Hotel Management Agreements are one of the hot topics on this week's In Focus as we are joined by guest Karen Friebe of Bird & Bird, while Julie Rey-Gore is in conversation with Alexi Khajavi to cover the top stories from this week. One of those being Blackstone and Starwood's acquisition of Extended Stay America.

Will we see a return of group travel? How can hotels rethink technology to bring back events?  And now results are in from all global brands, who is best placed for recovery? 

The HAMA Europe Asset Management Achievement Awards, in partnership with IHIF and HAMA Europe, provide an opportunity to formally recognise results of successful asset management strategies accomplished by the winning companies across three categories, Single Asset Strategy, Portfolio Strategy and Sustainablity Strategy. We sat down with the recipients of the 2020 HAMA Awards Sponsored by Hotstats, Amaris Hospitality represented by Peter Stack, CEO.

This month's INtel looks at the value of the brands, in particular in terms of costs, loyalty programmes and the impact of the pandemic.

The real estate industry has not been immune to the impact of the pandemic and, with the new financial year looming, costs are mounting. Despite huge utility savings from reduced occupancy usage, the industry is now facing fines and penalties from pre-purchased energy plans.

REIT Service Properties Trust (commonly known as SVC) has completed the transition of branding and management for 78 hotels to subsidiaries of Sonesta International Hotels Corp. from Marriott International.

The hotel sector is likely to look leaner in the future, as cost-cutting lessons learned in the pandemic stick, according to HotStats.

The Woodward in Geneva is set to join the Oetker Collection in Spring next year.

The pandemic may have given some investors pause when looking at the hotel sector,  but despite the short-term pain, the long-term prospects remain good as a rising global middle class helps drive leisure travel and a globalised world pushes ever-more corporate movement.

Netherlands-based hotel management company Cycas Hospitality has signed a lease agreement with Echo Partners to operate its first Radisson-branded property; the Radisson Hotel & Suites Amsterdam South.