News & Stories

Berlin. The demands of operators and investors concerning the digital equipment of hotels are constantly growing. At the same time, the construction costs are increasing on the one side and the wishes of guests on the other side. Digitalised buildings are designed to help save costs. But this will still take more time, according to Reiner Nittka, Chairman of GBI AG, Berlin. Very often, project developers stand between all parties and demands. Locking systems and Wi-Fi routers are sufficient to bring all of them to their limits. The head of Germany's largest project developer about his everyday life.

London/Atlanta. Hotel values across Europe registered another strong year in 2018 despite six of the 33 analyzed markets showed a decrease. The influence of geopolitical uncertainty and instability on the industry seems to shrink. In addition, many other factors also influence the CapEx.

Munich. In the hotel industry, digitalisation has mainly concentrated on the booking processes up until now. But this is only one part of the "customer journey" and it focuses on the customer. However, the hotel operator wants to know more about the following: How will digital processes help to operate the business, to reduce costs and to increase efficiency? This way, operations also concern the property. But where is the building in this whole discussion? It's missing. This is a huge mistake, as the participants of the first HITT Think Tank realised, which took place in Berlin last June. In October at Expo Real in Munich, experts commented again on this topic, more critically and demanding this time. For hospitalityInside.com, this subject is the starting point for the topics of digitalisation in the next months.

Milan. Most destinations in Italy record positive figures for 2018, nevertheless national hotel performances haven't returned yet to 2000 levels. Italian hotel assets are valued at almost 100 billion euros, with properties in Venice being the most expensive and the ones in Rome the least attractive.

San Francisco. While many hoteliers, in their wildest dreams, imagine a life without Airbnb, the reality is quite different: The rental platform is here to stay and is even coming up with plans to enter a new business segment. Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia spread the word last week that Airbnb was going to build the sharing homes of the future.

Portsmouth. In a recent report, Europe's total construction pipeline, which is in a three-year surge, stands at 1,449 projects/228,588 rooms. Four hotel chains contribute 50% to the total hotel construction pipeline which increased 18% by projects.

Munich. Germany, Germany, above all: Hotel investors still regard the German real estate market as the safest haven of all. In this respect, this year's real estate and investment trade fair Expo Real did not provide any new insights – but an increasing boom. The operators were no longer as euphoric. Only the project developers are happy about their powerful positions. The bottom line is: Greed has increased. Therefore, the nuances are even more important now: Treugast verified the currently increasing anxieties with the negative changes in performance.

Munich. That there's an interface between hospitality and healthcare is clear. But now, digitalisation has introduced a third player: housing. The German project manager Drees & Sommer brought these "3Hs" to the table recently in Munich. A successful premier, a discussion with many new names and faces, very open and amazed at what moved everybody in the end: a similar form of helplessness when it comes to digitalisation which requires a completely new way of thinking, and the recognition that the conservative construction industry is holding many things back.

Berlin. Real estate sector summit in Berlin. Project developers, financiers and operators sought answers to the most pressing problems: The lack of qualified staff, rising construction costs and tighter regulation, digitisation and, above all, ever greater shortages in supply in all asset classes – also in the hotel industry. Managers also expected solutions in the fields of new construction and refurbishment from politicians. But Horst Seehofer, German Minister for the Interior, Building and Community has left the sector in the lurch. He cancelled his visit at short notice, citing another more important commitment regarding asylum policy.

Hamburg. The good economic development allows the hotel rooms in Germany to continue to grow, also through new concepts. At the same time, the range of properties available in this area and the average value calculated per room are increasing. However, the transaction volume is currently declining.