Cliste Hospitality have a positive outlook for their 10 hotels for 2022
Leading Hospitality management company Cliste Hospitality is forecasting that revenues at managed hotel properties will be back to 2019 levels this year. The group is forecasting revenues of €70 million, supported by strong demand from both the domestic and international leisure markets. Cliste Hospitality manages ten hotels under “The iNUA Collection” brand including The Radisson Blu Hotels in Cork, Limerick, Sligo & Athlone, Muckross Park Hotel in Killarney & The Tullamore Court Hotel.
The company hosted their management conference in Limerick yesterday, where 160 managers from their hotels were able to come together for the first time in two years. The conference was opened by Irish Hotel Federation President Elaina Fitzgerald with a look forward to brighter days ahead for the tourism and hospitality sector and the exciting opportunities for those who work in the industry.
Sean O’Driscoll, Director of hotels at Cliste Hospitality said that the very positive revenue forecast was based on strong forward bookings from the leisure market and also an increase in corporate meeting enquiries since Covid restrictions were lifted on hospitality sector on 22nd January. Mr. O’Driscoll said that conference & event enquiries have been buoyant in recent weeks and the hotels already had 420 weddings booked for 2022. He said the group also expected to host 200 concerts this year, with a strong rebound in the entertainment industry. The group currently employs 1300 people and expects to create another 100 jobs during 2022.
Cliste Hospitality recently announced their 10th hotel under management with the opening of the 163 bedroom “Dublin One” hotel on Lower Dorset Street in Dublin. As part of that management contract Cliste Hospitality also operate the newly reopened Big Tree pub on the same site, which is a favourite of GAA supporters attending matches in Croke Park. Cliste Hospitality also recently announced the purchase of The Viaduct bar & restaurant located on the N71 just outside Bishopstown in Cork. The group are planning to develop a new food concept at The Viaduct Bar.
Paul Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of Cliste Hospitality commented “While Covid was very unwelcome, it gave us the opportunity to build the Cliste Hospitality management team and strengthen our expertise across hospitality project management, food & beverage concepts and digital marketing”. He said that the Cliste team are optimistic about 2022, not only has the WHO forecasted that the pandemic will end this year but many countries including Ireland have already lifted most restrictions or are in the process of doing so.
Employee recruitment and retention will be a key issue faced by hotel managers in the coming months and that presents the risk of being unable to cater for their clientele as demand slowly builds up to pre-pandemic levels. But overall, there is improved business sentiment and renewed investor interest in the sector. To meet that moment the company has grown the hospitality management team from 6 employees to 30 employees over the last 3 years. Mr. Fitzgerald said that this expansion will allow the group to purchase more hotels, bars & restaurants and also provide management contract services to both International investment funds who are purchasing hotels and to independent hotel owners, who need assistance rebuilding their business post Covid.
