Hotel companies have taken a hard look at their balance sheets and are now implementing strategies on how to spend their cash. Executives from Starwood, Rezidor, Jumeirah, Marriott and Hilton talked development at the International Hotel Investment Forum in Berlin.

Asia accounts for more than half of all hospitality industry projects being completed by Hirsch Bedner Associates, with three projects alone in Shanghai.

A survey of 417 European hotel executives by law firm DLA Piper revealed weak industry confidence, with only 2 percent of respondents expecting a sustained upturn this year.

Roger Bootle, managing director of Capital Economics Ltd., told attendees at the International Hotel Investment Forum that the world should expect seven "quite profound" consequences of the economic recession.

Hotel investment players warn that issues looming outside the industry could further hamper the recovery.

At the end of Q4 2009, the total construction pipeline for EMEA had 1,373 projects, a decline of 22 percent since the Q2 2008 peak.

As the weeks of the new decade advance, the forward economic motion observed in most markets is encouraging. But the rate of travel for property markets is very different across the world.

The Travel Promotion Act is a signature away from finally becoming law after passing the Senate yesterday. Industry leaders are optimistic for this long-awaited pro-travel legislation.

President Obama drew a lot of criticism when he suggested Americans shouldn't "blow" money in Las Vegas. After the debt-ridden debacle this country has gotten itself into, it's about time someone suggested saving.

Do you have that guy in the office who is always telling far-fetched stories? The World islands development in Dubai is that guy in the hotel development industry.