SPATIAL ANALYISIS OF COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE IN AN EMERGING CITY: PERSPECTIVE OF HOTELS IN WA

Abstract

In the global South, within the process of emerging cities are the developments of hotels. Hotel investment and performance constitute pertinent issues to investors, end-users, and city planners alike. However, the performance of these hotels in emerging cities has received less academic attention as research gap. In bridging this gap, the study assessed the spatial effects of urban infrastructure services to hotels, determines the indigenous drivers of hotel supply, and conducted investment returns assessment of hotels from the perspective of an emerging city, Wa based on the neoclassical theory of Tobin. The study used the exploratory case study research with mixed method. Based on a Stratified random sampling, 33 registered hotels were selected constituting 4 Grade 1, 7 Grade 2, and 22 Budget Grade hotels from the Ghana Tourist Authority, Wa. Based on proximity test, the study uncovered negative and weak effects of urban infrastructure services with hotel investment, which mirrored in low clients turn-out in Wa. The study’s factor analysis revealed that location, noise, and crime were the highest indigenous drivers of hotel investment. Again, it was revealed that Budget hotels have been increasing over the years with promising returns of GH₵6,000.00 to GH₵10,000.00 over the past 14 years. Grade two hotels made a stable growth of GH₵6,000.00 to GH₵9,000.00 and GH₵9,000.00 to GH₵10,000.00 between the period of 2005 to 2019. Grade one hotels are not many, but have experience a rise in average returns of (GH₵13,000.00+) between 2015 to 2019. Also, the results revealed Budget hotels’ underperformance. The growth of the city vis-à-vis hotel investments require that development planners adopt development-based infrastructure provision strategy that captures hotel investment. New hotel investors require a market study to examine the nature of Wa hotel market before entering the market. Security should be increased in busy neighbourhoods closer to hotels to avoid crime. Originally, this study has integrated spatial analytical approach with hotel investment and performance in an emerging city.