Hotel Development Director / Tourism Real Estate

The Hotel Development Director plays a crucial role in expanding a hotel group's portfolio by identifying new opportunities and managing real estate projects from start to finish. They act as the central point for internal teams, investors, and external partners.

Their main responsibilities include:

• Site Identification and Acquisition: Analyzing the market, selecting suitable land or buildings, evaluating economic potential, and negotiating acquisitions.
• Real Estate Project Development: Supervising the construction, renovation, or expansion of hotels and tourist resorts in collaboration with architects, engineers, and urban planners.
• Financial and Strategic Management: Establishing provisional budgets, calculating project profitability, tracking investments, and proposing optimization strategies.
• Team and Partner Coordination: Managing internal teams (project, legal, finance) and collaborating with investors, banks, local authorities, and consulting firms.
• Regulatory and Legal Monitoring: Ensuring all projects comply with local standards, urban planning laws, safety, and environmental regulations.
• Reporting to General Management: Presenting project progress, financial results, and recommendations for future acquisitions or developments.

Required Skills

To succeed in this role, a Hotel Development Director must combine technical, financial, and managerial skills:

• Real Estate and Urban Planning Knowledge: Mastery of the technical aspects of construction, layout, and regulations.
• Financial Analysis and Project Management: The ability to calculate profitability, develop business plans, and manage a project from start to finish.
• Management and Coordination: The ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and work with various partners.
• Commercial and Negotiation Skills: The aptitude to convince investors, banks, and strategic partners.
• Foreign Language Proficiency: English is essential, and a second language is a plus in an international context.
• Soft Skills: Thoroughness, organizational skills, strategic thinking, communication abilities, and a long-term vision.

Training to Become a Hotel Development Director

The position generally requires a Master's degree (Bac+5 or equivalent) with a specialization in one of the following areas:

• Hospitality and Tourism: MBA in hotel management at Vatel or MBA in tourist real estate management.
• Real Estate and Urban Planning: Master's degree in real estate, finance, or real estate development.
• Project Management and Strategic Management.

Prior experience in hotel development, asset management, or hotel management is often essential.

Salary

The salary of a Hotel Development Director varies depending on the company's size, the type of project, and experience.

• Entry-level: €4,500 to €6,000 gross per month
• Experienced Profile: €8,000 to €12,000 gross per month
• Senior Director / Large International Groups: Up to €15,000 gross per month, including bonuses.

Possible Career Paths

After several years in this position, a Hotel Development Director can advance to:

• General Manager of a hotel group
• Director of International Expansion or Development
• Strategic Consultant or Hotel Investment Expert
• Creation and management of their own tourist real estate consulting firm

Success Stories of Vatel Graduates