Hotel investments in Thailand rose by 31 percent last year to stand at US$337 million, according to the latest figures published by JLL’s Hotels and Hospitality Group.
Hotel investment volumes throughout Asia reached US$7.5 billion at the end of 2013, up 218 percent on 2012 and defying all industry expectations in the process. This makes 2013 the market’s strongest year post theGlobal Financial Crisis in 2007, when transaction volumes stood at US$10.3 billion.
JLL forecasts 2014 to be a similarly stand-out year, although transactions volumes are likely to fall on the back of limited supply, despite strong demand.
Singapore, Japan and Mainland China led the region’s growth in 2013 with Japan topping overall investment volumes at US$2.7 billion, up 480 percent on 2012, as hotel trading performance improved in line with the expansion of the domestic economy and renewed growth in corporate and leisure travel.
Last year was also a remarkable year for the Singapore hotel market with capital values reaching new records, resulting in transaction volumes of US$2.0 billion, over ten times that recorded in 2012, predominantly supported by the sale of Grand Park Orchard hotel and Knightsbridge retail, the city’s largest single asset transaction to date.
China, in third place, accounted for around 13 percent of total investment activity, recording US$1.1 billion of transactions as recent government announcements to improve access to financing drove investor sentiment over the second half of 2013.
Other markets that experienced strong growth in the region as a result of improved connectivity and burgeoning outbound travel from Mainland China include Hong Kong (US$486.7 million, up 19 percent year-on-year) and the Maldives, which recorded US$267.6 million in transaction volumes over the year, up a huge 614 percent on 2012.
Mike Batchelor, Managing Director Investment Sales, Hotels and Hospitality for JLL, said: “Strong investor sentiment and, importantly, the availability of quality hotel assets were key reasons behind Asia’s impressive sales volume in 2013 which was hindered only by the availability of additional stock as many owners increasingly hold off selling assets in anticipation of further market growth.
“Mature hotel markets such as Singapore continue to be governed by well capitalised, inter-generational investors and as stock becomes increasingly limited, investors are now starting to look further afield once again at new and emerging markets in the region in the search for greater yield and capital growth opportunities.
“There remains no shortage of capital to be invested into the sector in 2014 (mostly from inter-regional Asian investors) however improved trading performance and the tightening of cap rates have elevated the expectations of the region’s sellers. The resulting restricted supply will shape activity this year and, while overall deal flow will remain robust, we expect volumes to moderate in 2014 because of fewer landmark transactions and portfolio deals in the key gateway locations.”
Andrew Batt, International Group Editor of PropertyGuru Group, wrote this story. To contact him about this or other stories email andrew@propertyguru.com.sg
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