Overview

As the hospitality industry is a truly international one, it follows that property development takes place in varied locations around the world. To cover these comprehensively would require a separate book. However, this chapter aims to generalize some aspects of the international development dimension using the conceptual framework shown from concept, through planning, building and operations to maintenance. First, however, some aspects of context and culture are explored in international development, using some examples from the hospitality industry. The aim is to provide the reader with a taste of the challenges, frustrations and exhilaration that such projects can occasion. The complexity of the development process is always affected by the conditions and context, and this chapter considers some of these, including:

• Background

• Culture

• Concepts

• Planning

• Building

• Operations

• Maintenance

• Conclusion

• Case study.

Background

Development is the inherent attribute of improved financial performance and growth for any company or product, whether it manifests itself in the refinement or improvement of a particular element or elements of the production, service, sales or financial management or by way of growth in the marketplace. The hospitality industry, as any other industry, is constantly striving to improve the former and driven to geographical expansion by the latter. In areas where demand exceeds supply, enhanced financial performance is easily attained by increasing price, but most countries control or more commonly restrict non-competitive or cartel practices, as such this generally establishes an equilibrium between demand and supply. Similarly, for an industry based on the mobility...