The report�s authors, Gerard Greene and Seamus O�Loughlin, confirmed that operating performances for hotels in the region were generally much improved in 1999 compared to 1998. 

�As the region recovered from the dampening of the Asian, Russian and Middle Eastern economies in 1998, region-wide occupancy in 1999 increased by four percentage points to 65%,� said Gerard Greene, a senior associate at HVS International. 

�Despite the increases in demand for hotels in the region, especially in Egypt, strong increases in supply ensured that average rates remained stagnant in
1999,� added Seamus O�Loughlin, an associate director at HVS International.

The majority of this increasing supply is likely to be branded by the larger international hotel companies such Bass Hotels & Resorts, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International.  Moreover, an increasing number of new brands are entering into the region including those both from Asia and Europe. 
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�The Middle East, in general, has realised that tourism is likely to become an increasingly important source of national revenues in the next few years,� said Gerard Greene. 

Moreover, the authors also highlight several issues that need to be addressed if the region is to realise its full potential. These include:

• infrastructure development, 
• human resource training, 
• relaxation of visa controls, and the 
• development of ancillary services such as marinas, leisure parks and golf courses. 

Copies of HVS International�s Middle East Hotels � Trends and Opportunities 2000 report are available, free of charge, from HVS International, 14 Hallam Street, London W1W 6JG, or on their web-site: www.hvsinternational.com.