Hotel News ME - August 2015

DISTRIBUTION TACTICS Why the GDS remains a vital sales channel

MÖVENPICK MANOEUVRES Swiss hospitality firm’s pipeline plans THE PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AUGUST 2015 | WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

PRE-OPENING STRATEGIES TFG Asset Management research exclusive

New Wave Hotels Why hoteliers should run their family resort more like a cruise ship

CONTENTS

hot topics 08 | NEWS ROUND UP A SUMMARY OF REGIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS 20 | THE PANEL E-COMMERCE GURUS DISCUSS THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION OF THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY 44 | TAKE 10 THE FUTURE OF DESERT RESORTS 46 | MEET THE EXPERTS HOSPITALITY SPECIALIST VIEWS

features

26

26 | COVER STORY WHY HOTELIERS SHOULD RUN THEIR RESORT LIKE A CRUISE SHIP 34 | MID-SCALE HOTELS AN OVERVIEW OF HILTON'S MID-MARKET MILESTONES 38 | F&B FEATURE THE NEW SOCIAL FOODIE REVOLUTION

34 38 44

CONTENTS

62 52 Managing Director Walid Zok Walid@bncpublishing.net Director Rabih Najm Rabih@bncpublishing.net Director Wissam Younane Wissam@bncpublishiWng.net Group Publishing Director Diarmuid O'Malley Dom@bncpublishing.net Sales Manager Charlotte Ringrose Charlotte@bncpublishing.net Group Editor Melanie Mingas Melanie@bncpublishing.net Deputy Editor Sophia Soltani Sophia@bncpublishing.net

32 | CHAIN FOCUS MÖVENPICK: PROFILING THE HOTEL GROUP'S ACHIEVEMENTS AND FUTURE GOALS 52 | SUPPLIER FOCUS SUPPLIER VS. BUYER: GYM SUPPLIERS HASH IT OUT WITH THE INHOUSE EXPERTS

Marketing Executive Mark Anthony Monzon

CONTRIBUTORS

64

Gemma Greenwood

SUBSCRIBE subscriptions@bncpublishing.net PO Box 502511 Dubai, United Arab Emirates P +971 4 4200 506 | F +971 4 4200 196

interviews 16 | NIKLAS ANDREEN REVEALS HOW THE GDS REMAINS A VITAL SALES CHANNEL BRANDED AND NONBRANDED HOTELS 46 | FILIPPO SONA TAKES A LOOK AT SOME OF THEREGION'S ROLLING HIGHLIGHTS

For all commercial enquiries related to Hotel News ME contact Dom@bncpublishing.net T +971 50 55 97339 All rights reserved © 2014.

Opinions expressed are solely those of the contributors.

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MID-MARKET MOMENTUM

IS IT TIME FOR MORE HOTELS TO GO MID-MARKET? When it comes to luxury, Dubai ticks all of the boxes. From 7-star hotels, to underwater dining digs with the majority of travellers touting the city for it’s glittering lights and mind-boggling skyscrapers.

But as of late, it has become apparent that Dubai developers and hotel chains are directing their shareholders towards investing in new mid-market hotels. So if one was to observe the current outlook of the market, it has become plain to see that economy price busting units are making headway in the region, with JLL reporting that almost 50% of the new 3,600 hotel rooms expected for delivery by year-end will have a 3-star rating.

And according to Knight Frank’s July 2015 research paper: Dubai’s mid-market hotel sector – stable performance in turbulent waters, reported Dubai’s mid-scale RevPAR growth with a significant dip in the luxury segment also showing that in the first quarter of the year occupancy fell by 2.2% with average daily rates falling by 5% resulting in a 7% YoY RevPAR dip, only verifies the strong shift currently being seen in the market.

So rounding up from our epic GM Leaders’ Conference which took place last month, where panelists discussed ‘oversupply woes’ in the luxury segment, as Carlos Khneisser, VP of development, Middle East Hilton Worldwide raised a valid point: “In order for Dubai to accommodate the influx of travellers who will on average stay for three nights, the region is going to need approximately 60 million rooms, therefore we still need more than 70,000 rooms to pop up in order to facilitate the 20 million anticipated visitors by 2020.”

So essentially, doesn’t this mean that there is room for growth in both luxury and mid-scale hotels? Considering the drive for more affordable accommodation, this should surely drive the region towards embracing new lower cost airlines too.

Being realistic, is Dubai really ready to become a budget-busting city, and are hotel chains really willing to grasp the concept of low cost rooms in a luxury-dominated market?

SOPHIA SOLTANI Deputy Editor

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HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

THE FOODIE FIGHT IS ON Home-grown F&B brands take on the big boys

MOROCCO PROVES MOORISH THE PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY JULY 2015 | WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

Hotel development rush meets ambitious 2020 targets

TURNING ON THE CHARM Mandarin Oriental courts the ME market

New Wave Hotels Why hoteliers should run their family resort more like a cruise ship

A LITTLE BIT LIKE A SHIPWRECK? DISTRIBUTION TACTICS Why the GDS remains a vital sales channel

MÖVENPICK MANOEUVRES Swiss hospitality firm’s pipeline plans THE PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY JULY 2015 | WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

PRE-OPENING STRATEGIES TFG Asset Management research exclusive

New Wave Hotels Why hoteliers should run their family resort more like a cruise ship

PERFECT ON LAND AND SEA!

Follow us on our social media pages @hotelnewsme /hotelnewsmme Hotelnewsme

REGIONAL NEWS

NEWS

WHO SAID THAT?

MoU to support Emiratisation in Abu Dhabi hotels Abu Dhabi National Hotels and Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a long-term strategic partnership to encourage young nationals to join the hospitality sector.

The collaboration is in line with TCA Abu Dhabi’s “Kibrati” programme and will further support Abu Dhabi National Hotels to develop and empower young UAE Nationals to play a greater role in the hotel industry.

Under the terms of the agreement, TCA Abu Dhabi will facilitate the enrollment of Emirati students in the Khibrati programme by coordinating the recruitment process and the relationship with colleges and universities. Subsequently, ADNH offers internship programmes developed at international standards by its hotels operated by international brands: The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Ho-

8

HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

tel and Villas, Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort, Le Meridien Abu Dhabi, Hilton Abu Dhabi, Hilton Al Ain and Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach. ADNH aims to retain the trainees enrolled in the programme once they completed their formal education.

"WE HAVE UNIQUE CAPABILITIES TO PROVIDE TRAINING PROGRAMMES TAILORED TO WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS" The MoU was signed by Hareb Al-Muhairy, Board Member and Managing Director of ADNH and Nasser Al-Reyami, Standards Regulations & Licensing Department Director, TCA Abu Dhabi.

Commenting at the occasion,

Hareb Al-Muhairy stated: “The development of talented UAE nationals is a top priority for Abu Dhabi National Hotels. We are excited to partner with TCA Abu Dhabi in a programme that encourages young nationals to become part of the fascinating world of hospitality.”

“With a collection of iconic hotels managed by reputable hotel operators, ADNH is uniquely positioned as a strategic partner in TCA Abu Dhabi’s Khibrati Programme”, said Al Muhairy. “Through our hotels, we have unique capabilities to provide training programmes tailored to widely acknowledged international standards to ensure our interns will become part of the hospitality world.” Nasser Al Reyami, TCA Abu Dhabi, added: “We are confident that the partnership with ADNH, one of the largest hotel owner and operator in UAE, will give young Emirati students a fantastic springboard into the hospitality sector.”

"WHILE SOME MAY INDULGE IN A BURGER MEAL IN A HOTEL IN GENEVA, OTHER GUESTS MAY OPT TO KICK BACK WITH A GLASS OF HOUSE RED WINE AT LESS THAN SIX TIMES THE PRICE IN BOGOTA" CAROLINA ANNAND OF HOTELS.COM, COMMENTING ON THE BRAND'S CLUB SANDWICH INDEX (CSI), RELEASED LAST MONTH AND IDENTIFYING GENEVA AS THE MOST EXPENSIVE CITY IN THE WORLD

GO FIGURE

63% UAE RESIDENTS SAY F&B IN A HOTEL IS THEIR TOP SPLURGE SOURCE: YOUGOV

53% OF UAE RESIDENTS TAKE AT LEAST ONE BUSINESS TRIP PER YEAR, WITH.....

47% OF THOSE TRIPS LASTING LESS THAN FOUR DAYS. SOURCE: EXPEDIA

REGIONAL NEWS

Michael Menis, SVP of digital and voice channels, IHG, speaking after the launch of a suite of new tech products, from Stay.com Mobile Folio , iBeacon tech and the IHG translator for Apple Watch. Turn to page 20 for a full roundup.

WHO SAID THAT?

GO FIGURE

8.2%

“The initiatives we showcased today are really exciting because they reinforce how our digital capabilities add value beyond the booking”

“THE UAE HAS RECOGNISED THE NEED FOR INVESTMENT IN QUALITY OF ATTRACTIONS TO APPEAL TO ITS, CULTURALLY DIVERSE VISITOR BASE. WE FORECAST THEME PARKS IN THE UAE WILL ATTRACT 18M VISITS BY 2021 VERSUS SINGAPORE’S 6.7M AND HONG KONG’S 15M," PHILIP SHEPHERD, PARTNER, PWC

DECREASE IN OCCUPANCY TO 56.1%, ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA IN JUNE 2015, ACCORDING TO MONTHLY DATA FROM STR GLOBAL

-21% DOUBLE-DIGIT DECLINE IN OCCUPANCY RECORDED IN QATAR, JUNE/ RAMADAN 2015, WITH REVPAR DOWN -18.5%. HOWEVER ADR WAS UP 3.2%

Omani heritage a hit at Expo “Heritage in Harvest: Harnessing the sea, sun and sand” is the theme of the Sultanate of Oman’s pavilion. It spans four areas representing water, oases, the sea and traditions, so it perfectly encapsulates Oman.

In the first period of Expo 2015, the Sultanate of Oman’s pavilion had more than 570,000 visits. There were over 15,000 visits a day, with an average duration of approximately half an hour. More than 4,500 visitors have got to know the country during over 150 guided tours. There has been allround satisfaction with the chosen theme for the pavilion, partly because it reflects the values of Expo 2015 and most importantly because it tells the story of an unusual, unknown country that sees water and its agricultural traditions as an asset to preserve and a driver of sustainable development.

Dubai pipeline leads MEA

Viceroy The Palm, one of many planned projects in Dubai

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HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

A report published by for The Hotel Show Dubai 2015 by Top Hotel Projects reveals that Dubai is leading the Middle East and Africa for new hotel developments with 96 total projects and 36,523 rooms in the pipeline.

Dubai has been the Middle East and Africa’s leading city for hotel openings for the past 3 years, but activity is now at an all-time high with the new rooms to be added to the existing 65,000 reported by JLL as currently available in 2015, set to bring the total to over 100,000 by 2020.

The busiest year for Dubai hotels is reported to be 2017, with 30 projects opening to the public. Dubai’s first fully solarpowered hotel, Hotel Indigo Dubai The Sustainable City,

and its first Mandarin Oriental and Bulgari luxury hotels are to open in 2017. The major Dubai Pearl development, a “mix of six innovative 5-Star hotels” is reported to launch in early-2018 including Dubai’s first MGM Grand and Bellagio hotels, brands made famous by the Las Vegas strip.

Other hot spots are Morocco with 46 active projects, Riyadh with 43 and Doha with 38.

Of almost 700 total hotel projects in the pipeline for the Middle East and Africa, 528 are listed as being in the pre-planning, planning and construction stages, with local and international investors now requiring the materials to build across technology and security, interiors, food services and more.

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REGIONAL NEWS

NADEJDA POPOVA, SENIOR TRAVEL ANALYST, EUROMONITOR INTERNATIONAL “TOURISM IS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE FOR TUNISIA AND FOR THE PERIOD 2013-2014 INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS TO THE COUNTRY RECORDED 4% GROWTH. THIS IS HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE SAFETY AND STABILITY IN TUNISIA. THE RECENT OUTBURSTS OF VIOLENCE REPRESENT MAJOR THREAT FOR THE COUNTRY, WHICH CAN ESCALATE THE POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND SECURITY ISSUES IN THIS DESTINATION AND ULTIMATELY KEEP TRAVELLERS FROM VISITING.@

GO FIGURE

44% OF 65K THE NUMBER OF HOTEL ROOMS IN DUBAI, Q1 2015, WHICH WERE RATED 5-STAR (SOURCE: JLL)

AED3.3m ALLOCATED BY AL FUTTAIM IN CAPITAL GAIN TO SUPPORT NOVOTEL’S GREEN INITIATIVES (SOURCE: HOTEL SHOW)

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TFG Asset Management and Hotel News ME join forces to launch pre-opening strategies whitepaper Hotel News ME is to give readers exclusive insights into effective hotel pre-opening strategies, thanks to a new partnership with TFG Asset Management.

The two Dubai-based hospitality industry powerhouses have joined forces to launch TFG Asset Management’s brand new Hotel pre-opening strategies white paper in the September issue of Hotel News ME. The comprehensive research paper spearheaded by TFG Asset Management’s head of asset management Mariano Faz and his team, aims to provide practical insights into how hotel operators and owners can devise ‘successful pre-opening strategies in a timely and efficient manner’.

According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) quoted in the paper, more than 60% of hotel project failures take place in the fifth phase of

HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

the hotel development process – the pre-opening activities.

Reasons for this are many but include missed deadlines, change in scope and deficient resorts.

“Our pre-opening strategies paper will discuss what steps the parties involved in the fifth stage of a hotel’s development can take to combat common pre-opening issues,” explained Faz. “From budget management strategies to fostering better communication between operators and owners, our paper is a comprehensive how-to guide for everyone to follow.”

The paper has been compiled with the help of hospitality experts including general managers with proven pre-opening experience.

“If all parties follow our hints and tips they can look forward to a stressfree experience next time they prepare

to open a new property,” added Faz. In addition to the Hotel preopening strategies white paper being distributed with the September issue of Hotel News ME, the publication will also run an in-depth feature on this hot topic.

“Hotel News ME is a publication for hospitality professionals that thinks outside the box, providing information hoteliers and owners need to know to run their businesses and their assets more effectively,” said Diarmuid O’Malley, group publishing director at BNC Publishing, which publishes Hotel News ME. “By partnering with TFG Asset Management to launch this exclusive white paper we are arming our readers with the tools and knowledge they need to operate effectively and efficiently in this fast-paced industry,” he added.

REGIONAL NEWS

Downtown Design 2015 to return This October, Downtown Design, the region’s only qualitydriven design trade fair, moves to the new Dubai Design District as the commercial centrepiece of the inaugural Dubai Design Week.

Now in its third year, Downtown Design has doubled in size to present a roster of 85 established and emerging brands from all parts of the world, across a variety of product categories: furniture, lighting, bathrooms, kitchens, textiles and accessories.

Of this year’s brands, some 13 exhibitors are returning, such as Bohemian lighting brand Lasvit from Czech Reuplic, Dubai’s Nakkash Gallery and climate controlled cellar environments from Canadian Vin de Garde. New exhibitors include premium Ital-

Baranksa glass chandelier of sea flowers in blue and gold

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HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

GO FIGURE

11%

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism is installing interactive touchscreen information terminals in all 5and 4-star hotels and luxury hotel apartments to engage visiting tourists as part of the strategy to attract 10 million tourists by 2021

ian bathroom company Antonio Lupi, Denmark’s premier silver brand Georg Jensen, Hacker Kitchens and Rolf-Benz UAE. The 2015 edition will also unveil ‘Destination’, a unique alliance with six international Design Weeks: Beijing, Helsinki, Istanbul, Melbourne, Mexico City and San Francisco. Uniting at one ‘Destination’: Dubai, each Design Week, in cooperation with Downtown Design, will present three of their most exciting emerging brands for the first time on the global stage, allowing visitors to discover innovative new talent.

Downtown Design takes place 27-30 October, 2015. Visit to downtowndesign.com for updates.

WHO SAID THAT?

"WE WILL OFFER OUR CUSTOMERS TRAVELLING TO

OF THE WORLD TRAVEL COMMUNITY IS MUSLIM (SOURCE: GMTI 2015)

AND FROM DUBAI THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER

20%

THE ADVANTAGES OF BOOKING FLIGHTS WITH

YOY GUEST NUMBER INCREASE, ABU DHABI

US, AND TRAVELLING WITH UBER” INES CHUECA,

3.9m

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER, MENA REGION, DESTINIA.COM

REVISED TARGET FOR TOTAL GUESTS TO ABU DHABI IN 2015, FOLLOWING RECORD BREAKING H1 PERFORMANCE RECORDED BY TCA

R Hotels unveils plans for new hotel in Ajman R Hotels reveals another major development plan for the group with the new 182-key hotel in Ajman Corniche. With a total investment of AED150 million (USD40.9 million), the construction is expected to commence in the third quarter of 2015 with the target opening date of Q1 2017. The new hotel will be located beside Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman, which is also owned and managed by R Hotels. Targeting both the leisure and corporate segments, the property will feature rooms with sea views, a restaurant, spa and fitness centre and indoor swimming pool.

