DEVELOPMENT OUTLOOK
Marriott reports record room rates at its Gold Coast Sheraton resort
THE THE AUSTRALASIAN HOTEL OUTLOOK FOR 2022-2023 IS POSITIVE AS THE RETURN OF TRAVEL BRINGS CONFIDENCE AND CONTINUED MARKET INVESTMENT. ACCOR
Lindsay Leeser – SVP of Development
It is an exciting time to work in hospitality as the travel industry enters an era of transformation and growth. One critical area Accor is tackling head on is our responsibilities towards the environment. Sustainability is critical to our teams, our guests, our partners and our future. Some initiatives under consideration by Accor include innovation around renewable energy, in particular we are concerned with finding ways to use solar energy on small available roof space. We are also examining our supply chain in detail in an effort to reduce plastic in packaging and transportation, as well as what our guests see and experience. Food waste is both a challenge and opportunity, and we are exploring how we reduce the impact on the environment in this space with our partners. Above all it is vital that we work together as an industry. We do not want to be competitive regarding sustainability and the future of the environment. Accor recently signed the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance for this reason. We need to learn together and from each other, inspire each other and challenge each other to make a difference. 30
HM The Business of Accommodation
FORWARD THE ASCOTT LIMITED
James Shields - General Manager Growth and Capital Strategy
Ongoing strategic investment in positioning, projects, properties, and partnerships is delivering above and beyond expectations for The Ascott Limited’s suite of brand offerings including Quest. While expansion had already picked up pace pre-COVID, the resurgence in the domestic markets during COVID led by the regions and drive destinations amplified the benefits of the growth strategy. At the heart of Quest’s approach is a commitment to delivering a balanced stakeholder approach within the evolving challenges of the marketplace. The proof in the success is the fact that Quest like the other brands in Ascott’s impressive portfolio including The Ascott Residences, Citadines, Citadines Connect, Sommerset and lyf is flourishing. In fact, the pipeline is the strongest every experienced by the group with eight projects in construction and 15 more at varying stages of negotiation. The end result – an additional 2,750 rooms and more than $1.2 billion in completed projects under the Quest banner will be delivered over the next four years. Supporting this is a commitment to flexibility of structures including leases, management agreements and brand franchises. There’s also a focus on getting the inventory quantity and mix right through understanding demand drivers at the most granular level and building out room night volume accordingly. New developers are selectively added to the existing developers who have a track record of delivering for the group. Quest’s design and construction teams are integral and work hand in hand with >>
