Starwood's Simon Turner

By James Wilkinson at IHIF in Berlin

Last year, 2015 was a record year for Starwood, with the company opening and signing more hotels than any other year in its history.

It closed 2015 with 220 new signed hotel management and franchise agreements, a 26% increase over the prior year, marking the sixth consecutive year of increased signings and the most incremental signings ever.

And Starwood also opened a record of 105 hotels in 2015, representing approximately 22,500 rooms in 30 countries, also the highest number of openings in its history.

Will that continue in 2016?

HM exclusively spoke to Starwood’s President of Global Development, Simon Turner, at the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin, Germany, recently to find out.

To view the exclusive video, where Turner also talks about global growth and which brands are attracting the attention of investors worldwide, click on the YouTube image at the top of the page.

Starwood's Simon Turner EDITED

BA 777s

HM flew to Berlin with British Airways. BA flies to Berlin via London and the author recommends flying in Club World (Business Class), which features flat-bed seats, hundreds of hours’ entertainment on demand, a great selection of wine and some of the best meals in the sky. For bookings, visit www.ba.com

James Wilkinson

Editor-In-Chief, Hotel Management