>>> FOR MORE NEWS VISIT HOTELNEWSME.COM

FACE TO FACE

DISTRIBUTION TACTICS Niklas Andreen, senior vice president and managing director – global hospitality, Travelport, explains how the GDS remains a vital sales channel for branded and nonbranded hotel chains alike

T

he advent of Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) and numerous web-based distribution platforms has forced GDS providers to up their game in order to remain competitive.

Travel suppliers, including hotels, have a number of distribution channels from which to choose, and are increasingly looking to cut out the middle man and drive direct sales through their own websites.

At the same time, traditional agencies have needed to stay relevant in a market place dominated by online players. They have demanded the GDS provide access to global content and rates in real time as they get to grips with using technology to book non-air travel products and services.

One of the ‘big three’ GDS players, Travelport, has been tackling these new market challenges head on, according to the firm’s senior vice president and managing director of global hospitality, Niklas Andréen, who spoke to Hotel News Middle East.

“Over the past three years, Travelport has focused on its travel commerce platform and has been heavily investing in hotels and aviation compared to its competitors,” he says.

“The question has been ‘how can we make the global hotel content that is out there, not just the content on

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HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

the GDS, available to the trade?’ Because it should be a natural extension of selling an air ticket.”

He notes that big global hotel brands represent a relatively small share of the world’s total accommodation offering and all of the “key chains” are now available through the GDS. Travelport’s hotel portfolio currently amounts to 650,000 properties, which has been supplemented by content provided by “a number of aggregators”, including OTAs and leading wholesalers.

The mission now, therefore, is to bring more independent non-branded properties into the fold in order to provide the trade with the most comprehensive range of global hotel content possible, says Andréen. “[To this end] about a year ago we acquired a London-headquartered company called Hotelzon, a hotel-booking tool with ties to independent hotels, particularly in Europe,” he explains.

“Historically these hotels have had no angle to get into the GDS, but we have now built up an inventory that’s second to none.”

But it’s not just about content, he stresses. “It’s rates and availability, because Hotelzon allows us to distribute its corporate negotiated rates, including tailormade deals for specific partners and markets, in real time.

“This was the last remaining piece of the puzzle – to not only distribute pre-paid rates, but the corporate negotiated rates of big hotel brands and independent chains. We believe we are the global leader in terms of hotel GDS B2B distribution,” he adds.

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Of course, providing access to unrivalled inventory and rates is only one part of the equation. Getting agents to sell them is the tricky part, particularly given the trade’s inherent booking traits, which lean towards air-only GDS transactions.

It’s an entrenched behaviour that has made some hotels reluctant to push inventory through the GDS. However, Travelport is doing its best to change the way agents work through training in the use of the Smartpoint prompt; asking flight-only customers if they also wish to book a hotel.

“We are helping travel agencies re-learn their behaviour by rolling out training to help them move away from air-only bookings,” confirms Andréen.

“We have also introduced agent alerts [through Travelport’s ‘Smartpoint’ feature], so if they book a flight, they are sent a prompt to ask them if they have booked a hotel.”

The message is slowly sinking in, continues Andréen, who notes the number of hotel and car bookings per 100 air segments has grown from 41 in 2013 to 43 in 2014.

“I am hoping our full-year results will show further

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Hotelier Middle East Ad - New Spec.indd 1

20/10/2014 10:07

FACE TO FACE

7

MIDDLE EAST HOTEL % INVENTORY BREAKDOWN

7%

REGIONAL BRANDS

42%

51%

GLOBAL BRANDS

NON-BRANDED/ INDEPENDENT PROPERTIES

25% $54bn 43

The value of offline travel sales in the Middle East in 2014 This is forecast to grow to $63 billion in 2017

The number of hotel and car bookings per 100 air segments in 2014, up from 41 in 2013

“WE BELIEVE WE ARE THE GLOBAL LEADER IN TERMS OF HOTEL GDS

Did you know?

»» Star rating and global brand affiliation heavily influence which channels dominate online bookings. For example, global branded hotels have comparatively high direct sales, while bookings among three-star non-branded properties are largely OTA driven »» OTAs dominate online sales among mid/low tier hotels and most regional and non-branded/independent hotels, irrespective of star rating.

HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

improvements in our non-air performance,” he says. Additional incentives to book hotels are built into Smartpoint, which allows agents to conduct air and hotel searches at the same time, displayed on the same screen.

HOTEL MERCHANDISING STRATEGIES

of all Middle East travel bookings are made online

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“WE BELIEVE WE ARE THE GLOBAL LEADER IN TERMS OF HOTEL GDS DISTRIBUTION”

Andréen says Travelport’s hotel partners are starting to reap the rewards of distributing through the GDS with sales transactions on the rise.

“Hotels are interested in the corporate business because it tends to be high-yield and what we are offering is this corporate business in bulk,” he says.

Travelport has also refined its hotel merchandising offering, which Andréen explains is “going in two directions”.

“Some hotels want to bundle - where the room is booked but extras such as breakfast and WiFi etc are added on and sold up front. Leisure hotels tend to take this ‘selling add ons’ route,” he explains.

“Others are opting for the corporate negotiated rate or BAR, which already includes extras, designed to help corporates get better control of their costs.

“Where the merchandising comes in is how do we demonstrate on screen the difference between these rates.”

Travelport is also working closely with its hotel partners to refine merchandising in terms of speed and search criteria, whereby displaying pages of rate rules are avoided at all costs.

“We are trying to get hotels to highlight specific data fields, so agents are presented with hotel rates at first glance and know whether or not they are commissionable,” Andréen says.

Work is also ongoing to fine-tune Travelport’s mobile merchandising strategy given the visual constraints of a smaller shop window – the smartphone or tablet screen.

“The challenge is to help travel agencies in the mobile space take what’s relevant, because it’s a different shopping experience,” confirms Andréen.

“We need to work with hotels to jointly structure our services and send out the right information, not all the information.”

THE PANEL

DANIEL SCHOLLES,

E-COMMERCE EXECUTIVE, KEMPINSKI OTEL AJMAN

AFTAB SAYED, DIRECTOR OF

E-COMMERCE AND DIGITAL SERVICES, MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, UAE HOTELS

AYSE ABBAS, AREA DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER, MIDDLE EAST, TURKEY AND SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, CARLSON REZIDOR

BLAISEN TOM,

E-COMMERCE MANAGER, AMWAJ ROTANA DUBAI

The digital revolution

This month Hotel News ME talks to tech-savvy e-commerce gurus to find out how hotels are riding the wave of success from online bookings, to OTAs and social media platforms

The role of ecommerce in hospitality can often be underplayed in the industry, what responsibilities fall under your job role?

Abbas: The role mainly involves driving traffic and creating incremental revenue to direct channels, which is the main focus at the moment with the OTA business being so dominant with the high commissions being paid from the hotels.

Some of the activities include creating different tactical campaigns, SEO and pay-per-click, and there are a lot of activities we do on a daily basis. Another thing I do, and it’s due to the nature of our job, is training and explaining to our stakeholders what I’m doing and what the benefits are.

Tom: Ultimately, the role goes beyond advertising and promotions and it leads back to generating actual revenue on the hotel’s web 20

HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

channels including social media. From a wider perspective, it isn’t just online but digital as it integrates offline media such as mobile, print, radio, TV and press.

Responsibilities cover: branding and promotion to improve the presence of the brand on the web; creating and implementing digital advertising campaigns, e.g. PPC, CPC, SMS; video marketing; preparing digital communications pertaining to the property including newsletters (HTMLs); and managing all social media channels, mobile marketing channels and third party sites, to name a few.

Additional responsibilities include: managing online marketing budgets including media buying; maximising press coverage on online publications and blogs; online reputation management (ORM); managing hotel and restaurant listings on third party sites; tracking, evaluating and responding to reviews online; and conducting regular quality assurance audits to ensure parity on all online channels.

The experts

SEBASTIAN SCHWETJE, AREA

a travel agent store to book a flight? Very few.

Responsibilities which fall under my remit range from anything and everything touching online space and mediums. From managing our Marriott.com websites content to OTA content and relationships, imagery and online marketing strategies just to name a few. What we have to understand now is that e-commerce is no longer the side-kick of the super hero, it’s now the main star, because of the central and integral role it plays in driving people to the hotel.

How would you say that ecommerce has changed in the industry?

Scholles: E-commerce has made the whole hospitality industry faster and increased the pace and the system. Traditionally, people used to visit a local travel agency, pick up a brochure, glance at the pictures, listen to the agent’s recommendations, check the prices and book.

Nowadays, people just browse online checking prices, comparing hotels in the area and looking at other guest reviews.

DIRECTOR, E-COMMERCE, ANANTARA HOTELS & RESORTS, ABU DHABI

Scholles: I am in charge of a large number of different operations, including SEO to increase the visibility of the hotel in different search engines. I am also in charge of SEM, search engine marketing – which is a tool like SEO used to increase the hotel’s visibility in search engines through public campaigns like pay per click. I also do remarketing, for example, we send emails and SMS blasts to our existing database to inform them of our current promotions, packages and offers.

Lastly, and most importantly I look after the website management of OTAs in terms of our visibility, I also do other smaller tasks in conjunction with the public relations department, including monitoring reviews on social media, responding and analysing them. And with regards to ecommerce, we are in charge of boosting the exposure of the property on social media to raise awareness.

Tom: A great tell-tale sign is the allocation of marketing spend between print media and digital media and we see that there is a shift in how marketing folks are choosing to assign their budgets. The fact is that the return-on-marketing-investment of digital campaigns can be much easier identified.

Also, because of digital media, the guest’s experience of the hotel starts from before they book the hotel. Any guest can build their expectation of the hotel from the look and feel of the website, the quality of imagery and the prices they charge before they book or check-in.

Abbas: Tremendously, I started in the field of e-commerce when things started picking up in the Middle East and if I compare now to 10 years back, especially here in our region, more and more consumers are going online with more confidence in purchasing goods over the Internet. If you look at digital advertising spends in the Middle East, it is growing at a rate of 35-40% each year.

Sayed: E-commerce is changing the face the industry. For example, just to look at the usage of mobile phones and the way everyone has adopted an online, tech mindset, especially the millennials.

They are online natives who have skipped the whole desktop experience and have been spear heading the personal device industry. These are the very same people who are in line to be our next gen customers and they need to be served as they are used to being served. This is not going to be an evolution but a revolution for the online hospitality space.

“BIG PLAYERS IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY HAVE SET GUIDELINES AND POLICIES TO HANDLE THEIR REPUTATION MANAGEMENT ONLINE”

Schwetje: At Anantara the role of ecommerce is quite comprehensive and in addition to web related activities such Search Engine Optimisation and marketing, e-commerce is also responsible for electronic distribution. Subjects such as reputation management, social media, website management and optimisation as well as packaging, is collaboratively handled by working closely with the marketing team.

Sayed: That’s true as it can be underplayed, but inevitably e-

commerce will be the vital pivot for the future of hospitality globally, take airlines for example, how many people nowadays go into

Schwetje: E-commerce is bringing new business opportunities to the global travel and tourism industry hence why it is vital for a company to have someone dedicated to maximise opportunities.

E-commerce is a progressive and developing area which changes on a daily basis, so you need to be on the ball in order to not miss-out on new trends.

THE PANEL

experience.

With the evolution of the new ‘connected customer’ have online sites such as Trip Advisor increased the importance of reputation management and damage control?

Scholles: Absolutely, people can go onto a number of different review sites and view detailed guest experiences, which ultimately influence their decision and with these online platforms we can use positive reviews to assist guests in making their bookings. Nevertheless, negative reviews have to be managed properly, responses must be professional and responded to in a short period of time.

Abbas: Everyone is connected nowadays and it is so easy to share experiences within seconds with the capacity to go viral within minutes.

Online reviews can turn things upside down for the reputation of a company. Therefore nowadays most of the big players in the hospitality industry have set guidelines and policies to handle their reputation management online.

Sayed: As a case of best practice all review sites need to be monitored and all bad or issue reviews need to be responded to as it is paramount to be viewed as an engaging entity as opposed to an inactive forum on the internet. In many ways review sites are a good representation of what your property offers and they also facilitate good indicators for areas of improvements.

Tom: We would not say that there has been an increase purely because the hospitality business has always thrived on the intangible. A long time ago we stopped selling products and started selling experiences, which means that we started to value word-of-mouth before the advent of review websites. Any hotel will tell you that there is at least one point of feedback collection whether it be a printed survey form or an auto-generated email sent to a guest after their stay. Therefore, this makes online review sites yet another form of feedback collection.

The difference is that the world is able to see it, which works in our favour because then the world is also able to see our response to the guest.

What are some of the key factors to consider when planning a digital strategy?

Schwetje: Many companies see social media as a threat however I believe it needs to be seen as an opportunity, as it helps identify eventual gaps within the organisation. Reputation management is time consuming but definitely worthwhile as it enables hotels to drive performance and the customer

Sayed: I would say that there are two main factors; firstly, are you prepared with your current infrastructure, deployment and technological systems? Secondly, what is your aim? You need to have very specific goals in place to be able to hit your targets.

Many companies fail on step one and are not fully prepared for the long-term commitment of the infrastructure surrounding them to make plans successful.

Tom: Key factors include, accessibility – how the potential guest

HANDS ON WITH E-COMMERCE: In the MEA region, the telephone handset market grew to its largest size in more than two and a half years by the second quarter of 2014, with Saudi Arabia Pascal Gauvin, chief representing the operating officer, India, Middle East and largest market in Africa, InterContinenthe region with a tal Hotel Group mobile penetration of almost 200% - an average of two mobiles per user.

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HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

Studies have also shown that mobile use has become the preferred method to research, plan and book travel. Consumers are increasingly going straight to mobile devices and mobile bookings are growing faster than desktop bookings.

In fact, IHG saw a 20% increase in the volume of bookings via mobile phones compared to just 2% for desktop computers in the first six months of 2014. Smartphones and tablets now account for more than 20% of our hotel bookings and in-app bookings account for 12% of total mobile bookings.

What all of this data shows is that the rise in use of mobile technology presents a

huge opportunity to transform our guests' experiences with us. As one of the world's leading hotel companies , delivering quality technological solutions across the entire guest journey is at the top of our list. We have a long track record of innovating through technology to ensure we meet the needs of current and future guests, starting with being the first company to offer online bookings 14 years ago and being the first international hotel company to launch booking apps now available in 13 different languages and the number one rated mobile app in travel as voted on the Apple Store. And we are consistently

“ALWAYS INCLUDE YOUR MOBILE STRATEGY IN YOUR PLANS, MOBILE MARKETING IS CRUCIAL IN TODAY’S DIGITAL WORLD” will find you. Target market – accurately targeting the people you’re looking for and when. Measure – how you will track the success and return-on-marketing-investment (ROMI). Aim – defining what success looks like at the end of the campaign. Budget – not just how much you want to spend but how you wish to deploy it whether in part or as a whole.

Abbas: Be customer centric. Choose your target market carefully so you can customise your message accordingly and always include your mobile strategy in your plans; mobile marketing is crucial in today’s digital world. Set your KPIs and your expected returns and ensure all the activities can be tracked easily.

Schwetje: Our digital strategy is dictated by what we are hoping to achieve. We consider what we want the end result to look like and then work backwards. Often in e-commerce many actions appear as non-revenue related, but in fact there is a correlation. The overall digital strategy has to support the overall goals of the property. One of the strengths of e-commerce is the immediacy of the channels and also strong evaluation capabilities inv terms of measuring success and ROI. There is no guess work.

Scholles: We have to know who our customers are, where they come from, what they are looking for and how old they are, it is crucial to understand your audience. Based on that, we can set up our digital strategy to reach the right group of people through the use of proper tools. If our main visitors are young, dynamic business-oriented travellers then they can easily be reached through social media and online marketing.

adding new functionalities, such as geofencing with a separate IHG Translator app.

In April this year, we announced our partnership with Amadeus to develop a next-generation Guest Reservation System. This will be a new cloud-based community model, a first in the hotel sector, and similar to the model developed for the global airline industry. We will work closely with Amadeus on the design, functionality and evolution of the system, which will ultimately replace HOLIDEX, our proprietary reservation system.

Most recently, we also announced that we have started trialing and selectively rolling out

How do you push certain brands through digital platforms?

Abbas: The biggest channel we use to push forward our brands is social media. It is easier to create the brand image in a consumer’s mind on social media.

We have a very strong social media presence pushing our different brands on multiple channels mainly on Facebook, Instagram and twitter. Also both brands Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson have two great blogs that we push content based on travellers’ experiences on a daily basis.

Scholles: We are mainly focusing on promoting our 10 food and beverage outlets and so we use specific channels for that including Zomato, Foursquare which is free to use, and RoundMenu as it promotes the brand and brings it closer to our target audience.

In terms of engaging people with our rooms, the most important platforms are definitely OTAs. It is important to have popularity, which gives you good exposure on review sites. For example, the more popular you are on TripAdvisor, the more it will impact your rating. It can all be driven through paid advertisements on different sites or by simply being actively engaging with guests.

Schwetje: Digital is massive and it’s all about the content with special emphasis on the images to ensure that there is recognition value.

