Plenty of new developments at Hospitality Support Group: Customized advice, sustainability and expansion of the team.
With 20 years of experience and the rollercoaster year that was 2022, Hospitality Support Group is taking the next important step to ensure it can provide even better support for hotel financiers, developers and owners. Managing Partner Amanda Boesjes will be supported in her efforts by Project Director Rob de Ridder. In this interview, they talk about the amazing steps that will be taken during the coming period: market developments, the needs of the hotel investment industry, and how you can boost profits by improving sustainability.
It has only been one year since Hospitality Support Group (HSG) and Hotel Facility Concepts (HFC) entered into a strategic partnership with one another. The ink on the signatures was barely dry but property owners, developers and financiers had all started reaping the benefits of this collaboration. “After all,” Amanda explains, “HSG is and will remain the ultimate professional partner for hotel property owners, developers and financiers when it comes to market research, feasibility studies, value approximation and the operator selection process. HFC’s knowledge on the operational side has enabled us to strengthen our proposition last year. Together, we offer our clients the best of both worlds. We advise and guide our clients, from the initial idea for hotel development to the actual completion.”
This is what the market wants
In addition to providing its regular, trusted services, HSG has primarily spent the past year reinventing itself. In other words, exploring the market to find out what’s going on and where the needs lie. “We had great conversations with both existing clients as well as potential new ones. We learned a lot of new things about the market, such as the higher demand for customized advice and a full range of support. In other words, from the time of the initial idea to develop a hotel to the actual turn-key completion. This is exactly where HSG’s strength lies. Whether you are a financier, developer or owner seeking advice on the potential value of a newly developed hotel or an existing building, HSG can help. This is our point of departure for taking concrete steps that focus on the right hotel in the right location, and under the right conditions.”
Partnership with Censo
In addition to all this, there are huge opportunities when it comes to sustainability. Hotel owners, developers and investors are becoming increasingly aware of the value of this field. In order to be better equipped as both a sparring and collaboration partner, HSG entered into an alliance with Censo. “Censo makes it possible to gain a lot of knowledge and expertise when it comes to construction and installations. Combined with our knowledge of hotel valuations and operations, we can accurately determine the impact sustainability measures can have on a property’s value. We are currently working on providing advice on sustainability and value approximations for several clients.”
Shifts in the hotel business
If we look at the hotel investment market, a few different aspects stand out. One of these is the increasing number of investors with relatively little experience in the hotel market. “And since hotels are real estate tied to a specific kind of operation, it’s a benefit for both owners and investors when the business runs smoothly,” according to Amanda. “This is where we can offer support, in the translation between financiers, owners, developers and operators. We know better than anyone the different interests that are involved, and we can provide figures to substantiate and demonstrate how efficient operations can elevate the guest experience to a higher level, a factor that has a positive effect on the room price. And a higher room price and better guest experience can boost a hotel’s value.”
Introducing Rob de Ridder
In order to be able to capitalize on the opportunities available, Rob de Ridder was recruited as Project Director at HSG. He has considerable experience working with major investors and rebranding existing hotels. Rob has opened several Aparthotels in the Netherlands in recent years. Prior to that, he held various positions for different types of hotels, from airport hotel to boutique hotel. His knowledge and experience in this field is a more than welcome addition, and for HSG, a logical step given all the new projects on the table. Rob: “I’m really excited about helping HSG to continue its development. In the past, I worked both on the investor as well as the operational side. This taught me the best ways for operations to communicate with the investment company. And if we look at the shift in the hotel business to extended stays, I have extensive experience with all of the factors involved in a conversion from an existing hotel to an extended stay facility. We are the perfect partner to offer support during this process, particularly for investors who, due in part to their experiences during COVID, are interested in diversifying their portfolio.”
Headed for the future
Over the coming months, Amanda and Rob plan to further shape HSG, and work with the various parties in the hotel investment sector to identify the opportunities and options when it comes to sustainability. “For developers, owners and financiers, we are the bridge connecting all these different interests, thereby creating added value and synergy.”
Pancras Evers (Managing Director HFC): “The addition of HSG to HFC Group in 2022 has enabled us to better fulfill our role as a strategic partner for our clients. The proof of this lies in projects in which we were able to advise and serve the client, from feasibility study to completion and operation. I’m thrilled with the arrival of Rob as Project Director; this reinforcement will add senior-level knowledge to HSG’s arsenal.”
Hospitality Support Group is the ideal professional partner for hotel owners, developers and financiers. If you are looking for an experienced, reliable and discreet partner to elevate your hotel, hotel development or investment to a higher level, please contact Rob de Ridder.
Hospitality Support Group
Rob de Ridder, HSG Project Director
M. + 31 6 39 84 91 17
E. rob.deridder@hospitality-support.com
