JW Marriott head: The predictability degree is higher, but to do business you must fight every day

Igael Porecki, general manager of JW Marriott, Bucharest's largest five-star hotel unit, is upbeat and he can see signs of the hotel market rebounding in the first quarter, when the hotel operated at a 6% higher occupancy rate than in the same period of last year.

"While there's higher predictability, to do business you must fight every day. The hotel's revenues rose in the first three months of this year against the same period of last year. I believe budgets can be met, even though this is not easy," stated Israeli-born Igael Porecki, general manager of JW Marriott Hotel that operates 402 rooms.

He has not offered any data on the first-quarter occupancy rate or revenues, but last year's average in January-August period revolved around 60%, according to previous information.

Asked by ZF whether the hotel stepped into the black last year, Porecki, who took over from Austrian Kurt Strohmayer in late June 2009, stated the hotel was profitable, without providing any further information.

"I expect better results this year than last year's. I'm trying, though, to be highly vigilant. Although the world economy has slightly recovered, Romania has barely started to feel some growth".

Almost 1m euros will be invested this year to renovate five conference rooms, after a 1.2m-euro investment was completed last year in the renovation of the biggest event hall, Grand Ballroom, and the modernisation of Vienna Café's space on the hotel's first floor.