EXCEPTIONAL INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY WELCOME TO GLASGOW VOTED WORLD S FRIENDLIEST CITY (ROUGH GUIDES 2014) BILLION CAPITAL INVESTMENT

Transcription

1 HOTEL PROSPECTUS

2 EXCEPTIONAL INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY GLASGOW S PROFILE AS A TOP INTERNATIONAL TOURISM DESTINATION HAS GONE FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH. BUSINESS TOURISM, WORLD-CLASS RETAIL, MAJOR ATTRACTIONS AND GLOBAL EVENTS ARE ALL DRIVING DEMAND FOR ADDITIONAL HOTEL ROOMS. THE CITY IS NOW WIDELY RECOGNISED AS ONE OF THE WORLD S MUST-VISIT DESTINATIONS. 687M SCOTLAND S LARGEST CITY AND BUSINESS CAPITAL. IN 2014 GLASGOW ATTRACTED 2.7M INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC TOURISTS, GENERATING 687M FOR THE LOCAL ECONOMY. TOP IN THE UK FOR RETAIL OUTSIDE OF LONDON S WEST END. (CACI 2014) FIRST-CHOICE HOST FOR MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EVENTS AND CONFERENCES WITH CONFIRMED BUSINESS UNTIL 2022 AND BIDDING FOR BUSINESS UP TO SSE HYDRO IS RANKED TOP GLOBAL VENUE (BILLBOARD) AND 3RD IN THE TOP 100 WORLDWIDE ARENA VENUES (POLLSTAR). WELCOME TO GLASGOW UK S FIRST UNESCO CITY OF MUSIC HOSTING 130 MUSIC EVENTS EVERY WEEK. ENSURING WORLD-CLASS CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH ITS INDUSTRY-LED INITIATIVE GLASGOW WELCOMES. Glasgow s fully rounded economy generates travellers for commerce, leisure, conventions and events year round. This is not a seasonal city with an August peak; it s a flourishing destination where hotels enjoy year round high occupancy. Glasgow ranks in the top 75 of the world s financial centres, and is home to world-class financial companies such as JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, HSBC, Barclays Wealth and Santander who run major operations here. It s also home to global brands, including Jacobs Engineering, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Iberdrola, Lockheed Martin, GlaxoSmithKline, Dell and O2. As a result, corporate business travellers represent 32% of hotel room occupancy in Glasgow. SCOTLAND S CONVENTION CAPITAL Glasgow s reputation as a tourism, convention and events centre is well founded. A host of world-class hotels can be found in the city. These include Hilton, Marriott, Radisson Blu, Crowne Plaza, Hotel du Vin, citizenm and Malmaison. Glasgow has the capacity and credibility to welcome more conference delegates than every other Scottish city combined, making it a premier European business tourism destination. In 2014/15 this amounted to more than 350,000 delegate days a 13% growth year on year (financial year 2013/14 more than 310,000 delegate days). Conferences are confirmed in the city to 2022, with bids in place until Delegates account for one in five hotel room bookings. There are more than 7,100 rooms in the city centre, with an average occupancy rate of 81.7% (STR Global, 2015). With a range of exciting new developments either recently opened, coming to fruition soon or planned - from hotel brands including Accor, Hampton by Hilton, Dakota Deluxe, Radisson Red, Motel One and Innside by Melia, Glasgow will add almost 1,500 hotel rooms to its accommodation stock. As a major event hot-spot, however, more hotel rooms are required to meet current and future demand in the city. HOTELS REGULARLY OUTPERFORM KEY EUROPEAN COMPETITORS INCLUDING PARIS, ROME, BARCELONA, VIENNA & AMSTERDAM. VOTED WORLD S FRIENDLIEST CITY (ROUGH GUIDES 2014) ONE IN FIVE GUESTS IN A HOTEL ARE HIGH YIELD DELEGATES. 30 NEW DIRECT ROUTES FOR 2016 INCLUDE MONTREAL, TORONTO, MARSEILLE AND SEOUL, OPENING GLASGOW UP TO EVEN MORE VISITORS. VISITOR SATISFACTION HAS RISEN YEAR-ON-YEAR AND IN 2014 IS AT A NINE-YEAR HIGH BILLION CAPITAL INVESTMENT HOTEL OCCUPANCY AND REVENUES REACHING RECORD HIGHS OCCUPANCY HAS REACHED 81.7% WITH 81.7% REV PAR AT HOTEL PROSPECTUS INVESTGLASGOW.COM 3

