Hotel & Catering News ME - May 2020

MAY 2020

ALL THE LATEST FROM THE MIDDLE EAST HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

#ALWAYSOPENFORYOU

In Focus

A SPECIAL FEATURE IN SUPPORT OF LOCAL BUSINESSES

EUROPE’S OLDEST LUXURY HOTEL GROUP

HEART-TOHEART ACCOR’S PEOPLE-FIRST APPROACH TO BATTLING `THE GLOBAL HEALTH PANDEMIC

P48 - THE MIDDLE EAST’S VERY FIRST SPECIALTY COFFEE ROASTERY, BORN IN THE HEART OF DUBAI

MAY 2020

Celebrating Traditions Together

Ramadan Kareem

Connect with us to view our portfolio, recipes, tips and more.

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MAY 2020 // ISSUE #023

CONTENTS

12 08 News

24

34 Openings & Launches

GM Interview

38 Movers & Shakers

FEATURES 08 //

NEWS

12 //

OPENINGS AND LAUNCHES

18 //

#ALWAYSOPENFORYOU Nestlé Professional MENA

22 //

COVER STORY Accor

28 //

CHAIN FOCUS Kempinski Hotels

32 //

OPINION Naim Maadad

34 //

GM INTERVIEW Kosta Kourotsidis, Fairmont Ajman

38 //

MOVERS & SHAKERS Raffaella Campagnoli

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MAY 2020 // ISSUE #023

CONTENTS

On the web Read the latest news, features and much more on our website. www.hotelnewsme.com

42 48

FEATURES 46 4

HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME

42 //

NEW PLAYER The Bowl One

44 //

MARKETPLACE Traka ASSA ABLOY

46 //

FURTHER AFIELD Asia Discovered

48 //

SUPPLIER WATCH RAW Coffee

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MAY 2020

EDITOR'S LETTER

A note from the editor

DINA MAATY

Director Rabih Najm Rabih@bncpublishing.net CEO Wissam Younane Wissam@bncpublishing.net

es – these are challenging times for the hospitality and F&B industries. However, I think it’s safe to express how blown away we all are with the adaptability mechanisms we never knew these markets had, especially since no one could have ever predicted a global pandemic of this magnitude, or what it could mean for all of us.

As always, the UAE has spared no efforts in battling the pandemic, and we’re now at a safe, happy place, seeing the world being rebuilt around us, bit by bit. We watch in awe as we see the smallest of businesses get back on their feet, and the big players shift strategies in swift – yet calculated – moves.

One of those big players is Accor, the hospitality group with a big heart, and our cover story for this May issue. The group has shown everyone how it’s done, supporting staff and putting them first, and rearranging the pieces of the puzzle.

The outlook remains uncertain, but optimistic, and while each and every group and venue has dealt with the situation in its own way, the fact remains: we’ve seen some exceptional, game-changing tactics.

From 50-page guidebooks that outline a full-on health-centred approach, to never-seen-before partner-

ships, there has been no better time to watch and learn than now.

Graham Hardiman FIH, managing partner of hotel programming company The Mystery Partnership, lists cancellation policies, pre-arrival and registration, COVID-19 tracing, and social distancing circles among the most important changes to keep in mind moving forward. He also emphasises a focus on delivery across the board (it might be a good time to start fostering those relationships once again, an effort that’s required from all sides).

According to MarketScale, guest safety is the next big competitive advantage: the more proactive you are, the quicker you’ll recover. Safety will also be a top driver of technological innovation and guest satisfaction.

Flexibility and transparency will be key to enticing people back to travel.

There’s a plethora of easy-toimplement solutions that can help us overcome the current crisis. The timing is on our side for catching up with what technology can offer our industry. The ones that do this will, not only will weather this unprecedented crisis, but also come out stronger and more equipped to deal with a completely new travel market.

The best way to keep moving is to listen carefully to the beating heart of both industries, the People, and act accordingly.

Group Commercial Director

Samer Alloush samer@bncpublishing.net Editor

Dina Maaty dina@bncpublishing.net

Art Director Aaron Sutton Aaron@bncpublishing.net Photographer

Ahmad Al Khader Marketing Executive

Aaron Joshua Sinamban Aj@bncpublishing.net

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Opinions expressed are solely those of the contributors.

Hotel & Catering News ME and all subsidiary publications in the MENA region are officially licensed exclusively to BNC Publishing in the MENA region by Hotel & Catering News ME. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the publisher.

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Rise to the top with French Cream In pastry and other branches of the culinary arts, there is no denying that cream is an essential ingredient. As a cooking element, it adds an incredible depth of flavor.

European dairy cream, especially French cream, enhances the flavor of all preparations.

It has an unparalleled melt in the mouth, and its softness on the palate is uniquely smoothing and comforting.

No matter the level of the cooking skills, anyone can incorporate French cream to a range of dishes, from savoury to sweet.

Dark Cho col ate mou s s e & bl ack s e s ame pral i ne with iced yoghurt & caramel

By Chef Liz Stevenson

Pastry Chef Liz Stevenson arrived in Dubai in 2008 and worked for numerous prestigious venues in the city such as Jumeirah, RĂźya and Qbara.

She developped a dynamic plate composed of a creamy dark chocolate mousse coated in crushed black sesame praline, with white chocolate and yoghurt sorbet, and a salted nut caramel.

The content of this advertorial represents the author’s point of view only and is the sole responsibility of the author.

The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made from the information contained herein.

MAY 2020

NEWS

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GROCERY SEGMENT AMONG THE LEAST IMPACTED BY COVID-19 MEASURES ACROSS GCC, GOOGLE DATA REVEALS

New data published by search engine Google has revealed how the coronavirus outbreak is impacting mobility across the GCC. The research shows the quarterly percentage change of each country based on a range of key indicators including parks, transit and grocery stores.

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Across all metrics, the average reduction for the whole of the GCC during the first three months of 2020 was 34.1%.

Bahrain experienced the least mobility reduction in the region at -21.2% – followed by Kuwait (-36.3%), Oman (-37.8%), Saudi Arabia (-38.5%) and the UAE (-42.33%).

Residential mobility, as well as the grocery and pharmacy segments, were least impacted across the region, with respective changes of -27% and +22.83% on average.

The most substantial effects were recorded in the transit and retail segments, with average reductions of -60% and

-53.2% respectively, due to a series of protective measures against COVID-19 put in place across the GCC. These have included lockdowns or curfews by Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, while all nations have suspended the majority of passenger flights to combat the spread.

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MAY 2020

NEWS

INITIATIVES

HILTON COLLABORATES WITH LYSOL AND DETTOL MAKER TO LAUNCH ‘CLEANSTAY’ PROGRAMME Hilton has announced a new programme to deliver cleanliness and disinfection in its properties around the world. The group will collaborate with RB, maker of Lysol and Dettol, and consult with Mayo Clinic to develop elevated processes and Team Member training.

Hilton CleanStay with Lysol protection, as the programme will be called in North America, will be a rigorous system that incorporates RB’s know-how and scientific approach to cleaning practices and product offerings.

Experts from Mayo Clinic’s Infection Prevention and Control team will advise and assist in

enhancing Hilton’s cleaning and disinfection protocols.

Hilton CleanStay will build upon the standards of housekeeping and hygiene at Hilton properties worldwide, where commercial-grade cleaning products and upgraded protocols are currently in use.

The programme was developed to meet evolving consumer expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research indicates that consumers have heightened concerns regarding hygiene on their journey, and trust in cleanliness standards will be critical to resuming travel.

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MAY 2020

OPENINGS

FAWAZ ABDULAZIZ ALHOKAIR CO. REOPENS STORES IN SAUDI ARABIA, WITH DELIVERY-ONLY F&B OFFERINGS Following the directives of the Saudi Arabian Government, Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co. has reopened its fashion and retail units across the Kingdom, except for its outlets in Makkah.

The company stated that the health and safety of its customers and employees continues to be of paramount importance and that it’s working to ensure the cleanliness and sterilisation

of its stores in readiness for reopening and helping its retail partners prepare.

Stores in shopping centres will be open from 9.30am to 4.30pm daily and the company’s food and beverage outlets will be available through mobile apps for delivery from 3pm to 3am. A smaller number of retail units that operate in street locations have already reopened.

ZERO GRAVITY REOPENS WITH STRICT SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE

WATERFRONT MARKET SHOPS AND F&B OUTLETS REOPEN

In line with the directives and guidelines of Dubai Government authorities, Zero Gravity has reopened its restaurant and will welcome guests from 9am-9pm with an all-day menu both indoors and outdoors.

The menu includes an all-day breakfast selection and everything from pizzas and burgers to sushi and salads to fresh seafood and steaks. Throughout Ramadan, a special 4-course Iftar Set Menu is also available

In line with the recent directive from government authorities, Waterfront shops and F&B outlets have reopened on April 28, joining its Fish, Meat, Dry Goods and Fruit and Vegetable Markets, and Lulu Hypermarket.

The management team has taken extra precaution to safeguard the health and safety of all who enter.

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from sunset for AED 99.

With body temperature checks at the door, face masks must be worn at all times, smart cashless payment is encouraged and social distancing of two metres should be maintained. Guests cannot stay longer than three hours as per current guidelines.

Zero Gravity is offering complimentary ‘Guestlist Meals’ to healthcare workers in appreciation of their heroic efforts, as well as freelance entertainers.

During Ramadan, all Markets will be operational from 6am to 10pm, offering the best value in fresh goods, whilst the other retail outlets and F&B outlets will open from 12pm until 10pm. Cleaning and sanitisation will be ongoing throughout the day, and deep cleaning and sanitisation will take place throughout the night commencing after 6pm.

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MAY 2020

OPENINGS

DUTCH LAB OPENS FIRST ‘NO-BARISTA’ COFFEE CONCEPT STORE IN KOREA DUTCH Lab has opened a new store in Korea, presenting the flavour and aroma of coffee with contents, but without a barista or an espresso machine.

At the venue, coffee is “the contents” and it’s a “select store” instead of café. DUTCH LAB made a trip to New York to design the coffee that Alan Greenspan would have consumed when he was considering world finance.

There, DUTCH LAB coworked with three coffee roasteries in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The coffee recipe of New York’s sensibility and aroma with DUTCH LAB’s distinctive ‘brewing skills’ together

brought Greenspan Edition to the market.

