The investment volume achieved in 2016 totalled almost €1.2 billion with 46 transactions recorded in core CEE hotel investment markets. In comparison, 2015 reached just over €700 million with 45 transactions. Austria was the star performer with almost €800 million transacted, which made up 67% of the total investment volume. In other CEE markets volume was lower than in 2015 with a particular decline in Poland which more than halved in volume. The Czech Republic accounted for 18% of total CEE investment share; most of the investment took place in Prague which saw 7 transactions including the Hilton Old Town, Park Hotel and Chopin Hotel.
The CEE hotel industry reported growth across all key performance metrics. Increasing number of tourists have chosen CEE destinations, thus occupancy rates returned or even surpassed the pre-crisis levels, reaching 72% on average up from 69%. As the cost of visiting CEE has gone up along with the increasing hotel room rates, profits have been soaring. The average price per room reached €76.6 up from €73.6 in 2015. While the Eastern markets achieved double digit growth in terms of revenue per available room, the more mature markets of Central Europe including Prague and Warsaw saw growth of around 6%.
Performance change over 2016
Money has been flowing in from Far East Asia, the Middle East, America as well as Europe. Hence the region has become truly international.
“In the last few years the region has seen important inflows of capital as wider groups of investors try to take advantage of the strong performance of the local hotel industry. Among the key factors driving performance are the continued strength of inbound international tourism into the CEE region, supported by Asian travellers as well as the re-focus of North African and Western European tourism. Moreover the willingness of banks to finance hotel acquisitions has significantly enticed high investor demand,” says David Nath, Head of CEE Hospitality Team at Cushman & Wakefield.
Banks’ appetite for lending is reflected in the return in hotel development activity with 2017 expected to deliver an additional 4,000 rooms across Central and Eastern European capital cities. The markets with the greatest development prospects are Warsaw and Budapest. Prague is an exception with a limited pipeline due to planning constraints and only a few sites suitable for hotel development.
“Although we expect growth to slow down slightly, during 2017, the investment market will remain robust compared to other more established markets in Western Europe. We will also see increasing capital invested in less mature hotel investment markets such as Bucharest and Sofia” says Frederic Le Fichoux, Head of Hotel Transactions - Continental Europe and adds “Average daily rate is expected to rise further, generating higher income returns for investors especially in more mature CEE markets, where the development pipeline is limited.”
In 2017, investors’ activity will be notable especially in Hungarian, Austrian and Romanian hotel investment markets, where significant assets are set to be put up for sale or about to be transacted.
CTP has signed a new lease agreement with long-term client Raben Romania, which has taken 1,800 sqm at CTPark Brașov West.
Another fast-growing Polish company has picked Metropolitan Warsaw for its headquarters. Rock Capital, a leading retail park developer and investor in Poland, now occupies modern office space overlooking the Grand Theater and Moliera Street. The Rock Capital's new headquarters, designed by BIT CREATIVE studio and its founder Barnaba Grzelecki, spans 460 sqm of premium office space on the first floor.
The largest retail chain in Poland offering RTV/AGD equipment has leased over 4,200 sq m of modern space in the MLP Poznań logistics centre. Media Expert will start operating in the new location in July 2025. The company was advised by Cushman & Wakefield in the leasing process
New appointments
Former Taylor Wessing Counsel and Head of Real Estate Peter Malovec has joined CTP Slovakia as its new Head of Legal.
Matexi Polska is strengthening its management structure. Jesika Mackiewicz has joined the management boards of companies implementing residential projects in Warsaw. This manager, with over 10 years of experience in the real estate industry, will support Matexi Polska's continued growth in the capital market.
Elżbieta Majdan is joining the Property & Asset Management team at Savills Poland as an Associate Director. Elżbieta brings 15 years of experience in managing and commercialising retail properties, gained while implementing key projects on the Polish market.
Investika Real Estate Fund has entered the Austrian real estate market by acquiring a light industrial and office asset with an interesting sustainability profile near Vienna Airport.
According to a report from Cushman & Wakefield, Warsaw’s office development pipeline has fallen to its lowest level in 30 years, with only 130,000 sqm currently under construction — a volume last seen in 1995. While new supply remains limited, demand for centrally located office space continues to support prime rental growth.
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