Publications
CoStar.com Columnist
Since 2012, Mr. Kracer has been a columnist for HotelNewsNow.com, a division of STR (acquired by the CoStar Group in 2019), and the leading hotel knowledge portal. As a recognized regional expert, Mr. Kracer covers cross-border topics and emerging trends in the hospitality sectors of South Florida, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
To read his latest columns, see links below or go to: https://www.CoStar.com/
Mexico Weathers Another Tourism Storm, Faces Headwinds in 2021
June 2021 – Mexico City, Mexico
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
Positive Trends Point to Resiliency, High Prospects for Rebound…
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Ten Tips for Developing a Hospitality Project
February 2021 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Approach…
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Refocused outlook for the Mexican tourism industry
July 2020 – Mexico City, Mexico
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
Mexico’s tourism industry is facing a perfect storm and a few key factors are affecting regularly robust tourism…
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5 themes to watch for Mexican hotels in 2019
April 2019 – Mexico City, Mexico
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
The industry outlook for Mexican hotels in 2019 looks to be somewhat difficult and perhaps volatile at times, as political, economic and other industry-specific challenges are present; however, there’s still room for optimism for Mexican owners and investors….
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Strategic alliances proliferate in all-inclusive space
November 2018 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
Strategic partnerships in the all-inclusive resort sector are becoming more common…
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Undaunted By Puerto Rico’s Financial Mess, Hospitality Industry Blazes Ahead
July 2018 – Miami, Florida
Interviewed by Deirdra Funcheon (South Florida Reporter, Bisnow.com)
…Amid these challenges, the hospitality industry is putting on its best face and charging sunnily ahead…
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South Florida hotel investment heads north
July 2018 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
Beyond Miami, well-known lodging REITs and private equity firms are investing in the surrounding attractive markets of Broward County, especially Fort Lauderdale…
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What to expect from Mexican hotels in 2018
April 2018 – Mexico City, Mexico
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
A variety of macro and micro factors create a bumpy 2018 for the Mexican hospitality industry…
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The Caribbean momentum: In four themes
January 2018 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
Despite the significant hurdles the region faces following Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, there are plenty of reasons for optimism in the Caribbean…
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Spanish resorts eye business mix with urban markets
October 2017 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
The motivation for Spanish hotel companies to move from the resort segment into urban markets is two-fold: Diversification and brand awareness…
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Spanish resort companies have arrived in urban markets
September 2017 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
Spain-based hotel companies like Meliá, Barceló, Riu and Iberostar have successfully expanded from their key resort product and entered urban markets globally…
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Takeaways from Mexico, Caribbean, LatAm investments
December 2016 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
A flood of new capital has opened up development activity in the region; here’s a look at the trends that have emerged from that…
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5 trends shaping the Caribbean and Latin America
August 2016 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
The seas of change are encroaching on the Caribbean and Latin America hotel markets, and Brexit, Zika and currency devaluation are all part of the tide…
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First Hampton Inn opens in South Beach
September 2015 – Miami, Florida
Reported by Katherine Kallergis (South Florida Reporter, Therealdeal.com/miami/)
Neighboring hotels include the Gale, Kaskades Suites and the SLS South Beach…
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Mexican hospitality brand to launch in Miami
July 2015 – Miami, Florida
Reported by Katherine Kallergis (South Florida Reporter, Therealdeal.com/miami/)
Grupo Posadas’ Live Aqua lifestyle brand has yet to announce a specific Miami site…
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Why investors are lured to Central America
April 2015 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
Central America’s hotel industry is getting a lot of attention these days from investors, who are willing to look past infrastructure and security issues in the region…