3 WHY GLASGOW? With a can-do attitude, a commitment to being the most businessfriendly city in the UK, and two million visitors a year it s people that make Glasgow different. READY FOR BUSINESS FORWARD-THINKING CITY Top businesses choose Glasgow for many reasons. They say it s because of the quality and loyalty of the flexible and qualified workforce, the cosmopolitan feel of a large city, great access, world-class and cost-effective office space and one of the most sophisticated and competitive telecommunications environments in Europe. since 2011, the city has received more than 10.5 billion in capital investment across housing, retail, health, education, hotels, offices and leisure. an economic powerhouse Glasgow generates 19.3 billion gross value added (GVA) every year to Scotland s economy, representing 16.3% of wealth generation. from 2013 to 2014 Glasgow s GVA increased by 7% - the highest increase of any UK city. Glasgow is a leading light in sustainability and resilience. It is: the first and only Scottish city to secure City Deal funding from the UK and Scottish Governments billion will fund major infrastructure projects, drive innovation, address challenges in the region s labour market and lever 3.3 billion of private investment. making clever use of smart technologies and data to grow the economy and enhance quality of life through the 24 million Future Glasgow project which is now delivering practical benefits for residents, public services, businesses and visitors as well as attracting high value, hi-tech jobs to the city. Glasgow received the Geospatial World Excellence Award 2015 for its transformation into a smart city of the future. highly qualified and flexible workforces it s what every employer needs. Glasgow s one of Europe s top ten cities for business friendliness and human resources and fdi Magazine s runner up in the Top Large European City for Business Friendliness. excellent transport links the city is served by three international airports with direct flights from over 135 destinations. Once you arrive, getting about is easy by road and rail. office, leisure and retail space to suit every type and size of business and exciting new development opportunities too. setting its sights on becoming one of Europe s most climate-ready regions. Communities across the region are being transformed and future-proofed as a result of investment in green networks, incorporating sustainable urban drainage, as well as large-scale flood prevention schemes. one of the first 33 cities selected through the Rockefeller Foundation s 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge one of only five in Europe and two in the UK. home to world class facilities that support the development of renewable energy solutions. Implementation of the city s economic strategy is led by a private-public, cross-sector partnership overseeing the delivery plans for our key growth industries which are: Financial & Business Services Low Carbon Industries/Cleantech Engineering, Design and Manufacturing Tourism & Events Life Science Higher & Further Education 1.13BN SECURED CITY DEAL FUNDING SMART CITY OF THE FUTURE (GEOSPATIAL WORLD EXCELLENCE AWARD 2015) EUROPEAN CITIES SELECTED THROUGH THE ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION S 100 RESILIENT CITIES CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE 4 HOTEL PROSPECTUS INVESTGLASGOW.COM 5

4 BUSINESS TOURISM Glasgow is the conference capital of Scotland, with the capacity to host more conferences, and welcome more delegates, than Scotland s six other cities combined. In the UK, Glasgow is second only to London in attracting international conference delegates. The International Conference and Congress Association ranks Glasgow in the top 40. One in five bedrooms sold in Glasgow is to a conference delegate. This is set to increase with new venues coming on stream. Glasgow s tourism business isn t seasonal; with a year-round conference calendar, Glasgow is always open for business. Conference delegates spend significantly more than short break tourists and are high yield individuals. 21% of delegates are from out-with the UK and contribute to RevPAR growth. Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) together with city partners including the SECC, the universities, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, venues and hotels, secured conventions business worth 140 million in 2014/15 almost 2.7 million of new business per week representing a 3% yearon-year increase. Between April 2014 and March 2015, GCMB s Convention Bureau which competes worldwide to bring conference business to Glasgow worked with the SECC and a range of city partners to confirm 504 new international and UK conventions through to MAJOR CONFERENCE BUSINESS INCLUDE THE: 2016 Royal College of Nursing Annual Congress 2016 International Conference on Drug Therapy in HIV 2016 and 2017 All Energy Exhibition the largest renewables event in the UK 2018 European Congress on Emergency Medicine 2019 British Association of Urological Surgeons Meeting 2022 World Congress of Soil Science Together these seven conferences will bring almost 30,000 delegates from across the world to Glasgow and providing a boost of nearly 40 million to the local economy. (Source: GCMB) SCOTTISH EXHIBITION & CONFERENCE CENTRE AND THE SSE HYDRO The opening of The SSE Hydro on the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC) campus in Glasgow has boosted the city s major event and conference credentials even further. With a total capacity of 12,500, The SSE Hydro plays host to around 140 events every year (from national and international music mega stars to global entertainment and sporting events) and has the potential to inject 131 million annually into Glasgow s economy. ONE IN FIVE BEDROOMS SOLD IN GLASGOW IS TO A CONFERENCE DELEGATE. THE ABOVE SEVEN CONFERENCES ALONE PROVIDE A NEAR 40 MILLION BOOST TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY. THE SSE HYDRO PLAYS HOST TO AROUND 140 EVENTS A YEAR. The SSE Hydro is ranked top global venue by Billboard and ranked 3rd in Pollstar s Top 100 Worldwide Arena Venues. This has boosted visitor numbers to the SECC campus to over 2 million per year. These visitors need to be accommodated and with occupancy levels at an all-time high, there is an exceptional investment opportunity for additional hotel development in Glasgow. 6 HOTEL PROSPECTUS INVESTGLASGOW.COM 7