To add more to the coffee design from collaboration with coffee roasteries in New York, DUTCH LAB introduced unique packaging solution allowing coffee at its best condition anytime, anywhere without a skilled barista – the result of DUTCH LAB’s ‘experience-able design’.

Unlike the espresso coffee brewed using high temperature and pressure, DUTCH LAB’s coffee brewed from DUTCH LAB brewing system over a long period of time presents every single flavor and aroma of the coffee bean.

ANANTARA INTRODUCES NEW HEALTH AND HYGIENE MEASURES FOR RETURNING GUESTS Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, currently with a portfolio of 41 hotels across Asia, the Middle East, Indian Ocean, Africa and Europe, has announced plans to implement sweeping new health and hygiene measures to reassure travellers of a renewed focus on guest wellbeing, wherever they choose to stay.

A Health & Safety committee, including senior leadership and industry experts, has been created to oversee the development and rollout of a new programme ‘Stay with Peace of Mind’ which will build on existing health and safety regimens to implement heightened sanitisation and hygiene measures.

Every Anantara property will have a dedicated ‘Guest Guardian’ responsible for internal

audits based on a series of rigid brand guidelines. The guidelines are fully compliant with

several expert advisories including Ecolab and Diversey, global leaders in delivering excellence in cleaning and hygiene technology. All hotels will continue to fully adhere to health and safety measures as per local government guidelines and the World Health Organisation.

As part of the new initiatives, all hotels will implement enhanced levels of sanitation and use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved disinfectants for the use against COVID-19 and other bacteria throughout all public areas, including lobbies, reception, fitness centres, pool areas and guest rooms.

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MAY 2020

APPOINTMENTS

ASCOTT CHIEF TAKES ON ADDITIONAL ROLE AS CAPITALAND’S LODGING CEO CapitaLand Limited (CapitaLand), one of Asia’s largest diversified real estate groups, has announced the appointment of Kevin Goh as its new chief executive officer, Lodging.

In this new role, according to the group, Goh will oversee CapitaLand Group’s lodging business. Lodging is one of the three pillars of the Group’s strategic businesses for sustainable growth, together with the other two pillars being Fund Management and Investment/Development.

Goh is also the CEO of The Ascott Limited, CapitaLand’s wholly owned lodging business unit, an appointment he held since 2018.

Mr. Goh has been with the CapitaLand Group since May

2007 and has taken on various leadership positions in Ascott such as Chief Operating Officer, Managing Director

of North Asia and Regional General Manager for East and South China. He is a key member of the senior leadership

team responsible for managing and executing the Group’s growth strategies.

The Ascott Limited currently has 26 properties in operation and the pipeline across the Middle East, Africa and Turkey region. Ascott’s current portfolio comprises 11 operational properties, including Ascott Park Place Dubai (UAE), Citadines Metro Central Dubai (UAE), Ascott Corniche Al Khobar (KSA), Ascott Sari Jeddah (KSA), Ascott Tahlia Jeddah (KSA), Citadines Al Salamah Jeddah (KSA), Spectrums Residence Jeddah (KSA), Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh (AROR), Somerset Panorama Muscat (Oman), Somerset Al Fateh (Bahrain), and Somerset Maslak Istanbul (Turkey).

PARK INN BY RADISSON, DUBAI MOTOR CITY APPOINTS REVENUE MANAGER Park Inn by Radisson, Dubai Motor City, has appointed Erika Gudauskaite as its new revenue manager.

Gudauskaite started her career with Radisson Hotel Group in 2013 as Front Office Receptionist at Radisson Blu Hotel, Klaipeda, Lithuania and moved to Dubai and Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City in 2016 June as Assistant reservations manager and was later promoted to Reservations and M&E manager.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree at Klaipeda University, Lithuania in Recreation and Tourism Studies.

According to the property, in her role as revenue manager, she will be looking after the hotels revenue function alongside development and implementation of right rate strategy. She will also help the brand maintain a trajectory of growth, maximising overall revenue and identifying new business opportunities.

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MAY 2020

#ALWAYSOPENFORYOU

Rebel Foods Location: JLT, Business Bay, Karama Interviewee: Anish Pandey Designation: Executive Chef

Tell us a little bit more about your venue.

Rebel Foods is the one of the biggest and largest cloud kitchens in the world; we cater to all groups of people from different nationalities with our wide range of brands such as Behrouz Biryani, Mandarin Oak, Ovenstory Pizza, The 500 Calorie Project and all-time favorite Fassos.

Booster menu to all our customers as our motto is: STAY SAFE, STAY HEALTHY.

What are you offering customers amid this global pandemic?

We’re offering an Immunity

What support are you looking for from industry partners/ suppliers?

Let’s hold on together, let’s

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What safety and hygiene measures are you taking?

We always believe in food safety, not just because of this global pandemic, but in general. All our outlets are rated Excellent in hygiene and we follow stringent measures.

stay together, and let’s grow together.

What challenges are you currently facing given the circumstances?

The challenges we’re facing include sourcing supplies, maintaining customer trust and the state of the global market.

What kind of support are you offering your staff?

We believe that staff is the Asset and Wealth of the company and, before anything else, they need to be

happy and satisfied to keep customers pleased. We’re available for them 24x7 to fulfill their needs.

What are your plans once things get back to normal, or at least partially so?

Our plan is to multiply the speed of moving forward to cover the gap that was caused by the global pandemic.

Anything else you would like to add?

Stay safe, stay healthy and let’s overcome the pandemic.

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MAY 2020

#ALWAYSOPENFORYOU

Saya Caffe Location: City Walk by Meraas, Dubai Interviewee: George Beloborodko Designation: Restaurant Manager

Tell us a little bit more about your venue.

The Saya brand was born in Dubai, and here, situated in the midst of a concrete jungle surrounded by the desert, it became an oasis of all things sweet and desired. Stepping into our restaurant, we invite you to embark of a beautiful journey through dishes that reflect our Mediterranean experience.

From the variety on our menu, to creative desserts, we promise you rich interiors, and nothing less than our chef’s perfect touch with uncompro18

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mising passion and the highest quality in everything we do!

What are you offering customers amid this global pandemic?

As restaurant operators, we’re communicating calming messages to our guests, ensuring that they understand that the restaurant is undertaking proper cleaning and hygiene procedures. What we’re advocating is, obviously, off-premises where people feel most comfortable: that means delivery and pick-up.

It’s critical that people

understand that, first and foremost, you’re open, because many establishments are closed. You want to let them know that you’re available while leading with what you’re doing to make sure that your employees are safe, and food as well as accessibility are hygienic.

What safety and hygiene measures are you taking?

We’re following protocols set by the Dubai Municipality and State Health departments.

Before they can enter, all team members have their tem-

peratures checked; any person showing symptoms is immediately sent to get tested.

We’re encouraging all staff to wash and sanitise their hands as often as possible, and providing gloves and masks to our employees and guests as well as sanitiser on each and every table. We have also reduced capacity by 70%, as we’re practicing social distancing as per government requirements.

What support are you looking for from industry partners/ suppliers?

At this point in time, we fully WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

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expect to rely on the goodwill of our suppliers and their decision to make up for on lost supplies when there are grey areas in your contract. This is the most important time to maintain positive relationships and remind them to be patient.

Flexibility is a powerful force when applied to situations such as the one we’re living in today.

Truth is, business in general has been affected.

What challenges are you currently facing given the circumstances?

We’re facing problems

with cash flow as most restaurants and establishments are, but in our case, we had just been open for 10 months and were still establishing a solid ground.

We do have 63 staff in total across two branches, and expenses such as rental, electricity and water to pay.

What kind of support are you offering your staff?

We came up with a concrete plan to overcome this challenge. We do understand that the situation right now is overwhelming, and hence, at

all costs, we will support our staff as they need us during this very hard time.

What are your plans once things get back to normal, or at least partially so?

The plan is to be safe and wise and the one thing that we’re focusing on is the safety of our guests while still giving them an excellent experience and delicious food. We promise that we will be standing still for everyone who is showing and sending love and support during these very difficult times.

Anything else you would like to add?

We urge everyone to be safe, kind and practice social distancing. We’re excited to see you at Saya. Our prayers are with the families currently dealing with COVID-19 and other serious illnesses, particularly those who have lost a loved one.

Each one of us has been impacted by the uncertainties of this dangerous virus in some way. Everyone in Saya wishes you and your loved ones good health and strength in the days and weeks to come.

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MAY 2020

#ALWAYSOPENFORYOU

Sweetheart Kitchen Location: UAE: Al Barsha, Al Quoz, Al Warqa, Marina and Al Raffa (opening soon), Kuwait: Al Ardiya, Hawally and Kuwait City (opening soon) Interviewee: Daniel Sangareau Designation: COO Kuwait and Corporate Executive Chef Tell us a little bit more about your venue.

Sweetheart Kitchen (bySWHK) is a Private Label Multi-Brand Virtual Kitchen. This means it owns, develops and operates its own brands (ex. Affordabowls, Bravo Avocado, The Poke Project, Wingo, High Steaks, Billionaire Burger Boys and Slider Trifecta to name a few). We have an exclusive presence online through food aggregator platforms, such as Talabat, Zomato and Carriage, and our brands are deliveryonly concepts.

Sweetheart Kitchen was designed to eliminate the various bottlenecks (capacity constraints) in the food delivery Supply Chain by integrating tech, cuisines and process into a system designed to handle the rigors of food delivery. bySWHK focused on the reduction of process lead time and variation in an effort to, not only produce high quality cuisine with great variety, but give the consumer (and delivery apps) the ability to reduce estimated delivery times and optimise logistics (reduce costs).

Market-level Supply Chain 20

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optimisation and profitability on a “per order” basis (taking into account the costs of logistics) should be the ultimate goal of any virtual kitchen. To achieve this, bySWHK has a LEAN (Six Sigma) mindset and focus on process efficiency, not only demand aggregation (revenue).

What are you offering customers amid this global pandemic?

We have most recently partnered with Hala Taxi and the RTA to provide meals to their drivers. This initiative

comes as a natural significant decrease in demand for public transport continues, with restrictions remaining in place to reduce unnecessary movement around the city. As a Dubai-based company, it’s our responsibility to support the local community in times of need.

We’re also providing our food at heavily discounted prices, up to 50% on some platforms, to ensure people can enjoy our food during this time of giving back.

What safety and hygiene

measures are you taking?