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Baha Mar faces major challenges, high stakes
March 2015 – Nassau, Bahamas
Interviewed by John Buchanan (Contributor, HotelsNewsNow.com)
The 2,200-room megaresort faces new delays on eve of its 27 March opening ceremony, meaning key stakeholders will have to wait longer still to realize its full impact…
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Cabo continues to make its comeback
January 2015 – Mexico City, Mexico
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
Devastated by Hurricane Odile, Cabo has seen a resurgence led by luxury brand developments…
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Chinese investors get active in development
October 2014 – Miami, Florida
Interviewed by Ed Watkins (Editor-at-Large, HotelsNewsNow.com)
Chinese investors and lenders are developing hotel properties across the globe. Many are high-profile, mixed-use projects…
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Baha Mar’s setbacks point to larger issues
August 2014 – Nassau, Bahamas
Interviewed by John Buchanan (Contributor, HotelsNewsNow.com)
The highly-anticipated Bahamas mega-resort has faced a series of challenges over the past five months, which raises key issues for the future of the destination…
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The changing landscape of Miami’s hotel market
August 2014 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
Miami’s hotel market is changing with the influx of international brands, especially from Asia and Latin America, and unique niche products…
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Private equity dives into all-inclusives
May 2014 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
A major transformation within the all-inclusive resort segment is under way, as large private equity investors provide capital into the sector…
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How to seize the ‘Mexico moment’ in 3 steps
December 2013 – Mexico City, Mexico
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
Mexico has rebounded as a land of opportunity, but hoteliers should heed these guidelines before jumping in head first…
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Asia/Pacific investors discover the Caribbean
July 2013 – Miami, Florida
Interviewed by John Buchanan (Contributor, HotelsNewsNow.com)
Accelerating investment activity in the Caribbean can be traced to strong liquidity in the Asian capital markets as well as weak local debt markets….
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Hyatt goes against the tide with resort buy
July 2013 – Miami, Florida
Interviewed by Jason Freed (News Editor, HotelsNewsNow.com)
Hyatt’s “relationship-driven” deal to acquire a stake in Playa Hotels & Resorts brings a new customer base to the global brand….
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Vertical integration resurfaces in resorts
July 2013 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
Global travel companies are forming their own hotel ownership and management divisions, employing an asset-heavy strategy in the Mexican and Caribbean resort markets….
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A ‘South to North equation’ for SoFla hotels
May 2013 – Miami, Florida
Reported by Emily Schmall (South Florida Bureau Chief, Therealdeal.com/miami/)
Following the U.S. recession and amid the steady growth of Latin America’s middle class, Latin American hotel companies are expanding north of the border, Hotelnewsnow.com reported…
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Latin American brands enter US markets
April 2013 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
For decades, hotel companies in the United States ventured south of the border, growing aggressively within Latin America. But now, a new cross-border trend has begun: the influx of Latin American hotel brands to the U.S., or the “South to North” equation…
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Haiti presents challenges to hotel developers
March 2013 – Miami, Florida
Interviewed by Ed Watkins (Editor-at-Large, HotelsNewsNow.com)
REPORT FROM HAITI — Haiti is a country that presents both opportunities and challenges for hotel developers and operators…
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First Mexican hotel-focused REIT emerges
December 2012 – Miami, Florida
Authored by Jonathan Kracer
FIBRA Hotelera Mexicana went public Friday on the Mexican stock exchange, becoming Mexico’s first hotel-focused real estate investment trust, or Fideicomiso de Inversión en Bienes Raíces de Mexico…
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Presentations
Speaking Engagements
Mr. Kracer has been invited as a moderator, panelist, and featured speaker at numerous hotel and real estate industry conferences and academic institutions in the U.S., Mexico, and Latin America, in addition to serving as a quarterly columnist for HotelNewsNow.com (now part of CoStar.com) and to writing for other hotel and real estate industry publications. For speaking engagement requests, please email: press@sioncapitalco.com.
