8 minute read
Hotels
FIVE MINUTES WITH EMMA BANKS, HILTON’S VISIONARY HOSPITALITY EXECUTIVE
AURELIO GIRAUDO, CLUSTER GENERAL MANAGER OF THE BANYAN TREE DOHA & LA CIGALE HOTEL MANAGED BY ACCOR
Emma Banks, VP F&B strategy and development EMEA of Hilton, is a multi-award winner, guest writer and seasoned hospitality professional. We spoke to her about the challenges and opportunities the industry is currently witnessing and her own experiences.
What has been your greatest professional achievement to date?
Being appointed VP of Hilton, a leading global hospitality company with passionate and talented team members and incredible corporate responsibility initiatives, was a milestone.
What has been the biggest challenge you have faced at work?
Like many other people, adjusting to and leading my area of the business through the pandemic was immensely challenging. I had to dig deep and empower my wonderful team.
Does Hilton have any exciting projects coming up?
Hilton has 372 hotels in the pipeline for EMEA, 86 of which are in the Middle East; each hotel has an average of three F&B spaces. My team and I continue to work relentlessly to deliver our vision, which is to make Hilton EMEA F&B the best in the world. linkedin.com/in/emma-banks-4782a611
Read the full interview on hospitalitynewsmag.com
Qatar-based industry professional Aurelio Giraudo shares his thoughts on how the pandemic is changing the world of F&B.
How do you think F&B in hotels will evolve?
The pandemic has forced us to rethink all of our priorities, including sustainability, diversity, innovation, engagement and personalization. In food and beverage, we can expect a sea of change that will focus on the individual experiences of guests. To elaborate, guests would like to have new and unique travel experiences, instead of the cookie-cutter experiences like franchised restaurants. We will witness the creation of “super brands,” with more celebratory chefs and mixologists who will be creating new brands under their label. In terms of F&B trends, I personally think that within the current climate, the takeout and delivery side of businesses will continue in an upward trajectory; with more and more ghost kitchens opening up to support restaurants or kitchens that cannot execute takeout from their own premises. Al fresco dining and outdoor seating areas are likely to remain popular. Dining rooms will reopen, respecting social distancing protocols and offering scannable QR codes instead of physical menus.
TRENDING ON
HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM
IHG introduces its luxury brand InterContinental in Morocco IHG Hotels & Resorts recently signed an agreement with Immohold Hospitality to introduce the InterContinental Hotels and Resorts brand in Rabat. The signing is aligned with IHG’s strategy to build on its luxury portfolio and expand into key gateway markets across the MEA region. ihgplc.com
Radisson Hotel Group is planning 30 new openings across the EMEA region this year Radisson Hotel Group looks ahead to 2021 with 30 planned hotel openings — the equivalent of 5,000 rooms — across the EMEA, building on the group’s 40+ signings announced in 2020. The group’s 2020 expansion included the introduction of the Radisson Individuals brand and the announcement of ambitious plans to double its portfolio of Serviced Apartments by 2025. Planned openings in 2021 also include seven exciting properties in the group’s premium lifestyle Radisson Collection brand. The hotels will open in France, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Radisson Hotel Group also announced the debut of its fourth brand in the UAE with the opening of Radisson Hotel Dubai DAMAC Hills. radissonhotelgroup.com
What are your upcoming projects?
The big thing for Accor in Doha was the opening of Banyan Tree Doha at La Cigale Mushaireb Hotel & Residences, which opened on May 12, 2021, and has made a big impact in the luxury market. Accor has big plans for Doha, wherein Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, Rixos, Novotel, Pullman, Ibis and Adagio hotels are expected to open in the next two years. La Cigale Hotel Managed by Accor, which is one of the most popular food destinations in the city, will witness a soft refurbishment of all its food and beverage outlets and come up with exciting new concepts in the next eight to 12 months. banyantree.com all.accor.com
Read the full interview on hospitalitynewsmag.com
OPENED
EGYPT
THE ST. REGIS ALMASA OPENS ITS DOORS IN EGYPT’S NEW ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITAL St. Regis Hotels and Resorts, part of Marriott International, announced the opening of The St. Regis Almasa with the rebranding of the Almasa Hotel. The St. Regis Almasa offers 270 rooms, 90 suites, 60 apartments and 14 villas. The hotel boasts a 42,000-square-foot convention center. st-regis.marriott.com RIXOS PREMIUM MAGAWISH SUITES & VILLAS IS NOW WELCOMING GUESTS The all-inclusive Rixos Premium Magawish Suites & Villas is Hurghada’s newest resort. The five-star property features 255,000 square meters of landscaped grounds alongside 410 suites, villas, meeting halls, food and beverage options, leisure and entertainment facilities and a spa. rixos.com
UAE