In addition to implementing HACCP Food Safety, we’re also 5-Star Hygiene Rated by our Delivery Partners, and have taken additional measures during COVID-19 for contactless food pick-up by our delivery aggregator and logistics partners. We’re continuing to take strict measures to ensure the health and safety of our customers and our staff: • All staff have been trained on personal hygiene including proper hand-washing once they visit our premises before and after work.

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• Our staff were provided with PPE (face masks as well as disposable gloves).

• Hand sanitisers were distributed to all our staff and delivery partners to use throughout the day.

• All our kitchens were deep cleaned and sanitised in line with instructions provided by relevant ministries and health authorities.

• Our supervisors are conducting daily health screening of our staff; any staff member who is feeling unwell is being taken off duty immediately and sent to relevant healthcare centres.

However, we continue to stay vigilant and monitor international and local health authorities for the latest developments.

While our systems are unique and proprietary (therefore, not something we shall elaborate upon in much greater detail), we will say that our systems required the careful integration of cuisine, process and tech with a LEAN manufacturing mindset.

Now, most virtual kitchens are moving towards Private Label branding (our invention) in an effort to replicate our system, which results in optimised procurement, produc-

tion and assembly processes (if you own the food brands and raw material selection, you can optimise them to work well together from all manufacturing perspectives).

Our technology allows us to remotely manage globally distributed food operations ensuring that our ingredients are fresh, our lead times and production times efficient, and our procurement practices are optimised.

What support are you looking for from industry partners/ suppliers?

We’re all facing this global pandemic together, and accordingly all have our challenges across the value chain, from our suppliers to our delivery partners, who have all been supportive and understanding during these difficult times.

More importantly, the markets we operate in have been extremely supportive. The Dubai Government has taken all the right steps to ensure that we’re all kept safe, and we can continue to provide food for those who are also practicing social distancing to protect the community.

What I would ask from everyone is empathy. We need to continue to support one another, and understand that

the circumstances we face are short-term. We will get through this, and if we help each other, work together to ease each other’s pains, we will become stronger once this is over. For example, we have suppliers who have agreed to source and store additional stock of raw goods to pre-empt any shortages in stocks due to supply chain issues.

What challenges are you currently facing given the circumstances?

I believe the main challenge we face is curfew times – we can only work during specific hours of the day in certain markets which means we can’t service the community 2- hours (which is what we do in Dubai).

While we’re trying to ensure contactless deliveries, we have noticed that many people are preferring to cook at home, as there are some who still fear the last-mile delivery process. I believe it will only be a matter of time until people begin to feel comfortable again.

What kind of support are you offering your staff?

We’re continuing to pay full salaries to all our staff, and have provided our Kitchen staff with a small monetary gesture

to support them financially and assist them in purchasing the necessary goods for their families during quarantine.

Office staff are all working remotely, and we conduct daily Zoom calls to remain in sync with one another, and ensure all functions are working seamlessly (Operations, Marketing, Finance, etc.)

Communication is very important, not only to keep the business running, but to keep morale high!

What are your plans once things get back to normal, or at least partially so?

Our plan post-crisis and during the crisis is to continue to provide consistent, great quality food at affordable prices to the communities that we’re present in. We’re launching new kitchens during the crisis, to service new neighbourhoods with our brands, and this will continue at full force post-crisis when we’re allowed to enter new markets such as Saudi Arabia.

Anything else you would like to add?

With a niche focus on improving delivery, bySWHK implements state-of-the-art technology to manage our food deliveries scientifically. bySWHK uses a Six-Sigma Lean Manufacturing approach to all its processes, and uses data to better understand customers on the basis of their consumption behaviours and cuisine preferences. This means we’re always learning, and adapting with the market, allowing us to expand to new territories, and also develop new food categories and brands.

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MAY 2020

COVER STORY

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MAY 2020

COVER STORY

H E A R T-T O HEART As the effects of COVID-19 spread across the entire world, the primary focus for governments and businesses is the safety of their people. According to Deloitte, hospitality players, being the first ones that experienced extreme bad-weather conditions, are moving quickly and remain focused to understand and quantify the operational and financial impact for their business

In an honest, heart-to-heart April announcement from Accor, the group has revealed that more than half Accorbranded hotels worldwide had closed, a number that was likely to increase. The abrupt deterioration in the situation, the Group said, had prompted it to take drastic action across its global operations.

Accor deemed these actions indispensable, in order to limit the impact on earnings and cash, and necessary to prepare for the post-crisis recovery: highlighting that “in these unprecedented times, the Group stands more than ever by its employees, partners and communities, providing time, resources and access to its local and global network.

Measures were implemented as early as February. Given the situation, the Group has decided to take aggressive, incremental actions. Collectively, these included a travel ban, hiring freeze, reduced schedules and/or furloughing for 75% of global head office teams for Q2, resulting in a minimum €60m reduction in G&A for 2020. Accor also reviewed the recurring investment plan for 2020,

resulting in a €60m reduction in capital expenditures, also further streamlining all other costs (sales, marketing, IT), in line with lower system-wide revenues.

Most importantly, after consulting with the Group’s main shareholders, Accor decided to allocate 25% of the planned dividend (€70m) to the launch of the “ALL Heartist Fund”, a COVID-19 special-purpose vehicle. The fund will typically assist the Group’s 300,000 employees, pledging to pay for their COVID-19 hospital expenses, for those who do not have social security or medical insurance, as well as, on a case by case basis, furloughed employees suffering great financial distress and individual partners facing financial difficulty.

This fund reflects the ambition of the Group and its shareholders to provide a meaningful and significant contribution to global solidarity initiatives to address the current health crisis while planning for future needs, it announced, adding that the decision received unanimous support from the Board members, who collectively decided to reduce their

attendance fees by 20% to the benefit of the “ALL Heartist Fund”. Additionally, Sébastien Bazin, chairman and CEO of Accor, would forgo 25% of his compensation during the crisis, with the cash equivalent to be contributed to the fund.

“Welcoming, protecting and taking care of others is at the very heart of what we do. In light of the urgency and scale of the situation, we have decided to act in an immediate and meaningful way, in the spirit of our values and commitments.

Through this impactful gesture, we wish to express our solidarity and gratitude to all those demonstrating courage and selflessness during this crisis. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank the Group’s main shareholders. Without them, the ‘ALL Heartist Fund’ would not have been possible,” said Bazin.

“I also want to pay special tribute to the Accor teams around the world.

They are facing the current crisis with admirable courage, dedication and professionalism. As our industry is going through tough times, we have to make tough decisions, but Accor has a strong HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME

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balance sheet which will enable it to withstand this crisis and emerge with strength during the recovery period. I’m confident that Accor will soon rediscover the road to growth,” he added.

Thanks to its recent asset-light transformation and cash preservation strategy, the group says, Accor can today rely on a strong balance sheet, with more than €2.5bn in cash on hand and an undrawn revolving credit facility of €1.2bn. While much uncertainty remains on the duration of this crisis, it expects a severe impact on its 2020 performance, but remains bullish on the long-term perspective of the hospitality industry, for Accor, its employees, its owners and shareholders.

In this exclusive interview, Mark Willis, CEO Middle East & Africa at Accor, discusses the group’s current strategy, future plans, and life amid – and after – the pandemic.

of brands from luxury to economy, Accor has been providing hospitality savoir-faire for more than 50 years.

Beyond accommodations, Accor enables new ways to live, work, and play with Food & Beverage, nightlife, wellbeing, and co-working brands. To drive business performance, the group’s portfolio of business accelerators amplify hospitality distribution, operations, and experience. Guests have access to one of the world’s most attractive hotel loyalty programmes—ALL (Accor Live Limitless).

Accor is deeply committed to sustainable value creation, and plays an active role in giving back to the planet and community. Planet 21 – Acting Here endeavours to act for positive hospitality, while Accor Solidarity, the endowment fund, empowers disadvantaged groups through professional training and access to employment.

Please tell us a bit more about Accor as a group, and some of its most important values.

Accor is a world-leading augmented hospitality group offering unique and meaningful experiences in almost 5,000 hotels, resorts, and residences across 100 countries. With an unrivalled portfolio

What’s the Group’s presence like in the ME&A region; how many properties do you currently operate and what’s in the pipeline?

We currently have a total of 300 properties (65,216 rooms) operating in the Middle East and Africa region, with a breakdown of 166 properties in Africa

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(26,727 rooms) and 134 properties in the Middle East (38,489 rooms).

Our largest countries of operation are: the UAE, with 62 hotels and 17,284 rooms, Morocco, with 44 hotels and 6,673 rooms, Saudi Arabia with 39 hotels and 14,262 rooms, and Egypt with 34 hotels and 9,453 rooms.

Our pipeline for the next five years is very strong, with 160 properties scheduled in the entire region (39,645 rooms), which will bring our presence in the region to over 450 hotels and more than 100,000 rooms.

How has the global COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the flow of operations at Accor?

As the effects from COVID-19 are ongoing and not yet fully known, it’s impossible to provide an update on the overall business impact at this time.

To date, the Group has enacted several cost-saving measures to help protect its financial well-being.

For example, all business travel, unless specifically approved by the Group’s COMEX, has been postponed or cancelled, internal conferences have been cancelled and video conferencing is being used for global meetings.

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COVER STORY

Mark Willis

freeze has been implemented and any vacant positions will not be filled, and Marketing expenses have been reduced, prioritised and/or postponed.

What was the group’s emergency response, and how did the decisionmaking process unfold from that point up until now?

A global crisis unit has been put into place with regional relays. All hotels in impacted countries have introduced added safety and security procedures in accordance with local health authorities and the Group’s existing operating protocols.

Cleaning measures and protocols have been strengthened and implemented in our hotels worldwide.

Procurement departments have been consulted to ensure our hotels have the needed products such as hydro alcoholic gel, masks and personal protective equipment (PPE).

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for business or pleasure, are to inform their direct manager and will be asked to self-isolate if required.

Please tell us more about the ALL Heartist Fund, and what it means for Accor employees?

The most impactful measure Accor has implemented to assist during these unprecedented times is the launch of our ALL Heartist Fund, which is aimed at supporting our employees and partners directly.

A total of EUR 70M has been placed in this fund to be distributed among those team members and individual partners which have been directly financially affected by this crisis, as well as to cover healthcare costs for those employees who don’t have social security or medical insurance.

The “ALL Heartist Fund” complements some of the initiatives spearheaded by a number of hotels throughout the Middle East & Africa, including a collaboration

with partner RISMA in Morocco resulting in over 500 rooms provided to frontline medical professionals.

