JLL Perspectives

Australia's regional hotels are performing better than ever as COVID-19 state border closures and international travel restrictions force holidaymakers to travel closer to home.

Rarely do regional hotels outperform their CBD counterparts, but they are now, with an A$18 premium on average room rates.

And in the words of Australian hotel mogul Jerry Schwartz, "that's really the only good news that we have in the hotel industry: that regional hotels and regional Australia are doing so well."

So, how are investors, owners and operators capitalising on this regional hotels phenomenon? 

Plus, could office buildings abandoned by business choosing to work from home, have new life as hotels?

Hear from:

Geoff York, acting chief executive and group director at hospitality company Crystalbrook Collection; Julian Clark, chief executive of boutique hotel operator Lancemore Group; Brett Forer, development general manager of Accor’s Pacific hotels; Matthew Burke, Pacific Regional Manager of industry analyst STR; and Jerry Schwartz; director, Schwartz Family Company.

Host: Rebecca Kent, content manager, JLL

Data and accurate analysis of that data will be one of the single defining attributes of businesses to emerge from the health and economic crisis in control and positioned to prosper.

For the workplace, and office buildings, technologies such as sensors, have been introduced and adapted to provide the right data, specifically to help businesses adjust from density to distancing metrics.

But creating work spaces to attract the most talented people, buildings to entice the most desirable companies, or investing capital to come out on top, requires leaders to think more broadly.

Hear from Michael Taggart, Asia Pacific head of go to market, JLL Technologies; and Sean Pereira, Asia Pacific head of business intelligence and analytics, JLL Technologies. 

Host: Rebecca Kent, content manager, JLL

Reflecting on their homeworking experiences during Coronavirus lockdowns, office workers are focusing on three key requirements for the future of work: the flexibility to choose their workplace setting; a place to interact with their colleagues face-to-face; and as little commuting as possible.

Where does this leave business and real estate leaders trying to grasp what all of this means for their real estate strategy?

Hear from Michael Green, head of tenant representation - Australia, JLL and Claudette Leeming, head of property strategy and performance, Australia Post, on how to reimagine the post-pandemic workplace.

Host: Rebecca Kent, content manager - Australia, JLL.

Government funds and legislation are being introduced to help owners replace dangerous cladding from their buildings and recover the costs. But which approach works best?

Experts, lawyer David Bannerman, JLL project director Duane Loader and residential operations manager Leif Golder provide the lowdown on how varying measures are helping stricken building owners, following shocking building fires at Grenfell Tower in London and the Lacrosse building in Melbourne.

Listen also for practical advice for replacing unsafe cladding material.

Host: Rebecca Kent, content manager, JLL

As COVID-19 forces people to centre their lives more around home, local supermarket-anchored shopping centres are becoming the focus of spending activity - but not just for shoppers. Retail investors are taking interest, with ambitions to unlock value, and the pull of community, with redevelopments that incorporate diverse property uses.

Hear from Matt Healy, head of retail at Elanor Investors, and Lee McLaughlin, senior director, property and asset management, JLL.

Hosted by Rebecca Kent, content manager, JLL

In this bonus episode of JLL's Perspectives Podcast Nestle's general manager of confectionery, Chris O'Donnell, explains how, after Coronavirus lockdowns, shoppers are hungry for immersive retail experiences, prompting the sweets brand to commit to its new store opening in Sydney's MidCity. The KitKat chocolatory allows consumers to design and make their own KitKat, and allows Nestle to get direct feedback from its customers, informing its overall retail strategy.

Working from home has turned out just fine for many people, and now businesses are rethinking how much office space they need, where it should be located, and how it should be designed.

While some companies are delaying decisions until stability returns to the economy, others are negotiating new leases now to take advantage of 'COVID deals'.

So what are these deals? Who is moving into new offices amidst the uncertainty? And how are they thinking about their future office needs?

Hear from a trio of JLL experts: James Montague, director, office leasing - Queensland; Kate Pilgrim, senior director, tenant representation - Victoria; and Anthony Walsh, design director - Australia.

Hosted by Rebecca Kent, content manager, JLL.

The industrial sector is open for business again. That’s the message as the sale of four Aldi distribution centres in Australia for $648 million marks the largest industrial transaction of the year.

The portfolio was acquired by a joint venture between Charter Hall and the insurance giant Allianz, with experts citing significant appetite for high quality warehouses, bolstered undoubtedly by phenomenally high supermarket spending during COVID-19 lockdowns, and the need for defensive real estate.

In this episode, Tony Iuliano, head of industrial capital markets and logistics at JLL, and Jamie Guerra, head of industrial and logistics in Australia for JLL, provide the lowdown on a sector picking right up again on this side of the crisis.

Host: Rebecca Kent

(Recorded 26 May)

How are businesses and building owners approaching the office return as COVID-19 lockdown restrictions ease? With the virus still posing a risk, what are the prevailing measures being put in place from building and lift access, to desk spacing, and ensuring heating and cooling systems are germ-free?

Hear from Andrew Borger, head of office developments at Charter Hall, and Tony Wyllie, head of consulting – Asia Pacific, JLL.

Host: Rebecca Kent

(Recorded 18 May)

Hotels swap overnight rates for residential leases, reconfigure conference rooms, revisit management agreements, and eschew the breakfast bar amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Hear from Matthew Rubie, Australia General Manager, Frasers Hospitality Group; Ross Beardsell, executive vice president, project and development services, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group; and Peter Harper, executive vice President, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group.

Host: Rebecca Kent, content manager, JLL

(This podcast was recorded on 15 May, 2020)

Read the transcript at https://www.jll.com.au/en/campaign/perspectives-podcast