AI Issue 4 2017

64 Acquisition International - April 2017 Hotel Solutions Partnership is a global network of over 40 consultants and hands-on professionals who are strategic thinkers and domain experts. They provide advisory, acquisition and investment, and short-term management solutions to international hotel and resort owners, operators, developers, investors and entrepreneurs. We caught up with CEO,Katrina Craig, to learn more about the hospitality industry, Hotel Solutions Partnership and the services it offers. etting the scene, Katrina tells us about BREXIT and how it has positively impacted the hotel industry in the UK. In short, the price of travelling to the UK has dropped, but Brits are finding it is cheaper to stay at home rather than travel abroad. Currency fluctuations have meant the price of hotel property in the UK is relatively more affordable for investors, as evidenced by the recent and significant example of Qatar’s sovereign welfare fund upping their investment into the UK by £5 billion over the next three to four years. “One of the things we do here is to support investors. We have an acquisitions business where we look for and source property for hotel investors. We take them through the process, which includes looking for properties, evaluating them and preparing site-specific business plans for them and making recommendations such as adding a spa or room refurbishments and upgrades. We can put the architects and construction team together, and provide a full support team that will deliver a completed hotel. “The other side of the coin is that those who work in the hotel industry traditionally come from European countries, so we step in with human resources recruitment and development to train workers. We also write standard training manuals, so hotels can easily impart the way things should be done to any incoming staff.” “In addition, with the rise of companies in Asia and The Middle East, many are finding that they can launch their own brands in light of the growing tourism market. We have a client in The Middle East who is solely focussed on travel to Saudi Arabia, where there is forecasted to be 10 million people visiting there each year. The local hotel groups are therefore really ramping up their capabilities and perhaps most importantly their capacities in order to meet with this increase demand. Katrina says that Hotel Solutions Partnership can help these local hotel groups repackage their offerings to key regional and international source Company: Hotel Solutions Partnership Name: Katrina Craig Email: info@ hotelsolutionspartnership.com Address: 17 Queens Gate, London, SW7 5JE UK Phone: +44 (0) 20 7099 7520 Web: www. hotelpartnershipsolutions.com A Roomwith a View S 1704AI07 markets. More broadly speaking, Katrina adds that hotel operators such as Marriot, Hilton and IHG have many sub brands within them to provide the full spectrum of lodgings from limited select service to luxury. There are clearly a number of changes in the global hotel brand world, with the growth of independent boutique hotels offering very bespoke, niche and individualised products. Other significant changes in business models are as witnessed by the growth of Air B&B, answering travellers’ needs for a home away from home, as opposed to a regular hotel room. That in itself is a challenge to the traditional hotel operators and is currently being addressed “Much of our work is sitting with these entrepreneurs and having these envisioning workshops, helping them to see how they perceive their brands and whether, their business is responding to these changes and what can they do to make both tactical and strategic improvements. We assist clients to meet their goals by providing both tactical and strategic direction, in a structured way by providing branding or bringing new designers to the table and even finding them partners to assist.” Established in 2003, Hotel Solutions Partnership began as a network of strategic thinkers and domain experts in the global hotel industry. Today the firm have over 40 consultants and hands-on professionals around the world. Katrina explains the firm’s service offering and how it works as a turnkey solution to ensure that clients receive the entire range of services they need. The firm’s services include: • Corporate and Development strategy; • Brand development; • Writing operating and technical design manuals; • International hotel operator search; • Feasibility studies; • Operational support; • Recruitment and training • Hotel property acquisition, due diligence and asset management. “Hotel Solutions Partnership works with hotel owners, hotel operators and developers, investors, and those wishing to become involved in the hotel and hospitality industry, providing them with specialist hotel consultancy services. We are often engaged to undertake feasibility studies for new hotels or integrated resort developments in new destinations. We also help entrepreneurs develop their own hotel brand and can support the roll-out of a new brand or concept internationally. “Here at Hotel Solutions Partnership, we truly improve results , maximising product, people, process and profit for our clients. Our focus is always on finding and unlocking hidden strategic advantage.”