Moreover, following a training by the government in sanitation processes, the Mövenpick Aswan team in Egypt assists in sanitising schools, nurseries, mosques, churches and more than 700 houses within their community. At the Sofitel Luxor Winter Palace, the team prepares and distributes meals daily to medical teams assisting quarantined patients.

Lastly, reinforcing proper hygiene and sanitation during this time, bars of soaps and recycled soaps are widely distributed

by Pullman Dakar and Mövenpick Nairobi to various community groups.

What further announcements can we expect from Accor in the coming months (with what we know up until now about COVID-19)?

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portfolio, working with our teams on our pipeline openings, as well as looking for new opportunities to expand our portfolio in the region.

Emphasis will, of course, be placed on our commercial activities and business development, based on the new requirements the market shows, as we maintain our focus on our team’s and guests safety.

What would you advise in face of such challenges?

I’m a firm believer in balancing work life with personal life; I think times like these really highlight how important that balance is. My main advice is to take it day by day, with the situation changing so rapidly and news developing at such a fast pace, it’s important that we take care of ourselves and our families first, business will come after.

The team around me are working tirelessly to ensure our employees and guests are safe and taken care of. At the

same time, we’re all working towards the common goal of opening all our properties as soon as possible in order to be able to welcome our guests back as quickly as we can in a safe manner.

Our focus at the moment also remains in looking at the different ways in which we believe our industry will change once business levels come back and how we will ensure to match such business requirements whether with operational and/or commercial changes.

How do you see the future, and how quickly do you expect the industry to recover?

We’re all hoping for a quick recovery, however, we need to make sure that it’s done in a responsible way in order to ensure the safety of our guests and team members.

Our main focus is working on new ways in which to service our guests to fulfil their new travel requirements “post” COVID-19. We’re very aware

that we will need to be even more forthcoming with communicating all the activities we’re undertaking in our properties in regards to cleanliness and new ways of operating so our guests are fully aware of all programmes, to give them peace of mind when booking their next trip.

What has the pandemic taught the industry globally, and regionally?

I believe we’re still learning on a daily basis as it’s an ongoing situation.

However, from a Regional Office perspective, I believe a key learning point has been that working from home can reduce travel requirements, as we have seen that moving meetings and calls online has enabled us to continue conducting business “as normal”. This will definitely impact travel budgets and reduce costs in the long run.

In regards to travellers choosing to travel for pleasure, I do see it taking some time until the concept “normalises” again, however I believe people will want to return to some sense of normality and therefore will start to travel again.

How do you see the hospitality and F&B landscapes evolving over the coming months, and years?

The industry will need to mould itself based on the new requirements of our guests. These will definitely revolve around cleanliness and “contactless” services that can give them peace of mind when dining out, travelling and staying in hotels.

We do anticipate an uplift in F&B revenues once quarantine restrictions are lifted, as customers will want to go out again for a meal, but we do foresee a lower spend per person due to possibly having less expendable budget.

We can also assume that our restaurants, bars and also meeting venues may generate less revenue per SQM due to new distancing rules which will decrease the number of seat capacity in venues, as well as a reduction in meeting room capacities.

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CHAIN OF THE MONTH

KEMPINSKI HOTELS Created in 1897, Kempinski Hotels is Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group. Kempinski now comprises a portfolio of 76 five-star hotels and residences in 34 countries and continues to add new properties in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Each one reflects the strength and success of the Kempinski brand without losing sight of its heritage.

The portfolio comprises historic landmark properties, award-winning urban lifestyle hotels, resorts and residences. Kempinski is a founding member of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands.

THE AWARD-WINNING KEMPINSKI DISCOVERY LOYALTY PROGRAMME Kempinski Hotels is a major shareholder of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) and a founding member of the world’s largest network of independent hotel brands, which brings together more than 35 brands with over 570 hotels in 85 countries. GHA’s award-winning loyalty programme, DISCOVERY, provides 17 million members exclusive opportunities to immerse themselves in local culture wherever they travel.

The KEMPINSKI DISCOVERY Loyalty Programme offers guests bespoke advantages during their journey, exclusive benefits in their room as well as the opportunity to immerse themselves into the local culture. A key feature of the programme are Local Experience Awards, which allow guests to explore the uniqueness of each destination by partaking in money-can’t-buy-experiences, all with the distinctive Kempinski touch. The KEMPINSKI DISCOVERY Loyalty Programme also offers enhanced benefits in all partner brands of the GHA network.

Emerald Palace Kempinski Dubai

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CHAIN OF THE MONTH

EPICURE ESSENTIAL PLEASURES – THE KEMPINSKI FOOD AND BEVERAGE LOYALTY PROGRAMME IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA REGION

Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates Dubai

Kempinski Hotel Muscat

End of 2019, Kempinski Hotels launched a new Food & Beverage loyalty programme in the Middle East and Africa Region – Epicure Essential Pleasures. The programme was created in cooperation with Hospitality Marketing Solutions Company (HMC), a world’s leading provider of paid membership loyalty programmes.

The programme aims to reflect the legendary hotelier’s tradition of delivering fine European hospitality and gastronomy experiences to all discerning guests.

Epicure Essential Pleasures provides exclusive discounts on food, beverage, accommodation rates and spa offers. The programme is currently available at 10 hotels located in nine countries including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kenya, Jordan, KSA, Egypt, Lebanon and Ghana.

Guests can join Epicure Essential Pleasures and select from two tiers of membership: Standard or Premium. While the Standard membership is free and provides members with 10% discounts on dining, accommodations and spa treatments, the Premium Membership comes with an annual fee, offering up to a 25% discount on dining, 20% on accommodations and experiences, in addition to ‘Buy One Get One Free’ room, dining, spa and upgrade certificates among others.

Epicure Essential Pleasures’ membership benefits are accessed through a unique mobile app for iPhone and Android.

The app lets members redeem digital e-certifications, receive push notifications about new hotel promotions, and make membership renewals, dinner reservations, purchases, and hotel bookings.

Marsa Malaz Kempinski

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WAFIK YOUSSEF VICE PRESIDENT OPERATIONS MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA, KEMPINSKI HOTELS What are the main challenges you face in hotel management and operations?

From my view, the main challenge we face is consistency; our hotels are between the highest performing hotels in the destinations where we operate in terms of quality of service, measured by our online reviews scores by the guests as well as our internal auditing process.

To maintain such positioning and improve it, we must be consistent in our service delivery and adhere to our operating standards. Sometimes, this can be challenging due to the turnover and loss of well-trained employees given the competitive work landscape our industry has today. However, with a strong employee loyalty programme and a company vision that takes care of people as a core component, we will manage to maintain and improve our position as a leading luxury hotel brand.

What do you think are the most important criteria for a smooth flow of F&B operations?

The most important component for smooth F&B operations is engagement; you could be sitting in the best restaurant and served by well-trained employees, but still leave disappointed if they don’t communicate with you or give you the experience you’re looking for.

We no longer go to restaurants because we’re hungry, but rather because we want to live this particular gourmet experience and try something we had heard of or that our friends recommended. Engagement is in every aspect of F&B operations, from welcoming and seating the guest, setting the mood and taking the order, to communication between team members until service and farewell.

A smooth flow happens when all guests are happy and there’s no pressure on the team or delayed orders

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complaints, and with highly engaged guests the overall environment in the restaurant would encourage a smooth and stress-free flow of service because communication is clear and positive.

How do you see the future of the chain?

I have been with Kempinski more than 10 years and I saw our brand evolve over the years to secure a remarkable position as one of the leading luxury

hotel brands worldwide.

I see our portfolio continuing to grow and our position becoming stronger as an individual brand against all the mega hotel chains. We remain the oldest luxury European hotel brand since 1897 and such a heritage gives us solid grounds for a steady growth in the future. In fact, our vision as a brand is to be the world's leading luxury hotel brand, driven through our people and I definitely see this happening in the near future.

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CHAIN OF THE MONTH

INTERNATIONAL GROWTH Ambitious and rapid international expansion plans with a very selective growth are part of the long-term strategy of the luxury hotel group, but not at the expense of quality, according to Kempinski. Kempinski Hotels purely focuses on hotel development projects and additional flagship hotels that can deliver the brand promise and be profitable while ensuring a distinctive quality of service to demanding guests.

Moving forward, the strategic orientation of Kempinski Group's expansion in the future will, not only be based on management contracts, but the acquisition of hotel properties is also planned. In particular, properties that can be extensively renovated and then repositioned under the group's own brands will be favoured.

“We’re definitely interested to also own hotel real estate. Currently we are under negotiations to buy several hotels, three out of them in Germany,” says Martin R. Smura, chief executive officer and chairman of the management board of Kempinski Hotels.

"By acquiring real estate, we benefit from the increase in value instead of paying money for management contracts," adds Smura.

"We have set ourselves ambitious goals to expand the portfolio of Kempinski Hotels with additional flagship hotels. This selective growth is focused on acquiring highly regarded hotels that will make a valuable contribution to our brand. We therefore select only those hotels that meet our brand values and thus the highest quality standards of our guests."

The next outstanding hotel opening for Kempinski Hotels is only a few months away: With the Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok another flagship for the brand will open its doors in autumn 2020. This second property of Kempinski Hotels in the Thai capital is located in a prime area in the heart of the buzzling city, in the upscale Langsuan neighbourhood and just steps away from the verdant Lumphini Park, and surprises with room sizes starting at 66 sq m. Integrated spa, wellness and fitness facilities span over 4,000 sq m and three floors of the new hotel offering a unique collection of treatments and advanced therapies.

Perched on floor Nine, the restaurant Flow will offer plant-based cuisine with locally sourced 100% certified organic produce and

The Universal Studios Grand Hotel - Universal Resort Beijing, operated by Key International Hotels

Martin R. Smura, chief executive officer and chairman of the management board of Kempinski Hotels

immerse guests into a nutrition-loaded eating experience.

All eyes are also on the 7Pines Kempinski Ibiza, which will be the first time that guests can experience the luxury lifestyle concept following the announcement last autumn of the strategic partnership between 12.18.

Investement Group and the hotel group.

The 185-suite resort, nestled on the edge of a pine forest bordering the sea on the west coast of the island, offers the height of laid-back luxury and Ibizan flair. Through the strategic partnership with 12.18., around 20 more hotels will be developed and opened in the near future including a hotel in New York and a resort near Porto Cervo on the island of Sardinia.