5 MAJOR ATTRACTIONS & GLOBAL EVENTS ESTIMATED ATTENDANCES AT MAJOR EVENTS IN GLASGOW 2014/15 ANNUAL EVENTS Merchant City Festival VISITORS 200,000 Celtic Connections 110,000 Glasgow International Comedy Festival 78,000 Doors Open Day & Wee Open Doors Day 73,000 Glasgow Film Festival 40,000 Piping Live! 40,000 World Pipe Band Championship 32,000 Glasgay! 19,000 Aye Write! 13,000 Scottish Irish Dancing Championships 7,500 MOST POPULAR VISITOR ATTRACTIONS IN GLASGOW 2014 ATTRACTION VISITORS Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum 1,122,000 Riverside Museum 1,047,000 Gallery of Modern Art 622,000 People s Palace 380,000 Glasgow Royal Concert Hall 228,000 The Burrell Collection 172,000 Trongate ,000 Tramway 154,000 St Mungo Museum 127,000 City Halls & Old Fruitmarket 118,000 Provand s Lordship 79,000 Glasgow museums are free and attract millions of visitors every year. Glasgow s Riverside Museum was awarded 2013 European Museum of the Year, the fi rst time a Scottish museum has been awarded the prestigious accolade. Glasgow was crowned top place for UK concerts outside of London in the UK s top 100 list, compiled by PRS for music. The city has eight venues in the top 100 list of places to watch gigs more than any other UK city, except London. Glasgow s calendar of major events and conventions stretches to 2022 and is available online: Celtic Connections All Scotland Irish Dancing Championships Glasgow Film Festival Glasgow International Comedy Festival IPC Swimming World Championships Merchant City Festival Piping Live! World Pipe Band Championships UDO World Street Dancing Championships Turner Prize 2015 World Gymnastic Championships MOBO Awards Aye Write! HSBC IRB World Sevens Series - Glasgow 7s West End Festival 2016 Celtic Connections Glasgow Film Festival All Scotland Irish Dancing Championships Glasgow Indoor Athletics Grand Prix Glasgow International Comedy Festival Glasgow Restaurant Festival Gymnastics World Cup Betway Premier League Darts World Irish Dancing Championships Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art West End Festival Scottish Athletics National Championships World Street Dance Championships Glasgow Jazz Festival 2016 Open Championship Merchant City Festival Piping Live! World Pipe Band Championships British & Irish Masters Cross Country Championships European Curling Championships Glasgow Badminton Grand Prix Gymnastics World Cup Glasgow Retail Festival 8 HOTEL PROSPECTUS INVESTGLASGOW.COM 9

