Australia, New Zealand & the Pacific’s hotel and resort markets are facing the most promising trading outlook in their relatively short history according to most senior industry analysts. Buoyant economic conditions, record visitor arrival numbers and surging demand from burgeoning markets such as China all point to strong growth in revenues and profits in the near term.

But are investors and operators finally about to experience a long promised industry boom, or will like on so many past occasions, events conspire to cause the reality to fall short of market expectations? With surging investor confidence resulting in record prices being paid for hotels in the region, the answer to this question is fundamentally important to both hotel owners and their operators whose challenge it is to deliver on the emerging market opportunities.

To address this and other key questions, leading hotel and resort owners, operators and advisers from across all sectors of the industry will meet at the Hilton Sydney on 21 & 22 June 2006 at the Australia, New Zealand & Pacific Hotel Investment Conference (ANZPHIC 2006). The Conference, now in its 6th year, is jointly hosted each year by real estate advisers Sonnenblick Goldman, hotel consultants Horwath Asia Pacific and lawyers Blake Dawson Waldron.

Over 400 delegates are expected to attend ANZPHIC 2006, which has been a sell-out event in each year of its existence. This year’s Conference promises to deliver even greater industry support with eighteen major sponsors, including eight of the world’s leading hotel management companies, two major hotel investors and eight leading service providers – as well as every major industry body in the region lending their support.

“All the great names are on board and everything points to ANZPHIC 2006 being a pivotal event at a key moment in time for this industry” Conference chair, Mr John Smith, Managing Director of Sonnenblick Goldman declared.

Industry experts from within and outside the region will provide in-depth insight into issues including:

• Momentum or Momentary? Management Company Leaders Assess The Improving



• At Current Prices, Are Hotels Still a Buy - Or Even A Hold? – Leading Hotel Owners Assess The Case For & Against Hotels As investments In 2006



• Is It Time To Look Offshore and If So, Where?



• Looming New Airline Capacity – How Will It Impact The Hotel Industry?



• The Supply Pipeline – How Much, How Fast, Should The Industry Be Worried?



• Fiji. The New Bali?



• New Zealand Key Markets Update – Where Are The Best Opportunities?



• The Luxury New Brands Check In



• Condo Hotels & Management Rights – Where To From Here?



• Asset Management – Add Value or Nuisance Value?



• From Hotel To What? Adaptive Use Trends For Brands & Hotels



• Hotel Transactions Under The Spotlight: The InterContinental Australia Portfolio Deal



• Franchising Is Back – What’s The Deal?

A session sure to create some lively discussion will be the announcing of the inaugural 2006 MAXXotel Awards, that will honour the region’s best performing hotels, resorts & serviced apartments.

Commenting on the Awards, Mr Vasso Zographou, Managing Director of Horwath Asia Pacific noted “to the best of our knowledge these are the first hotel awards in the world to be made solely on the basis of operating performance - rather than how nice the rooms are or how guests rated them. For investors, performance is ultimately what it’s all about and great performing hotels only succeed because of great products and great management – it will be a pleasure to reward the people who made these outstanding properties the successes they are”.

Mr Smith added “With 50 speakers and panelists, covering # sessions in # hours of presentations, this year’s Conference promises to provide delegates with fast paced, key information on what is really going on at the money end of this business”.