ArtBuild Hotel Group for the second time in a row was pleased to be the General Partner for UREC Hospitality Forum 2012

ArtBuild Hotel Group LLC for the second time in a row is a General Partner of the annual specialized event in the hotel real estate Hospitality Forum, organized by Ukrainian Real Estate Club. For actual discussion of current industry topics were brought together leading representatives of Ukrainian and international hotel market.

          Forum topic – "The formula of successful hotel project" – gave an opportunity to discuss practical issues related to the hotel establishment at the Ukrainian realities, in particular, minimizing risk by constructing a regular algorithm implementation. Up to this day, at special events, as a rule, under discussing were such issues as property management, staff motivation, sales system and others. But how to create a quality project from scratch, it is known only to professionals that have already built hotel properties. Therefore, the forum participants incrementally reviewed all the major stages of the hotel project: from the concept to grand opening.

          One of the key issues discussed at the forum was the development of Hotel Feasibility Study. The experts pointed about special evolution of the Ukrainian hotel market: earlier, many projects start without a Feasibility Study, but for now this is a mandatory starting point for professional hotel project. Elaborated Hotel Feasibility Study gives an opportunity to choose the right way of the project development, to determine the size and category of the hotel, the most acceptable form of management and funding structure.

          According to experts, another key factor of successful hotel project is the selection of the management company, which should not only follow the brand standards, but also generate investor's returning. Management contract is made for many years, so the choice of a partner who has the experience and that you can trust is very important.

          Representatives of international hotel chains, including Aron Libinson (Vice President at InterContinentalGroup for development in Russia and the CIS), Christophe Piffaretti (Vice President of development Fairmont Raffles Hotels International), as well as general managers of Kyiv hotels Ibis and Holiday Inn, shared experience of hotel projects around the world. So, for example, the international experience of HR suggests that the General Manager and Sales Director of the future hotel should be connected to the project in the year prior to its opening. Hotel staff should begin their work for 2-3 months before grand opening, it's allowing the hotel to audit readiness, develop and establish operational processes, train and prepare operating personnel.

          During the discussion forum moderators, Aleksei Evchenko and Daron Rose, Managing Partners of ArtBuild Hotel Group, – also raised other practical topics, including the preparation of technical specifications for engineering and design, the elaboration of effective systems engineering building, the simulation of the future interior (mockuprooms), purchasing FF & E and others.

          Speakers at the conference included market leaders in hospitality real estate: Aron Libinson (IHG), Michael Widmann (PKF hotelexperts), Yuriy Krivosheya (Toronto-Kiev), Vladimir Goraschenko (Double W), Christophe Piffaretti (Fairmont Raffles Hotels International), Scott Antel (DLA Piper Rus Limited), Oleg Salmin (21 Century), Irina Pshennaya (Vertex Hotel Group), David Koenigshofer (Fairmont Grand Hotel Kyiv), Marina Usenko (Jones Lang LaSalle), Sergei Fedorik (Ukrbudcontract).

          ArtBuild Hotel Group would like to thank the Ukrainian Real Estate Club for the opportunity to support the development of the professional hospitality market in Ukraine.