Consideration of the audience on each channel is key to ensuring valuable marketing funds are not wasted. It is really taking into account the traditional five Ps of marketing and translating those into the digital arena.

several digitally-driven innovations to provide a more personalised and interactive experience with our guests. Travellers who enjoy sharing their travel plans with their peers will welcome our partnership with digital travel service Stay. com, where guests booking to stay with IHG in one of more than 50 key destinations globally will be able to use the portal to research and plan their travel as well as create personalised travel guides to share with friends and family.

Our mobile-savvy guests will also appreciate the ability to check in and out via their mobile devices, and view their hotel bill in real time, on their mobile devices, before receiving their final bill with Mobile Check Out, via the IHG® App.

Feedback from our guests is a great way for us to understand their needs and cater to them. We are also mindful that quick responses to requests from our guests are essential to improve guest satisfaction.

With this in mind, we are trialing IHG Guest Request, a service which allows guests to make a request instantly through the IHG® App. The App then uses a platform which logs, assigns and tracks requests.

Building trust amongst our guests is a priority for us, and we are confident our new initiatives will help reinforce how our digital capabilities add value to them beyond the booking opportunity.

AUGUST 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

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Tom: When a guest has checked in to stay with us, we understand that WiFi is something 90% of our guests use, so we are sure to highlight our promotions relevant to in-house guests on the sign-in page since we know that it will be looked at and this has proven to be more effective than featuring our promotions on an in-house TV channel.

Sayed: At Marriott we are lucky to have powerful online sites with all of our brands functioning under one umbrella. We are already integrated digitally, via mobile optimised sites and apps on all devices.

“OTAS HAVE LONG BEEN VIEWED AS A SOURCE FOR CHEAPER ROOM-RATES, AND THIS ISN’T ALWAYS TRUE” production against your goals. Looking at the rise in mobile marketing, sizeable consideration must be given to OTAs who optimise their sites for mobile devices and preferably have a mobile app too.

How do you convert OTA clients into direct bookings?

Sayed: We only work with partners who can produce the volumes that will be mutually beneficial for both parties. For us there are two big players in the market, Priceline and Expedia, but we do occasionally partner with smaller OTAs depending on our market needs.

Scholles: We are currently working on this and we are attracting guests to book directly by advertising special offers and adding value with late check-out and special in-room amenities. We are also utilising regular direct electronic mailers to our existing database to make them aware of special promotions and offers.

Scholles: It depends on the brand and target audience. For example, if you are the most luxurious hotel in the Maldives, you will use an exclusive OTA to advertise on, and as a brand promise you can’t work with any others. In our case, we use the main OTAs, which give us the highest level of exposure amongst our target audience.

Sayed: We offer our customers great benefits when signing up to our loyalty programs and OTAs have long been viewed as a source for cheaper room-rates, but this isn’t always true especially for us as at Marriott as we are striving to have the most competitive rates available on our own website channels so that the best available rate is the same no matter where you book it on the internet.

Schwetje: Each OTA has specific target markets, hence if we contract a new partner it should ideally not dilute business from an existing one. Another criteria is that each OTA is compatible with our channel manager, which is SiteMinder, in order to guarantee seamless distribution. Having said that, we do work with some OTAs who are not on systems compatible with SiteMinder, but can offer access to the niche markets we want to tap into.

Tom: We respect our relationships with our online partners and the value that they bring to our business. This is why we work hand in hand with them, not to take clientele away from them but to provide them with opportunities to further sell our hotel online to their pool of clients.

Schwetje: OTAs are a very valuable channel for us at our Anantara Abu Dhabi properties, generating 20% of our overall revenue. The OTAs invest heavily in their own digital marketing, so we would never have the funds to compete on the same level as them. We do have our own strategies in place to engage with our OTA clients post-stay, keeping our packages and special offers enticing is one method to engage, but also identifying this guest as having booked through an OTA and inviting them back with special privileges.

Abbas: Loyalty marketing is key in converting OTA clients to book via our websites, it is about using the database we have to communicate with those customers and maintain that relationship with key messages tailored to different segments. Another key thing is to let them know about the benefits they will get on our direct channels.

How do you select which OTAs to work with?

Tom: The first key factor is prominence of the OTA in the region and where you are expecting the major market share. What’s equally important is the relationship that you strike up with them in terms of partnership terms and rates.

Once a deal is struck, there is need for continuous assessment of 24

HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

What would you say are some of the challenges in maintaining OTAs? Tom: The challenges are more on the hotel’s side than on the part of the OTA. On a daily basis, new hotels are added to the listings and new offers run. If the hotel’s team doesn’t keep an eye out, it could move down the listing or appear less popular, so due time has to be allocated to constantly monitor the hotel’s position against its competitors. Also, refreshing the hotel’s page either with new content or images is important too.

Sayed: In my personal view I’d say it is connectivity. It is always a challenge to ensure that the two systems are always talking to each other and remaning on the same page.

Scholles: The main challenge is definitely the high commission that OTAs charge, and it has dramatically increased over the past few years due to the growing popularity of online bookings among clients.

Schwetje: Cancellation policies are the biggest challenge, there is inflexibility in terms of changing cancellation policies to ensure materialisation. For example, a year round cancellation policy in general would be different to what you would implement for the festive season. The OTAs make it quite difficult to set different cancellation terms for those particular periods.

New Wave Hotels

Why hoteliers should run their family resort more like a cruise ship

By Gemma Greenwood

COVER STORY

T

he value of the global family travel sector and its growth potential have been well documented, valued at $140bn in 2013, accounting for more than 12.5% of the US$1.07tn total tourism market, according to Thomson Reuters.

The market will be worth an estimated $180bn annually by 2018 and Gulf destinations such as Dubai have made no secret of their vision to take a slice of this lucrative pie.

Yet contrary to popular belief, the region’s hotel market is far from geared up to cater to this swell in family business.

While countries like the UAE boast impressive hotel construction pipelines, which include family-orientated resorts across the 3- to 5-star category, there are few current or upcoming properties that are truly dedicated to the needs of travelling families.

All too often a resort will adopt a one-size-fits-all strategy, whereby to maximise revenue-earning potential, it will target families during peak holiday periods but then fill off-peak gaps with corporate and MICE guests.

It means family facilities and services are often compromised because this market is not the resort’s sole focus.

This strategy, adopted by the majority of resorts in the UAE, is understandable, but it does mean the industry is behind the curve in that a niche family resort concept is lacking.

It also means there is room to improve the region’s current resort model, according to many family resort and childcare specialists, who argue a renewed focus on what today’s family travellers demand should be taken into account, from the expectation of professional childcare services and facilities that stimulate and educate to designated dining times for kids and special children’s menus.

This topic was hotly debated at the May edition of Arabian Travel Market where at the education session entitled ‘Family Fortunes’, video coverage of which is now available on www.arabiantravelmarket.com and YouTube, found the hospitality industry would do well to look to the cruise ship model for inspiration.

Helen Beck, regional director, International Representatives – EMEA, Royal Caribbean International (RCI), which is one of the world’s most prolific family-orientated cruise lines, told ATM delegates how the company had perfected the art of offering comprehensive and professional family facilities and entertainment programmes.

Here, Beck and experts in the family travel and hospitality professionals discuss how the UAE’s hotel industry can draw inspiration from floating resorts where value for money and high-quality family fun are top of the agenda.

WHAT THE CRUISE EXPERTS SAY: Beck says while the UAE boasts “many excellent resort hotels”, very few of them focus on the family segment in terms of their facilities and how they market their properties.

Both she and Lakshmi Durai, CEO of Travel Matrix, the Middle East representative for Celebrity Cruises, part of the Royal Caribbean International group, agree that while many UAE resorts organise activities for kids, few break them down by age.

“We have learned that having activities dedicated to specific age groups very much enhances all the children’s enjoyment of our onboard clubs,” says Beck.

“Three year olds have very different playing and entertainment requirements to 11 year olds so we dedicate separate rooms to each age group.”

Durai says resorts should also cater better to teens and young adults.

“Celebrity Cruises runs the X-Club for teens featuring sports and social activities including teens-only night clubs,” she explains.

Beck says it’s “critical” to offer children’s clubs out of hours too. “One of our successes has been to run evening programmes allowing parents to have time alone,” she explains. “On Royal Caribbean International we’ve even implemented a ‘speedy’ dining experience for families called My Family Time Dining whereby everyone has dinner together, but the kids get a faster service and are picked up by our Adventure Ocean staff when they’re done to take them back to the fun, leaving the grown ups to carry on with their leisurely dinner.”

RCI’s award-winning Adventure Ocean Youth and Teen Programme is complimentary and offers families a creative, educational and entertaining programme dependent on age with children split up into five age groups (see cruise case study 1).

In addition, family entertainment and activities available onboard are often free of charge too, so floating resorts offer “great value for money”, stresses Beck.

“In general, the only chargeable service is in-room babysitting,” she says.

Family facilities offered on Royal Caribbean ships include swimming pools, a rock wall, FlowRider, mini golf, ice skating, open-air cinema, zip line, bumper cars, Dreamworks parades – featuring well-loved characters such as Shrek, Princess Fiona, the penguins from Madagascar – plus Xbox gaming and Broadway-style shows, to name but a few.

The cruise firm has also refined its accommodation offering with families in mind.

“Royal Caribbean has debuted family-connected staterooms onboard its Quantum Class ships, which deliver more flexibility,” says Beck. “Ideal for multi-gener-

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The panel

COVER STORY

HELEN BECK,

REGIONAL DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES – EMEA, ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

KATE DICKER,

SENIOR CONSULTANT, WORLDWIDE KIDS COMPANY

ational families, these staterooms have special layouts and provide separate bedrooms and bathrooms to ensure every family can vacation together in a hassle-free environment.”

Triple or quadruple rooms that can accommodate families together in one room are also available and ideal for parents with babies and toddlers.

Pricing wise, Royal Caribbean works to “load factors”, selling beds rather than rooms, Beck continues.

“We have a strong focus on maximising room occupancy,” she explains. “We have family pricing programmes and due to the high quality of our family services, we are able to command a premium for our triple and quadruple rooms at peak times of the year.

Equally, in the shoulder seasons, we offer free child places or reduced family rates to encourage those families to travel at different times of the year.”

Cruise ships offer flexible dining times for families

MIKE SCULLY,

MANAGING DIRECTOR, FIRST & FOREMOST HOSPITALITY

FREDRIK REINISCH,

REGIONAL GENERAL MANAGER OF THE UAE AND SEYCHELLES, JA HOTELS & RESORTS

Beck says hotels can adopt similar room and pricing strategies during holiday season or year round to maximise family satisfaction and revenue simultaneously.

Clever sales and marketing strategies can then be rolled out to promote the hotel’s family focus, she adds.

Beck says she believes the cruise industry is the “pioneer of delivering creative, fun, engaging family holidays” that cater to all ages.

“The hotel industry could do far worse than to look at Royal Caribbean’s ‘floating resorts’ of Allure and Oasis of the Seas® to take learnings from the activities, entertainment, service and all round fun that we offer to really develop an outstanding family product,” she says.

Her topline message however, is that hotels and resorts that decide to target families must demonstrate a commitment to deliver an “excellent experience”.

“It’s not enough to just stick a sign on an unused conference room, fill it with a mixture of toys, recruit a couple of people to ‘baby sit’ the kids then call it a ‘Kid’s Club’,” she stresses.

“The family travel market is a significant one and we’ve found the children become our best ambassadors as they have such positive memories of their time onboard.”

WHAT THE CHILDCARE PROFESSIONALS SAY The H2O Zone kids’ waterpark on Oasis of the Seas

Royal Caribbean’s legendary FlowRider surf machine

HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

It’s all very well having kids clubs and babysitting services, but unless they are run by qualified staff, discerning customers will not take these facilities seriously or be confident their children are safe in their care, stresses Beck.

She says hotels need to employ “experienced and well qualified professionals who are used to dealing with a variety of ages and nationalities”.

“Every member of Royal Caribbean’s youth programme team holds a four-year qualification in education, recreation or a related subject,” she notes. “We recruit professionals on all ships yearround, demonstrating our commitment to the family holiday experience.”

Kate Dicker, a senior consultant at Worldwide Kids Company, notes that all too often, hotels try to implement facilities without considering the operational aspects, particularly in the design of the childcare facilities and the qualifications and training of the staff.

“In the same way that resorts outsource niche services like spas, they should consider bringing in specialists to assist them in the complex area of specialised childcare,” she says.

“So often in the Middle East we see style over substance –

CRUISE CONTROL Top tips from the cruise lines

Some ships even have their own rock-climbing wall

1. Run age-specific programmes and clubs for all your young guests, from zero to teens and segregate them into groups 2. Offer family dining sessions and kids’ menus 3. Employ qualified childcare professionals 4. Offer childcare services and kids activities at night to give parents the chance to enjoy their meal or entertainment 5. Re-think your room configurations to make families comfortable and maximise revenue by selling beds not rooms 6. Offer kids’ facilities that you can market, from zip wires to surf machines 7. Sell and market yourself as a family hotel or resort, rather than a hotel that welcomes families 8. The more family- and child-friendly facilities and activities you offer on site, the more time and money guests will spend at your property

many hotels and resorts I have visited proudly show me a highly-designed area, with pools and playgrounds as well as banks of computer games and screens. Theyfeel they provide a wonderful service, when in fact the staff are untrained and unqualified, trying to run a programme of activities written by a manager who lacks childcare expertise.”

Dicker believes few resorts in the UAE are truly dedicated to families and those who do offer childcare services often compare unfavourably to the high quality offering found on board reputable cruise lines.

“On a cruise ship the market is captive so there is no option but to provide services for all age groups. The same attitude should be true for resorts,” she argues. “In order to keep the family guests in resort, enjoying and spending their money in the on site restaurants and entertainments, there needs to be a good reason to stay and if

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COVER STORY

the children of all ages are cared for brilliantly on site there is no reason to leave.”

Dicker says UAE resorts can learn from the cruise industry because “many cruise liners do childcare services very well”.

“They have really researched the market and established a niche the hotel industry would do well to emulate, particularly with their care of all age ranges. It is time for UAE hotels and resorts to take what is offered at sea and translate that to the beach.”

WHAT THE HOTELIERS SAY

Case study 1

One hotelier hoping to make waves in the Gulf ’s hotel sector is Mike Scully, managing director of First & Foremost Hospitality, a new resort brand dedicated to families, which has set its sights on a Gulf market debut.

Scully – who boasts more than 20 years of hospitality sector

ALLURE OF THE SEAS® WHAT’S IT GOT?

ROYAL BABIES & TOTS® NURSERY Here, little cruisers (aged 6-36 months) are cared for by trained professionals. Daytime and evening drop-off is offered.

ADVENTURE OCEAN® FOR KIDS Kids clubs are divided into three age groups: Aquanauts (age 3–5); Explorers (aged 6-8); and Voyagers (age 9-11). Activities range from the Environmentation Station Science and Scavenger Hunts to Girls versus Boys Night.

TEEN PROGRAMME Age 12-14: Scavenger hunts, arcade challenges and rockclimbing competitions during the day and movies and pool parties at night.

Age 15–17: Teen-only spaces allow young adults to hang out until late.

MY FAMILY TIME DINING Eat with your family at the first seating. Kids get served first so they can enjoy Adventure Ocean activities while parents continue their dinner. Alternatively a babysitting service is offered for a fee.

COMPLIMENTARY ACTIVITIES • Dreamworks Entertainment – sail with your favourite characters or watch the parade or the latest Dreamworks movie • Mamma Mia –the full production show • Zip line • FlowRider – ride the waves on our surf simulator • H20 Zone kids water park • 3D movies • AquaTheatre shows • Carousel – the first one on the high seas • Ice-skating rink • Mini-golf course • Poolside movie screen • Rock wall • Teen-only spaces 30

HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

“ON A CRUISE SHIP THE MARKET IS CAPTIVE SO THERE IS NO OPTION BUT TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR ALL AGE GROUPS. THE SAME ATTITUDE SHOULD BE TRUE FOR RESORTS.” experience but perhaps is best known for managing two of Dubai’s leading luxury family resorts, the Westin and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi – has teamed up with a company already excelling in this field: Mayer Family Hotels, which operates 56 top-end family hotels and resorts across Central Europe.

Scully says there are no "real players” in the GCC’s family hotel market in that no one provides a full entertainment programme. “[But] we offer a holiday for all ages and our resorts are divided into three main areas - kids zones, mixed pools and play areas, and adults-only restaurants, bars and pools,” he says.

“Our hotels could easily be described as mini cruise ships on land due to the resemblance of facilities and care that we offer.

“For example, parents and older siblings can enjoy the attractions of a city or theme park while we look after the really young ones.”

Mayer properties include purpose-built annexes within the room for young children; a crèche for babies and toddlers operated by nurses and fully-trained carers; mini water parks; plus a theatre for kids’ productions.

“All these facilities make us quite unique and add substantial value to the property through RevPAR,” says Scully, “plus our repeat guest rate is 75%.”

Fredrik Reinisch, general manager, UAE and Seychelles, JA Resorts & Hotels, agrees there are few specialist family hotel operators in the market.

“Many high-end resorts offer a children’s club or holiday activities, but only accommodate certain age groups. Family resorts that truly cater to every member of the family are not actually all that common,” he says.