6 TOP 10 UK DESTINATIONS FOR OVERSEAS VISITORS RANKING COUNTRY VISITS No. 1 London 17.4 million No. 2 Edinburgh 1.6 million No. 3 Manchester 998,000 No. 4 Birmingham 944,000 No. 5 Glasgow 622,000 No. 6 Liverpool 606,000 No. 7 Oxford 490,000 No. 8 Bristol 447,000 No. 9 Brighton / Hove 423,000 No. 10 Cambridge 418,000 Office for National Statistics: International Passenger Survey (IPS) 2014 WHY PEOPLE VISIT... AND RETURN In the UK, Glasgow is second only to London s West End as a shopping destination. Retail is one of the key drivers of Glasgow s success as a tourist destination, with more than half a million square metres of retail floor space and 3,000 business units generating a massive turnover of 3.7 billion in 2012, representing 14% of Scotland s retail turnover. SKILLED WORKFORCE In fact, more people work in tourism in Glasgow than any other Scottish city. 30,000 people work in Glasgow s tourism industry, representing 14.5% of the total tourism-related workforce in Scotland. In addition, 130,000 students are looking for work whilst they study in the city, over 7,000 of these are studying hospitality, leisure and tourism related courses. Led by the industry, the city is investing to deliver truly world-class customer service, through the Glasgow Welcomes Tourism Service Initiative. This will ensure a highly qualified skills supply for the tourism industry. Glasgow has overtaken Liverpool as the fifth most visited UK city by international tourists and ranks ahead of Oxford, Bristol, Brighton, Cambridge, Leeds, York, Cardiff and Newcastle. GLASGOW ACCOMMODATION ACCOMMODATION BY STAR RATING Hotels 85 (70%) 31 (25%) 6 (5%) Bedrooms 5,994 (56%) 3,792 (35%) 898 (8%) Source GCMB (2015) STR GLOBAL FIGURES: GLASGOW Occupancy 75.7% 78.5% 82.3% 81.7% Avg. room rate In 2013, the majority of overseas visitors to Glasgow cited leisure activity as the reason for their trip (51%); whilst almost a quarter (27%) visited friends and relatives, and 17% were business travellers. The majority of UK visitors to Glasgow also cited leisure activity as the purpose for their visit (55%); whilst 15% were business travellers and 13% visited friends and relatives. UK visitors stay for an average of 2.7 nights; whilst overseas visitors stay for an average of 5.2 nights. More than half of all visitors to the city stay for two nights or more. Glasgow also compares strongly to other European cities appearing in the Top 10 for average hotel occupancy rates. Revenue per available room SCALE OF OPPORTUNITY GLASGOW S TOP 10 INTERNATIONAL VISITOR MARKETS (2014) SPEND (MILLIONS) NUMBER OF ROOM NIGHTS NUMBER OF VISITS RANKING COUNTRY VISITS RANKING COUNTRY VISITS RANKING COUNTRY VISITS No. 1 USA 38m No. 1 Poland 402,000 No. 1 USA 98,000 No. 2 China 23m No. 2 USA 388,000 No. 2 Germany 63,000 In 2014 Glasgow attracted 2.7 million international and domestic tourists, generating 687 million for the local economy. Almost a quarter of visitors to Glasgow are from overseas with the largest proportions from the USA, Germany, Poland, Canada and Australia. POPULATION REGION PEOPLE Glasgow 600,000 Glasgow Area 1.75 million Scotland 5.25 million Source: General Register Office for Scotland No. 3 Australia 23m No. 4 Germany 14m No. 5 Canada 14m No. 6 Poland 9m No. 7 Spain 8m No. 8 New Zealand 8m No. 3 Australia 285,000 No. 4 China 210,000 No. 5 Germany 206,000 No. 6 Canada 183,000 No. 7 Sweden 134,000 No. 8 India 120,000 No. 3 Poland 47,000 No. 4 Canada 41,000 No. 5 Australia 39,000 No. 6 Netherlands 32,000 No. 7 Ireland 24,000 No. 8 Spain 22,000 No. 9 India 6m No. 9 Spain 91,000 No. 9 Italy 21,000 No. 10 Italy 6m No. 10 Netherlands 82,000 No. 10 France 19, HOTEL PROSPECTUS INVESTGLASGOW.COM 11

