Four-star hotels in Kyiv in 218 systematically reduced Average Daily Room Rate (ADR) to boost occupancy and competition with five-star hotels, which committed to increasing prices. “In February 2018, compared to other months, was the highest ADR, and by the end of the year, with the exception of May (hosting the final of the Champions League), it gradually decreased,” Partner at DEOL Partners Maryna Rymarenko said at a press breakfast.
According to DEOL Partners, the average occupancy of four-star and five-star hotels in Kyiv in 2018 decreased slightly: to 47.7% from 47.6%. At the same time, the five-star hotel occupancy rate decreased to 45% from 46%, in four-star hotels it increased to 60% from 47% in 2016.
“In the four-star hotel segment, there was a significant increase in occupancy, but it occurred along with a substantial decrease in ADR, which dropped to $113-115. That is, it was necessary to significantly lower prices in order to become more competitive. This also indicates that now the market dictates the conditions,” Rymarenko said.
According to her, ADR in five-star hotels in Kyiv in 2018 increased to $195 from $178 in 2016. “However, considering the 45% occupancy, it is not economically viable to build a five-star hotel today,” the expert said.
At the same time, according to her, due to the increase in occupancy in the four-star segment and the increase in prices at five-star hotels in 2018, Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) increased by an average of 8% in the market compared to 2017.
“On average, it was $78: for the five-star hotels it was $89, for the four-star hotels it was $70. Compared with other countries, it is catastrophically low to talk about the prospects of opening new facilities next year. The return on investment is very long. Stable occupancy of 64% in 2012 helped to keep a balanced ADR and on average for the market it was $164.
The main clients in DEOL Partners hotels are business tourists: they make up 90-95% of the total number of guests, she said.
“We see an increase in the number of guests from Israel, Turkey, and always a significant share is occupied by Americans and Europeans, among which No. 1 is the United Kingdom, while Belgium and France are second… But if earlier we felt the movement of business for the years, at some period of time the bankers, at another period agrarians, then lawyers – that is, it was possible to distinguish a trend in the market, now it is very difficult to outline and understand what business is coming in. That is, we cannot say what particular segment of the economy is growing and how business travel will transform tomorrow,” Rymarenko said.
According to the expert, Kyiv needs a strong mix of hostels and cheap hotels.
“There is not enough a strong mix of hostels, two-star and three-star hotels in the market that could attract more tourists to Kyiv… One can single out only Dream Hostel, which is categorized on the international market and has already entered the Eastern European market. This segment can have a fast payback period – from three to five years. However, it should be located in the center of the city, and the cost per square meter is growing now,” Rymarenko said.
According to NAI Ukraine, the number of rooms in Kyiv in 2018 increased by 7% and amounted to 12,983 in 110 facilities. According to the current number of rooms, Kyiv exceeds the figures of such European capitals as Bucharest (10,000) and Sofia (8,500), but still lags behind Warsaw (15,800) and Budapest (21,800) which is the number one capital in Eastern Europe in terms of visits of guests.
Investment and development company DEOL Partners has been operating in Ukraine since 2005.
The company is a developer and operator of the first Ukrainian network of apartment hotels – Senator Hotels and Apartments – and the first Ukrainian design-hotel 11 Mirrors.
Average retail prices for petrol and diesel fuel in Ukraine in the period from January 18 through January 25, 2019 fell by 0.03-0.14%, while prices of LPG by 4.48%, according to data from the A-95 Consulting Group (Kyiv).
Changes in average retail fuel prices UAH per liter in Ukraine:
©Source: A-95 Consulting Company
Average retail prices for petrol and diesel fuel in Ukraine in the period from January 11 through January 18, 2019 fell by 0.17-0.1%, while prices of LPG by 4.51%, according to data from the A-95 Consulting Group (Kyiv).
Changes in average retail fuel prices UAH per liter in Ukraine:
©Source: A-95 Consulting Company
Prices of residential property could grow by up to 20% after elections in 2019, according to the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine.
“The situation of 2018 will partially continue in 2019. Property prices in Ukraine will gradually increase. At the beginning of the year, there will not be a sharp increase in prices, but after the elections, the price of residential property would rise by up to 20%,” the confederation said in a press release.
In the opinion of the confederation, prices in 2019 will be affected by high supply and low demand, an increase in interest rates on loans, a rise in wages, prices for building materials, logistics, and fuel. At the same time, the demand of buyers will be stimulated by a competent project concept, quality of construction, and pricing policy.
The confederation also plans together with the Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Economy Ministry to review a number of national construction standards, as well as to complete the discussion of bills on the protection of investors who are victims of frauds on the market and on long-delayed construction projects.
According to the press release, in 2019, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) expects growth in the lending pace on the real estate market. At the same time, the rate of lending to the population increased by 40% in 2018, the confederation reported with reference to the NBU.
According to the confederation, in the current year, the elite class housing became cheaper – the average price of one square meter in Kyiv in 2018 amounted to UAH 53,000, which is 13% lower than in 2017; at the same time, economy class housing has risen in price by almost 14% compared with 2017, to UAH 19,000 per square meter.
The occupancy of the most popular hotels in Kyiv for the period of the UEFA Champions League final reaches 100%, while prices exceed the usual tariffs by 5-10 times, experts polled by Interfax-Ukraine believe. “Almost all the hotels (more than 90%) have been booked for the period of the UEFA Champions League that will take place in Kyiv on May 26. Most of them have a minimum period of booking for the duration of the match, usually three or five days. The price of rooms depends on the location of the hotel. Prices for rooms in hotels in the center of the city are 5-10 times higher than the standard rate,” Natalia Chistiakova, the director of the valuation and consulting department at Colliers International (Ukraine), said.
According to her, the most popular objects are three-, four- and five-star hotels in the central part of the city. Tariffs for rooms decrease with distance from the Olympiysky sports complex.
In particular, according to Park Inn by Radisson Kyiv Troyitska hotel, located near the sports complex, all the rooms in the object have already been booked. At the same time, the hotel offers guests the option of including in the waiting list and after May 4 receive an answer whether there are any vacant rooms. “Given the mistakes of the previous years when carrying out the events of this level, hoteliers, more often, book rooms on a prepayment of not less than 70%,” the expert said.