“It takes effort, time, responsibility and consistent service.

Professional safe childcare adds to operating costs, so a resort has to be genuinely committed to the cause when positioning itself as a family resort.”

JA Resorts & Hotels is an exception to the rule, he says, with Dubai’s JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort offering “expert care” at a crèche that accommodate babies as young as four months.

“The crèche, CoolZone for children and ChillZone for teens are initiatives that we run with the professional expertise of the Worldwide Kids Company,” explains Reinisch.

The JA Witbit Water Park at JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort

Case study 2

CELEBRITY CRUISES

WHAT DOES THE CRUISE LINE OFFER?

KIDS’ PROGRAMME Toddler Time (children under 3): Fun Factory staff members provide suitable toys for this age group.

Ship Mates (ages 3-5): Activities range from themed parties to treasure hunts.

Cadets (ages 6-8): Relay races, team trivia, talent shows and pizza parties are on the agenda.

Ensigns (ages 9-11): Activities include pool Olympics, Karaoke and late-night parties, to name a few.

X-Club Teen Entertainment (Ages 12-17): Supervised fitness activities, talent shows, parties, gaming and sports tournaments are some of the options for young adults.

COMPLIMENTARY ACTIVITIES • Celebrity Life activities: Include trivia contests, Karaoke, interactive video games, fast-paced game shows and more; • The sports activities: Include pool volleyball, basketball, golf putting and tournaments; • Xbox stations and mobile consoles: Play or free play or take part in Xbox tournaments; • Video project for young directors: Using the GoPro Hero 3 • Fun Factory: For children aged 3 to 11 years where group activities include games, sports, crafts, music, karaoke, treasure hunts, theme parties, movies and more; • Babysitting services: In the Fun Factory and in individual staterooms.

The resort’s mission, he says, is to offer experience-seeking families a memorable holiday that makes them want to return for more.

“When Mum and Dad leave satisfied – knowing that their kids had fun, while they also had enough time for themselves – it increases the likelihood of repeat guests,” he adds.

JA Resorts & Hotels has carved a niche as a family-focused operator, with JA Oasis Beach Tower and JA Palm Tree Court recently named the ‘Top 2 Hotels for Families in the Middle East’ and JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort winning the World Travel Award as the ‘Middle East’s Leading Family Resort’ for three consecutive years.

“Of course, hoteliers can learn from cruise ships, but we believe the key to running a successful family-focussed hospitality product is a combination of [responding to] guest feedback, partnerships with specialised providers and team training,” says Reinisch.

“Suitable family additions will vary from property to property, but through these efforts we have made enhancements that resulted in loyal guests that return year after year.”

CHAIN FOCUS

Mövenpick Hotel Riyadh

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts HOTEL NEWS ME TAKES A LOOK AT THE SWISS HOSPITALITY FIRM’S CURRENT AND UPCOMING MIDDLE EAST FOOTPRINT GROUP OVERVIEW

UPCOMING PROPERTIES

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, an international upscale hotel management company with more than 16,000 staff members, is present in 24 countries with 82 hotels, resorts and Nile cruisers, representing 19,996 rooms. The company’s focus is to expand in its core markets across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts specialises in business and conference hotels, as well as holiday resorts, all of which are designed to reflect a sense of place while respecting their local communities.

Of Swiss heritage and headquartered in central Switzerland (Baar), Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is passionate about delivering premium service and culinary enjoyment – all with a personal touch – and has also earned a reputation as the hotel company with the most Green Globe certifications in the world. The hospitality firm is jointly owned by Mövenpick Holding (66.7%) and the Kingdom Group (33.3%).

7 properties under contract in the Middle East »» Mövenpick Hotel Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (433 keys) »» Mövenpick Hotel City Star Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (230 keys) »» Mövenpick Residences Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia (270 keys) »» Mövenpick Hotel Financial District Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (353 keys) »» Mövenpick Hotel Dubai Media City, UAE (246 keys) »» Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai, UAE (246 keys) »» Mövenpick Hotel Heraa Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (227 keys)

CURRENT MEA PROPERTIES 26 hotels in the Middle East »» Bahrain (1) »» Jordan (5) »» Kuwait (2) »» Lebanon (1) »» Qatar (2) »» Saudi Arabia (9) »» United Arab Emirates (6)

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HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

kingdom to 10 hotels. Located on Al Fahd Road in Riyadh’s business district, this contemporary business hotel will offer 433 guest rooms and suites, the largest inventory in the city. Additional highlights include a 1,200-square-metre Riyadh Grand Ballroom with a built-in bridal suite, as well as an attractive F&B offering – Acacia, a Michelin-starred French restaurant by Pierre Gagnaire, and four international specialty outlets, including Naya, serving contemporary Lebanese cuisine.

SAUDI FOCUS

RIYADH DEBUT

Five of Mövenpick’s upcoming properties are pipelined for Saudi Arabia with two planned for Riyadh, two for Jeddah and one for Al Khobah.

It will take the group’s portfolio across the kingdom from nine to 14 by 2019.

Mövenpick Hotel Riyadh, which will open in Q4 this year, marks the group’s first property in the Saudi capital and takes its portfolio in the

ACHIEVEMENTS AND MILESTONES IN 2014 AND 2015

Mövenpick Hotel City Star Jeddah

»» In the latest Middle East Brand Ranking Index conducted by independent research consultancy firm BDRC, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts ranked second in terms of brand recognition. »» The company introduced a new brand promise - ‘Natural Enjoyment’ - delivering a “relaxed, uncomplicated experience.” »» 2014 developments included the takeover of a property in Karachi plus the opening of a new hotel in Casablanca and a new resort in Koh Samui.

CHAIN FOCUS

»» In 2014, nine new management agreements were signed for properties in »» Kochi,India; Casablanca, Morocco; Les Berges du Lac, Tunisia; Koh Samui, Thailand; Downtown Dubai, UAE; Erbil, Iraq; Jeddah and Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia; and Basel, Switzerland.

More than 25 Mövenpick hotels and resorts are currently in development. »» The company also launched its ‘Shine’ Global Sustainability Programme in 2014, focusing on education initiatives in the communities where the firm operates it properties.

MARKET CHALLENGES FACED "In this industry things change fast and in order to turn opportunities into real wins we need to adapt quickly. The digital world has made a significant impact on the way guests choose and book their accommodation, influenced by social media, consumer-generated content and technological in-room features. Brand websites and OTAs are currently the main generators of bookings, a development that has changed the traditional commercial environment.

Retention of employees is also a growing indus-

KEY GOALS FOR THE NEXT 12-18 MONTHS

Toufic Tamim, vice president sales and marketing, Middle East & South Asia, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts

try challenge and we continuously endeavour to enhance our selection process to keep retention rates high.

Being in this business also requires a proactive approach to address unexpected situations, such as geopolitical events and economic uncertainties. The economic downturn in Europe resulted in a decline in revenues for some of our hotels in that region. This was offset by improved performances across the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Our balanced portfolio split over Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa ensures the company’s continued success." Says Tamim.

"The Middle East and North Africa is our fastest growing region in terms of new developments and our strategy is to expand our presence at a sustainable rate. To this affect we recently appointed Amir Lababedi as vice president for development, Middle East and South Asia. We plan to consolidate our position as one of the Middle East’s dominant hospitality firms with plans to add more than 10 hotels across the region by 2020." Adds Tamim.

MAKING THE MOST OF TECHNOLOGY "As hoteliers we need to exceed guest expectations with our technology service offerings, while keeping things functional, simple and easy to use. We endeavour to customise our technology services so they deliver real value to our guests.

The goal is to achieve a balance, striving for efficiency while maintaining a human touch. We want to provide experiences that make our guests happy, and this is always a key consideration when we introduce new technology."

Luxury Gourmet Olives from around the world

Telephone: +971 56 4806518 Email: ross@tgom.me Website: www.tgom.me thegourmetolivemarket.me

#thegourmetolivemarket

@tgom_me

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Come visit our market every Friday at The Ripe Market - Zabeel Park

MID-SCALE HOTELS Hampton by Hilton Al Qusais exterior

Mid-market milestones Andrew Clough, SVP Development, Asia Pacific and Middle East, Hilton Worldwide

Three starred Michelin chef,

Andrew Clough, SVP development, Asia Pacific and Middle East, Hilton Worldwide and Carlos Khneisser, vice president of development, Middle East, Hilton Worldwide tell Sophia Soltani why mid-market hotels make more sense than ever and how Hampton by Hilton and Garden Inn are set to make waves in the mid-market segment

34

HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

Andrew Clough, SVP Development, Asia Pacific and Middle East, Hilton Worldwide

I

n recent months it has become apparent that Dubai is undergoing a market shift towards the increased development of mid-market properties, underpinned by government initiatives, the rise of the Gen Y millennial traveller and the growth of the middle class in key source markets who are looking for price stability and value for money.

And as Knight Frank’s July 2015 ‘Hospitality report – Dubai’s mid-market hotel sector – stable performance in turbulent waters’ highlighted Dubai’s mid-scale RevPAR growth and a significant dip in the luxury segment. The research paper showed that in the first quarter of the year occupancy fell by 2.2% with average daily rates falling by 5% resulting in a 7% YoY RevPAR dip.

In light of the recent statistics, it is no wonder that Hilton Worldwide is proactively cashing in on this new midmarket boom, with plans to double its presence in Dubai with eight mid-market additions to its portfolio of hotels, including Hilton Garden Inn Bur Dubai, Hampton by Hilton Dubai

Hilton Garden Inn Dubai Al Jadaf

Al Mina and Hilton Garden Inn Dubai Mall of the Emirates.

Discussing the brand DNA of Hilton’s budget and midscale hotels, Carlos Khneisser, vice president of development, Middle East says,“Hampton is a brand that started in the US about 30 years ago and we now have 2,050 hotels trading worldwide in 17 countries, and we are set to have our first Hampton hotel in this region. It will be the largest Hampton in the world with 420 rooms.

When you think about the Hilton family brands, Hampton is a point of entry from a price perspective, it is all about value and so we offer free breakfast, complimentary WiFi and so the product is typically at the lowest price point that we can reasonably achieve. When we think of a market like Dubai that is typically known for its 5-star hotels, we are on a quest to make Dubai more of a leisure destination for a wider audience of people. Not everyone has the financial capability to stay in a five-star hotel.”

Explaining why now is the right time to launch into the mid-market sector for Dubai, Andrew Clough, SVP of development, Asia Pacific and Middle East, Hilton Worldwide, explains: “There is business demand here and when you take a look at the business strategy that has been mapped out here for 2020, plus efforts made by Emirates airlines to convert connecting travellers into over night stays, there are genuine incentives in the region to encourage affordable brands like Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton.

“We also see the great benefit in having these mid-scale properties, because we are able to boost and balance out our rates for our luxury properties as opposed to continually dropping our rates. We will have a clear distinction between our luxury brands, our budget and mid-scale brands.”

Touching upon the brand’s understanding of the Middle East, Clough continues, “if you stand back and take a look at Hilton, we have been in the Middle East for more than 50 years, so in terms of understanding source markets and new growth areas, having been here through the ups and downs we have created this great knowledge base and infrastructure in AUGUST 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

35

MID-SCALE HOTELS

“WHEN YOU CONSIDER DUBAI, IT IS ALREADY WAY PAST THE TIPPING POINT WHERE MID-MARKET HOTEL DEVELOPMENTS MAKE COMPELLING SENSE”

order to move ahead with aggressive plans to tap into new With Dubai renowned for its luxury sector Clough markets, such as mid-scale hotels.” points out why mid-market hotels are making more sense And defining the difference between Hilton’s mid-scale than ever: “If you look at the way hospitality markets evolve properties to others in the region Clough, adds: “Hampton and in the more formative stages of the cycle you see luxury is our largest brand, its growth rate is phenomenal and is and upscale hotels rapidly develop, but then as markets really the category killer for other mid-scale hotels. We mature even further that is when the segmentation really brought the Hampton brand out of North America in comes in.

2008. So each market that we have approached we started When considering Dubai, it is already way past the with a clear view of our Hilton DNA, but also a blank sheet tipping point where mid-market hotel developments in relation to making it fit the current market." make compelling sense. The market already has a "When you walk into a Hampton’s hotel anywhere in phenomenal array of luxury hotels and you the world you know what you are getting, we reflect the will still see the development of that brand’s DNA in every hotel worldwide and that is what space grow but it now makes sense to makes our mid-market brands so successful. People build up that middle to encourage trust us based on our consistency,” adds Khneisser. growth in tourist numbers.”

And with eight mid-scale properties already in “With the 10% municipality fee the pipeline, Khneisser adds: “We feel that now waiver the government here is incenis definitely the right time to grow out mid-scale tivising investors to build these three brands and Dubai has been the best place in the and four-star-hotels and this has Middle East to start unveiling Hampton and Garden also helped fuel the appetite for such Inn properties, but we are looking into some leads in brands. In addition to this, budget and Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The moment that we launched mid-market hotels are attracting a the brand in Dubai we had plenty of interest from totally different segment, and other locations in the MENA region. in peak season, room “Saudi is a rich country with rates in Dubai a lot of resources and internal are extremely tourism, the government is high, isolating also spending a lot of money guests that on the infrastructure, so are budget secondary cities are growconscious and ing, including Jizan and so mid-scale Jubail, which still lack brands will hotels in industrial encourage them locations hence to visit, we want to why Saudi be their preferenCarlos Khneisser, vice Arabia is a key tial choice,” adds president of development, Middle East, Hilton area for us.”

Khneisser.

Worldwide

36

HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

HAMPTON BY HILTON DUBAI AL MINA

Key features:

• Located near Dubai International Airport • 206 guest rooms • Breakfast area • A bar and gathering zone • Gym and swimming pool

HILTON GARDEN INN BUR DUBAI

Key features:

• 292 guest rooms • Located in a prime area of Dubai Creek • Walking distance from Souk Al Kabeer • Two food and beverage outlets • A large multifunctional meeting room • 24-hour business center and Pavilion Pantry • A swimming pool and health club

F&B FEATURE

The new social 38

HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

Despite emerging 20 years ago, many brands still struggle to harness the capabilities of social media. Melanie Mingas seeks the expert opinion on user generated content, buying fans and how online connections became a welloiled selling machine

La Pergola Restaurant, Rome Cavalieri

I

t used to be the case that what happened online, stayed online.

But as the online and offline lives of consumers merged, marketers had no choice but to consider their customers as “fans” and to begin promoting products via a series of sepia filtered images and hashtags, published to an audience it is likely may have never experienced that product first hand.

Suddenly it wasn’t just luxury that was aspirational. The hotel in an exotic country you one day hope to visit; the fun new games concept over the road that you’re rallying friends together to try; the new shoes that haven’t launched in this country yet; a new combination of your favourite, everyday foods, as prepared by a complete stranger with a social media footprint. People dared to dream and through social media, dream they did.

Now every brand is clamouring for a spot on the consumer’s bucket list and the multi-platform networks designed to connect us in the most innocuous, flippant, way have become a well-oiled selling machine.

But not every brand account can post a picture of eggs benedict and sit back while it goes viral for no apparent reason – and no number of KPIs from management can change that. So what’s the secret?

“Followers flock to brands which engage emotionally. Every day, customers face thousands of different pages and simply don’t have time to engage in all of them. You must provide them an experience that the others don’t,” says Ayse Abbas Carlson Rezidor digital marketing manager for the Middle East, Turkey and sub-Saharan Africa.

“There isn’t a single brand today which does not exist on social.

It has become a crucial tool for customer engagement and every day more resources are invested in social media as brands work towards the continued growth of their online fan base,” adds Abbas, who handles social strategies across Facebook, Instagram, twitter and Google+ as well as brand blogs for Radisson Blu and Park Inn and the group’s digital marketing.

Engagement: intangible, obscure and paradoxical in a world where attention spans have shrunk exponentially over the last

decade is one element, but perception must also be considered.

“The trick to it is not to ‘market’ to people, but to involve yourself in their experience,” explains Alan Devereux, managing director of social media agency CaveChalk.

“If they take a picture of your food you click like, you share and you re-upload to other networks and tag the picture taker. If someone in a venue takes the time to talk to the staff and say thanks, the management – sometimes even the chef – comes and makes a big deal. They don’t drop a pamphlet on the table that says 10% off you next pizza, but on social that’s all that seems to happen,” he advises.

In his recent work, “netpreneur” John Thomas was tasked by a fine dining client to drive footfall for lunch service through social media. Using an activation campaign, hashtag and rewards incentives for sharing images, he was able to achieve a 40% increase in covers, directly attributable to Instagram, as well as new fans and followers.

He says: “KPIs should be set accordingly. They could be web conversions, lead generation, online purchase, website signups, enquiries, or sometimes merely social interactions like downloads, views or shares.

“If, for instance a client’s goal is awareness of the brand on social media, then the metrics we track and analyse are reach and exposure. If the goal is increasing engagement, then the metrics are usually retweets, comments, replies, shares, and likes. Lastly if the goals are more about website conversions and purchases, then we track URL shares, clicks, and downloads,” he continues.

