Retail

The retail and hotel asset classes are both geared towards the consumer, clearly benefit from tourism and are impacted by the “luxury vs. budget” polarization trend. Six months ago, Union Investment therefore decided to bring together its retail and hotel investment teams by establishing an Investment Management Operational department. The Hamburg-based investment and asset management company is targeting synergies and opportunities for its portfolio in the two property categories and considering acquisitions. Andreas Löcher, Head of Investment Management Operational, and Roman Müller, Head of Investment Management Retail, discuss the megatrends affecting both asset classes, highlight other similarities and identify locations of particular interest.

Retail tourism is here to stay. Travelers collectively spend billions of euros every year when they shop. They create jobs, providing income for retailers, craftsmen, and designers. Retail is one of the world’s most diverse industries, shaping every part of the travel experience, and retail tourism is playing a pivotal role in the recovery of the travel and tourism sector, which saw inbound tourism revenues surge by 82 percent in 2022, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Despite all the challenges brought on by the pandemic, retail tourism remains strong. Furthermore, if tourism and hospitality are to play an important role in the future of retail, then the presence and location of hotels is crucial, experts say. What, however, does the joint potential of the retail and hotel industry look like? This ACROSS cover story analyzes the synergies between the retail and hotel industries.

The Californian athleisure brand Alo Yoga is continuing its UK expansion with two new stores set to open later this year, one each at Seven Dials in London, and 75 Brompton Road.

In its Q1 period, Inditex´s net profit rose 11% to 1.3 billion euros, in line with analysts’ average forecast, and despite a slight slowdown in sales.

Kintyre has acquired the Kant Center in Berlin Charlottenburg together with its long-standing partner TPG Angelo Gordon. The property was acquired by Credit Suisse Real Estate Fund International as part of an asset deal initiated by CBRE.

Established in 2023 in Spain, EALYX is a B2B SaaS that allows consumers to trade in their used items and instantly receive a discount on a new purchase. This innovative approach is the first of its kind in the e-commerce industry. 

Our industry is strong and can achieve a lot. To emphasize this optimistic spirit, we want to showcase what our industry offers. Recommended by Will Odwarka, CEO and Founder of Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting, and Member of the ACROSS Advisory Board, Al Mamlaka Social Dining, and One & Only´s One Za’abeel are one of the many outstanding placemaking projects that drive the industry forward.

SHEIN has announced the launch of the extension of its SHEIN Exchange resale platform in Europe and the UK. The first region to gain access to the platform is France, followed by the UK and Gemany.

Our industry is strong and can achieve a lot. To emphasize this optimistic spirit, we want to showcase what our industry offers. Recommended by Jan Tanner, Managing Director at Bredella AG for Implenia Switzerland, and Member of the ACROSS Advisory Board, Bredella Areal in Pratteln, Switzerland is one of the many outstanding placemaking projects that drive the industry forward.

This year´s SusHi Tech Tokyo 2024 aimed at fostering cooperation between Japan and Finland by providing a platform for tech companies of both countries to promote sustainability technology and ESG principles. Markus Porvari, President and CEO of HyperIn, represented the company as a keynote speaker at the conference. HyperIn has demonstrated how a startup can successfully grow into a thriving enterprise, showcasing real cases of how some of the leading companies in the Nordics are succeeding with sustainable technology.