RESIDENCE INN BY MARRIOTT DEBUTS IN THE UAE Residence Inn by Marriott, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 brands, announced its debut in the United Arab Emirates with the opening of Residence Inn by Marriott Al Jaddaf. The hotel features 134 residential suites, many of which boast private terraces. The hotel also features a meeting room space and a boardroom. marriott.com
OPENING SOON
KSA
SOUDAH DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LAUNCHED TO DEVELOP A WORLD CLASS MOUNTAIN DESTINATION His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has launched Soudah Development Company (SDC) in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia. The planned developments include 2,700 hotel rooms, 1,300 residential units and 30 unique commercial and entertainment attractions. Opening date: TBC soudah.sa
EGYPT
TIME HOTELS TO DEBUT IN EGYPT: TWO PROPERTIES UNDERWAY UAE-based TIME Hotels will open its first two hotels in Egypt. The properties include the five-star TIME Coral Resort Nuweiba in the Red Sea resort of Nuweiba and the four-star TIME Marina Hotel & Conference Centre near Al Alamein on the Mediterranean coast, which is being hailed as Egypt’s second capital. The 130-room TIME Marina Hotel & Conference Centre is situated just 10 minutes from New Al Alamein City on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast and can accommodate more than 350 delegates. It also features a rooftop lounge, a restaurant, coffee shop, gym and pool. Opening date: Later this year. timehotels.ae
DUBAI
IHG SIGNS AGREEMENT FOR VOCO BONNINGTON JUMEIRAH LAKES TOWERS DUBAI IHG® Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has signed a franchise agreement with Bonnington Hospitality JLT for voco Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Towers Dubai. Currently operating as Bonnington Hotel, home to the world-renowned McGettigan’s Pub & Restaurant group, the hotel will feature 208 keys and is expected to be rebranded to voco. Opening date: Q3 2021. ihg.com
IHG HOTELS & RESORTS APPOINTS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF INDIA, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA (IMEA) IHG Hotels & Resorts has appointed Haitham Mattar as managing director of India, Middle East & Africa (IMEA), replacing the outgoing Pascal Gauvin who left the post at the end of 2020.
With more than 25 years of experience, Mattar will be responsible for driving IHG’s business in the Middle East, Africa and the South West Asia region, taking responsibility for both both development and operations across a portfolio of 165 operational hotels and a pipeline of over 100 properties. ADAM DEVERSON TAKES UP ROLE OF GENERAL MANAGER AT CROWNE PLAZA MUSCAT OCEC InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has appointed Adam Deverson as the general manager of Crowne Plaza Muscat OCEC.
Before joining Crowne Plaza Muscat OCEC, Deverson served as the director of food and beverage at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley. Building on firm foundations in the industry, he served as the director of food and beverage in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he achieved new levels of top-line GOP and RevPAR. ACCOR APPOINTS NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR OF RAFFLES DUBAI & SOFITEL DUBAI THE OBELISK Accor has announced the appointment of Ammar Hilal as managing director of Raffles Dubai & Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk. Joining from Fairmont Dubai, a hotel within the Accor portfolio, Hilal will oversee the daily operations of the new flagship property as well as lead the strategic direction of the iconic Raffles Dubai, pioneering the luxury hospitality scene in the city.
NEW GM FOR STEIGENBERGER HOTEL DOHA Deutsche Hospitality’s flagship property in Qatar, the Steigenberger Hotel Doha, has appointed Sherief Abouelmagd as general manager. Abouelmagd will oversee all aspects of operations at the hotel, focusing on devising and implementing optimum strategies to maximize profitability. He will also lead the management team, strengthening the hotel’s main objective to deliver excellent guest experiences. THREE NEW SENIOR APPOINTMENTS MADE WITHIN THE JUMEIRAH GROUP Jumeirah Group has announced three key appointments across three of its GCC hotels. The general manager positions across two hotels in the UAE and the group’s upcoming property in Oman have been filled by existing company talents. The three new general managers started their roles on March 15, 2021.
Marcus Sutton Marcus Sutton takes on the role of GM at Zabeel House by Jumeirah, The Greens following three years at Jumeirah Emirates Towers as hotel manager and then general manager. In his new role, he will lead the team at the vibrant, lifestyle-led property, driving engagement and interest within the local and international markets, in addition to heading up the commercial strategy of the property.
Kirti Anchan Kirti Anchan has stepped into the role of GM at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, an iconic landmark of the famed Dubai skyline. The promotion recognizes his extensive experience with the Jumeirah brand, gained since he joined the group in 2004, as well as his unwavering dedication in his most recent role as hotel manager of Jumeirah Zabeel Saray.
Luke James In its third appointment, Jumeirah Group said Luke James will assume the role of GM and oversee operations at Jumeirah Muscat Bay, Oman, which is due to open later this year.
