The first Asia Pacific Hotel Investment Conference held in Bangkok, hosted by Dusit International at the legendary Dusit Thani Bangkok hotel, concluded last week after two engaging days of panel discussions, keynote speeches and networking events. Nearly 300 guests assembled at the hotel; a mix of investors, owners, operators and representatives of associated industries.

Managing Director and CEO of Dusit International, Mr. Chanin Donavanik, delivered the conference’s opening keynote speech “Seizing Opportunities in the Most Desirable Hotel Markets.” He specified balance between supply and demand in tourists and infrastructure, as well as an understanding of local business cultures by investors, as some of the keys to growth in the booming Asia Pacific hotel and tourism industries.
Seventy speakers and panelists from nine emerging markets were also invited to contribute to the conference. This year’s Guest of Honor was Mr. Somsak Pureesrisak, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sport. He delivered the conference’s Welcome Address where he stressed making Thailand a safer destination in order to ensure sustainable growth.
Interactive polls via mobile devices were held throughout the conference, allowing guests to instantly offer their opinions on the topics of the day. In one poll where attendees were asked in which country they would next invest, Thailand was voted number one, followed by Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Other topics addressed during the conference included “Future-proofing Hospitality Concepts,” “Unveiling the Value of Distressed Assets” and “Venturing into Frontier Markets.”
This was the fifth annual Asia Pacific Hotel Investment Conference, an International Hotel Investment Conference Summit, organized by Questex Hospitality Group.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with our decision to hold the Asia Pacific Hotel Investment Conference at Dusit Thani Bangkok,” states Ms Marilyn McHugh, Vice President of Global Events, Questex Hospitality + Travel. “The support we’ve received from Thailand and our host venue Dusit Thani Bangkok has been invaluable and we look forward to an even more successful event next year.”