The region’s leading hotel investment summit will be hosted from 1-2 December 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit, with many top-level speakers from the hospitality sector and an extra special guest – Vern Unsworth, M.B.E. K.C.T., the hero caver and cave explorer from the Tham Luang Cave rescue
Bangkok – Against all the odds, the South East Asia Hotel Investors’ Summit (SEAHIS) will hold its fourth edition in December, with a plethora of top-level speakers from almost every major Thailand-based hotel group and more than 30 other speakers from around the region dialling in remotely.
Travel, hospitality and real estate professionals will enjoy expert insights into the key issues currently affecting the hotel industry, including the supply-demand balance, the changing role of OTAs, the balance of power between hotel managers, franchisors and owners, sustainability, and the best vehicles for owning hotels – funds, families or public companies. Sadly Covid cannot be ignored, and much of the content will be underpinned by the impact of the global pandemic. Related topics will include cost reduction strategies, opportunities for acquisitions in a downturn, design changes to respond to the “new normal”, and how resorts will be sold to guests in the post-Covid, post-Thomas Cook era.
These issues will be addressed by many of the region’s most senior hotel and travel executives, including Bill Bensley, founder of architecture and design studio, Bensley; Suchad Chiaranussati, CEO of SC Capital; Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor International; Stephan Vanden Auweele, CEO of Asset World Corporation (TCC); Dirk de Cuyper, CEO of S Hotels and Resorts; James Riley, CEO of Mandarin Oriental; Rajeev Menon, President - Asia Pacific of Marriott; Andrew Langdon, SVP of Development - Asia at Accor; Deepak Ohri, CEO of Lebua, and many more. In total, 50 of the speakers are company owners, CEOs or other C-suite officers. We are also delighted that SEAHIS will be addressed by Khun Tanes Petsuwan, Deputy Governor of TAT.
An extra special guest at this year’s SEAHIS will be Vern Unsworth M.B.E. K.C.T., the heroic caver and cave explorer who famously helped to rescue the Wild Boars junior football team from a flooded cave in Chiang Rai province in 2018. Mr. Unsworth will inspire delegates with his tales of resilience in adversity – an important message in this challenging time. View Vern’s video here – click here.
“2020 has been a difficult year for everyone, but it has also been heart-warming to see how people have adapted to the situation and stayed positive. Often the most important battle is the one that takes place inside ourselves; having the right mental attitude can help us to adapt and survive in any environment. Events like SEAHIS help to broaden our outlook and let us understand that, by taking small and simple steps, we can overcome anything,” Mr. Unsworth commented.
Simon Allison, Chairman of hotel owners’ alliance HOFTEL which organises SEAHIS, notes:
“This has been the worst year in living memory for the hotel sector, so there is plenty to talk about. Most Covid topics have been discussed to exhaustion so, at SEAHIS, Covid will be like the fish sauce in Thai cooking – ever-present in the background but not the overriding flavour. We hope to look beyond this pandemic to see how the industry will emerge and how the long-term issues will evolve.”
“Every year at SEAHIS, well over 40% of attendees are from groups which own or develop hospitality real estate. Everything the hospitality industry does is ultimately funded by the owners and developers of hotels, resorts and serviced apartments. They are under immense pressure at the moment and are looking for insights as to how to adapt, survive and then thrive. SEAHIS will provide exactly that,” Mr. Allison added.
SEAHIS 2020 will take place on 1-2 December 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit. For more information, please visit www.seahis.com.
Enquiries about the summit can be directed to Simon Allison, CEO of HOFTEL, at: Tel: +44 7771 762274 Email: simon.allison@hoftel.com
