Roth Architecture, designer and operator of the world-renowned Azulik Hotel in Tulum, Mexico, appointed Viability to undertake a full market and financial feasibility study for its first Saudi property, to be developed in AlUla. Viability’s study provided critical insights into the competitive landscape, covering the local hotel market, other Saudi ‘giga projects’, benchmark GCC luxury desert resorts, and the characteristics and preferences of Saudi guests. Their analysis, prepared in collaboration with our operational team in Mexico, gave both us and our client, the project developer, a really valuable forecast of potential profitability and ROI. We have already recommended them to other parties seeking a highly professional hospitality consultancy with Saudi experience.
Manuel Fernández AIA, ARB, COAG, LEED AP, Architect – Head of Design, Roth Architecture
Through its project architect Dewan, Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) appointed Viability to undertake a market and financial feasibility for its planned new headquarters complex at the heart of the KEZAD industrial area. Located next to Khalifa Port, Abu Dhabi emirate, the project was originally expected to comprise offices, a hotel and a retail centre. Viability’s thorough study revealed both challenges and opportunities for the project, and was a key factor in us postponing the hotel element until market conditions become more favourable (the headquarters is now under construction, without the hotel).
Piotr Kaliszewski, Manager – Project Development – Engineering & Technical Services, AD Ports Group
Following a recommendation, DLR commissioned Viability to prepare various market studies for a major developer in Abu Dhabi, with regards to a planned hotel and beach club. Their report was professionally prepared and provided important insights both for our client as the developer and us as their designers. We have always been impressed with the expertise and dedication Viability offer and their collaboration has helped guide our projects to a successful outcome.
Scott Pryde, Middle East Mixed Use Director/Principal, DLR Group Middle East
Sharjah Research, Technology & Innovation Park (SRTIP) commissioned Viability to undertake a market and financial feasibility study for a planned midscale hotel within our technology park in Sharjah. Their report provided a comprehensive analysis of the project, which gave us a clear idea of the challenges and opportunities, as well as its financial and investment potential.
Gopal Krishna Prabhu BE| MBA| PMP| MRICS, Planning & Development Manager, SRTIP
Viability Management Consultants had been commissioned by Mustafa Sultan Enterprises to select an experienced international hotel operator to manage our existing 4-star hotel apartments building that we own in Qurm, Muscat, and to negotiate the resultant contract(s). We are grateful to their dedicated support, precise communication and perceptive insight throughout this venture.
Abdulredha Sultan, Managing Director, Mustafa Sultan Enterprises
Viability has been a valued external resource for HMH’s senior management since its founding. We most recently collaborated with Viability in the reevaluation of our development strategy. Their report provided objective, expert analysis of our development processes, as well as external benchmarking of management contract terms, and insights as to how our brands could be differentiated to our best commercial advantage. We have implemented a number of their recommendations.
Patrick Antaki, Chief Operating Officer, Hospitality Management Holding (Coral Hotels, Corp, Ecos, etc)
Viability is a key consulting partner for Leva. I call Guy Wilkinson regularly for advice, especially as a sounding board on development questions. Viability has also played important roles in drafting our development documents and enhancing our brand strategy as it relates to hotel owner requirements. Their reports are detailed and analytical, but they also understand that we hoteliers often just need a “no BS” recommendation about what to do right now, and they’re great at that too.
JS Anand, Founder, Leva Hotels & Resorts
It is with great pleasure that we recommend Viability to all developers interested in clear, concise, well researched reports and feasibility studies for their new hospitality projects. I have known Viability Director, Guy Wilkinson for over 25 years and have been completely impressed with his professionalism and industry knowledge. We recently collaborated with Viability on a special assignment for one of our clients in Saudi Arabia. Guy’s work was comprehensive and well appreciated by our mutual client. In today’s rapidly changing markets, we believe Viability has a proven record of excellence and accuracy.
Phil McArthur, Founder & Chairman, McArthur Retail Development Specialists
Viability is a remarkable company that executed a comprehensive feasibility study for our project in Zanzibar. Their unwavering professionalism and the unmatched quality of their work truly set them apart. Their dedication to excellence is evident in every aspect of their service. We are immensely grateful for their expertise and commitment to our project’s success.
Renos Fountoulakis, hotel developer
We have engaged Viability for the process of selecting and negotiating an International Hotel Operator to manage our hotel property in Jeddah, KSA. The amount of effort, quality, and diligence is beyond our expectations. Viability are, also, amazing in understanding the specific needs and requirements of the owner which are always reflected clearly in the Process. I would definitely work with them again. Great Partners.
Fahad M. Al-Alloush, CEO, Al Raya Real Estate
“Viability partnered with Mada’in Properties in the risk and return analysis of one of our key signature developments. We were continually impressed with Viability’s sound judgement and precision in regards to identifying the autonomous needs of us as their client, along with their willingness to address the unforeseen issues that arose throughout the course of the assignment. Truly an expert consulting company.”
