Julian has been in practice for more than 26 years as a hotel and leisure property consultant and valuer. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the Australian Property Institute as well as the UK’s Hospitality Professionals Association. Julian’s experience within the hotels sector has spanned Europe, Asia, Australia and the South Pacific.

Julian is now based in Brisbane overseeing the JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group’s Queensland office and more particularly its Strategic Advisory capability. The division is a preferred service provider for valuation and consultancy services relating to hotel accommodation and licensed premises as well as specialist leisure properties (such as theme parks and casinos) both State-wide and nationally.

How did you get into the hotels industry?

During the early part of my career as a property professional, I was driven by a desire to experience overseas property markets and the character of the hotel property sector immediately appealed.  After several years working in tourism orientated markets such as Thailand, I focused my attention to the hotels sector.  Timing was good.  In the early 90’s the hotel space remained an area of the property market that, with the exception of the likes of JLW Transact, was still only lightly touched upon by the traditional real estate service providers.   

Capitalising on my exposure to the hotel property sector while in Asia, when I returned to the UK in 1999, I took the opportunity to focus sharply on hotels and leisure related properties and I’ve never looked back.

What are some of your career highlights from your time in the industry?

I have had the privilege of working on some outstanding projects in more than 20 countries and with some exceptional clients.  There have been plenty of highlights.

The last fourteen years in Australia has been a particularly rewarding market being highly sophisticated and benefiting from diversity and depth.  Since arriving in 2003, I have had the privilege of working on major hotels and resorts in all states and territories including the likes of Hamilton Island, InterContinental Sydney, Westin Melbourne, Sofitel Melbourne, Sofitel Brisbane and Pullman Cairns.

I should add that the thrill of working in markets in the 90s that were in the early stages of their emergence as increasingly popular tourism destinations (such as Vietnam and Cambodia) as well as working markets that have historic depth (such as London, Prague and Warsaw) has stayed with me and will always be career highlights.

More generally, the opportunity to have undertaken valuations and related consultancy in ‘bucket list’ destinations such as the Whitsundays, La Manga, Bora Bora, Phuket, Samui can’t be understated.

Finally, there is also always a sense of pride when seeing a new hotel completed that I have had an involvement with in terms of development appraisal.

What are the biggest issues facing the hotel industry at the moment?

The character of the hotel sector is dynamic and responds in ‘real time’ immediately to circumstances whether these are economic, technological or political.  

The industry needs to remain responsive and neither be complacent nor overwhelmed by the issue of the day which is currently the growth of the “sharing economy” and the associated supply side impact.

Also, I have long advocated that hotel property is a ‘specialised’ use rather than an ‘alternative’ real estate sector.  Getting this message across and encouraging independent advice early in the development process is critical.

How has the industry changed in the time you have been involved with it?

For as long as I can recall the hotel property space has been constantly changing and evolving.  This is what makes the sector so fascinating.  Of particular interest has been the sector’s early adoption of technology and the development of increasingly targeted hotel concepts and offerings.

What changes would you like to see over the next two years in the industry?

Across many of Australia’s markets demand for room night accommodation has been improving.  Developers have responded and additional short term accommodation is coming to market. Over the short to medium term hotel operators and owners of existing hotels will need to be at their most innovative and creative to remain relevant and provide critical points of difference.     

What is your favourite hotel and holiday destination?

I’ve had the privilege of staying at some very special hotels in some incredible destinations both professionally and personally which makes this a difficult choice.  But, qualia on Hamilton Island as well as Amanpuri in Phuket would feature very high up on my list.

To discuss your asset or the hotel industry contact Julian via the below contact details.

See also:

Get to know Frank Sorgiovanni of JLL's Hotels and Hospitality Group

Get to Know Barry Robinson of Wyndham's APAC Businesses

Get to know Wayne Bunz of CBRE Hotels