The top 100 hotel owners and operators in Australia and New Zealand have remained relatively unchanged for the past year. CBRE research shows that there is a growing desire to grow portfolios by way of acquisitions or development.
CBRE’s second annual Australia and New Zealand Top Owners & Operatorsreport surveyed 40 major hotel owners and operators. The data spans close to 1,500 hotels and over 200,000 rooms – accounting for just over half the total room supply in the region.
Meriton, a Sydney-based developer of residential properties, was again the highest ranked hotel owner. Salter Brothers followed closely behind. The Schwartz family came in third. Millennium and Copthorne rose from 8th place to 7th after acquiring the Mayfair Hotel Christchurch. The group now has 18 hotels and 3,148 bedrooms.
On the operator side, Accor has retained its leadership position for two decades, followed by IHG, and EVT.
CBRE has also released a survey that captures the strategic outlooks of senior executives at the leading hotel chains in the region. Several are featured on the Top 10 lists.
Ally Gibson, CBRE’s Head of Hotels Research said, “While the Top 10 Rankings have shown little change year-on-year, the inclusion sentiment data reveals an optimistic but cautious outlook for this sector. The hotel industry is stabilising after a strong rebound following the pandemic. For the most part, it’s posting modest RevPAR growth. The hotel industry is facing headwinds, such as macroeconomic volatility and operational costs. However, long-term fundamentals are still in place. These include a positive outlook on inbound demand growth.
Operational pressures and external forces were cited as the main concerns.
CBRE’s Regional Director, Hotels Valuation & Advisory, Troy Craig said, “Operational pressures topped the list of challenges, particularly labour shortages and workforce challenges. In addition, demand fluctuations and obstacles to new developments were noted as the primary concerns over 12-24 months.
months. In terms of external factors, the geopolitical instabilities, economic uncertainties, and changing consumer behaviours were the ones that had the greatest impact on the hotel industry by 2025/2026.
Key Findings from the Survey
- 84% of respondents had a “somewhat positive” outlook for the second half and 2026. This reflects confidence in long term fundamentals, despite short-term operational challenges.
- Investment Strategies: 64% of participants expressed plans to expand their portfolios by acquiring or developing new properties. Others focused on renovating and repositioning existing assets, or diversifying into other hospitality ventures. This indicates a varied approach to growth.
- Top Growth Markets – Sydney is the market that has the highest growth potential, according to 64% of respondents. 36% of respondents chose Brisbane, citing the city’s limited supply, its growing event calendar, and the major infrastructure investments made in preparation for the Olympic Games of 2032.
- Growth Segments: The segment that will drive the most growth is luxury hotels and resorts, followed by extended-stay accommodation and business/conference hotel, reflecting the growing demand for premium products and the return of corporate travelers.
- 73% of respondents expect a slight increase in ADR or RevPAR in the next twelve months, following a strong recovery over the past two. This suggests stabilisation at higher base rates. In terms of occupancy rates, respondents expect occupancy to rise by 1-5 % over the next year, while 27% anticipate rates to stay stable and 9% predict a small decrease.
