The
9th Annual Russia & CIS Hotel Investment Conference (RHIC) will
take place 21-23 October 2013 at the Radisson Blu Resort &
Congress Hotel in Sochi, Russia, site of the 2014 Olympic Winter
Games.
Sochi
is undergoing a major transformation from a regional tourist hub into
a global tourism destination as it gears up to host the Winter
Olympic Games early next year and a number of soccer matches when the
FIFA World Cup Finals come to Russia in 2018. In preparation for
these mega-events, Sochi and the local region are creating new
attractions and investing in infrastructure.
“With
the 2014 Winter Olympic Games fast approaching, the world’s eyes
are on Sochi,” said Jonathan Worsley, Bench Events chairman. “We
are delighted that the city will host RHIC this year. There is an
incredible buzz and excitement about Sochi. Colleagues in the travel
and tourism industry are looking forward to seeing the Olympic Park
and the region’s new hotels in person with Sochi’s preparations
for the Winter Olympic Games in full swing.”
Total
investment in the region is expected to exceed $50 billion. Morgan
Stanley has reported that infrastructure spending is expected to
account for 7 percent of Russia's rising GDP at least until 2018 as
Moscow and regional governments improve facilities for the FIFA World
Cup Finals.
“Beyond
the Olympics, the next five years will see the sector drawing in new
investment and development opportunities,” said Kerry Gumas,
Questex president & CEO. The number of international brand hotels
in Russia is expected to increase from 87 to 220 by 2018, and the
total number of international brand hotel rooms will more than double
from 21,885 to 47,5341.
The
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Host Sponsor of RHIC, is one of the
fastest-growing hotel companies worldwide as well as being a leading
international hotel operator in Russia/CIS. The doors to the Radisson
Blu Resort & Congress Hotel in Sochi opened in January this year.
“We are excited to be hosting this year’s RHIC and bringing the
region’s most prestigious hotel investment conference to Sochi at
such an important time,” said Wolfgang M. Neumann, Rezidor Hotel
Group president & CEO.
RHIC
is the industry’s premier event in Russia, bringing together the
region’s largest gathering of hotel investors, developers, brands,
operators, financiers, advisors and government officials under one
roof. Attendees will gain insights from Russian and global leaders as
to where the real opportunities lie in the region, discover
successful strategies from those already operating in the market and
hear from government officials and top economists on the latest
forecasts and trends