7 GLASGOW S SHORT BREAK LEISURE TOURISTS ARE ATTRACTED TO THE CITY FOR: SHORT BREAKS Glasgow was recently voted the friendliest city in the world in a Rough Guides poll and named a must visit destination by leading publications like the New York Times, The Guardian and Wanderlust. Glasgow is one of Europe s most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities, where business, sport and international culture flourish. The city that inspired the art nouveau genius, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, is now a dynamic 21st century metropolis. A SHOPPING MECCA With more than half a million square metres of retail floor space, Glasgow is the UK s largest and most successful shopping location outside of London and the retail footprint is growing by a further 25%. FOOD & DRINK Glasgow s food and drink scene is vibrant and firmly part of the city s unique culture. Glasgow s culinary offering is imaginative and cosmopolitan and the range of choice for visitors is breath taking, with new restaurants popping up all the time. This distinctive food and drink experience is guaranteed to enhance the visitor experience in the city. WORLD-CLASS CULTURE Home to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, National Theatre of Scotland, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet, and an internationally acclaimed reputation in contemporary art, design and music. A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR VISUAL ARTS Seven Turner Prize winners, including the 2014 winner, and 11 nominees have lived, trained or worked in the city in recent years. Due to the city s track record of success at the event, it was chosen to host the Turner Prize Awards in A UNESCO CITY OF MUSIC A UNESCO City of Music since 2008; the first UK city and one of only six in the world. Glasgow is a city with secondto-none music credentials, having secured events such as the MTV Europe Music Awards and the MOBOs. There are 130 music events every week in Glasgow; music generates an estimated 75 million for the city s economy each year. EUROPE S FINEST CIVIC ART COLLECTIONS Two of the finest civic art collections can be found in Glasgow, at the Burrell Collection and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION FACILITIES Home to five higher education institutions and three super colleges which attract over 130,000 students every year, and their families. GREAT NATURAL BEAUTY The archipelago of the Clyde Coast and Islands and the Highlands stunning scenery is on the city s doorstop, just 45 minutes away. GLASGOW RATES HIGHLY IN COMPARISON TO OTHER UK CITIES FOR QUALITY OF LIFE. Mercer Quality of Life Survey, 2015 GLASGOW IS SCRUBBED UP AND GLEAMING, GLASGOW FLEXES CULTURAL MUSCLE, ARTFULLY BURNISHING ITS INDUSTRIAL CITYSCAPE. Glasgow named in 2016 National Geographic Traveller Top 20 Must See Places alongside New York, the Seychelles and Bermuda. Glasgow is highlighted for its art, architecture and music. 12 HOTEL PROSPECTUS INVESTGLASGOW.COM 13

8 Calgary Vancouver Enontekio Rovaniemi Kittila WORLD CLASS CITY Las Vegas Halifax Montreal Toronto New York Orlando Miami North America & Caribbean Varadero Cayo Coco Cancun Holguin Montego Bay Bridgetown Reykjavik Stornoway Benbecula Barra Tiree Sumburgh Kirkwall Islay Campbeltown GLASGOW Donegal Derry Belfast Isle of Man Dublin Leeds Bradford Manchester Nottingham Cork Birmingham East Midlands Newquay Bristol London Southampton Billund Amsterdam Oslo Gothenberg Stockholm Tampere Tallinn Riga Gdansk Szczecin Bydgoszcz Modlin Berlin Poznan Warsaw Lodz Lublin Wroclaw Katowice Rzeszow Prague PROUD TO SERVE SCOTLAND Glasgow is serviced by 2 international airports: Glasgow Airport Glasgow Prestwick Airport Connect to Glasgow easily via London, Amsterdam, Paris, Dubai, 15 mins 45 mins Jersey Bordeaux Paris Memmingen Geneva Chambery Milan Verona Turin Munich Salzburg Venice Pula Budapest Bucharest Varna Burgas Carcassonne Marseille Split Dubrovnik Sal Tenerife Boa Vista Island Madeira Lanzarote Fuerteventura Las Palmas Faro Marrakesh Malaga Alicante Murcia Almeria Girona Barcelona Reus Palma Ibiza INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS Menorca Enfidha Cagliari Rome Naples Malta Kerkyra Corfu Zakinthos Island Chania Sharm el-sheikh Bodrum Kos Dalaman Rhodes Antalya Paphos Larnaca Heraklion Dubai Abu Dhabi AIR Glasgow Airport is the UK and Scottish Airport of the Year Glasgow Airport has approx. 200 flights daily. 30 new direct routes for 2016 include Montreal, Toronto, Marseille and Seoul. 358 flights to London per week and up to 62 flights per day to/from London. One-hour flight time to London. 7.7 million passengers pass through Glasgow Airport annually. More than 60 million investment in the airport in over the last four years. Glasgow Prestwick International and Edinburgh International are each 45 minutes from Glasgow City Centre. RAIL Glasgow Central Station is European Rail Station of the Year Glasgow Central has connections to all major English cities. London can be reached in four to six hours. There are 38 train links a day between Glasgow and London Euston. Glasgow Queen Street station connects Glasgow to the East and North of Scotland (Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness). Eight trains go to Edinburgh per hour, which can be reached in 50 minutes. The rail network also serves the scenic west coast towns and villages. E-CONNECTIVITY Glasgow s digital connectivity can meet and exceed the most demanding technology requirements of today s progressive companies. Through the implementation of the Digital Glasgow Project, a collaboration across industry and the public sector, the city has aspirations to reach 90% coverage by 2018, ideally with speeds of mbps and thus exceeding the Scottish Government target of availability of next generation broadband by Glasgow is the first Scottish city to award a wireless concession available in the city s streets and public spaces. Glasgow s air, rail and road infrastructure ensures excellent access and once you arrive you can move quickly and efficiently throughout the metropolitan area. With most European destinations within two hours of Glasgow, this offers a short journey time and low cost travel. DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM NORTH AMERICA Visitors can travel direct to Glasgow from a number of destinations including: New York, Philadelphia, Orlando, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM THE FAR EAST Visitors can connect to Glasgow with ease using the twice daily Emirates flight direct from Dubai to Glasgow. FLIGHTS TO GLASGOW JOURNEY TIME AIRPORT TIME TO CITY METHOD OF TRAVEL TO CITY CENTRE TRAVEL TIMES TO GLASGOW CITY CENTRE (2013) FROM UK CITIES London Paris Berlin Amsterdam Dusseldorf Dubai New York 1 hr 1 hr, 30 mins 1 hr, 30 mins 1 hr, 15 mins 1 hr, 40 mins 7 hrs 6 hrs Glasgow International 15 mins Shuttle bus from the airport direct to the City Centre every 10 mins, with stops at major hotels. Direct bus service from the airport to the SECC every 30 mins. Taxis are always available. Glasgow Prestwick 45 mins Direct trains every 30 mins to City Centre. Edinburgh International 1 hr Frequent bus / train links to Glasgow City Centre every 15 mins. A shuttle bus departs from Buchanan Street Bus station to and from Edinburgh International Airport every 30 mins. UK CITY DISTANCE BY ROAD TRAIN CAR Birmingham miles (465.9 km) 3:56 4:53 Bristol miles (598.4 km) 5:39 6:12 Edinburgh 46.9 miles (75.5km) 0:47 0:59 Leeds miles (342.3 km) 3:53 3:59 London miles (651.1 km) 4:21 7:23 Manchester miles (347.5 km) 3:12 3:56 14 HOTEL PROSPECTUS INVESTGLASGOW.COM 15