Devereux, who before establishing CaveChalk worked in journalism and PR says that, while engagement KPIs can be formulated, how people react to a social campaign can sometimes be anybody’s guess. He observes: “Take #KSA for example, this hashtag on twitter is apparently viewed 96 million times a day.

Meanwhile brands are trying to force people to use their own hashtags. People doing one thing; brands doing another.”

TO UGC OR NOT UGC? As the saying goes: Facebook is the largest content platform without providing its own content, YouTube is the most used video streaming service, without producing video. It seems that brands too can boost their popularity through content originating from others.

Yet famously, many chefs have banned guests from picturing their food for social media, as much for the reputation management of the restaurant as the comfort of other diners.

Where the story originated from is hard to decipher but reports came from the US, UK and France of unhappy chefs wanting to protect their most treasured dishes from low quality photography. Meanwhile the technarati press had already declared the dawn of a new genre in amateur photography and as of June this year Instagram had 178 million photos tagged #food, as counted by Wired magazine.

However the jury is out on “eat and tweet” as a means of engagement.

Ravneet Arora, who works in content and analytics for Iconsulthotels, comments: “UGC is very powerful and has a much bigger impact on a person’s decision making than official updates, AUGUST 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

39

F&B FEATURE

“A FAN WHO IS NOT, OR HAS NEVER BEEN A GUEST, IS AS USEFUL TO THE VENUE AS MY LIKE OF THE LAMBORGHINI PAGE IS TO LAMBORGHINI ” adverts, or write-ups on other websites or in magazines.

“It isn’t feasible to regulate the trend and doing so is likely to backfire.

Besides, why would you want to curb it? Every picture shared is a free advertisement for your restaurant, so rather than restrict it, you should actually encourage it,” she adds.

But as Arora explains there are many ways both the restauranteur and the diner could find a middle ground. Advising on the creation of a “social hotspot” in the venue, or the training of bar and wait staff to encourage guests to take pictures is both genuine and helpful – and far less invasive than a venue asking its patrons if it can picture their private moments for public social media accounts.

At the end of the day, unless your guest is a prominent blogger or food personality the social impact of a grainy food picture is likely to be minimal, but their complaints when their freedom to take that picture is restricted, have the power to go viral.

“Food pictures are very popular on many social networks and we’ve seen many cases where customers have actually walked into one of our clients’ outlets just because they’ve seen a picture they liked online,” Arora adds.

Thomas agrees: “At a time when brands all over the world are vying for content why would any hotel or chef want to ban their diners from taking or uploading food pictures? I think, on the contrary, these chefs must actually encourage diners to click more and share their experiences online with their network.”

On occasion however, the chef or restaurateur may be happy for patrons to get snap happy, but fellow diners are not; as with everything there is a time and a place and the internet isn’t always it.

THE PIED PIPER The existence of a page is one thing, but an embarrassingly low number of followers can drastically undermine a brand’s reputation. Being liked has never been more important.

For new outlets and pages this is particularly difficult. Promotion of handles and hashtags has become so mainstream many consumers don’t even register them when they see the famous @ and # on a menu or advert.

Adding to the mix, engagement metrics are a science in themselves but there are ways to ensure you’re brand is not banished to an empty table, without amassing an audience of bucket-list writers.

Social can easily be summarised as attractive visuals, carefully chosen witty words, which are reflective of the brand and engagement goals, and an army of offline ambassadors to convert guests into likes and vice versa.

Championing the targeted method, Arora asks: “What’s the point of having a lot of followers if most of them will never visit your outlet(s)?

“Ours’ is a people industry, so we work closely with the staff in our clients’ properties and outlets to ensure social media is integrated into the everyday operational reality of their businesses. That is, staff encourage guests and visitors to connect and share, or to use social media channels for feedback,” she adds, revealing that clients of Iconsulthotels enjoy the combination of organic engagement, paid advertising to targeted audience segments, and cross-promotion of social media accounts online and offline.

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HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

SOCIAL MEDIA: HOW TO DO IT • Don’t join social media because everyone else did. Ask yourself if there is really a need.

• Don’t look at social media as another marketing channel to broadcast outbound promotional messages. See it as a channel to listen to your customers.

• Don’t spread yourself thin by joining every single network out there. See where your niche audience are and you’ll figure out where you need to be.

• Don’t post too often or post too rarely. Follow a content calendar and adhere to a pattern.

• Don’t delete or ignore negative comments and feedback and don’t block people that leave such comments. Listen to the aggrieved customer/fan and try to offer a solution • Don’t make the mistake of ignoring your audience and not taking time to understand what they like and dislike. Analyse your published posts and gauge audience reaction.

Plan future posts based on these sentiments.

• Don’t oversell your product, brand or service.

Have an interesting mix of content that will add more value to fans.

THE TO

DO AND

DO NOTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Alan Devereux, managing director of social media agency CaveChalk.

“Don’t look at social media as a marketing channel, it is best suited to customer service and business development. They choose to follow, they choose to interact, they choose to block. They choose to spend money with you. Reward them with more than a picture of as nice looking pizza.”

John Thomas, netpreneur and advisor

Strong results were recorded in a recent campaign using Facebook pixels, building custom audiences, and re-targeting website visitors and email subscribers. The bottom line isn’t always about money, but reflecting the personality of the establishment and the behaviour of the target audience. Both of which feed into the overall number of likes and followers.

For Thomas, who launched the social media presence of Italian Jazz singer Cecilia Herrera, Emmy-nominated Filmmaker Beno Saradzic, and Emirati Author Khaled Mohammed Al Maskari, it’s something he first successfully achieved through his personal account, organically growing his following from 200 family and friends to 54,000 “fans” around the world.

“I realise now that it was all about the quality of content on the page and the level of engagement I maintained with my community all the time. Keeping the content fresh, interesting and share worthy, posting regularly, sharing new knowledge, ideas and information, accepting and acknowledging the community’s views, giving them a voice, are just a few aspects that helped me build an engaged community and a strong personal brand online.”

How strong such an approach will endure as the concept of paid followers gain pace, is anybody’s guess. With social now taking worrying strides towards an all-paid content model, the idea of organic shares, likes and even the concept of “viral” itself faces a drastic threat.

Organic is about brands earning their way onto news feeds, while paid will push the “10% discount pizza” model Deveraux warns of. In order to retain the last social elements of social media and conquer the idea of emotional engagement, brands must merge their online and offline worlds for their own sake and for the sake of everybody else who holds a social media account.

As Deveraux concludes: “Fans should be guests. A fan who is not, or has never been a guest, is as useful to the venue as my like of the Lamborghini page is to Lamborghini.”

“Social media is all about being social. It is about people following things they love to hear about, things they are passionate about and things that make them happy.

So focus your attention on making your brand more social and worry less about doing Social Media.

Let every single post, message or interaction from the brand on the social space be based on this understanding.”

Ayse Abbas Carlson Rezidor digital marketing manager for the Middle East, Turkey and sub-Saharan Africa “Publish content to encourage users to share and talk about you.

Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and see the relevancy and the uniqueness of your content.

If it does not inspire you to read, probably it will not for others as well.

Also, do not link your social media channels for automated posts.

Remember each platform is unique and has a different purpose and character.”

Ravneet Arora, content and analytics, Iconsulthotels “Don’t do social just for the sake of it. Every post, update, or advertising campaign, has to have a reason and focus. Know why you’re doing something. Is it to build loyalty?

Drive footfall? Increase awareness?

You need to understand the unique personality of your outlet(s) or brand and reflect it in your social media goals. Without goals, your activities won’t be effective.”

AUGUST 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

41

ANALYST CORNER

MENA HOTEL UPDATE

Taking a look at some of the MENA region’s rolling highlights and YoY RevPAR variance percentages from Colliers International, with a commentary from Filippo Sona

of Muslims, and appropriate guest entertainment.

In some instances, when there is the segregation of sexes with SHARIAH COMPLIANT HOTELS- A SPIRITUAL INVESTMENT separate cafes and restaurants, and only married guests are permitted to occupy the same bedroom, hotels need to look closely at capacity We often hear about Sharia complaint hotels, however the term is not management. In some cases, they may lose revenues by turning often fully defined. In order for the hotel investment industry to fully away demand that does not match the room available, such as when understand what is needed to develop a Sharia compliant hotel, it is a floor is dedicated to a particular type of guest, for example women important to consider a number of different factors including design, or unmarried individuals. operation and brand and financial systems, all of which need to be In the competitive and fast-paced hotel industry, branding is aligned with Sharia rules and principles. also essential for the success of a hotel. For the consumer and for The term 'Sharia compliant' tends to be used inapprospective employees, a brand is a perceptual construct propriately, often referring to a hotel that does not serve - it exists in people’s minds and in the hotel business alcoholic beverages, however it is much more than this. is a proxy for service and quality level. A hotel brand To provide a framework for the hotel industry, is a means of identification and differentiation, and an Sharia compliant hotels can be divided into three assurance of the delivery of a known product/service. categories: “Dry hotels” which do not serve any Above all else it communicates a promise. alcoholic beverages within their premises; 'partially A hotel brand name is part of the process of giving compliant' hotels which in addition to dry hotels have tangibility to what is essentially intangible, providsome separate facilities for men and women; and 'fully ing a ‘shorthand’ method of establishing a particular compliant hotels.' property’s quality by giving the customer important Filippo Sona, director head As hotel development is a science, evolving with of hotels, MENA region, information about its product and service, sight unseen.

Colliers International generations and responding to demand drivers, developBut how many of the global brand and brand standards ing fully compliant hotels faces a number of are really Sharia compliant? Arguably the likes of Shaza Hotels and challenges particularly in design and Rayhaan by Rotana are the best known brands in the region which operation. For example, when strive to comply with the rules and principles of Sharia law. we look at the design of a Beyond spirituality, the development of a Sharia compliant hotel hotel room, the bed and toilet is an investment which has to be sustainable. The success of the should not face the Qibla. When it investment and its operations depend on whether there is sufficient comes to operations, a number of demand to maintain it, and on whether or not the travelers who are HOT SPOTS other factors should be considered, demanding Islamic hotels are willing to pay a premium to access such as the exclusive employment Islamic hotel facilities and services.

HOT TOPIC

+17% +20%

MENA HOTEL FORECASTS

0%

-2%

FUJAIRAH Occurrence of Ramadan along with stabilisation of new hotels to keep marketwide occupancy levels below last year.

-28% - 48%

SURE AND STEADY SHARM EL SHEIKH

MAKKAH

Ramadan has been anticipated to have a negative effect on domestic demand, however European demand will continue to grow stronger than in 2014.

The last 10 days of Ramadan are expected to see high pilgrim visitation, followed by higher YoY demand in August.

42

HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD / DIFC

WEST BAY LAGOON

It is expected that RevPAR levels will remain stable over the next three months due to a decreasing occupancy and a growing ADR.

Discounted summer room rates to keep attracting leisure tourism in Doha’s seaside resorts.

LUXOR: Recent terrorist activity is set to keep tourists at bay in the medium term, but is set to pick up. stabge.

WORK IN PROGRESS

OCCUPANCY, ADR & REVPAR 3-MONTH FORECAST JUNE TO AUG 2015 R e

ec

e

Occ Occ%% A R ($) RevPAR RevPA RevPAR v R($) ($) RevPAR ce

ec

Occ % A R ($) RevPAR ($) RevPAR ce

UAE

Dubai

Festiva v l City Dubai Creek / Festival

56

210

117

-9%

77

262

202

-2%

UAE

Dubai

Sheikh Zayed Road / DIFC

57

168

96

0%

76

216

165

-2%

UAE

Dubai

Palm Jumeirah

65

316

204

-13%

79

479

378

-2%

UAE

Dubai

Dubai Marinaa / JBR

68

203

138

-4%

80

311

249

0%

UAE

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi City

54

113

61

-14%

78

139

108

3%

UAE

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Beach

48

165

79

-6%

70

232

163

1%

UAE

Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah

37

136

50

-21%

61

189

115

2%

UAE

Sharjah Sharj r ah

Sharjah Sharj r ah

51

81

41

-9%

76

90

68

2%

UAE

Fujairah

Fujairah

51

151

76

-48%

61

132

81

-6%

KSA

Riyadh

Riyadh

42

220

92

-9%

60

241

144

2%

KSA

Jeddah

Jeddah

66

288

189

-9%

76

261

199

2%

KSA

Makkah

Makkah

61

318

194

20%

64

218

139

-1%

KSA

Madinah

Madinah

52

166

86

13%

60

157

94

3%

KSA

Al Khobar

Al Khobar

62

191

118

3%

67

195

131

4%

Egypt

Cairo

Cairo

46

134

61

8%

51

128

65

26%

Egypt

Sharm El Sheikh

Sharm El Sheikh

63

54

34

17%

68

48

33

10%

Egypt

Hurghada

Hurghada

76

55

42

4%

73

48

35

2%

Egypt

Alexandria

Alexandria

65

79

51

-17%

65

76

49

3%

Egypt

Luxor

Luxor

8

38

3

-28%

12

44

5

-23%

Qatar

Doha

r / City Centre Doha Airport

54

151

82

-9%

73

160

116

2%

Qatar

Doha

West Bay Lagoon

51

274

140

-2%

71

276

196

8%

Qatar

Doha

Serviced Apartments Doha Serv rviced Apart r ments

83

195

161

8%

82

182

149

-1%

Qatar

Doha

West Bay / Diplomatic Area

64

194

124

-3%

79

205

162

1%

Oman

Muscat

Muscat

43

169

73

-6%

63

243

153

-1%

Bahrain

Manama

Manama

46

193

88

-12%

58

194

113

1%

Kuwait

Kuwait City

Kuwait City

43

226

97

-2%

51

241

122

-2%

Jordan

Amman

Amman

56

160

89

-8%

59

173

103

-2%

Jordan

Aqaba

Aqaba

58

162

93

-19%

56

120

67

-9%

Lebanon Beirut

Beirut

51

159

81

-12%

50

158

79

3%

AUGUST 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

43

TAKE 10

Despite being traditional entities of the region desert hotels can often slip under the radar for potential travellers, Patrick Both, general manager, Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara discusses several measures desert hideaways should take in order to compete with large-scale beach resorts

THE FUTURE OF DESERT RESORTS G

1

44

erman born Patrick Both has more than 19 years of experience within the hospitality industry and currently leads the operations across the 206-room Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara , situated in the enigmatic Liwa Desert. Being no stranger to 5-star luxury, Both has worked across some of the world’s leading hotels with international brands including Hilton Hotels and Resorts and Langham Hotels appearing in his resume.

As the general manager of Abu Dhabi’s number one hotel, he is the main point of contact and face of the resort, motivating his team to deliver on service standards, sales and marketing strategies, meeting budgets and revenue targets as well as stakeholder engagement and relationship maintenance.

He discusses first-hand the importance of these factors in maintaining the competitive upkeep of a desert resort in the bustling region, with Hotel News Middle East.

resorts to taste the local lifestyle and heritage of the region. We are constantly developing new experiences to keep the proposition unique and attractive: for instance, we were the first resort in the world to offer fat bike rides in the sand dunes and our extensive choice of activities allow us to appeal to a wider market mix, families, couples and thrill seekers alike.

VARIED ACTIVITIES

INDIGENOUS DISCOVERY

EMOTIONAL CONNECTION

Patrick Both, general manager, Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara

2 Qasr Al Sarab is built at the heart of the

Located in the largest uninterrupted sand desert in the world, Qasr Al Sarab benefits from the perfect natural playground offering a wide variety of activities for outdoor enjoyment. So desert hotels have the unique selling point of desert activities, which provide guests with both thrilling and cultural experiences such as dune bashing, camel trekking, Arabian horse riding and falconry.

Activities like this allow guests at desert HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

sands, which vary from golden to dark red, or the surprisingly active desert wildlife. All of this contributes to sharing stories about the history of the United Arab Emirates and giving our guests an insight into the local culture, which is quite a unique offering and so it is vital that desert hotels showcase their rich historical values to offer solidity and a different angle to a guests stay.

Liwa desert, the birthplace of the ruling families of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It is a region rich with cultural heritage, and this atmosphere is showcased all over the resort with its traditional Arabian décor complemented by a large collection of authentic artifacts. There is also a lot to learn about the natural surroundings such as the formation of sand dunes, the specific colour of the

3As guests have the ability to visit anywhere

in the world, it is important that we offer not just top of the range facilities, but life experiences whilst travelling and nowadays people are looking for something more, a zest for life kind of experience. And with desert hotels generally surrounded by surreal landscapes, and unique propositions on offer, when a resort combines genuine service and amazing experiences then wonderful stories are created and you have become emotionally in tune with your guests. Creating this emotional connection with your guests encourage them to indirectly become brand ambassadors, which in turn drives the resort reputation as an inspirational travel destination, separating it from the large scale beach resorts that clog up the coast of the UAE.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

4The desert can often be a tricky place to be and sometimes guests underestimate the nature aspect of the resort, for example the

Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort

extreme heat, so customer satisfaction has to remain a number one focus. Keeping satisfaction up and consistent, offering a tailored, heartfelt and attentive service is key to maintaining our leading position in the market and remembering that not everyone comes well equipped to deal with the climate, sand storms and general natural weather conditions. Being understanding to each individual need is key.

from the Indian market following the release of three Bollywood movies partly shot at the resort last year, so other resorts also need to capitalise on their location and engage with the media.

