“I would expect to see further consolidation among brands and, as the franchised hotel model continues to grow in success, would also predict mergers among smaller hotel management companies. “One potential challenge that does concern me going forward is the lack of quality hotels available for sale. The appetite for the UK hotel market amongst investors is huge at the moment but, due to Brexit uncertainty and high pricing expectations from sellers, opportunities for these investors to get the returns they are looking for are few and far between.
VisitAberdeenshire Launches Definitive What’s On Guide List brings together all exciting events across North East for easy access VisitAberdeenshire has launched a new what’s on guide for the north-east of Scotland, bringing a definitive list of must-attend events together in one place at enjoyabdn.com The North East is benefitting from a thriving and growing festival and events scene and, as the popularity of the events calendar continues to grow, there is a demand for an official what’s on guide for the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire region. Chris Foy, chief executive of VisitAberdeenshire says: “Here in the north-east of Scotland our thriving festival and events calendar translates into a thousand languages and has the ability to create a memorable immersive experience for locals and visitors alike. In
“If, as an industry, we cannot suitably feed this demand, then there’s a real risk that another country or sector could attract this investment, leading to an overall decline in investment into the UK hotel sector across 2019.” Staying true to the heart of the business But RBH will be ready to meet any challenges it faces head-on, as the company focuses on what lies at its heart. Andrew added: “Investors come to us for advice, and we pride ourselves on providing consistent, good quality counsel – and on being transparent at all times. So, whilst growth is firmly on the agenda for 2019, we would never risk our reputation as trusted advisors in order to engineer any ill-advised expansion that could put investors at risk. “These poor investments – whether through lack of robust due diligence or projects that have suffered from too much financial engineering – put the whole industry at risk. So, although we believe our investor partners will continue to acquire hotels, RBH is a business that is confident enough in its own expertise to also advise when deals shouldn’t be done if the returns are not sufficient – even if that means a slower rate of growth for ourselves.”
particular we welcome a considerable number of friends and relatives of local people to our region. Our new events guide will provide a valuable resource and make it easier than ever before to find out where and when events are taking place.” Enjoyabdn.com is powered by The List, the UK’s most comprehensive event listings guide. It supports bids for major business events and works with partners across the region to deliver a great delegate welcome. VisitAberdeenshire is funded by Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Opportunity North East and Scottish Enterprise.
Issue 16
Spring 2019
www.business-now.co.uk
51
LEISURE & TOURISM
Andrew said: “The impact of Brexit is a complete unknown at the moment, and we will ensure we are able to react quickly to any major economic changes – whether they are positive or negative. If Brexit was to have no major bearing, I personally predict an overall trend similar to 2018, with UK RevPAR growth at around two percent and London at around one percent.