The hotel asset class is changing

From October 6 to 8, 2025, EXPO REAL will once again offer a platform for an intensive and serious dialogue between operators and investors in the hotel segment. While transaction volumes on the investment market are noticeably increasing, they have not yet returned to the pre-pandemic level. The current earnings problems of hotel operators are also fueling market consolidation. The recent ongoing wave of takeovers of operating companies will change the hotel landscape.

In dialogue: market shakeout and resilience

“This year, the Hospitality Industry Dialogue (HID) will live up to its name more than ever by inviting renowned stakeholders and market players to engage in dialogue on the HID stage,” says Claudia Boymanns, Exhibition Director of EXPO REAL. As in previous years, the hotel conference in 2025 will offer the ideal setting for a high-quality and up-to-date exchange. Boymanns explains: “The dominant topics this year include the market shakeout and margin pressure, changes in hotel investment, the leisure boom at individual destinations, and the resilience of the industry in the face of growing climate risks.”

The continuing upturn in the investment climate in the hotel industry is likely to be reflected positively at EXPO REAL. Despite all the challenges, the growth trend on the hotel and investment market persists. Supply and demand is gaining a certain momentum, with institutional investors returning and private investors such as family offices reliably supporting the hotel asset class in the long term.

The pressure on operators remains, particularly with regard to the high personnel, energy and other operating costs. According to experts, the use of new technologies and digitized back-office processes has picked up considerable speed. This is due, on the one hand, to the shortage of employees and, on the other, to the increasing acceptance of automated processes by consumers.

Sustainability and climate driving investments

Sustainability also continues to be the agenda for investors and operators, likewise underpinned by demand from guests. The Hospitality Industry Dialogue 2025 is not just about regulatory requirements but specifically about resilience and bankability: What does climate risk mean for the ROI of the next hotel project?

“The hospitality industry has enriched EXPO REAL for many years, also because investors have accepted it as an alternative to other asset classes,” says Claudia Boymanns, summing up, and puts it in a nutshell: “Furthermore, it is considered crisis proof.”

The Hospitality Industry Dialogue 2025 will be held as part of EXPO REAL on Monday, October 6, in the Planning & Partnerships Forum in Hall A1.