How Luxury Hotels Overcome Today’s Economic Challenges

Australia’s hotels sector experienced one of its toughest periods during the pandemic years, but with bigger challenges comes bigger opportunities for bold industry innovation. During CBRE’s Flow and Glow event in 2022, Pacific Head of Research, Sameer Chopra sat down with Rob Weeden, General Manager of The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, to identify the active hotel recovery strategies that the iconic name was rolling out in a post-pandemic landscape.  Weeden reveals how his team are continuing to provide a luxury five-star service for guests while navigating an environment of higher utility costs and a tourism industry that’s still in its recovery phase. He also talks about the types of guests that the hotel is currently attracting, and the facilities required to service them to the highest standards.  On the sustainability front, Weeden explains how The Fullerton Hotel Sydney is playing its part in driving sustainable practices in the hotel industry regardless of customer demand. He believes that sustainability is now an expectation rather than an added benefit for hotel operators. The conversation on the current state of Australian hotels comes at a fitting time where CBRE recently released its 2023 overview and outlook for the nation’s hotels against the backdrop of growing domestic and international visitation, and the reopening of China’s borders.  If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at [email protected].