Horwath HTL, a global consultancy network specialized in hospitality, tourism and leisure, has opened its first office in Romania through a strategic partnership with Călin Ile and Lucian Marinescu, founders of Premier Hospitality. The new entity aims to transform Bucharest into a regional consultancy hub, which will serve, in addition to the local market, the markets of the Republic of Moldova and Bulgaria, benefiting from the direct support of the regional structure Horwath HTL DACH.
As part of this transaction, local consulting firm Premier Hospitality becomes part of the Horwath DACH group (Germany – Austria – Switzerland), and is subsequently integrated into Horwath Romania. The office is founded by Lucian Marinescu, Managing Partner, and Călin Ile, with Iulian Sava as Executive Director. The founders bring significant experience in the hotel market, having been involved throughout their careers in more than 60 projects that have contributed to cumulative investments of over EUR 300 million in Romania. The launch comes at a time of expansion of the local market, characterized by the planning or construction of over 25 new hotels under international brands such as Accor, Marriott, Hilton, InterContinental and Radisson Hotels Group.
The company’s objective is to bring global expertise and relevant data to support the decisions of investors and local authorities. Lucian Marinescu emphasized the need for informed development strategies as local authorities become increasingly interested in tourism opportunities. The company also announced its intention to contribute to the training of industry professionals, including through training sessions for Destination Management Organizations (DMOs). James Chappell, Global Business Director Horwath HTL, described Romania as an emerging market with under-utilized destinations but with real opportunities for sustainable projects. Horwath HTL, headquartered in New York, operates over 50 offices in more than 40 countries, with a portfolio of over 50,000 completed projects.