Global Hospitality Report (January 20, 2015)

Move Fast and Break Things: How Silicon Valley Thinking Can Shake Up Traditional Hotel Management Practices 
By Mark Lynn

Constant questioning and challenging of hotel amenities, services, programs and management practices is critical to discover new ways of elevating the guest experience. Asset managers should encourage management to take risks to innovate.

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Analyzing Select-Service Portfolio Transactions in the USA in 2014  
By Susan Furbay

Portfolio transactions rose in 2014, a reflection of improving investment and performance conditions for U.S. hotels. The following article looks at the major sales and how portfolio transactions can raise the value of individual hotel assets.

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HVS Hotel Management Opens Receivership Services in New York 

HVS Hotel Management now has the ability to provide receivership services in New York State in addition to its services already in place in most other states in the USA. New York is one of the few states in the country, which require testing before being listed in the state’s Guardian and Fiduciary Services eligibility list. HVS has extensive experience in the management of hotels in transitional and distressed circumstances. It has served multiple courts in over a dozen states and is able to provide efficient and cost-effective receivership services for lenders that are preparing to foreclose and sell a property. By utilizing their management know-how, flexible corporate structure, and HVS’ vast resources, the team has the ability to take over operation of any hotel or resort on very short notice if necessary.

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HVS Appoints Simon Tucker Brown to Lead its Executive Search Practice in Europe and the Middle East  

Simon Tucker Brown joined HVS Executive Search as Managing Director for Europe and the Middle East, effective Monday, 12 January 2015, and will be based out of the HVS London office. An industry specialist, Simon brings with him over two decades of rich experience in executive search and hotel operations, and a strong industry network. He specialises in providing advice on talent and market information as well as bespoke solutions to clients’ critical assignments, having delivered numerous search mandates across a broad range of disciplines at senior executive and board level, both in the UK and internationally. Court Williams, CEO, HVS Executive Search states, “Our global team now stands stronger than ever with Mark Keith having joined as Managing Director - Asia Pacific, Bill Conn as Vice President – Americas, and now Simon.” HVS Executive Search also announced its plans for major expansion with three new offices in the pipeline, one in the US West Coast, followed by Dubai and Singapore.

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Asia Pacific Hotel Watch 2015: Maldives Outlook 

The Maldives reached its target of one million international visitors for the first time when 1,125,202 tourists visited the country in 2013, mainly spurred by the rise in spending power of the Chinese. Year-to-date tourist arrivals as of November 2014 reached 1,101,113 - a 7.9% increase from the year before. With the increasing affluence of visitors from APAC and the Middle East, in addition to the proactive support from the Ministry of Tourism, the Maldives is geared towards welcoming a record number of tourists in the years to come. As an island-paradise destination, the Maldives hotel market continues to grow with new developments and brands being introduced into the market. With strong tourism fundamentals and growing visitations, we believe that the Maldives will continue to attract the interest of investors from across continents. Click here to VIEW FULL REPORT.

HVS APAC HOSPITALITY NEWSLETTER.
English Hotel Group Tickles Toplands Fancy  

Private investor Topland has purchased Liverpool-based independent hotel operator Feathers Group for reportedly around £65 million (£89,500 per room), adding eight hotels (726 rooms) in northwest England to its portfolio. All members of the Best Western consortium, the hotels are the 93-room Best Western Premier Leyland, in Preston; the 116-room Best Western Willow Bank, in Manchester; the 81-room Best Western Feathers Liverpool and the 41-room Best Western Alicia, in Liverpool; the 52-room Best Western Fir Grove, in Warrington; the 218-room Best Western Premier Queen and the 75-room Best Western Westminster, in Chester; and the 48-room Best Western Llyndir Hall Hotel & Spa, in north Wales. This latest aquisition brings Topland's spending over the last 13 months to £200 million on 28 hotels; the London-based group also has further aquisitions in the pipeline.

HVS EMEA HOSPITALITY NEWSLETTER.

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