Action Hotels PLC | New ...Kuwait | FE InvestEgate

Report 5 Downloads 66 Views
5/29/2014

Action Hotels PLC | New hotel in Kuwait | FE InvestEgate

Action Hotels PLC

New hotel in Kuwait RNS Number : 2883I Action Hotels PLC 29 May 2014

Action  Hotels  plc ("Action"  or  the  "Company")   Kuwait  hotels  trading  ahead  of  e xpectations  and  announcement  of  a new  four  star  hotel  in  Kuwait   Action   Hotels   plc,   a   company   focused   on   developing   and   managing branded  economy  and  midscale  hotels  in  the  undersupplied  markets of   the   Middle   East   and   in   Australia,   is   pleased   to   announce   that   it   has signed   a   preliminary   sale   contract   to   purchase   a   plot   of   land   in   the prime  business  district  of  Sharq  in  Kuwait  City  where  it  will  build  and develop  a  new  160  room  freehold  hotel.    This  hotel  is  in  addition  to  the existing  pipeline  and  is  expected  to  open  in  2017.   Action  has  secured  the  prime  plot  and  is  in  advanced  discussions  with  a leading  hotel  operator  targeting  the  midscale  segment  of  the  market.   The  total  price  for  the  land,  including  commission  and  registration  fees, is  approximately  $12.3  million.   This   four   star   offering   is   strategically   complementary   to   the   existing two   hotels   in   Kuwait.   Action   currently   has   two   operating   three   star hotels   in   Kuwait   City,   the   freehold   ibis   Sharq   in   the   Al   Hamra   business district  and  the  leasehold  ibis  Salmiya  in  the  heart  of  the  shopping  and restaurant   district.     Both   hotels   are   operated   under   long-­‐term management   agreements   with   Accor   and   enjoy   high   occupancy   and the  highest  gross  margins  of  the  all  the  operating  portfolio.     April  2014  occupancy  figures  for  ibis  Sharq  and  ibis  Salmiya  were  91% and   95%   respectively   with   both   hotels   ahead   of   management expectations  on  all  key  operating  metrics  (average  daily  rate,  revenue per  available  room,  gross  operating  profit).  Operational  EBITDA  (on  a like-­‐for-­‐like  basis)  for  ibis  Sharq  and  ibis  Salmiya  has  increased  by  23% and  34%  respectively  in  the  year  to  date. http://www.investegate.co.uk/ArticlePrint.aspx?id=201405290700072883I

1/3

5/29/2014

Action Hotels PLC | New hotel in Kuwait | FE InvestEgate

  Action  believes  that  the  economy  and  midscale  hotel  market  in  Kuwait remains   undersupplied   and   the   addition   of   a   four   star   hotel   is   an opportunity   to   target   a   different   intra-­‐regional   traveler   audience   to Action's  existing  three  star  offerings.   The   proposed   hotel   will   be   built   close   to   the   77-­‐floor   Al   Hamra Business  Tower,  the  tallest  sculpted  building  in  the  world  hosting  over 70  floors  of  offices,  luxury  shopping  mall  and  multiple  F&B  offerings.     This   hotel   is   a   new   addition   to   Action   Hotel's   committed   pipeline   of eight   further   hotels   by   the   end   of   2016   and   completion   is   expected   in 2017.    The  Company  intends  to  fund  the  development  from  existing resources.     Action  announced  an  additional  1,500  rooms  at  its  IPO  in  December 2013  and  this  further  addition  to  the  pipeline  will  increase  the  room count   to   2,660.   The   company   will   continue   to   pursue   opportunistic prime   leasing   and   acquisition   targets   across   the   GCC   and   remains committed  to  its  target  of  having  5,000  hotels  rooms  by  2020.   Alain   Debare,   CEO,   said:   "We   are   very   excited   about   the   prospect   of developing   another   branded   hotel   in   Kuwait.     We   have   secured   an excellent   plot   of   commercial   land   that   is   in   a   prime   location   within   the growing   business   district   of   Kuwait   City.     Obviously   this   is   a   country that  we  know  well  having  completed  two  hotels  that  are  performing ahead  of  our  expectations  to  date.  "  

 

For  more  information  please  contact:   Action  Hotels  plc Alain  Debare,  Chief  Executive  Officer Katie  Shelton,  Communications  Director finnCap  ( nominated  adviser  &  broker) Matthew  Robinson  /  Grant  Bergman (Nomad) Guy  Hewitt  ( Analyst)

+44  ( 0)  20  7907  9650 +44  ( 0)  20  7907  9650

+44  ( 0)  20  7220  0500

'  

This information is provided by RNS http://www.investegate.co.uk/ArticlePrint.aspx?id=201405290700072883I

2/3

5/29/2014

Action Hotels PLC | New hotel in Kuwait | FE InvestEgate

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange END MSCBLGDUCUDBGSI

http://www.investegate.co.uk/ArticlePrint.aspx?id=201405290700072883I

3/3