Furthermore, the Schlosshotel Fleesensee in the heart of the German Mecklenburg Lake District with 179 rooms and suites and a first-class gastronomy concept as well as Schloss Roxburghe, a

19th century Scottish manor house, which will have 75 rooms after completion of a separate extension, will add to the portfolio.

With a second and third hotel on the Caribbean island of Cuba, Kempinski Hotels just extended its presence in Havana and in the Americas. While the new Gran Hotel Bristol is located one block from the Capitolio in the UNESCO world heritage site of Old Town Havana, the Cayo Guillermo Resort Kempinski is the first non-all-inclusive beach hideaway in a paradisiac location approximately 500 kilometres east of the Cuban capital.

In the course of the year, the Kempinski Hotel Tbilisi will follow in Georgia with 95 rooms at the foot of the majestic Mtazminda mountain and a view over the city.

Another exciting new project awaits the group in China: “I’m very proud that in the future we will operate through our joint venture with the Beijing Tourism Group two extraordinary and world-first hotel concepts in the new Universal Beijing Resort: The Universal Studios Grand Hotel and the NUO Resort Hotel – Universal Beijing Resort.

While the two hotels with 1,200 rooms mark the first phase of the cooperation, another 4,800 rooms will be added at a later stage.

The Universal Studios Grand Hotel and NUO Resort - Universal Beijing Resort will position themselves as independent travel destinations and offer a special guest experience through the perfect blend of stylish design and historical cultural features of China. Guests of both hotels will have direct and exclusive access to the theme park.”

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OPINION

Transformation in the Time of Pandemic: Over to the E-Zone

By Naim Maadad, Chief Executive & Founder, Gates Hospitality There has no doubt been a drastic shift in the way in which the restaurant and culinary industry perception has suddenly changed after the COVID-19 pandemic.

From the physical delivery of a meal experience – the stage has transformed into an e-zone of its own.

The Gates Hospitality Sales & Marketing, Business Development, Videography and Photography, PR, and Social Media teams have quickly adapted well to the challenge and we’re aggressively pursuing all online avenues to keep in touch with all our stakeholders and loyal customers.

People are getting more time at home and spending that much more of their hours in front of a screen be it the computer, laptop, tablet, or mobile as they would otherwise do.

It’s a hugely negatively charged atmosphere globally and we at Gates Hospitality would like the positive surge through our efforts online. It’s not a commercial pursuit, but more of a giving back to the industry and society which have helped nurture our brands for the past eight years.

Be it the Home Schooling, or Quiz and Bingo online, all are targeted more with our brand ethos of Engaging, Enriching, Belonging and Innovation. We feel that every effort of ours is keeping in spirit of these brand pillars: these are all applicable in our endeavors.

The key is to stand with the audience and loyal customers in times of the biggest crisis ever faced during this lifetime. So, on a daily basis – even multiple times – we engage frequently, create a window of 32

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opportunity to enrich their knowledge, make them realise that they truly belong, and get the innovative adrenaline flowing to unleash a positive vibe all around.

We did greatly benefit given the size of our organisation as we could adapt quickly and with a great deal of agility with our Business Development, Sales & Marketing, PR, and Social Media teams – very ably supported by our in-house group videographer and photographer, as well as the Design Graphics team – who work in great synergy and ensure a strong, remarkable brand presence online with unique content, on-brand and with an accent on humour.

The Gates Hospitality Home Schooling initiative has been very well-accepted – available online on our social media channels such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. These sessions are on different topics and videos are posted every day at 3pm with professionals from

across different industries, sharing their experience in these times of pandemic.

The topics aren’t heavy and focus more on the lighter perspective of the topic. The purpose is to engage the loyal fan base, audience and industry workforce who wish to enhance their knowledge on different aspects of the business in general: it’s more of an information-sharing platform with absolutely no commercial costs or interests.

The Roast on Delivery option is a clear example of how Gates Hospitality has been at the forefront of creative innovation.

Other brands have now started following our footsteps and walking the same path with similar offers, however they’re yet to meet our value propositions.

There’s no doubt that customers will certainly remember who stood with them through the thick and thin of the pandemic and be an eager catalyst through their arduous support of the brand in the journey towards revival in times to come.

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OPINION

Evolving Guest Behaviour and the Technology Shift

By Yazan Sabelaish, Senior Director of Information Technology, Four Seasons Hotels Dubai The COVID-19 outbreak, first and foremost, is a human tragedy. At the time of writing this article, there are almost two million people infected with the virus globally, and the number is increasing at an alarming rate.

The entire world has come to a standstill and there are governments implementing lockdowns and curfews around the world.

While the entire world population is learning to adjust, economy is plummeting and industries that were once thriving are in trouble. While uncertainty is looming around business and economics, the consequences extend beyond COVID-19.

There’s a very visible shift in workplace behaviour; companies that were prepared to enable employees to work from home are better equipped to keep going so, while others have stopped operating entirely.

Decisions such as enabling Cloud Systems, Remote Working/Teleworking and supporting Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) practices, have become the new norm. Technology leaders are working collaboratively and responding promptly with operational teams to involve them in the process of understanding the behavioural change of guests.

The anticipated evolution of guests’ behaviours, whether short or long-term, mandates a change of requirements beyond this pandemic. Adopting these new technological requirements will help hotels retain guests.

Mobile Apps Social distancing remain part of human behaviour beyond COVID-19. This

objects, which may have been contaminated.

Voice command-enabled equipment which might be connected to hotel employees and/or internet will enable the guest to obtain information without the risk of touching surfaces or objects which may have been contaminated.

While the majority of voice commandenabled equipment is designed for home users, vendors and hospitality should work together on developing different versions of equipment to be adopted in hotels. behaviour resonates with the new high demand for mobile app use. Guests’ mobile app usage will more likely increase for requesting hotel services, especially in-room dining orders, concierge requests and general chat with hotel employees.

COVID-19 has forced human behaviour to trust technology to deliver; mobile apps will become the main mean of communication between guests and hotel employees Contactless Payments Higher awareness of virus transmittal will increase the demand for contactless transactions, especially with credit card transactions. Hotels should be ready to provide contactless POS devices and online payment options.

Voice Command-Enabled Equipment Voice-enabled equipment wasn’t widely adopted in hospitality yet due to many security concerns. Guests are more likely to be awaiting the use of such technologies in hotel rooms soon to reduce touching surfaces or

Keyless Access It is highly anticipated that guests as well as employees will be expecting to have the option of keyless door entry (Guest Rooms, SPA Lockers and all back-of-house doors), as well as contactless exit buttons. This is driven by the fear of transmitting viruses through touching surfaces, which may have been contaminated.

While many vendors are already providing this technology, not all hotels are integrating into their systems.

Paperless Menu Guests in restaurants who are concerned about touching paper menus will increase, an alternate solution such as digital menus readable on their own devices may be in demand and hotels will have to accommodate to different guests needs.

Restaurants that were once concerned about allergies and food temperature may now need to consider a different approach to enable digital menus, digital receipts and other contactless practices.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the policy or position of the hotel or group.

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GM INTERVIEW

Luxury by the Beach

Fairmont Ajman General Manager Kosta Kourotsidis takes us on a journey to discover one of the emirate’s most luxurious beachfront properties What are the unique points of the hotel?

Fairmont Ajman is a 252-key luxury beachfront property with all rooms overlooking the Arabian Gulf and the first Fairmont property in the UAE, which is located in the Northern Emirates. One of the unique aspects of our resort is certainly the extensive portfolio of suites, which we’re very proud of, and which covers 30% of our entire room inventory (out of 252 rooms, there are 84 suites).

All these suites are strategically located, featuring private balconies overlooking the Gulf and aimed at catering to larger families.

Since the opening in 2015, we were very fortunate to have quickly become one of the most sought-after venues for destination and local weddings alike.

Our Topaz ballroom is the only pillar-less ballroom in Ajman, with an overall seating capacity of 1,200 people, overlooking the Gulf from its floor-to-ceiling windows. In addition to the ballroom, our extensive seafront Pearl Garden is another stunning wedding venue, which during winter months is often fully booked for largescale destination weddings months in advance. Weekends with back-to-back nuptials are a no unfamiliar feat for our award-winning events and catering teams.

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What are the main challenges you face in hotel management?

Ajman is often perceived as the ‘secondary’ emirate – consequently being the smallest of the seven emirates, people tend to often think that Ajman is located very far away from Dubai, which in reality is not the case. Fairmont Ajman is only a short 25-minute drive away from the Dubai International Airport, which in fact is the same distance as Palm Jumeirah, and unknown to a lot of people – Ajman has one of the most beautiful white-sandy beaches in the entire UAE. Therefore, the main challenge is to be able to change people’s perception about Ajman as a destination, and to constantly remain on top of mind – for those who haven’t yet visited us.

People from nearby emirates who have already experienced a staycation in Ajman and keep returning, often fondly refer to us as – a hidden gem of a destination.

Since the opening, we have been also fortunate to establish ourselves across our key feeder markets such as Germany and the CIS countries, attracting a number of repeat guests year over year.

Owing to the countless efforts of my team at the property, combined with the support of Accor and the Ajman Tourism

People from nearby emirates who have already experienced a staycation in Ajman and keep returning, often fondly refer to us as – a hidden gem of a destination.

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GM INTERVIEW

Development Department, Ajman as a destination is continuing to grow, and we’re seeing great strides taking the destination to the next level.

What’s the importance of online hotel reviews and social media feedback, and how much of it do you take on board?

Our guests’ feedback is of imperial importance to us and I, along with my leadership team, take it very seriously – be it in a form of an online review posted on one of our many social media channels or received via email, via post-stay TrustYou survey, or verbally from guests.

When attending to online reviews, timing is essential – living in a social age means that guests are more connected via social media and review platforms more than ever before and responding to guest feedback in a timely manner is not only crucial, but expected by default from a five-star luxury property.

The only way we can ensure that we’re on the right track, is by receiving feedback. While feedback can be challenging, it helps us determine priority 36

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areas for improvement, in order to ensure the highest possible service standards and customer experience are delivered at all times. And as the impact of online bookings and digital feedback continues to rise, the importance of reputation management rises with it.

How do you evaluate employee performance, and keep your team motivated?

Across all Accor properties worldwide, we’re using a tool which is called Talent Connect – an online platform, enabling our Heartists and their leaders successfully monitor and evaluate employee performance, based on set goals. At the beginning of every year, all employees will set themselves smart goals in collaboration with their respective leaders, which will be then frequently assessed during one-on-one performance reviews.