AWARDS

7 Collecting awards worldwide is a way to

stay visible, so we are very active in entering and promoting votes. Recently, the resort has been rewarded with four accolades at the 2015 World Travel Awards held in Dubai including, United Arab Emirates’ Leading Desert Resort. We also made it to Conde Nast China 2015 Readers’ Choice Award and Gold List, which is fantastic and strengthens our positioning in the Chinese market. As a Virtuoso member resort in North America, we also hold the 2014 Best of the Best Award for the most innovative guest experience.

TEAM WELFARE

5 Keeping happy employees is the basis for

great service. Being in such a remote location, working at the resort can sometimes be difficult. Therefore, we ensure that our team members are satisfied and propose a large array of activities after work such as sport tournaments, social gatherings or cultural fairs. We have an open door policy and all meet on a monthly basis to discuss any concerns or suggestions to improve conditions.

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MEDIA EXPOSURE Desert hotels need to keep on top of media exposure to ensure we are always in the public eye and so we understand the power of word of mouth and are very active in inviting media to experience the resort. As an iconic landmark in the Emirate, we also work closely with TwoFour54 and recently hosted large production movies from both Hollywood and Bollywood. This represents immense international exposure, and we have certainly observed an increase in shares

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SOCIAL MEDIA

manage damage control and maintain the reputation of the resort.

ONLINE REPUTATION

reputation is also an important fac9 Online tor to ensure competitiveness in the current market where customers rely on real time recommendations. Monitoring comments and interacting with customers on sites like Trip Advisor and Booking.com is essential.

The resort receives Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice on a yearly basis and we were rewarded with a Trip Advisor Hall of Fame certificate this year, which is an accolade for resorts that obtained the Certificate of Excellence for a fifth consecutive year. We are also ranked as the number one hotel in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, so who says desert hotels can’t keep up in the running against big beach resorts?

ROMANCE

10 Desert hotels have a superb romantic notion

Customers are interacting with brands on social media and so being present and active on platforms such as Facebook or Instagram by creating engaging content helps maximise exposure of the resort, this helps whilst people are looking for unique experiences, and Instagram hosts a great platform for this whilst guests are solely posting stunning pictures of the resort. Also it helps us target offers and another way to engage with guests, it is so important that we answer to enquiries in the shortest time frame to

about them. With enigmatic qualities and the allure of the golden red sand dunes wholly representing the concept of a desert hotel it is so important that hoteliers tap into the natural surroundings in which their hotel is built upon.

For example Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort

by Anantara is a luxury oasis in one of the world’s most romantic destinations. It represents the Arabian fantasy, the 1001 nights in people’s mind.

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Use the quieter summer months to polish up your cv Piers Burton, owner of boutique executive search firm Eagles Spearing Consulting, shares a few tips on how to get your CV to the top of the pile

C

ontrary to common belief, recruitment in the hospitality sector has been buoyant this summer, a good indicator hotel and restaurant companies continue to prosper across the GCC, building their teams for the busy months ahead.

We’re busy and we like it, though one discussion I’m tiring of with potential candidates is that they need to spend more time on updating the content and presentation of their CVs. Having reviewed countless CVs over the past decade, I can accurately spot which ones will appeal to our clients and which will be rejected and binned without much more than a cursory glance.

The difference in quality, both in terms of the information candidates portray about themselves and the way in which they present it is considerable. In many cases, we receive CVs that haven’t been updated for two or more years, which we simply can’t forward on to our clients.

So, if you’re thinking about your next career move, give yourself the best chance of securing the role you aspire to by following five worthwhile steps:

1. Review your ‘general’ CV on a regular basis, updating any details about your current role, your education and your interests that will heighten your credibility to a future employer.

2. Then, when approached by a recruiter, ask for a job description of the role that you are being spoken to about and then spend time tailoring the CV towards the core aspects of that role. A tailored CV is twice as likely to appeal to a recruiter and to get you invited to an interview.

3. List the key accountabilities and the main achievements of each of your last three positions. No waffle; just particulars which demonstrate your experience and your accomplishments (tailored to the role you are applying for).

4. Keep the content to two sides of A4 – recruiters are reviewing large numbers of CVs and won’t look in detail beyond the first pages. Lengthy CVs tend to be an irritant.

5. Make sure dates are correct (month and year you started / finished each role) and for your education list the qualifications attained, the years of attainment and the universities or colleges attended.

TARGETING THE TERRORISTS Tunisian born Daousser Chennoufi, concept creator and partner, HUES Hotels & Resorts, Dubai discusses the recent attack in Tunisia and why hoteliers can’t let the terrorists win

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he unfortunate turn of events that saw tragic and devastating consequences in my home country, Tunisia has shaken the resorts and hotels in the area, and although terrorist attacks happen all over the world, as on the very same day other attacks took place in France and in Kuwait, it is all the more horrifying when innocent people are enjoying their vacation, whilst boosting the local economy of a country, for a lunatic to open fire on unsuspecting tourists.

Until now, hotels have always needed to take certain safety precautions, but did not feel the pressing need to protect their locations so scrupulously. It isn’t expected that something quite so horrific as the events in Tunisia would take place in a hotel. Safety usually falls in with room security, hazardous objects, weather conditions but more so lately terrorism is high up on the scale of priorities.

The Royal Kenz hotel – one of the beach resorts affected by the shootings could never have been fully prepared for this type of incident. How could anyone suspect that in the middle of the day a man, who appeared like every other tourist, would turn into a gunman shooting at random?

Events such as this highlight that groups and individuals alike are targeting and testing the stability of the country, and unfortunately the prosperous 46

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tourism sector is now going to be the first one to bear the consequences of the attack. This can now be seen as an attempt to destabilise the economy as well as the wider political situations taking place in Tunisia. The recent outbursts of violence represent major threats for the country, which can escalate the political instability and security issues for the destination, ultimately keeping travelers away from visiting the country.

That said, there is internal commitment to boosting the industry and therefore authorities are likely to react and do whatever is possible to avoid any further issues.Tunisian officials have focused efforts on boosting tourism for years, especially looking to attract seaside tourism along the country's Mediterranean coast.

Facing the reality of the situation, the government of Tunisia is now developing a new protective strategy to reinforce the safety of the country, especially on prime tourist locations. The strategy is developed through coordination between the Ministry of Interior and all the hotels and other places of interest.

Hoteliers, during their monthly review, should test their current safety arrangements, audit them and as a result improve their planning and response time. In particular ensuring that adequate training,

equipment and information is readily available and reinforced to staff especially those who are directly involved in the safety and security of the hotel.

Every hotel will now also be having an armed police guard onsite, to ensure that the intervention is much faster, should any security breach occur.

Additionally further in-house security measures now need to be implemented. For example creating short cuts through fire-exits are basic and yet smart ways to aide a crisis.

Moreover, hotels need to be equipped with advanced camera systems to foresee any minor or alarming details. Not to mentionthe borders of the country in general have to be protected to a greater extent.

In a time of instability, when situations around the world present resorts as an unsafe environment, consumers then become ever more safetyconscious, security measures can prove to be a marketable asset, reassuring potential guests that they can have a safe, comfortable, worry-free time

THE HOTTEST E-COMMERCE GROWTH MARKETS Melissa O’Malley, director of global merchant and cross border trade initiatives, PayPal runs over some of the facts and figures for e-commerce growth markets boom is a growing urban middle class that is more open to technological trends and international travel. In addition, while traditional internet penetration is still creeping upward, smartphone use is skyrocketing, with nearly half of India’s active internet users being mobile-only .

CHINA

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hile we hear about the explosive growth of e-commerce in the MENA region and China, one can’t help but wonder what the next big market will be. Which countries are on the verge of an ecommerce renaissance, about to hit the inflection point into a new era of online buying, and where should hoteliers be watching?

As the barriers to international e-commerce are surmounted by the rise of new logistics platforms, more focused government regulation, and secure payment processing for consumers and businesses alike, we are looking at some of today’s hottest ecommerce markets to find not only where we’ll be buying from next, but to where the next untapped business opportunity awaits.

In an increasingly connected world, it is vital that hoteliers are on the pulse with the latest ecommerce trends to track the influence of online travel bookings in key emerging markets, and demand trends among the modern day traveller, who is taking bookings online.

INDIA While internet penetration remains relatively low in India at 19% vs. 46% in China and 87% in the US the country is set to overtake the US as the world’s second-largest internet market by 2018, with 297 million online users.

Despite lower rates of internet accessibility due both to infrastructure and cost, e-commerce in the country is expected to grow to $50 billion by the year 2020. This is particularly impressive considering that a large part of the digital purchases made by today’s consumers are still paid for by cash-on-delivery.

One of the key drivers for India’s e-commerce

It may not be long before ‘Singles Day’ - the Chinese e-commerce holiday, is celebrated around the world with more notoriety than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined. The holiday, which at $9 billion in sales for 2014 was more than six times the size of Black Friday, is just one indicator that China has hit number one as the largest e-commerce market in the world – a significant development considering the sheer size of China’s outbound tourism market.

China’s e-commerce growth has also been exceptional because of its skyrocketing cross-border sales, which increased 75% in 2013 and 60% in 2014. A PayPal/IPSOS survey from 2014 found that of the 80% of Chinese shoppers who had shopped online in the past 12 months, approximately 26% had shopped from a foreign website.

BRAZIL Leading Latin America in 2014 with 37% of the region’s e-commerce sales, Brazil is a boisterous and evolving market that is a must-watch in the coming years, particularly due to its growth in mobile and cross-border trade. In 2015, the country is expected to reap online sales of nearly $32 billion, despite recent economic slowdown and a

GROWTH AT A GLANCE 2014 - 18

India China Brazil

500% 125% 84% 96%

Mexico 48

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highly competitive marketplace.

Mobile commerce continues to perform strongly in Brazil, with sales expected to reach $774 million in 2016. This focus on mobile commerce is paramount to the evolution of the travel and tourism sector – which is increasingly shifting online, parallel to international travellers, with the launch of digital-room check-in and booking capabilities via apps.

When it comes to trends in international trade, Brazil is expected to have 9.4 million shoppers making cross-border purchases by the year 2018, when expenditure is expected to have increased more than five-fold the current rate.

MEXICO Mexico’s e-commerce market, the third largest in Latin America after Brazil and Argentina, is set to nearly double by 2018.

Considering that fewer than one fifth of the country’s 51 million internet users also make online purchases and that almost two thirds of the population don’t have bank accounts, the country is uniquely poised for impressive growth in the next four years. Furthermore, e-commerce sales make up a rather low percentage of overall retail sales—1.5% compared to Brazil’s 4.1%.

Mobile is a key driver as Mexican e-commerce matures. One-third of the population uses a smartphone, making it the largest mobile market in Latin America. This is significant compared to Brazil and Argentina, where smartphone penetration is still less than 25%. This year, Mexico will record a nearly 40% increase in mobile commerce sales, compared to a 19% increase in e-commerce.

This growing trend is largely driven by Generation Y, adults aged 18-34, which is responsible for 88% of all e-commerce purchases.

At the end of this year, there will be 65 million active internet users in Mexico, a number projected to jump to 80 million by 2018.

Clearly, these aren’t the only countries enjoying the surge of global e-commerce. Nations like Nigeria, Argentina, France, Germany, Japan and Australia are moving along their respective paths of growth, each overcoming barriers like regulations, infrastructure, consumer attitudes, and payment security.

MEET THE EXPERT

A tribute to the UAE Heba Al Mansoori, Founder & CEO, BIZ COM talks about Dubai’s long standing heritage as a tourism hub and what’s next on the horizon for growth across the industry EVALUATING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY The UAE’s hospitality industry is on par with the best in the world and tourism authorities over the years have played a proactive role in helping enhance the quality of standards in the hospitality industry.

In the UAE, the public sector works hand in hand with the private sector and through combined and diligent efforts we capitalise on opportunities to build a strong travel and tourism industry.

The government has also played a key role in ensuring the constant growth of the tourism industry and making sure that optimal potential is achieved.

The interests of various sectors have all been well represented through the active participation of every segment of the industry.

Contemporary emerging issues facing the hospitality industry have been dealt with through ongoing dialogues and public-private sector partnerships.

Our tourism industry is in constant motion and evolving under the multiple influences of new technology. With more prudent and demanding customers the UAE is prepared to evolve and embrace change.

We facilitate better interaction and exchange of information within the tourism industry in a drive to ensure that the emirate's reputation as a top class tourist destination remains flawless.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TOURISM AUTHORITIES AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR

THE UAE’S SALIENT FEATURES The UAE extends a warm welcome to holiday makers as well as business HOTEL NEWS ME AUGUST 2015

AMAZING FACILITIES

“CONTEMPORARY EMERGING ISSUES FACING THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH THROUGH ONGOING DIALOGUES AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS”

The UAE encourages better understanding between the public and private sectors and has opened the channels for two-way communication through various forums thereby promoting a better understanding. We have centuries’ old tradition of diyafah and hospitality, and so tourism is in our veins.

The tourism industry as a whole stands to benefit from increased interaction between the public and private sector.The various tourism boards, including the National Council of Tourism and Antiquities and the Abu Dhabi Culture and Tourism Authorities, among others, act as umbrella organisations and lead delegations to participate in major travel trade and consumer travel exhibitions and roadshows around the world.

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visitors, offering facilities of the highest international standard combined with the charm and adventure of the Middle East - an exceptional blend of modern city and timeless desert.

With a faultless winter climate, top class hotels, superb facilities for a variety of sports, leisure, dining and excellent shopping, the UAE has something to offer everyone.

As an open port with low import duties, the UAE’s retail prices are reasonable and the variety of products available matches that of any other major international city. In particular, the UAE’s residents enjoy tax free salaries and incomes which are among the highest in the world, so there is plenty of money available.

Attractive modern shopping plazas are conveniently located throughout the country. Marble-walled malls and efficient air conditioning provide a cool welcome to customers. Cosmopolitan stores maintain an affinity with the emirate’s international population and appeal. Designer label boutiques sit comfortably alongside trend-setting clothing supermarkets.

Gold, the traditional wealth standard of the East, is another of the city’s best-buys. For centuries the UAE’s gold trade has flourished. Gold shopping in the UAE is a tribute to the metal’s eternal attraction.

The country’s shopping scene offers something for everyone and the country’s potential extends right up to the journey home with duty free complexes in all the major international airports offering a superlative range of high quality products at unbeatable prices.

Cargoes from the East have found ready markets in the country for years, now they are being augmented with the very best the world has to offer to tempt even the most sophisticated tastes.

THE UAE AS A MICE DESTINATION

We have hotels that have been around since the 1970s and they are constantly upgraded and well equipped with modern facilities. They all offer excellent conference and meeting facilities, fully equipped health clubs and facilities for a wide range of sports.

The UAE combines exotic experiences and excitement with a choice of internationally experienced, professional destination management companies and inbound tour operators. They employ multilingual guides and well-qualified drivers and have modern air-conditioned coaches for airport transfers and excursion tours.

The MICE segment of the industry is essential to the development of the emirate's tourism sector and is a vital tool in bringing in high-yield visitors.

AVOIDING A PRE-OPENING DISASTER Hotel operators and owners who fail to prepare and agree to a comprehensive pre-opening strategy are asking for trouble, says TFG Asset Management’s head of asset management, Mariano Faz

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hotel’s pre-opening phase presents a number of significant challenges to owners and asset managers.

Owners generally believe the major challenges arise during the construction period and tend to underestimate the impact of a poorly planned pre-opening strategy.

Doing so risks delays, cost blowouts and ultimately the relationship between the owner and operator.

TFG Asset Management has developed a research document that identifies the key milestones that must be reached during the pre-opening phase.

In putting together the document, we interviewed several industry experts. Ultimately, we identified the key issues that can delay an opening, which we arranged under three main headings: the physical causes, the human causes and the organisational causes.

The physical causes highlight the operation or performance failure of tangible items. During the pre-opening phase, the poor management of small operating equipment, excessive focus on small equipment flaws and errors, and insufficient, inadequate documentation submitted for licensing approvals are some of the known factors identified in the research.

The human causes relate to inadequate or insufficient staffing, and poorly conceived recruitment strategies.

The organisational causes relate to the hotel’s corporate culture, policies and processes. Weak organisational structure leads directly to a poor pre-opening performance.

The primary goal of our research was to identify and address the key challenges and to create the necessary awareness to align the interests of

the owner and operator.

In this regard, the asset manager plays a key role. The asset manager needs to be knowledgeable of the hotel industry and must protect the owner’s interests during the pre-opening phase. They must also work professionally on behalf of the operator and identify any issues that arise and resolve them.

Owners should be pre-advised about the main challenges that typically arise during this period.

If a hotel opening is delayed, the consequences are numerous. Costs will likely blow out, while the impact on the hotel brand can prove damaging. Missed opportunities and the broader impact on a property’s performance metrics are also analysed in the study.

Having identified these problems, the paper offers practical strategies for successfully addressing them.

Every project will present a different set of challenges. Our intention is to summarise and create awareness about the various issues and provide meaningful solutions for overcoming them.

