Inside Australia’s 2026 Hotel Investment Playbook

Australia’s hotel investment market is moving again—fuelled by stronger travel demand, renewed capital appetite and a growing pipeline of new and repositioned assets.

On Wednesday, March 25, The Urban Developer in partnership with Gatehouse Hospitality will bring the sector together at Saltbox, Sydney, for a one-day summit focused on what’s next for hotel real estate—spanning investment strategy, development activity and the operational outlook across key markets. Click here to learn more.

Fireside chat highlight

In Conversation with Paul Salter, Salter Brothers

In this flagship session, Paul Salter will share rare insight into Salter Brothers’ global hotel portfolio strategy, unpacking the group’s approach to market selection, capital deployment, yield expectations, and how it is positioning itself for the next phase of growth.

This conversation will be essential for investors and developers seeking a deeper understanding of how sophisticated capital is navigating today’s hospitality landscape.

One day, answering all the big questions...

• How is the hotel market performing right now—and what’s the demand outlook across Australia’s key markets?

• Where is hotel investment activity heading, and which strategies and markets are attracting capital?

• In today’s high-cost environment, when does it make sense to build—and when is it smarter to buy?

• How are investors and operators structuring funding and operating models to manage risk and protect returns?

• How are owners and operators shaping portfolio strategy for growth, resilience and long-term value?

• What role are brand partnerships and experiential concepts playing in driving performance and differentiation?

• What are leading hotel groups watching most closely—and how are they positioning for the next cycle?
  
  

First release speakers include:

• Matthew Burke, Regional Manager Pacific, STR

• Karen Wales, Head of Hotels, Australia, Colliers

• Antony Ritch, Chief Executive Officer, TFE Hotels

• Sam McVay, Managing Director, McVay Real Estate

• Paul Fischmann, Owner, 8Hotels

• Ivy Cheng, Director, Investment & Business Development, CapitaLand

• Arnaud Millecamps, Founder and Managing Director, Gatehouse Hospitality

• Trudy Crooks, Managing Director, ResortBrokers

• Norman Arundel, Director of Hotels & Resorts Operations, EVT

• James Aspinall, Senior Development Manager, TOGA

• Letitia Vitale, Director, Vitale Property Group

• Nigel Greenaway, Chief Financial Officer, Crystalbrook Collection

• Paul Salter, Managing Director, Salter Brothers

Event Details

• Date: Wednesday, March 25

• Venue: Saltbox, Sydney

• Time: 8.30am – 3.30pm AEDT

• Tickets and more information: Click here
  

Whether you’re an institutional investor seeking to benchmark hotel returns, a developer planning your next project, or an operator shaping the guest experience of tomorrow, this summit will deliver the insight and connections needed to stay ahead.

Register now to join Australia’s leading hotel investment and development community.