Why Investors Want Mid-Scale Hotels | Wyndham Middle East Investment | FHS 2026 | Mohamad Haj Hassan
Exclusive interview with Mohamad Haj Hassan, Market Managing Director at Wyndham Hotels. In this interview, Mohamad Haj Hassan of Wyndham Hotels talks about hotel investment opportunities in the Middle East, the challenges of staffing and costs, why sustainability is now a must, and the role of MICE in Wyndham’s business. Key Highlights: 1. He says the biggest investment opportunity at the moment is in mid-scale and upper mid-scale hotels. He says the luxury space is a bit saturated, and names Saudi Arabia, Egypt and North Africa as great opportunities. 2. He says branded residences are becoming popular. Buyers look for a safe, tangible asset that can grow in value, and developers get a better lifestyle offer and a premium on the selling price. 3. He says owners and developers look for return on investment (ROI) and invest based on a feasibility study that captures the maximum ROI. 4. He says the biggest challenge is operating cost, which is linked to staffing. In some countries the law prefers local staff, so there may not be enough manpower for many new projects, for example in Saudi Arabia. He says Wyndham supports by developing talent with universities and fresh graduates, and that utility costs and inflation are not always reflected in revenue. 5. He says sustainability has become mandatory and is no longer optional. Guests look for hotels with a green tag, and it helps investors reduce utility costs. 6. He says MICE and events make up 30 to 35% of the business mix in this region. He says Wyndham has invested around $500 million in technology over the past seven or eight years to link online travel agencies with its system, and that visitors come through its 260 global sales offices. About Travel And Tour World: Travel And Tour World is a global travel media platform covering travel, tourism, hospitality, aviation, MICE, cruise, and luxury travel, with readership across 195 countries. [Wyndham, Wyndham Hotels, Wyndham Middle East and Africa, Wyndham managing director interview, Middle East hotels, hotel investment, hotel investment opportunities Middle East, mid-scale hotel investment, upper mid-scale hotels Middle East, Saudi Arabia hotels, Saudi Arabia hotel investment, North Africa hotel investment, hotel investment Egypt, Egypt hotels, branded residences, branded residences Middle East, what investors look for in hotel projects, hotel ROI feasibility study, hotel operating costs staffing, hospitality workforce Saudi Arabia, hospitality talent development universities, hotel utility costs, sustainability mandatory hotels, sustainable hotels, green hotels, MICE, MICE events hotels Middle East, MICE share of hotel business, hotel technology online travel agency integration, hotel global sales offices, hospitality, Mohamad Haj Hassan, Travel And Tour World] #Wyndham #HotelInvestment #MiddleEast #Hospitality #MidscaleHotels #SaudiArabia #Egypt #BrandedResidences #MICE #SustainableHotels #HospitalityTalent #TravelAndTourWorld