Hotel owners across the Middle East and Africa are taking a more selective approach to management agreements, with greater focus on brand contribution, total costs and asset-level returns. Franchise, third-party management and hybrid models are becoming more relevant as markets mature. Future agreements will require stronger performance alignment, clearer governance and greater flexibility as assets move through renewal, reinvestment and repositioning.

Choosing the right hotel operating model (franchise, management agreement, or third-party operator) depends on owner goals, market conditions, and property characteristics. Franchises offer brand support but require strict standards. Management agreements, common in the Middle East, balance risk and reward. Third-party operators provide flexibility and cost efficiency. Owners must evaluate options to maximize returns as market dynamics shift.

Partnering with an asset management firm can help maximize investor returns and property values. Asset management is particularly important in the current environment where macroeconomic conditions are in constant flux, geopolitical issues continue to intensify, and domestic monetary policy has considerable implications. The following article outlines how the right hotel asset management firm will help optimize the return on your hotel investment.

In the ever-evolving hospitality industry, the question of how to effectively compensate hotel operators remains crucial. While the basic premise of paying managers for their management skills holds true, the prevalent incentive fee structures may no longer adequately align with market realities, particularly for owners.

In the lead up to their participation at the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) in Dubai in September, 2022, Hala Matar Choufany, President Middle East, Africa and South Asia for HVS, and Bani Haddad, Founder & Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality caught up to discuss how third party management has evolved over the years with a focus on the Middle East and Africa.

This article discusses the key trends in hotel brand signings witnessed in the Indian hotel sector in 2022.

This article discusses the key trends in hotel brand signings witnessed in the Indian hotel sector in 2021.

Last week more than 300 industry executives logged in to join a webinar organised by HVS in partnership with legal expert Bird & Bird, publishing group EP Business in Hospitality and restructuring advisory firm AlixPartners on the subject of Hotel Franchising.

Hala Matar Choufany is discussing with Khalid Anib, Bani Haddad and Christophe Landais at AHIC on the Road, about the evolution of different type of hotel agreements as well as the journey to the alternative management.

Franchising provides an efficient growth model with lower risk for both hotel brands as well as asset owners, but it has still not gained significant traction in India. Read on to know more.