, following an extensive multi-million euro remodelling. The hotel company has also signed a franchise agreement with Intersped d.o.o. Sarajevo to open Hotel Neretva Mostar, Tapestry Collection by Hilton and Hampton by Hilton Sarajevo City Centre, its first hotel in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Follow IHIF 2023 on Twitter @IHIF_News and use #IHIF2023 to stay up to date with the latest news.

About Questex

Questex brings people together in the markets that help people live better: travel, hospitality and wellness; the industries that help people live longer: life science and healthcare; and the technologies that enable and fuel these new experiences. We live in the experience economy – connecting our ecosystem through live events, surrounded by data insights and digital communities. We deliver experience and real results. It happens here. For more information on Questex, visit questex.com. Stay connected to Questex on LinkedIn.

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