The checklist of top-ranking resort house owners and operators throughout Australia and New Zealand has remained largely unchanged over the previous yr. However what has emerged is a want to develop portfolios by acquisitions or new growth, amid a way of cautious optimism, new CBRE analysis reveals.
CBRE’s second annual Australia and New Zealand High House owners & Operatorsreport surveyed 40 main resort house owners and operators. The info spans near 1,500 resorts and over 200,000 rooms – accounting for simply over half the whole room provide within the area.
Sydney-based residential developer Meriton was as soon as once more the highest ranked resort proprietor, adopted by Salter Brothers and the Schwartz household. The important thing change within the rankings concerned Millennium and Copthorne advancing one place from eighth to seventh following the acquisition of the Mayfair Resort in Christchurch, which expanded the group’s portfolio to 18 resorts and three,148 rooms.
On the operator entrance, with Accor retaining its two-decade lengthy management place, adopted by IHG and EVT.
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To enhance the report, CBRE launched a sentiment survey, capturing the strategic outlook of senior executives from the area’s main resort teams, together with a number of featured within the High 10 lists.
CBRE’s Head of Resorts Analysis Ally Gibson mentioned, “Whereas the High 10 rankings have proven little motion yr on yr, the inclusion of sentiment information reveals a cautiously optimistic outlook for the sector. Following a robust post-pandemic rebound, the resort sector has stabilised and for essentially the most half is posting modest RevPAR positive aspects. Whereas headwinds resembling operational prices and macroeconomic volatility stay in focus, the resort sector stays underpinned by long-term development fundamentals characterised by a constructive outlook for inbound demand development and a contracting provide pipeline.”
Key considerations voiced had been operational pressures and exterior components.
CBRE’s Regional Director, Resorts Valuation & Advisory, Troy Craig mentioned, “Operational pressures topped the checklist of challenges, significantly labour shortages and workforce challenges. Demand fluctuations and obstacles to new growth had been additionally famous as main considerations over the subsequent 12-24
months. When it got here to exterior components, geopolitical instability, financial uncertainty, and shifting client behaviour had been cited as having essentially the most vital impression on the resort sector in 2025/2026.”
Key Survey Findings
Total Outlook: A “considerably optimistic” view for the second half of 2025 and into 2026 was expressed by 84% of respondents expressed, reflecting confidence in long-term fundamentals regardless of close to time period operational headwinds.
Funding Methods: Plans to develop portfolios by acquisitions or new developments had been expressed by 64% of members indicated, with others specializing in renovating or repositioning belongings and diversifying into different hospitality ventures, indicating a various strategy to development.
High Development Markets: Sydney was recognized because the market with the strongest development potential by 64% of respondents, with 36% of the respondents nominated Brisbane based mostly on town’s constrained provide pipeline, rising occasions calendar and main infrastructure funding forward of the 2032 Olympic Video games.
Development Segments: Luxurious resorts and resorts had been voted because the phase to drive essentially the most development in 2025/2026, adopted by prolonged keep lodging and enterprise/convention resorts, reflecting rising demand for premium product and the continued return of company journey.
Efficiency Expectations: A slight enhance in ADR and RevPAR over the subsequent 12 months was anticipated by 73% of respondents following a robust restoration up to now two years, suggesting stabilisation at greater baseline charges. On occupancy charges, 63% of respondents anticipate occupancy to extend barely (1-5%) over the subsequent 12 months, 27% count on charges to stay secure, and 9% anticipate a slight lower (1-5%).