“When we were planning for the creation of the new Dubai World Trade Centre District, we needed a comprehensive overview of conditions in the Dubai hotel markets. Viability was known to our senior management team due to previous work successfully undertaken for both the DWTC and other developers. Following a competitive tender, he was appointed to carry out this survey. The resulting 300-page document more than answered the questions we had, including a district by district characterisation and quantification of current and planned future hotels, a well-reasoned prognosis for future demand conditions, and a drilled down focus on outstanding facilities and services provided by competitive hotels in our own immediate catchment. Viability’s subsequent work for us in analysing hotel management contracts from potential hotel operators also proved a most valuable contribution to our knowledge base.”
“Your report was totally awesome!”
“Viability produced two comprehensive feasibility studies for us in regard to a hotel and a serviced residence, both in Nizwa, Oman. Their work went beyond the scope of typical feasibility studies in including primary research surveys of local companies in the area and national tour operators based in Muscat, to characterise their typical utilisation of transient accommodation in Nizwa and test their perceptions of our concept. The resulting reports gave us a high degree of clarity with regard to the characteristics and challenges of the markets we were planning to enter, and helped us fine-tune the facilities of our projects accordingly.”
“We hired Viability to undertake a study for boutique hotel project to be managed by a top European operator in Dubai. In this case, working closely with our own team, that of the operator and Viability’s design consultant, First Wave, they were able to produce an up-to-the-minute market overview, a realistic architectural approach for converting an existing office block, and financial projections showing how the investment could be structured to be viable, all under the pressure of an imminent deadline. We greatly valued their professionalism and dedication throughout this process. In particular, we appreciated their knowledge of the factors distinguishing boutique hotels from conventional properties, and their ability to focus on the real-life practicalities of a difficult building conversion and a challenging BOT period.”
“While working on the feasibility of a unique resort project on one of the beautiful coasts of Oman, we found in Viability a great partner with market knowledge and objective understanding which gave us great clarity and a sense of direction.”
“Avari Hotels International requested Viability to prepare a survey for the possible takeover of a hotel in Abu Dhabi. The detailed and thorough results provided, covering all the aspects of our request, were done in a very professional manner, leaving us only with the final decision to be taken. We have also used other companies for similar services in the past, Viability’s commitment stands above all”.
“Viability was recommended to us on the basis of its excellent relationships with the leading hotel operators in the region and its invaluable experience in negotiating management contracts with them. They worked closely with us throughout the key stages of the negotiation process. We would recommend Viability to any other hotel owner needing conscientious, well-informed advice at this key stage in the development process.”
“We engaged Viability to identify for us an international hotel management company for two properties in Saudi Arabia. The reports prepared by Viability for aiding us to short-list a suitable operator were in each case very professional and extremely informative for us to make decisions. Subsequently Viability advised and directed us in the negotiations with the hotel operators with a very focused goal of safeguarding the business interests of the owner whilst being practical and pragmatic towards closing the negotiations. Viability’s very broad knowledge of the hotel industry in the Middle East was extremely helpful in this process.”
“Viability has always delivered professional work with relevant details which help decision-makers establish their strategy with confidence and with complete and accurate information on the marketplace and best practices.”
“NorthCourse has called upon the services of Viability on several occasions for market and financial feasibility work in connection with Dubai real estate projects. We found them to share our own ideals of detail-orientation and realism in the assessment of both market potential and likely financial returns.”
“Viability produced an excellent feasibility study in connection with our resort project in Zanzibar, which – while clearly identifying the many challenges of the market there – recommended a multi-component project specification that would allow us to target lucrative market niches with appropriate hospitality products. Subsequent to the feasibility study, we hired Viability to administer the operator search process, which they did with great professionalism. Thanks to their contacts, we now have a shortlist of top global resort operators that have all expressed interest in our project.”
“Viability was recommended to us for their experience in sourcing top quality hotel operators. We hired them to do so for us in connection with the new luxury hotel we are building at the upcoming Al-Othman Commercial Complex and Towers in Al Khobar, and the result is that this project now contains the Kempinski Al-Othman Hotel. Viability supported us ably through every stage of the tendering and negotiations.”
“Following a recommendation from one of our hotel operators, Istithmar World appointed Viability to undertake a business optimization exercise at the easyHotel Dubai – Jebel Ali. Their work comprised two comprehensive reports on both internal and external factors, as well as a period of interim management during which they successfully implemented a number of structural and operational changes to our satisfaction.”
“For its first large-scale serviced apartments project, Arabian Homes turned for advice to Viability, whose name we knew rom their magazine articles on the subject. Viability’s market study gave us a comprehensive understanding of the Jeddah transient accommodation market that we were planning to enter, as well as invaluable insight into the optimum building concept for a new serviced residence in our location.”
