The ninth edition of HOFTEL's South East Asia Hotel Investors’ Summit (SEAHIS) drew to a successful conclusion at the Mövenpick BDMS Bangkok on Tuesday, 16th June.

Event attendance surpassed the projected 250 attendees mark, with more than 350 hospitality, finance, and real estate professionals making their way to Bangkok to look into the latest trends and developments impacting the industry.

Around 14 percent of this year’s audience mix was made up of representatives of hotel management companies (HMCs), while 53 percent were independent owners and sectoral investors.

Up to 40 percent of delegates were C-suite or senior executives looking into what direction both the regional and global sectors stand to take as 2026 segues into its second half.

We at Travel Daily Media take pride in being a part of this year’s Summit and now share some of its key insights with you, our readers.

Branded residences beyond hospitality

SEAHIS 2026 marked the first time that the event had a dedicated segment for the branded residences sector, with C9 Hotelworks’ Bill Barnett leading the discussion.

In the current context, branded residences are now considered a vital mechanism for unlocking value in mixed-use real estate developments.

Indeed, involving a hospitality brand from initial development to subsequent operations allows developers to achieve significant residential pricing premiums and drives stronger capital outcomes.

However, Barnett and other experts present pointed out how the biggest struggles for the sector in Southeast Asia are still cross-border regulatory risks, capital movement friction, and complex ownership structures.

Getting as much value out of every metre of space

Sarinrath Kamolratanapiboon, chief executive of design collective dwp, moderated a discussion on how hotel and accommodation owners can get as much value from their properties.

The ensuing design and development discussions highlighted a shift in how hospitality real estate is valued.

It was pointed out by experts on Kamolratanapiboon’s panel that asset value is no longer measured solely by physical area or layout efficiency.

Instead, long-term commercial success belongs to properties where non-hotel operating spaces are designed to contribute directly to both the guest experience and operational performance.

Among the subsectors leading the charge in this are excellence in gastronomy, as well as creative and effective approaches to holistic wellness.

Pondering the Bougie Gap

In his review of the current climate for hospitality and real estate in the Asia Pacific, STR’s Jesper Palmqvist offered an evaluation of the ultra-luxury segment which he cheekily referred to as the Bougie Class.

While not an official tier on any known database, the Bougie Class refers to the pricing delta smack between standard luxe hospitality and ultra-high-end assets; and an analysis of this pseudo-class reveals where global capital is flowing.

According to Palmqvist, Paris may currently be the undisputed global capital for ultra-luxury premium pricing thanks to significant pricing gaps between standard luxury rates and top-tier properties; Tokyo is rapidly closing the distance, shifting attention to Asia.

For retail brands and developers looking to deploy capital into ultra-luxury assets, the data indicates that financial capitals are reliable bets.

However, Tokyo's rapid trajectory over the last decade makes it the stand-out market to watch in APAC.

Japan may be a sure bet, but don’t sleep on China

Though SEAHIS is specifically for the Southeast Asian hospitality industry, its progress will certainly be influenced by headwinds coming in from East Asia.

In fact, while experts agree that Japan remains an industry leader in terms of certainty, hospitality players had better stay alert as China is on the rise.

According to SC Capital Partners’ Suchad Chiaranussati, China is now the largest hotel market in Asia-Pacific and years of oversupply in that part of the world are finally beginning to correct.

Chiaranussati declared: “For 25 years there has been too much supply. The current economic crisis has put a stop to that construction boom.”

Also, as new development slows and domestic travel continues to strengthen, he sees substantial long-term upside.

As he put it: “When it wakes up, when the capital is compressed, when the revenue goes up and translates into capital market gain, it will be by far the largest market, possibly in the world.”

Meanwhile, Pan Pacific Hotel Group’s Choe Peng Sum offered a more cautious perspective based on operational experience.

Choe said: “We have about 26 properties in China. The domestic market is experiencing about 90 percent occupancy. The only problem is there is so much supply.”

How technology can address the staffing issue

Back in March, we did a feature on how agentic AI could prove itself a solution for the ongoing human resource crisis in global hospitality.

At SEAHIS, experts remarking on the issue pointed out that the matter remains a topic of heated debate despite the ongoing labour shortages which have, in turn, hampered operations for properties throughout the region.

In cases where it is already in use, AI is proving a major tool for optimising operations and enhancing efficiency, enabling properties to maximise profitability.

However, many in the sector still feel that such technologies may radically disrupt and displace the career paths of traditional hospitality professionals, though younger members of the workforce are keen to see how these tools can help them work better.