ABOUT TFG ASSET MANAGEMENT TFG Asset Management specialises in hotel asset management and its primary objective is to maximise the hotel owner’s return on investment.

The company assists with every aspect of a completed hotel development and acts as an intermediary between owner and operator, with a view to aligning the interests and profitability of both.

TFG Asset Management currently manages three hotel apartment projects offering a total of 918 keys and will add four new hotels to its hospitality portfolio by the end of 2018.

The company employs an experienced asset management team and partners with some of the foremost hospitality brand operators in order to position and manage its hospitality projects with future growth in mind. TFG Asset Management’s head of asset management, Mariano Faz, has more than 12 years of expertise in global hospitality and real estate markets and has held a number of high-level positions in hotel operations and management, business development, and hotel asset management for hotel owners.

DON'T MISS...

The September edition of Hotel News ME will launch TFG Asset Management’s Hotel pre-opening strategies white paper. The comprehensive research paper, spearheaded by TFG Asset Management’s head of asset management Mariano Faz and his team, aims to provide practical insights into how hotel operators

and owners can devise ‘successful pre-opening strategies in a timely and efficient manner’. It will be distributed exclusively with the September issue of the magazine. Turn to P.10 for more information on the paper and TFG Asset Management’s partnership with Hotel News ME. AUGUST 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

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SUPPLIER vs. BUYER:

GYM EQUIPMENT WALA’A ALDEEN MASA’ADEH, REGIONAL SALES MANAGER, MENA CYBEX

DEREK BURKE, EMEA EXPORT BUSINESS MANAGER, PRECOR

The in-house experts

The suppliers

This month the gloves are off as we ask gym equipment suppliers and wellness professionals in hotels what consumers are really looking for when it comes to choosing the right apparatus in the gym

DES CAWLEY, DIRECTOR OF TALISE FITNESS OPERATIONS, JUMEIRAH GROUP

What are some of the latest trends being seen in gym equipment and what are hotels looking for?

Cawley: Functional training provides the strength, stability, power, mobility, endurance and flexibility that people need in both everyday life and sports. Talise Fitness, a part of Jumeirah Group, has embraced this and all of our clubs have dedicated functional training zones.

They provide equipment and accessories, which offer the most natural form of movement for maximum results. While this type of training reverts to techniques simulating the origins of fitness, technology including devices that can be worn to measure data and mobile apps are also a continuing trend. The key is for hotels and gyms to integrate technology into their operations for added value to existing services, thus allowing the individual to track their workout performance, adding to guest or member engagement and loyalty through implementation of fun competitions and challenges.

Bluett: Over the past few years, gym equipment has progressed in leaps and bounds, to give users much more intense result driven workouts.

People can now work their bodies harder, with more effective equipment, using muscles that had previously not been exposed to particular strains.

Gym equipment is now becoming more focused on core strengths and toning rather than simply increasingly heart rates. At the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, we have very much adopted and moved with the times, adapting our equipment to provide guests with the latest technology.

We aim to give our guests a gym experience that fits easily into their 52

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MICHAEL KEMPF, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT MANAGER, AMWAJ ROTANA

HAYLEY BLUETT, DIRECTOR OF PEARL SPA AND FITNESS, FOUR SEASONS RESORT DUBAI

everyday routine, for example, allowing them access to WiFi, the ability to watch the news and listen to music.

We also want to look for equipment that cannot be found in other hotels across the region. Offering alternative and interesting workouts in comparison to their normal routines. We have recently installed a Spa Bike; a bike placed inside an aquatic machine providing a hydraulic workout that it far more effective than normal cycling and guests can burn more than 700 calories in just 40 minutes!

Masa’adeh: Connectivity of cardio equipment continues to be a popular topic with hoteliers worldwide. Whether it’s a virtual active experience while running on a treadmill, workout tracking via the cloud or access to content on your smart phone, guests want a personalised and connected workout that works to suit them.

Kempf: Gym goers are increasingly seeking interactive machines. Gone are the days that the machine is something you mount and you count your own steps.

Today, it’s all about the machine working the same way you heart or your mind would, i.e. the ability to count every millisecond and track what your body encounters during a workout so the more sensitive a machine is, the better. Easy-to-use touch screens with built-in digital TVs and integrated MP3 input and USBs are still popular.

Also, group exercise is becoming more and more popular, for examplecycling or rowing. But it is not easy to invest in a large number of the same type of machine so it’s quite a difficult trend to catch up with and implement.

The CrossFit culture has also caught on, which is a workout pro-

Madinat Jumeirah, Talise Fitness-Gymnasium

gramme combining a series of movements such as pull-ups, squats, pushups, weightlifting, gymnastics, running and rowing, thereby deploying the use of several types of machines all fit into one workout.

Burke: We’ve seen a change in the way hotels are viewing fitness facilities.

In the past many saw installing a gym as simply ticking a box, which helped them secure their official star ratings. However, now more hotels are using their fitness facility as an added-value-offering that differentiates them from the competition and improves their guests’ online reviews. An audit from Trip Advisor ratings revealed property reviews associated with the term ‘new gym equipment’ received ratings that were on average, one star higher on a five star scale.

How have customer needs changed over the past 12 months?

Cawley: There continues to be a growing health conscious audience adopting fitness as part of an overall lifestyle. Fitness that also provides social interaction is becoming increasingly popular. We have found people want to participate more and more in community based team events such as obstacle courses and team challenges.

Talise Fitness offers solutions and experiences aligned with our customer’s aspirations and we have our own very successful ‘Talise Sandstorm’ event, which is a 4km obstacle course across the beaches of Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Madinat Jumeirah. The Talise Fitness community encourages hotel guests and members to meet other like-minded individuals with the same passions and goals.

Kempf: We are seeing more and more customers reluctant to commit to long-term gym memberships and instead, opting for one to six month long memberships. It could be due to the unpredictability of working as an expat in Dubai where jobs, contracts and housing locations are susceptible to change at any time but this is just an inference.

Bluett: Customers demand faster result in shorter periods of time, so equipment is becoming increasingly based on working-out multiple muscles rather than simply focusing on one area of the body.

What qualities are hotels now looking for when buyinggym equipment?

Kempf: It goes beyond the equipment’s specifications or materials. It is important to invest in good quality equipment but what we find equally important is the service contract and after sales service provided by the supplier the machine is sourced from. Hard core fitness enthusiasts are also more and more educated on the different brands of equipment so it is important to select those that are popular in the market, which are known to be reliable. To a certain extent, the brands of the equipment a gym uses can resonate with the quality of the gym itself.

Bluett: Reliable, trustworthy and effective equipment. These are the main core values I look for in gym equipment. I have spent a lot of time researching and analysing each of the different brands, both large wellestablished ones and smaller boutique brands in order to make sure I have the most promising equipment.

WHAT THE IN-HOUSE EXPERTS HAD TO SAY: THE MOST POPULAR PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IS… CAWLEY: Historically treadmills have been and continue to be the most popular machine in the gym, which accounts for why you will normally see more treadmills in a gym than any other piece of equipment. The elliptical cross trainer is also a very popular as both are simple to operate and provide good cardiovascular workout.

KEMPF: Treadmills still remain the most popular piece of gym equipment amongst our members based on our observations, possibly due to their ease of use.

BLUETT: Our Spa Bike has become a popular and exciting new addition to the fitness centre at our resort. It is tucked in the heart of The Pearl Spa, adding a sense of occasion to it. It is in its own private treatment room, so guests can enjoy working out in the comfort of their own private space.

It is also great for firming and toning, blasting jets of water onto your body as you move. For those who are suffering from sports injuries or joint issues, it is also a great release for the muscles and can really aid the healing process.

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“NEUTRALS REMAIN POPULAR, BUT THIS YEAR THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE TREND IN CREATING A FRENCH RIVIERA FEEL” Masa’adeh: Enhancements in fitness equipment technology not only benefit the hotel guest but the operator as well. For years hoteliers relied upon the hotel guest to report down equipment, though in many cases they may not be notified for days, impacting guests who were then left disappointed in their hotel fitness experience. Today, through asset management, hoteliers have the ability to manage their equipment in real time and through self-diagnostics, equipment can now report back to the manufacturer when error messages occur.

Cawley: Hotels pay close attention to equipment design aesthetics, this is particularly important for 5-star hotel properties to ensure that the overall look and feel compliments the quality and décor of the hotel. Operationally, it’s imperative that we offer functionality, maintenance, service support and technology applications to involve guests and members in an all-round wellness experience.

And as part of the Jumeirah Group, Talise has signed a partnership with Technogym to equip the group’s fitness facilities as we believe that

The Emerald Collection, Pool & Beach from Kudos

Above: Spa bike available in the Four Seasons Resort, Dubai Right: Amwaj Rotana Gym uses Bodylines equipment

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we have shared core values.

What new eco-friendly machinery is available to the market, and how is gym equipment being altered to reduce its carbon footprint?

Cawley: The market now offers gym equipment that incorporates intelligent design and has a smaller overall ‘footprint’ and reduced energy consumption. The technology in some equipment can recycle the human energy produced by physical activity to power the embedded televisions and displays. Innovations will continue to contribute towards more sustainable gyms.

Burke: At Precor we always strive to make products that are as efficient and eco-friendly as possible, both in the way they operate and the way they’re manufactured in our USA factories. For example the new Precor Treadmill launch last year has a number of new improvements that are designed to increase efficiency and reduce power consumption. It has an improved motor control which draws 30% less amps than our previous model, exceeding the new European Standards (ENs) for efficiency.

The built in Auto Stop sensor is another eco-friendly feature which is particularly important in hotel gyms, which often don’t have full time staff supervision. The sensor stops the belt from running if it detects that nobody is using the Treadmill after a period of time, saving power and ensuring the gym is safe.

Kempf: Precor and Life Fitness are two companies currently producing machinery that require the energy of the person who’s working out in order to power the machine. There are also treadmills on the market with a special motor that uses around 30% less energy than traditional treadmills. Another innovative product is the WaterRower, which uses water to emulate the way a rowboat moves through water and requires no electricity.

Bluett: Life fitness offers newer equipment, which requires less energy to power and feeds energy back into the circuit. Reducing the carbon footprint per piece of equipment. In my opinion there is a lot more that can be done in this area, however brands are making small steps to aid the

process.

What would you say are some of the key factors taken into consideration when choosing, or designing new gym equipment?

Masa’adeh: Choosing to partner with a known fitness equipment brand, gives the hotelier instant credibility with their guests. Ease of use is also important as you want the fitness centre to be inviting to all guests so making sure the equipment is easy to use for your demographic is very important. Lastly, you cannot diminish the role of customer service with your equipment provider. You need a responsive and reliable team that understands the importance of rapid response to all of your equipment issues.

Bluett: We want the best brands for specific purposes, so if that means we have equipment from four different companies, we want to go the extra mile to make sure we have the best apparatus in the market. For instance we use techno gym for weight training, but we use Life Fitness for cardio equipment.

Cawley: It is important that the equipment is of high specification, fit for purpose and delivers a quality performance experience. The selection should be based upon ‘best in class’ for its designated purpose. A range of functional training equipment and accessories will meet the growing consumer demand for this type of training. Consideration should be given to interactive workout equipment that offers multiple exercise options. The modular concept equipment allows group training and helps generate a sense of community.

Kempf: Some of the key factors that need to be taken into account are sustainability, this is key, energy saving is good for the environment and also for managing the financial bottom-line better.

Burke: Before we design any product we start with research to gather insight from exercisers, fitness facility operators and service technicians on what key factors are most important to them. We take this information and implement it in the products we design such as our new treadmill.

Fitness facility operators stated that when choosing a treadmill; reliability, ease of maintenance and appearance were the key factors most important to them. Using this insight we designed a treadmill with a more reliable motor, added an Active Status Light that alerts facility staff, at a glance to the operating condition of the treadmills; gave it a modern and contemporary look, and removed tight corners and crevices where dirt could gather making it easier to clean and maintain.

What are some of the challenges faced when buying, designing and selecting new gym equipment and how are these challenges overcome?

Kempf: It’s a tricky balance to achieve quality, great features, price and after sales service contracts. Negotiation is the best way to strike this balance and developing good relationships with suppliers helps to achieve a win-win situation for both parties.

Masa’adeh: One of the biggest challenges hoteliers face is maximising their fitness floor space whilst trying to accommodate today’s fitness trends. Today it is less about trying to cover every last square foot of space with equipment, but planning an area that fits more of your guest’s

Latest consumer trends in the gym SHIFTING TRENDS Visiting the gym has become a crucial aspect amongst travellers and holiday destination seekers. Nowadays, a good fitness gym can become a USP for a hotel and in the past, it used to just be a large TV screen and a balcony with an amazing sea view, but the trend has now changed and hotels are increasingly promoting the importance of a clean and healthy lifestyle.

Hotels are even creating dedicated sections on OTA websites to give a full overview of the fitness facilities available; people now want to stay in a hotel with exceptional apparatus.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS IN GYMS New-age gym-goers are more focused on innovative training concepts, not just on fitness machines. Hotels are now offering Crossfit or TRX training facilities in the gym with the focus more on endurance and strength training, body movements and using more body mass.

FOCUS ON RESORT GYMS 80% of people visiting the gym and recreation facilities at Kempinski Hotel Ajman are regular Laguna Club members who live in Ajman and Sharjah.

Usually they come to enjoy the beach, followed by a gym session. Focusing on tourists and the resort, we typically see people coming here to relax, not so much to just work out.

Of course gym enthusiasts enjoy our facilities, which have been upgraded year after year, staying on track with the latest consumer trends and needs.

Those who come to the gym during their vacation will do it Monte Carlo, by regardless of if they are Intermetal on a LTD holiday or not. They are looking at health from a holistic point of view, mainly focusing on their sleep cycle, mental wellbeing and nutritional cycle.

Kempinski Hotel Ajman is currently undergoing its annual refurbishments we are incorporating changes to the facilities. We are continuously adding new equipment for the benefit of our gym-goers and keep ourselves on track with the latest fitness developments.

For example, we have a body fat measuring machine at our gym, which calculates body fat percentage. It is crucial for a gym to have endurance equipment, such as the Cross Master and Stair Master machines and it is also important for gyms to have large screens, devices that can incorporate WiFi and have the ability to connect your smart phones in order to continue your usual phoneuse routine even at the gym.

It has all become important with the ever-growing trend of social media.

Developments in new technology have also made equipment and machinery more economical. They are becoming more compact, easier to manoeuvre from one place to another and safer to use overall. They are also becoming digitally smarter and within a few clicks you are able to access information about calories burned, distance ran and performance progress even at the office.

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FOCUS

Burj Al Arab Jumeirah spa facilities

fitness routines. By adding a Dual Adjustable Pulley, like our BRAVO Functional Trainer, it provides guests with countless workout options and is a huge space saver as it fits perfectly in the corner of a room. This frees up space for guests to work on core, yoga and stretching.

workouts with your own personal Preva account.

Cawley: Invariably the purchase of new gym equipment requires a sizeable investment and often within hotel operations there are competing demands for fund allocation, capital expenditure priorities to health and safety improvements and purchases that offer a quicker return on investment. Fortunately the fitness and wellness industry is a growing market and hotels recognise the need to invest accordingly to meet consumer expectations.

Bluett: I anticipate there will be more gym equipment that is greener and more eco-friendly, using more natural products. This could be in the form of yoga mats which are bio-degradable or whether it is spinning equipment that helps generate power in the gyms.

Bluett: There are many challenges, but for instance it is always complex working with the interior and architectural space given – we need to make it blend in with the surroundings and create a space that works consistently with the rest of the hotel. Moreover as we have chosen to buy from different companies there are added pressures, such as cost and transportation issues that would not have arisen had we chosen to stick to one brand.

Burke: One of the biggest challenges with designing new gym equipment is creating products that are easy to use and appealing to the majority of exercisers. Whilst at the same time delivering the highest level of biomechanical performance for the most committed exercisers.

What future trends and technological innovations do you anticipate to see over the next year?

Burke: Personalisation is a trend that has been seen in all aspects of technology. We now expect our technology to be personalised for us.

We watch and listen to what we want, when we want. We have busier schedules and want our entertainment and media to fit into our schedule and not for it to dictate it like it has done in the past. Personalisation has always been Precor’s core principle and we continue to integrate this principle into the design of our products with features such as on demand content on our networked P80 consoles and the ability to track you 56

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Kempf: I think that there is going to be a shift towards more energy-efficient motors, maintenance-free running belts and recyclable equipment.

Cawley: When a group of people workout together it provides greater motivation and the industry recognises this, so we can expect to see further varieties of innovative group exercise classes being launched. Virtual fitness and virtual training studios will become more prevalent for group exercise classes at off peak times. The best clubs in the world have high attendance levels in group exercise classes as it aids guest and member loyalty. Fitness trackers and mobiles apps will continue to have a place and a positive impact towards exercise commitment, however the fitness industry is a social one and therefore clubs must place emphasis on staff and customer engagement initiatives to promote social interaction.

Which products are your best sellers and why?

Masa’adeh: The Cybex Arc Trainer has been and will continue to be a popular purchase for hotels and resorts worldwide. Hoteliers appreciate the versatility and durability that the Arc Trainer provides. Guests have the ability to train for power, strength and weight loss all on one machine. Plus the Arc Trainer allows users to burn 16% more calories than an elliptical.