9 AWARD-WINNING CITY TOP LARGE EUROPEAN CITY OF THE FUTURE 2016/17 Glasgow has achieved an amazing set of results in the prestigious fdi Magazine European Cities of the Future Awards 2016/17. In the Large Cities categories, Glasgow was awarded: Top 10 overall Large City; Runner-up for FDI strategy; Runner-up for Business Friendliness and Top 10 for Economic Potential. EUROPEAN ENTREPRENEURIAL REGION Glasgow has been named European Entrepreneurial Region 2016, alongside Lombardia (Italy) and Malopolska (Poland). The regions with the most credible, forward thinking and promising vision plan are granted the title, commending their investment in entrepreneurial spirit. ONE OF THE WORLD S TOP SPORTING CITIES Glasgow is 8th in the world s top 10 sporting cities according to the internationally recognised SportBusiness Ultimate Sports City 2014 Awards. The city was ranked ahead of Olympic cities such as Paris, Tokyo, Moscow and Amsterdam, and retained its position as the number one city in the world for sports marketing and branding. THE UK S BEST SHOPPING DESTINATION OUTSIDE LONDON Glasgow s super-league shopping status was confirmed in 2008 when the city was named the best place to shop in the UK outside London s West End for the fourth consecutive year. Experian, in their retail rankings, expects Glasgow to hold this position until at least Glasgow s strong retail sector was reinforced by the Retail Footprint 2010 compiled by independent industry research company CACI. After London s West End, Glasgow is the first UK city for retail by comparison spend (tourists, workers and residents) CACI UK S BEST CONVENTION BUREAU YEARS RUNNING Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) has been named the UK s Best Convention Bureau from 2007 to 2015 for nine consecutive years GCMB has received this accolade at the prestigious Meetings & Incentive Travel (M&IT) Awards. UK S BEST CONFERENCE CENTRE The Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC) was named Best Large Venue of the Year at the UK Event Awards UK S BEST AIRPORT In 2015 Glasgow Airport scooped three major awards: UK Airport of the Year at the National Transport Awards; Scottish Airport of the Year at the Scottish Transport Awards; and voted Best Airport with 3-10 million passengers by the Airport Operators Association (AOA). CITY OF STYLE World-famous and highly-respected, luxury fashion and lifestyle brand, Louis Vuitton, featured Glasgow as a must-visit destination in their coveted European Cities Guide in 2009 and has done so again in 2013 highlighting the city s growing global profile as a leading retail, cultural and style centre. Glasgow is the only Scottish city to have appeared twice in the guide. ONE OF THE WORLD S 75 BEST PERFORMING FINANCIAL CENTRES Global Financial Centres Index 2015 Glasgow has the third most important financial centre in the UK and has its own dedicated International Financial Services District. PROUD TO SERVE SCOTLAND 16 HOTEL PROSPECTUS INVESTGLASGOW.COM 17

