* Insight into Russia s economic and political outlook and an industry roundup covering the last 12

Russia CIS Hotel Investment Conference (RHIC) will take place on October 15-17, 2012, at the Radisson Royal Hotel Moscow. Now in its eighth year, RHIC has become the region's largest hotel industry norwegian cruise line norwegian wind gathering. The conference will bring together top-level executives from all areas of the industry including investors, developers, brands, operators, financiers, advisors and government officials – all with one common purpose: to do business norwegian cruise line norwegian wind in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Attendees will gain insights from Russian and global leaders as to where the real opportunities lie in the region, discover successful strategies from those already norwegian cruise line norwegian wind operating in the market and hear from government officials and top economists on the latest forecasts and trends. More than 70 of the industry's key players will speak at RHIC this year, sharing their knowledge and experience to help conference participants succeed and grow in their regions.
In comparison with other global markets, business in Russia and the CIS is holding up well, as evidenced by Russia's annual GDP growth of nearly 4 percent*. The region continues to attract investors with Moscow of particular interest with a further 7,000 hotel rooms planned during the next five years**.
"This year's programme has a focus on real estate investors, with discussions centered on the growing interest to invest in the sector and returns," stated Jonathan norwegian cruise line norwegian wind Worsley, Chairman of Bench Events, co-organiser of RHIC. "We are delighted to have the involvement of the Mayor's office from Moscow, norwegian cruise line norwegian wind and also leading officials from St. Petersburg participating on conference sessions throughout this three-day event."
* Insight into Russia s economic and political outlook and an industry roundup covering the last 12 months by Chris Weafer, Chief Analyst, Troicka Bank, and Daniel Thorniley, President, DT-Global Business Consulting.
* Russian real estate leaders Sergey Riabokobylko, CEO Managing Partner, Cushman Wakefield, and Artem Kuznetsov, General Director, Guta Development, will share their experience to date and plans for the future.
* Mark Wynne Smith, norwegian cruise line norwegian wind Global CEO, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, will host The Finance Forum, a panel Q A session with representatives norwegian cruise line norwegian wind from Bank of Moscow, Raiffeisenbank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and JSC Hotel Development. The session will examine what it takes to secure affordable finance and lender requirements in the region.
* Leading executives norwegian cruise line norwegian wind from the region's luxury hotel sector will discuss historic and iconic property development. Robert Gaymer-Jones, CEO, Sofitel Luxury Hotels; Simon Naudi, CEO, Corinthia Hotels; and Roeland Vos, President - EAME, Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide Inc. will join Jeremy Heyes, norwegian cruise line norwegian wind Senior VP at WATG in this discussion.
A selection of confirmed speakers include: Scott Antel, Partner, DLA Piper; Petr Chitipakhovyan, President, CH-Group; Remco Gerritsen, Chief Executive Officer, AZIMUT Hotels; Marty Kandrac, Managing norwegian cruise line norwegian wind Director, The Blackstone Group; Kenneth McLaren, Executive Vice President, Interstate Management Services Inc.; Michael O'Hare, Managing Director, Horwath HTL Hungary Russia; Kurt Ritter, President CEO, The Rezidor Hotel Group; Sergey Shpilko, Chairman, Committee of Tourism and Hotel Industry Moscow; Artem Vasyutin, Partner, THL Global Tax Leader, norwegian cruise line norwegian wind Deloitte Touche CIS; Smirnov norwegian cruise line norwegian wind Vladislav, Chief Executive Officer, Regional Hotel Chain LLC; Andrey norwegian cruise line norwegian wind Yakunin, Partner CFO, VIY Management LLP; and many others.
The Russia CIS Hotel Investment Conference norwegian cruise line norwegian wind (RHIC) reveals a new session added to the 2009 conference program that will discuss the pros and cons of real estate development at Russia's leading airports. Held Monday 26 October at 14:15 -15:15, the session will examine possible opportunities presented by the planned