The global hotel investment market experienced a strong first three quarters with transaction volumes reaching $12 bn (EUR 8.8 bn), a 60% increase over the same period in 2009, according to Jones Lang La Salle Hotels.

The global hotel investment market experienced a strong first three quarters with transaction volumes reaching $12 bn (EUR 8.8 bn), a 60% increase over the same period in 2009, according to Jones Lang La Salle Hotels.

Europe, Middle East and North Africa (EMEA) was the most active region for the first three quarters of the year, recording $5.2 bn of hotel sales (+46% year over year). However, the pace of recovery was strongest in the Americas, where volumes increased 179% over the same period in 2009 to total US $4.8 bn. Investment volumes in Asia Pacific, the region least impacted by the global economic downturn, remained strong at $1.9 bn.

Arthur de Haast, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotel’s Global CEO, said: 'The positive investor sentiment for hotel real estate assets witnessed at the start of the year has continued and even accelerated, resulting in a more active hotel investment market. We also see a strong increase in portfolio deals, showing a volume of about US $3 bn for the year in September, double the volume recorded a year before.'

International capital is starting to feature strongly in EMEA. Within the period domestic capital accounted for just over 35% of all transactions undertaken in the region. Inter-regional investors from Europe accounted for another 13%, while the remainder was attributed to international investors from North America, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), as well as from globally sourced funds.