10 Glasgow has sporting events confirmed to 2022 and bidding through to It s ranked 8th best sporting city in the world by SportBusiness Ultimate Sports City 2014 Awards, and first for Global Sports Marketing. SPORTS CITY 2014 proved to be an amazing year when the city welcomed some of the world s top athletes at the best Commonwealth Games ever. With over 2 billion of investment in Game-related infrastructure in the city, Glasgow is empowered as a major player on the global sporting stage. Building on that success, Glasgow also hosted the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships which were hailed even better than the Olympic Games. Glasgow s delivery of these events has set a new benchmark for sport across the world. Looking ahead, Glasgow continues to win the right to host major sporting events in 2016 such as the Gymnastics World Cup, European Curling Championships and World Irish Dancing Championships. The city will also co-host the inaugural European Sports Championships with Berlin in 2018 with a projected television audience of 850 million. A significant legacy of hosting these prestigious sporting events is that Glasgow s reputation and profile have never been stronger. The city is now widely recognised as one of the world s must-visit destinations. CLYDE GATEWAY Located just five minutes by train from the centre of Glasgow and in an area benefiting from massive investment associated with the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Clyde Gateway offers a range of potential investment opportunities for the hotel sector. Clyde Gateway is home to the outstanding sporting facilities of the Emirates Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, as well as Celtic Football Club s 60,000 seat stadium. The area s accessibility by both road and rail is already proving a major draw to investors with three railway stations and three junctions of the newly extended M74 as well as the new Clyde Gateway access road serving the area. A host of new office and industrial developments have opened recently to take advantage of this accessibility, others are currently on site and development opportunities are available across the new National Business District. A key legacy of hosting the best Commonwealth Games ever in 2014 is that Glasgow s global profile has never been greater. 95.3% 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES SAW RECORD OCCUPANCY LEVELS (JULY 2014) 2BN OF INVESTMENT IN GAME-RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE 18 HOTEL PROSPECTUS INVESTGLASGOW.COM 19

11 TESTIMONIALS EXCITING AND PROGRESSIVE CITY. Blythswood Square Radisson Blu Grand Central Hotel BLYTHSWOOD SQUARE Having been involved in many of the prestigious city events over the years, Blythswood Square feels very much a part of this thriving city. Events such as Commonwealth Games, MTV Awards and the huge success of The SSE Hydro have been amazing for the city. We take delight in looking after guests to the city as much as the residents of Glasgow and the surrounding area. It s a real privilege to be part of this exciting and progressive city and can t wait to see what the future has in store. Murray Thomson, General Mananger RADISSON BLU Glasgow is unique in the city-wide support and cooperation offered to hotel operators, from the hoteliers association and an award winning convention bureau, winning major events and conference business for the city. I can t think of a reason why a hotel operator wouldn t consider coming to Glasgow. There is always demand for quality hotels in such a vibrant city. Strong value in commercial property and rising occupancy rates mean expectations of a bright future. The Radisson Blu is Glasgow s premier business hotel where a warm Glaswegian welcome and sense of professional informality has guaranteed our success. GRAND CENTRAL HOTEL We re exceptionally lucky to be in such a central location, with a unique outlook on both the city and one of Glasgow s major transport hubs, from which we benefit greatly. Improved transport links on the back of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, coupled with major investments like The SSE Hydro have given Glasgow a boost that we ve experienced first-hand in terms of tourist and business trade. Glasgow is a wonderful city and it s a privilege to look after its visitors and the locals who come in to enjoy afternoons and evenings in our Champagne Central Bar and Tempus restaurant. On a personal level, it s fantastic to lead the team at such an iconic hotel. We re looking forward to the coming year welcoming more visitors and supporting with accommodation for wider city events and conferences. MAJOR INVESTMENTS HAVE GIVEN GLASGOW A BOOST. Denis MacCann, General Manager Chair, Glasgow Hoteliers Association Graeme Gibson, General Manager 20 HOTEL PROSPECTUS INVESTGLASGOW.COM 21