It’s crucial that our leaders give frequent feedback to their team members, in order to avoid any surprises during annual performance appraisals. At the end

of the year, all previously set goals will be revisited and, based on that, employee performance marked either ‘exceeds expectations’, ‘meets expectations’, or ‘is underperforming’.

Our mother company Accor has also introduced 14 competencies, which vary based on the employee level and job function. For example, one of the competencies for a housekeeping attendant would be ‘guest passion’, for which the employee then during the year-end appraisal will have to provide real-life examples, on how did they exactly perform this competency during real-life situations when on duty.

A back-of-house employee in charge of a sales team would have a competency of ‘leading a team’, for which they will then have to bring examples of their leadership skills.

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GM INTERVIEW

Executive Chef Rober Salloum and I are working closely together and constantly striving towards innovating and offering new concepts for our guests.

We’re firm believers that the most important thing for any dish is how it tastes, but with the rapidly evolving social media, Instagrammable aesthetics are almost equally important: especially nowadays, when people are eating with their eyes first and often even before opening the menu, would show our waiter an image of a dish from their phone, which they would like to order. Technology has always had a strong, positive impact on the restaurant industry, and now even more than ever before.

easily see how the employee performed in their previous role.

What systems do you have in place for resolving guest complaints?

Upon opening the hotel, Fairmont Ajman was one of the first worldwide Fairmont Hotels & Resorts property to introduce the RSM system, which was consequently the pilot project for Accor in the region.

Managers in operational departments carry devices, which enable telephone operators to send guest requests and communicate maintenance issues directly to the leaders ‘on the floor’.

This solution helps tackle guest requests immediately and gives managers an overview of pending and completed requests. There are also daily reports sent out to the entire leadership team, which are showcasing the number of resolved requests.

For example, when a guest calls from the room informing our Royal Service team (telephone operators) that the TV is not working, our team can immediately record the guest complaint via RSM online

platform, and simultaneously send the RSM ticket to the relevant member of the technology team’s device, who is presently at the property and within the next few minutes able to resolve the issue.

What would you like to tell visitors about the hotels’ F&B offerings?

Owing to its seven distinct food and beverage venues, Fairmont Ajman is widely regarded as one of the most diverse culinary destinations in the Northern Emirates. Two of my personal favourites are Gioia, the classic Italian restaurant with a subtle modern twist, featuring a traditional pizza oven and an interactive open kitchen experience, and Kiyi. The latter is our signature restaurant which offers an interactive family-style dining experience in a traditional Turkish setting, with a backdrop of live oud music.

For cooler evenings between October and April, I would also highly recommend our open-air Badr Lounge which offers panoramic views and breath-taking sunsets across the Gulf. Having an extensive F&B background myself, our

What makes a good GM? The phrase might sound overused, but one needs to have the passion for the job because you can’t do a 14-hour day, and still keep smiling at the guest. At the end of the day, people will realise that the smile isn’t genuine. If you don’t have passion, you simply won’t succeed.

Especially in our field, where passion for what you do is everything.

As times are changing, you have to keep yourself up-to-date with the latest news and trends every day, and one of the most important ones of them is social media. It’s crucial that we’re present on these platforms which are relevant for our guests, in order to remain on top of mind and be able to directly communicate with our target audience.

What are your three favourite aspects about the property?

1. Firstly, our Heartists, as it’s ultimately the team who is selling the hotel, and very often also the reason why guests from overseas keep returning to the property – because of how special our colleagues have made them feel during their stay. It’s ultimately the unwavering passion and Fairmont service culture what sets us apart from the competition.

2. Our 200-metre natural pristine beach is very unique, I haven’t seen any other beach like that in the UAE. HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME

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Competitive Agility for Hospitality Players

Former managing director at Accenture Strategy Middle East & Turkey for the past nine years, Raffaella Campagnoli is now the founder and managing director of LIRA Strategy Partners, a company that specialises in accelerating ecosystems

With over 20 years of strategy consulting experience in international firms, Campagnoli reveals insights on how hospitality can face challenges, the most recent being the COVID19 global pandemic.

Tell us a bit more about LIRA Strategy Partners, and its role in accelerating ecosystems.

LIRA Strategy Partners is a new strategic advisory boutique specialised in accelerating ecosystems, as you correctly said. Our mission is to support companies in building their competitive advantage by orchestrating specific capabilities provided by a network of expert partners.

In our view, this is fundamental for sustainability in the long term for every business: continuously innovating, rapidly scaling, operating with agility and variabilizing costs.

Your role revolves around transformation, a much-needed aspect in the wake of the global pandemic and what is yet to follow; how do you think hotels will transform throughout and after the crisis?

The hospitality industry has faced unprecedented disruption over the last two decades: now, the spread of coronavirus around the world has brought the worldwide tourism industry to a sudden freeze.

For the tourism industry, COVID-19 is turning out to be a bigger crisis than the SARS outbreak, 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis. According to STR, Average 38

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Raffaella Campagnoli

Daily Rate (ADR) in the US takes time to recover; ADR recovery took 36 months and close to six years to recover post-9/11 and -2008.

Hotel operators must master competitive agility to bring back profitability and focus on producing the significant value which had been lost.

Transformation, in this case, means boosting growth, championing optimising costs and refreshing the operating model by streamlining work processes. Of course, all of this is implemented by protecting the health and safety of employees, consumers and business partners.

How can operators gain competitive agility and what would you say should come first?

The challenge for hospitality now is to return to profitability as quickly as possible in a sustainable way for the future. We don’t know how long this pandemic will last and, moreover, we need to be prepared to face something similar in the future. Here are three programmes I would suggest for hoteliers to start to gain competitive agility: • Re-design the journey, digitalised: This means capitalising on existing technologies for making the hospitality and travel experience, not only frictionless, but also – potentially – touch-less.

In the event of another pandemic or similar challenge, hotel operators need to ensure employees, guests and partners a safe, protected environment. This goal can be reached by re-designing the full journey, enabled by technology.

Tools such as, for example, IoT, facial recognition, digital keys, wireless menus, robot-driven services, virtual reality and chatbots can still deliver personalised experiences, but also limit human interaction through an almost fully sterile journey.

This may not be what hospitality would probably call an ‘unforgettable experience,’ WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hotel operators must master competitive agility to bring back profitability and focus on producing the significant value which had been lost. but at least hotels could become more agile and limit fixed-costs factors. • Find fuel for change: Owners and operators should put in place a set of actions to find the money to fund growth and change. The answer, both for the short and long term, is optimising existing people and nonpeople costs.

Looking at labour productivity is certainly something that major hospitality players are already engaged in, but deep diving into SG&A expenditures is definitely key to facing tomorrow’s challenges.

Operating with a Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) mentality, like many other industries have done over the last 10 years, would bring not only a clear picture on who is spending how much on what, but also a significant amount of money to re-invest for growth.

For example, introducing clear cost accountability models, increasing backoffice effectiveness with shared services and optimising recurring costs (such as waste management, sponsorship, partnerships and travel) could generate up to 20-30% savings on the cost baseline. • Enhance the operating model: In order

to gain competitive agility by infusing innovation and optimising costs, hospitality players will have to set up their ecosystems to capitalise on its power and potential. The idea is very simple: keep the core and strategic capabilities inside and get non-core capabilities from specialised and partners.

In the extreme, this is the same model Airbnb or Uber have been using to shape their business model: asset-free, leveraging on a network of partners delivering the best service, and controlling and monitoring tools orchestrating service levels.

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More innovative industries such as retail (think about Amazon) or fashion (for example, Kering) are driving towards this model. Hospitality should move towards that direction too: what’s the value of delivering training internally if we can partner with specialised operators? Why not to leverage on a digital marketing-specialised agency rather than sustaining the cost of an internal team for doing that? Why not to engage with outsourcers for integrating data and working on analytics?

What’s the value of sustaining the cost of administration and payroll, now commoditised on the market? We live in an era of specialisation, where every single piece of the value chain must be the best possible, executed for bringing organisations to success.

‘Digital’ is now the keyword for many 40

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industries; while hotels can utilise technology, it’s still an industry that relies heavily on offline factors. How can properties make the most of digitisation?

I think this is a very important point: hotel owners and operators are still very much driven by traditional business models. The key point is here is that technology isn’t necessarily a substitute to human interaction or personalised services: technology is an enabler and facilitator across the entire hospitality value chain.

Let’s look at guest experience, for example: nowadays, knowing the customer and anticipating their needs is key for any customer-driven organisation and this is why consumer goods companies and retailers have been investing in big data analytics and artificial intelligence.

The power of digitalisation can enhance the way hospitality offers its services to guests, increase efficiency (marketing efforts, for example), and streamline the very expensive labour cost as digitisation would reduce friction points (for example, automating non-core processes such as baggage storage and delivery).

In your research, you have stated that the ‘industry has been lagging behind in innovation efforts,’ can you please tell us a bit more about this and what it can do to accelerate?

The big challenge is that hospitality players need to build capabilities to capture the full value that can be generated by these technologies. For example, according to Gartner, 85% of Artificial Intelligence projects are expected to fail since many companies don’t WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

systems operators…we found that a significant number of companies were keen on co-investing.

Of course, this is to be considered as the first step towards innovation – once piloted, then the partnerships need consolidation.

What’s the key piece of advice you can give hotels now and how do you see the future?

Making the new to happen isn’t complicated, but it requires a cultural change across the entire organisation.

There are two main challenges that hospitality will have to overcome in the near future and revise their strategies accordingly: • Face the different innovation maturity levels across markets: Hospitality players might fail to provide a consistent experience across countries because of the gap in resources available and innovation maturity.

have the foundations or the capital to implement such technologies.

To gain competitive agility by infusing innovation and optimising costs, hospitality players will have to revamp their operating model, consider digital innovation as a key aspect for facing the future and set up their ecosystems to capitalise on its power and potential.

By collaborating with specialised players from other industries, startups, and even competitors, hospitality can design, build, and execute the needed capabilities to lead in the ‘new’, gain momentum in the market and accelerate return on investment.

When it comes to collaborating with other industry players, how can hospitality go about doing that? What importance would you place on supplier/

F&B relationships and partnerships?

As I mentioned, the future competitive strategy for such a traditional industry is revamping the operating model and capitalising on continuous innovation (products, services, customers and partners) to define the real entry barriers for the ‘new.’

Engaging with trusted partners and orchestrating this joint effort is the way to make it happen: in one of my recent projects, for example, we designed the ‘room of the future’ for a local hotel chain.

The chain wanted to share the investment with other players: as soon as we went into the market, the kind of response we got from cross-industry operators was surprising – from FF&E manufacturers and digital advertising companies, to waste management software developers, virtual reality leaders, and payment

For this reason, there’ss no doubt that innovation strategy is to be centralised and the execution is to be “localised.”

Yet, partner companies (orchestrators) can redefine localisation by connecting hospitality players with local partners, sponsors and suppliers in the ecosystem, who are the most suitable in driving the innovation strategy.

• Fix the contention between fixing legacy systems and innovating: Due to inorganic growth operations in the hospitality industry, it often happens that players’ IT systems are fragmented and different. This has pushed hospitality players to fix the legacy systems in place.

Yet, the longer players take to innovate, the less relevant they will be for guests. Fixing the legacy system and innovating are not mutually exclusive – both can happen concurrently – while partner companies (orchestrators) can support players to innovate through the ecosystem.

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NEW PLAYER

Bowls for the Bold Sheri Mehryar is the founder and CEO of The Bowl One. She envisioned to transform the culture around healthy food through a platform and, from there, she conceptualised the cuisine-less restaurant, which has now officially launched in DIFC

Tell us a bit more about the concept behind The Bowl One. The Bowl One is meant to be outside the box. Actually that’s cheesy, we want to unbox the box. Why is there even a box?

We recreate indulging experiences, in a healthy format. For example, we formulate sugar-free ice cream with added protein, which you can turn into a sundae with our healthy version of Nutella or other homemade nut butters.

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to make staying healthy easy to sustain, which means eliminating decision fatigue by providing a platform that allows customers to pre-schedule meals.

For starters, the food concept takes Australian brunch with its beetroot hummus and avo toast to an artistic level, but at the same time it hits Japan with its house special lemongrass miso salmon.

The concept itself is loud, in the sense that it aims to be bigger than just a restaurant. We want the place to speak

up. So we made a ‘Speaker Swing’, where you make your cause known. This means if you care about global warming, for example, speak up.

What do you think is missing in the F&B landscape, regionally, and why do you think that is?

It appears as though there’s a commonality of black and white. “Are you healthy?” No, are you? What we’re saying is, ever heard of flexitarianism? We lack WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

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NEW PLAYER

informed decision-making, and there’s a trend of restaurants jumping on the opportunity, for example, to promote their new keto menus.

That’s understandable, but with what intentions? There’s a clear missing gap between intention and product. Are the mental repercussions being considered here? There’s always more to life than cauliflower rice. Although we do have the best one here at TBO. How can diners dig out the real healthy dishes in the market, as opposed to marketing tools that don’t translate into wholesome eats?

Wholesome is different for each and every one of us, and it depends on your general lifestyle, your goals, and even your mood in the moment. The key is: general consistency with a predetermined amount of leniency.

When you’re dining out ask what you are looking for, before you let the menu tell you that. Our job is to make you want something, but don’t let us, or anyone else tell you what you need. Are you coming back from a long day? Think about the kind of food that nourishes your fatigue.

The philosophy lies in being in tune with your body and mind, realising that it's a dynamic spectrum. Stay within the good fats, go for good carbs that don’t spike your insulin such as refined sugars, and focus on quality protein.

Why have you decided to launch meal plans and how different will the offering be from what’s already available?

In pursuit of making it easier to stick with healthy habits, meal plans were only an element from a range of industries I’ve adapted. The e-one platform aims to maximise customisation and minimise decision fatigue. So, during my research, I found that continuous decision-making is where people fall off the wagon, and they’re not at fault, their bodies are doing exactly what they are meant to be doing: providing a pre-scheduling feature eliminates the problem.

However; that’s only half of the

solution. The differentiating factor is leniency in the meal plans. Unpacking this brings us TBO’s “indulging health” theme and the gourmet style of our food. We have stirred far, far away from cardboard chicken and stale broccoli. We believe in a “truffle vegan aioli with no trans-fat and peanut butter cups on our sundae” kind of diet.

E-one will not throw in your set meal plan in a box and call it a day, we’re loyal to our subscribers which means they will be getting lots of perks such as access to a budget-friendly menu, redeemable loyalty points, competitions and full customisation. The plan aims to be flexible, and fun.

It doesn’t end at the delivery point, there’s a whole flow. You don’t need to eat out of a plastic container either, you can redeem your packages in store and have a gourmet experience. We inject experience at every pain point we possibly can.

What advice would you give businesses in a less-than-ideal global situation and what do you think thriving businesses have done right?

There has never been a more important time for our health. It goes without saying

that humans have come a long way, but industrialisation has taken some elemental sources of health. Our gut health, for instance, has been majorly affected by overly processed food items. I’d advice F&B businesses to think about the future by going back to our roots. Preserve your own pickles. Or just stop using so many bottled ingredients, make them yourself. It helps the environment, it’s honest and it tastes a whole lot better.

On a more conceptual level, I wish for businesses to have a long-term vision, by educating the customer on the true purpose behind some of their actions. I openly tell customers I don’t believe in the magical power of acai – even though we have a huge smoothie bowl menu, and a whole movable tray dedicated to it.

Some of the businesses I look up to, and strive to become like, are actively participating and donating to niche causes.

Ben & Jerry’s is one of my favourite brands, who are playful, innovate and contribute to amazing causes.

In times of uncertainty, the most important support comes from information and education. So, who does fortune favour?

The bold.

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MARKETPLACE

Traka ASSA ABLOY Regional Business Development Manager – Middle East, Traka ASSA ABLOY Roshin Roy reveals the latest in key and equipment management systems for hospitality

Hotel key and equipment management systems – how important are they for properties and why?

In hospitality businesses with a large employment base, access to keys and different portable devices (security radios, tablets, laptops) used by several personnel in multiple locations is considered a critical factor to the business’s security, controls and operations. Traka key and equipment management solutions automate processes, improve efficiency, reduce operating costs and cut down losses leading to an average return on investment in about nine months or less.

The Traka asset management solution can provide controlled and audited access to hotel assets such as office keys, access cards, master keys, pool cars, radios, cash boxes, tablets, laptops and 44

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Roshin Roy

other assets within the premises. An integrated asset management system from Traka can streamline processes,

improve response times and thereby enhance guest experience.

Traka systems installed at hotels and resorts are usually programmed to prevent staff from taking the assets outside their regular working hours.

Furthermore, our systems seamlessly integrate with access control systems to prevent staff from taking the assets out of the hotel premises. Traka systems can be programmed to generate email alerts when these assets are not returned on time, thus ensuring their availability when they are most needed.

Traka key management systems eliminate the manual procedure of key allocation, booking, retrieval and return.

Multiple Traka systems installed at various sites can be centrally managed and monitored from the control room. All WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

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MARKETPLACE

activities are digitally logged for security audit and extensive reporting.

Traka systems ensure that keys can only be returned by the individual who originally accessed the key, thus ensuring complete accountability. We have learned that hotel staff adhere to policies and practices when they know that their key access are tracked. This ensures tighter control and improved accountability which are both considered critical in the hospitality business.

What’s the latest in technology?

At Traka, we invest heavily in innovation and R&D. This is one reason why we’re considered global leaders in key and equipment management solutions. Our systems are constantly evolving as we adapt to our customer’s requirements and their ever-evolving business landscape.

Our customers are usually very particular about information security management as our systems may share their very critical IP network with other security systems such as access control and building management systems. Traka is an ISO 27001-certified company and our systems go through penetration testing to the OWASP Top Ten. Adhering to these standards make us the only viable key and equipment management solution for enterprises.

Our new Traka Touch systems support the Open Supervised Device Protocol

(OSDP). OSDP is an access control communications standard that will improve interoperability among access control and security products and support the high-end AES-128 encryption standard. With this development, we’re one step ahead in providing seamless integration with card readers from many manufacturers.

Another key development is our newly developed integration capability with the Honeywell EBI platform. Now, Traka is the only key and equipment management solution that’s integrated with the leading access control systems such as Lenel OnGuard, Nedap AEOS, Amag Symmetry, Honeywell EBI, Tyco CCURE, Maxxess, Gallagher, Inner Range Integriti, Genetec, Paxtion and S2.

Have you implemented any new measures in the wake of COVID-19?

Any special requests for contactless/notouch, for example?

Traka has remained operational as an "essential business" providing critical products and support. We have identified areas which we consider critical to operate and implemented operational continuity plans within our teams to ensure we have sufficient resources to keep our operations running safely and products shipped to our customers that rely on Traka as part of their day-to-day operations.

The COVID-19 situation has made new

customers re-consider fingerprint scanners and ask for a contactless solution. As our systems are primarily used to provide access to physical keys and equipment where contact with multi-user systems is unavoidable, there’s some limitation to achieving a complete contactless transaction.

However, we have encouraged our customers and partners to take precautionary measures focused on sanitisation while using Traka’s key and equipment systems. To help reduce the spread of viruses and ensure that the systems continue to function correctly, a guide had been provided to assist customers with the necessary requirements for cleaning the systems.

Please tell us about some of your key projects?

Some of the world’s top hotel groups like the Marriott, Hilton, Four Seasons and the IHG group have engaged Traka for key and asset management in some of their properties. In the Middle East, we have brands such as St. Regis, Kempinski, Marriott, Atlantis, Fairmont, Mandarin Oriental and Vida Hotels as our clients.

Traka have certified resellers in every country who are equipped to work in the hospitality industry. They’re working very closely with property managers and security consultants who understand the need for key and equipment management systems.

What’s in the pipeline?

Traka is part of the ASSA ABLOY Group, the global leader in access solutions. Within the group is ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions, who are at the forefront of driving innovation within the hospitality industry.

Traka continues to collaborate with ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions to offer collective group value and the most advanced technologies that ensure security and peace of mind to both hospitality providers and their guests.

This means all our customers will get the best professional support with an added advantage of dealing with one organisation that understands their environment.

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FURTHER AFIELD

Hospitality in Asia

Tourism Economics noted that the sudden shutdown of source markets, furthered by travel advisories in Europe and the US, dealt a heavy blow on revenue generation in Asia. In this feature, we dig deeper into some of the biggest hotels in the continent The Chedi Al Bait (Sharjah, UAE) Eight years in the making, the 53-room resort by GHM debuted in marked contrast to the world-famous hotel towers of nearby Dubai, cultivating a low-slung profile and an aesthetic that celebrates indigenous building design and materials. Its historic barjeel, or wind tower, punctuates the district’s age-old appeal. A museum worthy of stand-alone status signals the ambitions of the hotel -- and the city -- to showcase the emirate’s particular heritage.

