Cameron has a wealth of client-facing experience advising hotel and resort operators, hospitality groups, restauranteurs, publicans, gaming venue operators and asset managers throughout Australasia, and is highly regarded within the industry for his ability to combine legal strategy with commercial acumen. Cameron’s expertise covers acquisitions and sales, management arrangements, supplier and contractor negotiations, services agreements and general commercial matters.

What sparked your interest in the hospitality law sector?

I was originally seconded to the legal team of Delaware North, with a principal focus on its luxury resort and stadia portfolio throughout Australasia. From the first day, I was hooked - it was impossible not to be excited about the work I was doing when I was part of a great team, and working with globally-renowned assets such as Lizard Island, El Questro, Heron Island, Melbourne Park (the Australian Open), Etihad Stadium and the SCG. When you find yourself engrossed in a particular sector both inside and outside of work, you know you’ve found your calling.

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

The spin of Wyndham Worldwide and subsequent divestment of Wyndham Destinations’ European vacation rentals portfolio to a private equity fund for US$1.3b was unequivocally a career highlight. To work with so many different stakeholders across multiple time zones on a single transaction was an experience I’ll never forget. I’ve also been incredibly fortunate that my work has allowed me to visit and experience some of the crown jewels of Australia’s remarkable natural landscape.

What do you see as major drivers for Brisbane's tourism industry?

Brisbane’s push for the 2032 Olympic Games is going to be a huge driver for inbound investment not just in Brisbane, but in South-East Queensland generally. The completion of the Queen’s Wharf development in 2024 will also provide that retail/hospitality cornerstone which, similar to Barangaroo in Sydney and Southbank in Melbourne, will serve as Brisbane’s flagship urban attraction for generations to come. I also feel that a targeted strategy focusing on the myriad of demographics comprising the Chinese market will yield significant benefits in the short-medium term.

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

The meteoric rise in popularity of online travel agents (OTAs) is ultimately resulting in the exposure of hotel and resort operators to the cannibalisation of their own businesses. OTAs often insist on price-parity clauses in their agreements with operators (meaning hotels/resorts cannot advertise their product at a more favourable rate than that agreed with the relevant OTA), and can command up to 20% commission for bookings. As traffic through OTAs becomes heavier, operators are becoming increasingly reliant on these platforms – which of course increases their volume, but decreases their margins. As a result, operators are being forced to increase their spend in driving traffic towards direct bookings – meaning they are essentially competing against themselves.

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

The importance (and value) of rewards programs has become strategically critical for hotel and resort operators to leverage the loyalty margin, and keep customers within their stable of brands. Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood in 2016 evidenced a dynamic shift in focus towards reward program integration, while Accor’s launch of its disruptive lifestyle loyalty program in early 2019 suggests hotel and resort operators are now looking at new levers to combat the omnipresent threat of OTAs and market disruptors (eg. Airbnb).

What is your favourite hotel and holiday destination?

Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef and Villa D’Este on Lake Como are both world-class. As for a general destination, if there is a better spot in the world than Noosa I am yet to see it!

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