ENSURING LONGEVITY IN A CITY FULL OF SUPERLATIVES

On March 1 2023, we celebrated 25 years of hospitality at Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre. The hospitality landmark in the community welcomes guests from all over the world since opening its doors in 1998. This celebration is our opportunity to reflect on our foundation that ensured the 317-room building that solidified itself as a reliable, welcoming and premium hospitality destination for so long.

In a city of superlatives, that is always looking for “the newest” and next “it place”; how can properties ensure longevity and staying top-of-mind for decades to come.

We want to strip away the glitter and the noise and get down to the secret recipe that ensures longlasting success and to us that is at the heart of the brand. Heart is authenticity, the commitment to the profession and creation of joy for every guest that walks through our doors. We call our staff Heartists, a culmination of heart and artists – passionate experts who have mastered the art of the two most important words in hospitality; making guests feel welcome. We have outlined a list of seven top tips which we have internally shared across our seven Accor properties within the city. These will continue to share with every new starter to ensure our hearts are aligned and we can continue to achieve the same established futures.

Resilience and adaptability: It’s impossible to discuss the importance of agility and tenacity within the industry without touching on the COVID-19 pandemic. The global crisis highlighted just how fragile business can be if they lack flexibility, boldness, and ability to instill confidence in guests’ expectations. The way we embraced the duty of care across the board and swiftly evolve and adjust to the new normal is testament to the fact we’re still standing stronger than ever.

Acting for the people: This refers to both employees and guests; a successful brand needs the drive of passionate individuals who will work together to deliver unique experiences and memories for their guests. We encourage our employees to be attentive to the world around them, to dream big and push limits. Guests need that tailored and unique approach where they feel special and know they’ll receive a consistent level of excellence every time they return.

Acting for the planet: Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to travelers, and with 2023 being the UAE year of Sustainability, the focus on hospitality providing green and eco-friendly initiatives has never been stronger. At Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre, we were named Best Sustainable Hotel in Dubai and Arabia at the International Hotel Awards. This recognised our efforts towards sustainability from cutting food waste to minimizing single-use plastic consumption.

Authentic hospitality that is relevant to now: Standing out in a crowded market is tough, which is why as a hotel, you have to find what makes you unique and capitalize on it. From our staff to our desirable location matched with the unrivaled business centre services, makes Pullman Deira Creek City Centre. The property is the ideal choice for both leisure and business travelers and we do everything in our power to promote this.

Open to innovations and digitalisation: Technology is constantly evolving, and hotels need to keep up with the latest trends to remain relevant. This could include everything from mobile check-ins to in-room tablets. From our phenomenal WiFi to event and business solutions to our fully integrated app, we ensure we are on the pulse when it comes to technology. Across our 7 hotels, we use AI & Robotics for ease of processes and time optimization.

Marketing: Keep content fresh, new and exciting, whether it be on social media or through latest offers and incentives; it is vital to consistently market your hotel. We are always looking for innovative ideas and partnerships, such as our fitness partnership with Les Mills or the launch of the t-Lounge by Dilmah to reach new target audiences. We are always looking at new ways to market our offerings, from the artist’s playground, and to all the immense noise we made around the 25 years of hospitality anniversary. We invest a lot in communication.

Rewarding loyalty: Encouraging, sustaining, and rewarding loyalty is paramount to the success of a hotel. We utilise our ALL (Accor Live Limitless) loyalty programme to provide tailored rewards and unique benefits to our customers. We also find small ways to show our appreciation to our returning guests, from remembering names to their preferences and personalized touches within the rooms. We have had to consistently transform our thinking, adapting to our environment, creating an integrated ecosystem of hospitality experiences and services, which proves ourselves as a pillar in the community. We have been so grateful for the past 25 years and look forward to the next. Here’s to being 50 and thriving.