American Bar Association International Law Section, Cross-Border Real Estate Committee Webinar
August 2020 – Miami, Florida
Panelist: Jonathan Kracer
Panelists (Ankura Real Estate Advisory, Acevedo Belt, Banco Sabadell, City-Yuwa Partners, Ernst & Young, STR, Sion Capital LLC) discuss the “Impact of COVID-19 on Hospitality’s Future: Practical Industry Considerations for Attorneys”
For more information: https://www.americanbar.org/events-cle/
Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management Hotel Asset Management Course
April 2019 – Miami, Florida
Panel Judge: Jonathan Kracer
Hotel Investment Case Study Presentation
For more information: http://www.hospitality.fiu.edu
Caribbean Hospitality Investment Summit
August 2018 – Miami, Florida
Moderator: Jonathan Kracer
Panelists (Playa Resorts, Hilton Worldwide, Kimpton Hotels, Dream Hotel Group, Trust Hospitality, Dart Development) will explore hospitality trends & opportunities with the top investors, developers, lenders and deal makers in the Caribbean hospitality markets
For more information: http://bisnow.com
American Bar Association Section of International Law Fall Conference
October 2017 – Miami, Florida
Panelist: Jonathan Kracer
Panelists (Sion Capital LLC, Melia Hotels International, Bilzin Sumberg, Gunster, Rosen Law) analyze the Mexico FDI Outlook in the Wake of Trump: Is tourism and real estate the last hope after trade deals and energy investment falter?
For more information: http://americanbar.org
LatamPR Conference
June 2017 – Miami, Florida
Panelist: Jonathan Kracer
Industry leaders (Sion Capital LLC, Hotel Quando, DHL Americas, Outloud Communications) discuss expanding U.S. businesses to Latin America with LatamPR senior executives
For more information: http://latampr.com
Les Roches International School of Hotel Management Global Leadership Careers Workshop
March 2017 – Chicago, Illinois
Panelist: Jonathan Kracer
Hospitality and Entrepreneurship Panel: Insight into the exciting world of hospitality as well as entrepreneurship opportunities within this sector
For more information: http://lesroches.edu
Real Estate Investment World Latin America Conference
May 2015 – Miami, Florida
Moderator: Jonathan Kracer
Roundtable: Mexico’s public lodging investment landscape, from C-Corps to FIBRAs to Real Estate CCDS Funds – a look at the associated opportunities and challenges
For more information: http://terrapin.com/
Hotel Opportunities Latin America Investment Conference
April 2015 – Miami, Florida
Moderator: Jonathan Kracer
Panel: Casas de Capital is an interactive session between hotel equity capital providers (Equity International, Starwood Capital, Canyon Equity, and Playa Hotels & Resorts) and HOLA delegates
For more information: http://holaconference.com/
Cornell University School of Hotel Administration Properties Development and Planning Course
October 2014 – Ithaca, New York
Featured Speaker: Jonathan Kracer
Best Practices for Investing In, Designing, and Developing Mexican Resorts
For more information: http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu
HOTELS INNOVATE™ Conference
March 2014 – Miami, Florida
Co-Sponsor: Jonathan Kracer
The Premier Event Exploring Innovation in the Hospitality Industry
For more information: http://vimeo.com/
Cornell University School of Hotel Administration Principles of Hospitality Real Estate Course
October 2013 – Ithaca, New York
Featured Speaker: Jonathan Kracer
An Inside Look: Understanding Mexican Hospitality Investments and Structuring Residential Real Estate Deals
For more information: http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu
Cornell University School of Hotel Administration Hotelie Entrepreneurs’ Speaker Series
October 2012 – Ithaca, New York
Featured Speaker: Jonathan Kracer
Hospitality Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets
For more information: http://eship.dyson.cornell.edu
Cornell University Latin American Alumni Symposium
April 2012 – Miami, Florida
Moderated by Jonathan Kracer
Panel: The Outlook for Commercial Real Estate Markets in Latin America, Mexico and the Caribbean where panelists (La Quinta Inns & Suites, Pinilla Gonzalez & Prieto Abogados, IEDIFIKO, Inc.), will identify key opportunities in the sector and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of real estate investments in these rapidly growing markets
For more information: http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu