Publications

- June 1, 2016: Vol. 8, Number 6

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Loving leisure: Chinese investors seek out hotel assets in Asia and abroad

by Alex Frew McMillan

When we think of going on holiday, we think of the adventure of travel. The allure of seeing new sights and experiencing new cultures in exotic and far-off locations is compelling for many. And as the middle class grows in Asia — particularly in China — tourism has increased. More than 133 million Chinese individuals travelled overseas in 2015, up from 116 million in 2014, according to the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute.

The number is only likely to increase. “Amazingly, this would seem to be only the start, as only a small proportion of China and the wider Asian population currently is travelling overseas,” observes Marc Socker, managing director of the hotel fund management team at Invesco Real Estate in Europe.

The countries with easier visa systems for Asian travellers will benefit the most in terms of tourism, of course. But while Asian overseas tourism is still relatively low, Chinese investors in particular have been acquiring existing, strong

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