Monday, February 29, 2016

International conference in Hawaii hosted by CBRE Hotels examines current state and future of hotel investment and capital markets

  
Amelia Lim

HONOLULU, HAWAII, Feb. 29, 2016 – Nearly 80 investors, owners, operators, asset managers, hotel brands and lenders from Shanghai, Osaka, Madrid and from across the mainland U.S. gathered in Hawaii to attend an invite-only event at the iconic Royal Hawaiian Hotel on January 28, hosted by CBRE Hotels in Hawaii.

The symposium, See the World of Ho‘okipa, Hospitality in a Whole New Light, provided an unprecedented view of Hawaii’s hotel fundamentals relative to the broader global context, the impact of debt and equity capital on Hawaii’s lodging sector, and performance forecasts for 2016 and 2017. The conference featured a heavyweight line up of the world’s preeminent hospitality executives.

Yvonne Siew
“This symposium showcases CBRE Hotels’ comprehensive suite of services, spanning transaction, debt and structured finance, valuation, strategic advisory, asset management and research. Hawaii is rich with opportunities in the hospitality sector, and the CBRE platform in Hawaii is structured as a full-service provider to groups seeking to capitalize on these opportunities,” said Amelia Lim, Vice President of CBRE Hotels, Valuation and Advisory Services, Hawaii.

“CBRE has the depth of market knowledge and strength of relationships with decision makers in Hawaii that can only come with living and working within the community for an extended period of time.

Mark Woodworth
“The synthesis of CBRE’s intensive market penetration in Hawaii with our global platform and access to international capital markets creates a very powerful value proposition for our clients.


“We are the perfect solution for offshore investors and capital sources making forays into Hawaii’s hospitality sector, as well as for local hospitality firms seeking to expand their global reach.”

Meanwhile, Yvonne Siew, Executive Director and Head of International Capital at CBRE China, explained that the strong dollar is the lure of investing in the U.S., especially since the renminbi outlook is anticipated to depreciate another 5 percent in 2016.

“I’m in touch with the major insurance companies and State Owned Enterprises (SOE) with specific mandates to invest in U.S. assets,” Siew said. 

“The strong dollar versus the local Reminbi is perceived by the Chinese as a form of investing into safe assets. Hawaii is very much open to foreign capital. We see this as a great opportunity for Chinese capital.”

Siew noted that Chinese construction companies, railway and infrastructure groups are concerned the local outlook in China will not give them the growth and profits, so investors are looking for investment and marketing opportunities abroad. 

Kevin Mallory
Those opportunities could be in tourism, oil or gas investments. Siew said that according to reports, if 3 percent of the high net worth individuals in China moved just 7 percent of their wealth out of their country, it would add up to $1.5 trillion in U.S. dollars.

Forecasting presentations from CBRE Hotels’ leaders Kevin Mallory and Mark Woodworth kicked off the event, followed by a panel discussion with four industry experts about the future growth of hotel spending and investment, including Chinese interests in Hawaii, the ramifications of Airbnb’s exponential growth, as well as regulatory compliance, expanding interest rates and the impact of the rising cost of debt on investment strategy.


For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Kimberly K. Lord (B)
+1 808 541 5170


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