As Obama visited Myanmar, new report analyses highlights the opportunities and challenges of the hotels market in Yangon, Myanmar.

• There are currently approx. 8,000 hotel rooms in Yangon; of these it is estimated that 1,500 – 2,500 are of international standard
• International hotel brands account for just under 20% of hotel room supply in Yangon
• Average daily rate (ADR) will have grown 350% from 2007 to end 2012, according to Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels

According to the report Market Insight: Yangon​, current estimates have found that international quality hotel supply in the former capital is expected to grow by 36.7 percent per annum (CAGR) from 2012 to 2016, assuming all projects which are underway or in the pipeline are completed.

There has been tremendous growth in visitors to Yangon in the past year as Myanmar began economic and social reforms, and as a result, hotels are now experiencing significant growth in demand from both corporate and leisure travellers.

However, major international brands are relatively scarce in Yangon due to the economic sanctions that have prohibited American and European hotel operators from entering the market.

Andrew Langdon, Senior Vice President, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels said: "We expect hotel supply in Yangon to grow rapidly in the coming years, as a result of this shortage of rooms and pressure from the government to increase capacity. We are estimating supply will increase by around 37 percent per year up to 2016. However, given the continued growth in visitor arrivals, construction lag and potential economic, legal and political risks, we anticipate that Yangon will experience a major shortage of hotel rooms for the next five to ten years until substantial room supply enters the market. The expected supply and demand dynamics over the next few years will give operators the opportunity to substantially increase room rates."

The market is not without challenges; land acquisition is difficult and sources of funding remain opaque. Certain projects in Yangon are fairly speculative and there is a fair chance they will not move forward.

However, Myanmar's new foreign investment law (introduced this month) is aimed at bringing in foreign capital to rapidly address numerous shortages and to grow the economy. The law stipulates that foreign investors will not require a local partner to set up a business. Foreigners will be able to own 100 percent of a company in Myanmar, with any share in a joint venture with a domestic partner mutually agreed upon by both parties.

In addition, investors will enjoy various tax incentives such as income tax exemptions of up to five consecutive years, while land leases have been extended to 50 years with options from the government to extend an additional two 10 year periods.

In light of the projected influx of demand over the coming years and limited room supply of international standard in Yangon, hotels have been aggressively renegotiating contracts with travel agents in an effort to increase rates.

In response, the government has implemented a USD 150 rate cap to try to mitigate the higher room rates, but this cap is only applicable to lead-in rooms sold to travel agents / tour operators and is due to expire at the end of March 2013. Most hotels have been running at full capacity during weekdays throughout the year and also at weekends during the high leisure season.

Andrew Langdon concluded: "Despite the challenges, Yangon is positioned to grow much faster than many other emerging markets in Asia and is likely to generate high levels of growth across all industries, albeit from a low base. The opportunities in all sectors of real estate are particularly attractive with a severe shortage of supply in the office, hotel, residential and retail sectors. In the hotels sector, even if international hotel supply triples in the next several years, the Yangon market still offers plenty of opportunities for early movers, given the severe lack of current capacity."

Full report:

www.joneslanglasallehotels.com/Asia%20Pacific%20PR/JLL_Hotel_Intelligence_Report_Yangon.pdf