The name of this Leading Hotel of the World -- Al Bait -- means home in Arabic and is reference both to the intimate atmospherics of the property’s design, and to the five historic residential chambers at the heart of the new property. The homes are each named for former inhabitants, and resound with their original purpose as residences that did double duty as a post office, a customs’ house and a salon or majlis, for the city’s intellectual elite. Its coral building blocks and gypsum have stood the test of time. In 2020, Travel + Leisure trumpeted the hotel on its IT List as one of the most remarkable new hotels in the world.

The Reverie Saigon (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam) Located in downtown Ho Chi Minh, The Reverie Saigon is a jaw-dropping blend of decadent Italian design and genuine Vietnamese hospitality. Inside Vietnam’s most lavish hotel, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, Italian Carrara marble covers the floors and 46

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The Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah, UAE

walls, a custom-made 24-carat gold Baldi clock, and a 5-meter-long Colombostile sofa in purple ostrich leather adorn the lobby.

Palace Hotel Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan) Set in the heart of Tokyo’s business district in Marunouchi, right next door to the Imperial Palace gardens, Palace Hotel Tokyo’s location is hard to beat.

Heir to a hotel that was built in the 1960s, the historic hotel re-opened in 2012 after a USD 1.2 billion rebuild

from the ground-up.

Today, the modern granite-andglass property features 10 restaurants and bars including a new French restaurant in partnership with Alain Ducasse (Esterre), exquisite Japanese (Wadakura), and an Old World-style cigar and martini bar (Royal Bar) in addition to the country’s very first evian SPA. All 290 contemporary guestrooms and suites come with traditional Japanese touches such as Jugetsudo WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

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FURTHER AFIELD

river. The first property in Thailand launched under Spanish hotel group Meliá Hotels International, the resort, that celebrated its grand opening on January 10 this year, is also home to two restaurants, an executive lounge shaped like a ship's hull, a two-level infinity pool with sunken seating areas, a swimup bar, spa, fitness center, ballroom and, for families, a kids’ club, outdoor playground and mini water park.

Banyan Tree Samui, Koh Samui, Thailand

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam

teas by Maruyama Nori, plush Imabari bath linens and Nambu-tekki cast iron teapots, reflecting the true meaning of omotenashi (Japanese hospitality). More than half of the rooms have open-air balconies offering sweeping views of the Imperial Palace gardens and the Tokyo skyline — a real luxury in the city.

Meliá Koh Samui (Koh Samui, Thailand) At Choeng Mon Beach on the northeastern tip of Thailand's Koh Samui island, the new Meliá Koh Samui deploys

a compelling nautical theme. Paying homage to Koh Samui’s heritage as a safe haven for sailors and sea traders, the 159-room and 41-suite resort has given teak wood merchant vessels, that are more than 100 years old, a new lease on life, converting them into elegant two-story boat suites sized 91 to 100sqm.

Each boat suite offers either sea views, garden views or direct access to a remarkable 1600sqm lagoon pool that loops through its grounds like a

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi (Hanoi, Vietnam) With its stately grandeur and 120 years of history, the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is one of Southeast Asia’s most iconic hotels. Famous guests over the decades have ranged from Charlie Chaplin and Graham Greene to Angelina Jolie and innumerable heads of state.

The hotel’s popular “Path of History” tour includes a look back at this illustrious past, as well as a visit to the underground bomb shelter that protected Joan Baez, Jane Fonda and others from air raids during the USVietnam War. In February, the Metropole Hanoi was awarded a Five-Star Rating, the highest level of recognition, from Forbes Travel Guide. The hotel is home to several celebrated restaurants, including Le Beaulieu (French fine dining), Spices Garden (Vietnamese), and angelina (international), as well as venues like Le Club Bar (for afternoon tea), La Terrasse (a Parisian-style cafe) and Bamboo Bar (for bespoke cocktails).

Banyan Tree Samui (Koh Samui, Thailand) Nestled against a lush 38-acre hillside, and overlooking a secluded cove of beach, coral reefs and sapphire waters, this majestic resort is a haven of luxury and tranquility. The 88 villas, each with a private infinity pool and 24hour butler service, are tiered into the tropical landscape to provide guests with maximum sea views and sunshine.

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SUPPLIER WATCH

RAW and Unfiltered Kim Thompson, co-owner and managing director at RAW Coffee Company, tells Hotel & Catering News Middle East about the roastery’s latest moves in face of the global crisis RAW started off as bootleggers, bringing coffee beans to Dubai in suitcases from their favourite roasteries around the world. Established in July 2007, founders Matt Toogood and Kim Thompson decided it was time to fill the gap for freshly roasted specialty coffee. The coffee beans used at RAW are all organically certified, roasted in small batches, and available to sample from their warehouse roastery, either as single origins or blends.

Post-launch, the RAW team quickly expanded to providing support and training to baristas and finding equipment manufacturers. Additionally, RAW prides itself in sourcing coffee beans ethically, while ensuring the supplying farmers are treated fairly and can make a sustainable living.

RAW offers a complete value proposition for all things coffee-related, including a supply of fresh quality roasted beans, barista training, imported Italian espresso equipment, including servicing and maintenance, and consultation on design, menu concepts and optimised workflow for their hospitality partners.

Tell us more about RAW. RAW Coffee Company was founded in Dubai 12 years ago, we were the first specialty coffee roastery in the Middle East. It’s an owner-operated and selffinanced business which has grown organically and we’re seen as the market leader – not only for quality, but also for barista training and consultancy for all things coffee.

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What are your latest products and services?

Well, these are pretty crazy times.

With the closure of the majority of our commercial café and restaurant partners, we’re pivoting our business model from primarily B2B to B2C. We have a successful online ordering platform and our own internal delivery team and vehicles, but with an increased

number of domestic orders we’re now partnering with a courier delivery option as we scale up. We’re launching an app to make it even easier for our customers to order and pay online and have tracking capabilities.

We’re modifying our marketing strategy and how to make it more relevant for our home consumers and creating more interactive online trainings WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

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SUPPLIER WATCH

for the home baristas and people who may have previously purchased their coffee from a café, showing different brewing options with different budgets and taste preferences.

Tell us more about your sustainability efforts.

There are various certifications in the world of coffee (Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, etc.), but over the years and with experience at origin, we believe it’s more important and has far more impact, to trade directly (direct trade) and have a strong personal relationship with good communication.

This way, we can understand farmers’ challenges and work with them to find solutions, and pay a social premium that goes directly to them and not to a middle man: this is both more valuable to them and yields better quality for us, and is genuinely sustainable.

What are some important coffee trends you can tell us about?

With the growing Third Wave Movement, where artisanal breweries are turning coffee into the kind of food product that inspires talk of flavour notes, coffee lovers are becoming more informed, more inclined to drink a brewed coffee or request a single origin. There are a few trends that are likely to surround the coffee world in 2020.

First of all, conscious consumption: With people becoming consciously aware of the environment and working conditions of farmers, an interest in sustainability, quality and an ethical supply of coffee has already seen vast growth and preference. People are invested in their foods and beverages. Having the knowledge of where the coffee is being sourced from is almost as important to the customer as the taste of the beverage.

Building on conscious consumption, it’s also a growing trend to avoid singleuse plastics – having biodegradable takeaway cups and non-plastic straws is always on trend.

Moreover, cold brew continues to capture more market; smoothies, pre-

work drinks (adding fats), frappes, iced coffees, mixology ingredient and the famous nitro cold brew. This is in addition to dairy alternatives: with the rise of vegan consumers, lactose intolerance, and health-conscious coffee lovers, dairy alternatives in coffee are becoming more and more popular. An in-depth study shows that oat milk as a non-dairy alternative is healthier for you, better for the environment and most importantly tastes better.

Every region has its own specialty coffee - “Qahwa” being the Arabic version. Trying local coffee specialties from another country is another trend that will see itself through 2020. For example, the famous Vietnamese Egg coffee is a regular coffee topped off with egg yolk and condensed milk.

Water had been a completely underestimated ingredient in a really good cup of coffee. People are now starting to understand the importance of a correct mineral balance of the water used in making a good cup.

RAW Coffee Company has run extensive trials on all bottled waters

available with different filter options.

Unfortunately, most of the bottled water available doesn’t deliver the correct mineral balance required to make a good cup of coffee. RAW installed a large reverse osmosis unit which consistently delivers “correct water”. Post the tests, they found that the best bottled water comes from Coca Cola and Pepsi (Arwa and Aquafina).

What does coffee signify as a product amid this global crisis?

I don’t think anybody expected this situation, nobody could plan for it or understand the economic impact of this.

But personally, this enforced quarantine means life has slowed down somewhat.

I’m spending more time as I work from home, preparing food, and thinking about food, experimenting with new dishes and my time isn’t so rushed. I’m getting so much pleasure from the small things, using my hand grinder and home-brewing my own coffee is one of them. It’s a treat and a pleasure that I reward myself with, that I look forward to and savour.

However, as a business owner, we’re

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needing to be very agile and plan different scenarios with different time frames.

We’re fortunate that we had already purchased all our fresh green coffee and have the last containers on the water heading to us now. We have strong stock levels and our farmers already have their money. All of our specialty coffee comes from countries that rely on coffee as their primary export, so the implications of not being able to sell their coffee would be catastrophic.

Has your strategy changed in recent years?

Well, if I had written this article one month ago the answer to this would be completely different. We were heavily focused on our volume of B2B customers, and were working on expansion into other GCC countries; we had invested in growth and recruited some fantastic senior team members; we were ready to put our foot down on the accelerator.

Today, we’re deeply focused on crisis

management, looking after our amazing team, adapting and changing our marketing strategy for the B2C business, and managing our finances so that we can see this thing through.

Then, when we come out the other end, we will be able to pick up and resume our B2B focus, supporting our commercial customers so that they can offer the same amazing coffee.

Jan 2020

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General Manager Director of Sales & Marketing Sales Manager / Executive Director of Engineering Front Office Manager

. H R & Training Manager • • • •

Hotel Manager Director Finance Executive Chef F&B Director

Post Box 5455 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Email: mdwarrier@bineid.com | Web: www.bineid.com Telephone: +971 6 5686144

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