12 TESTIMONIALS Apex City of Glasgow Hotel citizenm The Village Hotel Club Ibis Styles George Square APEX CITY OF GLASGOW HOTEL The hotel s great location means it is at the heart of the action both for the corporate and leisure markets and we expect to welcome many of the visitors who come to Glasgow because of its reputation for shopping, culture and music. Our iconic Bath Street building has given us the perfect opportunity to create a stylish hotel that offers everything you d expect from four star accommodation. Helen Gallagher, General Manager CITIZEN M citizenm opened in Glasgow in September 2010 and we are delighted to be in Scotland s largest city. Glasgow has internationally acclaimed art galleries and museums, along with iconic architecture and the hotel is in the very heart of the city centre, an area bustling with theatre, music, shopping, art and vibrant street life all elements that are highly valued by our mobile citizens. citizenm always reflects and embraces local cultures and tastes and develops its own local style. Here in Glasgow, an almost surrealist oversize mesh artwork by Glaswegian artist Alex Dordoy graces the hotel s outside façade with a tongue-in-cheek humour. Robin Chadha, Chief Marketing Officer THE VILLAGE HOTEL CLUB The Village Hotel Club Glasgow is in a superb location, so very close to The SSE Hydro and SECC. Over the years, there have been many companies which have set up home on the banks of the River Clyde and there is still much development to come in the area which will keep Glasgow thriving. Village Glasgow has everything under one roof and my team is so excited to start welcoming the local community, businesses and leisure guests into our dynamic black box. Jamie Stevens, General Manager IBIS STYLES GEORGE SQUARE We were delighted to open Glasgow s first ibis Styles property towards the end of 2015, and we re looking ahead to our first full year in the city with anticipation. Glasgow is a city like no other great people, a rich history and vibrant cultural scene as well as fantastic shopping, restaurants and nightlife. That s why our hotel is designed with the city and its icons as its focus it s a city to be celebrated. And as well as the hotel s design being immersed in the city s history and culture, we re physically in the thick of things in the Merchant City, which is wonderful. We ve already had a busy few months and can t wait to welcome more visitors to the city and the hotel; particularly those experiencing their first taste of Glasgow and all it has to offer. Rory MacAleece, General Manager 22 HOTEL PROSPECTUS INVESTGLASGOW.COM 23

13 DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT If you are looking to invest in Glasgow, you will find a city that has taken a very proactive and innovative approach to support the development industry in its bid to build on the exciting projects underway in the city. Glasgow offers a great deal to investors. Guaranteeing fast tracking of major planning applications for key development, and the city is an assisted area for Business Premises Renovation Allowances (BPRA). This enables investors to make use of 100% capital allowances for qualifying renovation expenditure on derelict commercial properties. MEASURES INCLUDE: fast tracking major planning applications for key developments. full range of business support programmes from grant/loan assistance to Glasgow Guarantee wage subsidies for graduates, apprentices and new jobs. Glasgow is an assisted area for Business Premises Renovation Allowances (BPRA) which enables investors to make use of 100% capital allowances for qualifying renovation expenditure on derelict commercial properties. BPRA FOR HOTELS Business Premises Renovation Allowance (BPRA) provides 100% tax relief on the conversion or refurbishment of empty business premises in designated areas. It can reduce costs where premises are converted into hotels or empty hotels are refurbished. Please consult the following website for a full overview of the BPRA scheme: 24 CITY PROSPECTUS INVESTGLASGOW.COM 25

14 SCOTTISH DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL (SDI) has a dedicated tourism team who work closely with developers, investors and hotel operators to secure a successful investment. sdi.co.uk GLASGOW CITY MARKETING BUREAU (GCMB) GCMB is the official destination marketing organisation (DMO) for the city of Glasgow. With business on the books until 2022, GCMB can provide high value information on future demand. peoplemakeglasgow.com INVEST GLASGOW Glasgow City Council s Inward Investment Team provides one point of contact to all businesses, property investors and developers seeking to invest in Glasgow. investglasgow.com TO FIND OUT HOW INVEST GLASGOW CAN SUPPORT YOU, CONTACT: invest@glasgow.gov.uk Invest Glasgow +44 (0)

15 INVEST GLASGOW 2016 TO FIND OUT HOW INVEST GLASGOW CAN SUPPORT YOU, CONTACT: Invest Glasgow +44 (0)