What's in a brand? Hotel brand switching, repositioning and re-flagging
As an investor, choosing the right brand to represent and drive your business is one of the most important choices you have to make - unless of course you choose to operate without. Equally critical however is the choice the brand owner makes over the suitability of your particular property or location.
Hotel brands are at the cutting edge of the space between the hotel business and the consumer and for this reason they are constantly in the spotlight. Brands evolve over time, new brands appear and some brands merge, decline and disappear. For investors there is a real requirement to see through the perception and the image:- the underlying brand strength is crucial and going to the heart of the matter is the brand owner’s network, loyalty and distribution platforms. Hotel brands are under pressure like never before from increasing competition, online travel agents and consumer to consumer / sharing e-platforms.
Various parties are represented on the panel at this Henry Stewart conference. EQ Group (represented by Andrew Horder) is a fast growing and intelligent hotel investor with an appetite to acquire or develop further hotels in the UK. Joining them are Accor (represented by Jason Wischhoff) and Marriott (represented by Paul Thomas), two of the world’s best known brand owners. Through the prism of their combined knowledge experience we look at branding, repositioning and re-flagging strategies.
Christie & Co (represented by Tom Holt-Wilson), the international firm of hotel brokers, valuers and consultants, brings their consulting expertise to the ‘Brand switching, repositioning and re-flagging strategies – what’s possible and what’s the likely cost’ panel at the annual Henry Stewart Hotel Operating Agreements conference in London on Wednesday 27 April.