Burke: Treadmills make up approximately one third of all purchases in the commercial fitness equipment industry. I think this is because it’s a product that everyone is familiar with, it’s intuitive and easy to get started and it caters to exercisers of all fitness levels and abilities. However we have seen that more gyms want to differentiate themselves and because of this we’ve seen an increase in the demand for the Adaptive Motion Trainer® (AMT®) which can burn more calories than a traditional treadmill workout and is lower impact

You told us what you wanted in a treadmill. Now it’s here.

Our new Experience Series treadmill is designed and built to last. Extensive research and development with operators, technicians and exercisers has resulted in the most robust, reliable and energy efficient treadmill we’ve ever produced. It’s also the quietest and most stable running experience we’ve ever delivered. So, you enjoy a premium ownership experience, and your guests enjoy their run.

See it in action at precor.com +44 (0) 7881 312660 · info@precor.com ©2015 Precor Incorporated

PRODUCTS

PRODUCTS YOU SHOULD KNOW Showcasing the finest gym apparatus on offer for the hospitality industry

Bravo Pro

The larger Bravo Pro is an all-in-one functional trainer, a new addition to the awardwinning Bravo line, promises to continue to do the same, offering greater loading capabilities and cable range.

With two 400lb. weight stacks, a higher chin-up bar, and 77% greater cable travel, the Bravo Pro redefines functional training, whilst enhancing the essential features that make the original unique, including its patented Progressive Stabilisation technology and adjustable cable width. tuuci.com | info@tuuci.com cybexintl.com wmasaadeh@cybexintl.com

VR1 Dual – LAT/ROW

The unique rotating arm allows the handles to be positioned in any one of seven positions providing everything from a traditional lat pull-down to a low row, the dual grips allow for independent exercise and the foot support and adjustable thigh pad provide for stabilisation during movements. cybexintl.com wmasaadeh@cybexintl.com

Arc Trainer 770AT

The Arc Trainer makes working out faster, safer, and more efficient for beginners and fitness fanatics alike. According to an independent study at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, it burns up to 16% more calories than competing ellipticals or cross-trainers. It reduces knee strain by 83% and it improves muscular endurance by 38%.

The CardioTouch display offers a single command centre for every exercise programme and entertainment option. Members can easily set up an exercise programme, charge an iPod or iPhone, scroll through playlists, albums, artists, podcasts, and more. cybexintl.com wmasaadeh@cybexintl.com

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Precor Experience Series Treadmill

The insight-driven design of the new TRM 885 treadmill delivers optimum performance and durability for operators and an unparalleled feel and quiet operation for exercisers. Equipped with an Active Status Light, facility staff are alerted to the operating status of the treadmills at a glance precor.com info@precor.com

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PRODUCTS

Preva Networked Fitness

State-of-the-art software designed to personalise the fitness experience.

Thousands of facilities worldwide utilise PrevaÂŽ to provide exercisers with a personalised, goal-focused fitness and media experience proven to increase facility visits and retention. Preva on-console software differentiates by helping the user communicate with exercisers right on the console with the facility manage the equipment in the cloud offering exercisers with access to personal accounts and web-based entertainment. precor.com info@precor.com

Adaptive Motion Trainer

The innovative and premium design of the Adaptive Motion Trainer (AMT) 885 takes fitness to a whole new level with the addition of the Open Stride™ feature. This single piece of equipment fully engages exercisers of all fitness levels with an infinite range of stride paths to create a uniquely effective low-impact workout, making every workout a personalised experience. The AMT 885 provides exercisers boundless cardio variety without the need to change machines. precor.com info@precor.com

Technogym, Wellness On The Go range

Arc Trainer 770AT

The Arc Trainer makes working out faster, safer, and more efficient for beginners and fitness fanatics alike. According to an independent study at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, it burns up to 16% more calories than competing ellipticals or cross-trainers. It reduces knee strain by 83% and it improves muscular endurance by 38%.

The CardioTouch display offers a single command centre for every exercise program and entertainment option. Members can easily set up an exercise programme, charge an iPod or iPhone, scroll through playlists, albums, artists, podcasts, and more. cybexintl.com wmasaadeh@cybexintl.com

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Technogym offers Wellness On The Go to wellness centres and gyms across the region, offering a revolutionary personalised experience allowing users access to their training programmes, training data track record, web bookmarks, apps and content on all Technogym equipment everywhere in the world at any time.

Alongside Wellness On The Go, Technogym has the ARTIS range, a complete line of equipment for the gym of the future. ARTIS is the first collection of 30 products for cardio, strength and functional training which ensures the utmost in terms of design, biomechanical engineering, and interactive technology alongside ecosustainability. technogym.com/ae/

EXECUTIVE SUMMIT

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Housekeeper's Bringing together housekeepers from across the region for a day of workshops, panel discussions and debate Giving delegates a prime opportunity to network and discuss the landscape of the ever changing hospitality industry Speaking Opportunities sophia@bncpublishing.net

Sponsorship Opportunities dom@bncpublishing.net

Sponsorship Opportunities charlotte@bncpublishing.net

To Attend mark@bncpublishing.net

Exhibitors

Market place The supplier and buyer roundup of news, products and services

Badoit launches new look

Tradition Pierre to offer French volcanic stone décor at Hotel Show

Right from the source at SaintGalmier in the Loire region of Southern France, Badoit emerges from the spring, naturally sparkling with fine delicate bubbles providing a subtle and balanced flavour which has been recognised since 1778. The natural sparkling mineral water, Badoit has now redefined its look with a new elegant glass bottle exclusively debuted at Fashion Forward Season 5 Dubai.

The bottles are now available in the Middle East through selected restaurants and retailers and come in two sizes, 75cl and 33cl. badoit.com

For over 30 years, Tradition Pierre has been hand-crafting Volvic stone using 100% French traditional methods. The volcanic origins of the mineral, extracted from the Auvergne region of central France, make it highly resistant to extremes of temperature, water and atmospheric damage. The firm, which already has a presence in Switzerland and India, is exhibiting its products and expertise for the first time at The Hotel Show. The exhibition’s regional scope has motivated the company to address this booming market and the region’s many architects, landscapers and designers. traditionpierre.com

Badoit launches new look

Eco-friendly trays The Hendon Wooden Tray, from UK designers and manufacturers Northmace & Hendon, combines ecocredentials with an elegant design. The stylish tray is made of bamboo and the wood is varnished to ensure maximum durability. There are three recesses for ingredients and crockery and the tray is suitable for use with all Northmace Hotel Safety Kettles. hendon-international.com | sales@northmace.com

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Excalibur has premium-quality features and performance that dries exotic entrees and desserts, Oriental dishes, Italian main courses, Mexican spicy dishes, lavish French desserts and old-fashioned Southern home cooking. The Excalibur's dehydrated ingredients boost the flavors of cuisine from around the world. Besides gourmet chefs, notable organisations, major universities, hotels and institutions own Excalibur Dehydrators. muddle-me.com | info@muddle-me.com

MARKETPLACE

5 MINUTES WITH...

DIRK SCHILMOELLER,

Sales Director, Middle East, Hansgrohe Can you share some details about Hansgrohe’s history?

Hansgrohe is a German bathroom specialist, with headquarters in the Black Forest region. Since it’s opening in 1901, Hansgrohe has always been at the forefront of innovation by introducing numerous ground-breaking products, concepts and solutions for bathrooms.

Today, with 34 companies and 22 sales offices all over the world, Hansgrohe is one of the few global players in the sanitation industry. During the 2014 financial year, the mixer and shower specialist employed around 3,650 people and with sales of €874.1 million, the company supplied mixers and showers to 144 countries.

What does your company offer that other suppliers do not?

Hansgrohe has become one of the leading manufacturers of sanitary fittings on a global scale; we enable water pleasure at the highest level in terms of design and quality, whilst handling our most precious resource, water, with care. We constantly challenge ourselves to create aesthetic yet innovative products that increase the comfort of showering. At the same time, our pioneering technologies such as EcoSmart and AirPower reduce the impact on the environment to a minimum.

Since entering the Middle East the business has seen dynamic growth through the promotion of sustainable products and we support this by offering solutions that help to save costs and support developers in achieving green building certifications, which in turn has attributed to Hansgrohe’s growing success in the market.

What is the most popular product that you supply to the industry?

In the Middle East, the spa and hammam culture is very strong and to reflect this appreciation of private space associated with hygiene and relaxation, today’s bathrooms are being transformed into a personal oasis for well-being. This is where we have successfully positioned our design with the Axor range.

Designed by Antonio Citterio, our recent regional launch of the Axor Citterio E-collection was very well received by our local customers. Axor features other renowned designers such as Philippe Starck and Jean-Marie Massaud’s collection that mirrors nature. The Axor brand allows us to invite the customer to either buy into a whole concept or create an eclectic mix, a fusion of designers and styles.

What growth do you anticipate to see over the course of the next 12 months?

Our recent annual results showed the group’s sales were boosted by a remarkable performance in the Middle East and other emerging markets.

Products ‘made by Hansgrohe’ have successfully remained on track, with the company seeing record revenues through increased product sales and a long list of high profile projects in the Middle East. Because of this, we are keen to increase our footprint as one of the leading luxury bathroom brands in the region with continued project wins.

Hansgrohe and Axor products can be found in some of the most prestigious developments in the region, including the Burj Khalifa and Jumeirah Zabeel Saray in Dubai, The Four Seasons in Abu Dhabi, The Pearl Qatar in Doha, The King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Le Gray in Beirut, and Le Méridien Cairo Airport. We have also supplied for up-scale residential projects on behalf of GOSI, the Royal Commission in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, and for the apartments of the Beirut Waterfront Development.

What new products and announcements should we know about?

On an international level we are launching some fantastic new Axor products later this year, ensuring our designer brand remains at the forefront of design and innovation. The details of course cannot be revealed as of now.

Regionally in the Middle East we will also be returning to Downtown Design this year after a successful debut in 2014.

We will be showcasing our new pioneering Select bathroom and kitchen range, the first in the industry to introduce operation at the touch of a button.

ChoCo'a Dubai ChoCo'a is a Dubai-based family-owned manufacturer and retailer of unique chocolate products and confectionery.

Founded in 2004, the company offers a wide range of products, including an assortment of exclusive chocolates, pastries, cakes, bespoke arrangements, seasonal collections and customised branded products.

Although ChoCo'a remains a high-end chocolate artisan with premium offerings, it focuses on providing 'affordable luxury' to customers who walk through its boutique doors. It offers products to suit every budget - from a beautifully decorated cupcake to a lavish cake to custom-made chocolate arrangements.

ChoCo’a’s talented chefs have also created an innovative product list dedicated to the hotel, restaurant and coffee shop sectors which include customised chocolate and cake fillings in a variety of shapes and packaging chocoa.ae AUGUST 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

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MEET THE SUPPLIER

SILENTNIGHT UAE LLC Matthew Go, Silentnight's contract sales manager discusses the company’s growth plans and top of the range mattress solutions available to the hospitality sector

Can you provide a description of your company?

SILENTNIGHT UAE LLC was first established in Ajman in 1978 as a subsidiary of the UK's No. 1 bed manufacturer, SILENTNIGHT Beds UK, manufacturing and supplying beds, mattresses, bed accessories and sofa sets within the Middle East. In 2001, the company became a licensee under the leadership of Christopher Gourdie, Silentnight UAE LLC's managing director.

What does your company offer that other suppliers in your field do not?

SILENTNIGHT UAE LLC ensures the highest quality for all our products; services, warranty and our wide variety of mattresses to suit each individual need. All of our mattresses are unique as we understand the significance of having a great night’s sleep and we value each customer's sleep pattern, choice of comfort and style. Silentnight has deep knowledge about the different needs of each consumer with over 35 years’ experience as bed manufacturers.

• Products - all of our products are carefully manufactured, tested and quality checked in our modern state of the art factory to ensure all are made to the highest standard.

• Services - products are made to order and delivered directly to the customer every time and on time.

• Warranty - five years’ warranty is given on all mattresses and divan beds against faulty materials and workmanship.

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" Our Ergo Coil features a unique cross-laced design thus providing enhanced comfort and a more supportive sleep surface"

What products and services do you provide to the hospitality industry?

SILENTNIGHT provides fire retardant mattresses, divan beds, rollaway beds, bed accessories and sofa sets to the hospitality sector. We also do re-upholstery on existing sofa sets with a wide variety of fabric selection.

What is the most popular product that you supply to the industry?

The Silentnight range of fire retardant mattresses, divan beds and the Spacesaver Rollaway beds are all popular in the market and continue to enjoy the trust of both the hospitality and retail sectors due to our commitment of manufacturing quality products to the highest standard possible.

Our Ergo Coil features a unique crosslaced design thus providing enhanced comfort and a more supportive sleep surface. Vertical is an active support technology and the Silentnight Verticoil collection allows your muscles to relax POPULAR PRODUCTS Fire retardant mattresses Divan beds Rollaway beds

in a more natural sleep position as the coils adjust spontaneously to your sleep movements, comforting and supporting the body actively. The Soft Touch range uses pocketed coils which incorporate revolutionary Soft Touch spring system providing a special combination of responsiveness, comfort and support making them highly receptive to individual body weight, shape and sleep pattern.

What growth do you anticipate to see?

We anticipate continued growth in the hospitality side of the business since thousands of new hotel rooms being built for Expo 2020 and this will greatly benefit us. With three exclusive spring units in place plus the conventional bonnel and pocket spring in our collection, complete bed product range and our state of the art factory and showroom will all take Silentnight to the next level in terms of growth and securing our market share.

PROCUREMENT CONFERENCE OCTOBER 19, 2015 GROSVENOR HOUSE, DUBAI

Sponsorship Opportunities dom@bncpublishing.net +971 50 559 7339

Sponsorship Opportunities charlotte@bncpublishing.net +971 56 130 7753

To Attend mark@bncpublishing.net

Speaking Opportunities michael@bncpublishing.net

Free to attend for hotel Procurement Managers, Purchasing Managers, Finance Managers, Cost Controller, Revenue Managers, General Managers Presented by

Exhibitors

LAST WORD

Suite con vista Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

WINNER! Lucky winner, Michael Kempf executive assistant manager, Amwaj Rotana, JBR, won a set of Union Victor glassware highball tumblers which are hand made in Thailand by correctly answering ‘Union Victor glassware is made in Thailand, but who are the distributors in the UAE’, and is presented his prize by Sharon Black, general manager, Renarte General Trading LLC.

COMPETITION

Room with a view THIS MONTH’S ROOM WITH A VIEW GOES TO LUXURY MOUNTAIN RESORT, FAIRMONT CHATEAU LAKE LOUISE IN CRISP COOL CANADA Surrounded by soaring mountain peaks, the majestic Victoria Glacier and a glistening emerald lake, the iconic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise hotel is located in Alberta's Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is recognised globally for progressive environmental stewardship and responsible tourism.

Originally built as a base for outdoor enthusiasts over 100 years ago, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is a year-round luxury mountain resort offering guided mountain tours, world-class skiing in the winter, scenic hiking and canoe activities in the summer, kid's camp, a luxury spa, and exceptional dining experiences.

Guests can discover endless outdoor recreational activities including downhill skiing and snowboarding, cross-country skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and horse drawn sleigh rides in the winter; and hiking, canoeing, horseback riding, fishing, mountain biking and river rafting in the summer.

To be in with a chance of winning this set of six Guy Degrenne ‘Muse’ Tumblers simply answer the question below:

‘Since 1948, Guy Degrenne has been a leading manufacturer in the hospitality sector of cutlery and hollowware and more recently glassware and tableware.

Who distributes their products in the UAE?’ Email your answers to hnmesocial@bncpublishing.net with the subject line ‘competition’.

NEXT ISSUE> We will be running a dedicated supplier focus on lights and lighting solutions, with the focus ranging from industrial lighting and outdoor fixtures to lobby lighting.

To get involved in this editorial, please contact sophia@bncpublishing.net

BIN EID EXECUTIVE SEARCH & SELECTION (Specialised in 5* Hotel Sector) General Manager Director of Operations HR Director

Training Manager Director of F&B Bar Manager Executive Chef

Laundry Manager Revenue Manager Sales Manager

Corporate Director of Finance Complex Director of Engineering Director of Sales & Marketing Complex Executive Housekeeper

Bin Eid is highly specialized in Senior Level Search & Placement of Hotel/Hospitality Industry Professionals.

Our clients include prominent 5 star hotels (international chains), 4 star deluxe properties and other hospitality and leisure industry establishments in UAE and other gulf countries.

We are now in the process of filling in the above positions for our clients in the UAE, GCC and other countries CV may be forwarded by email to M.D. Warrier indicating the present/expected salary

BIN EID EXECUTIVE SEARCH Specialised in 5* Hotel Sector PO Box 5455 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Email: mdwarrier@bineid.com Tel: +971 6 5686144 Website: www.bineid.com

The The secret secret toThe atogreat a great secret night’s night’ssleep to sleep a great nigh

ght Silentnight Silentnight UAE LLCUAE has LLC been UAE hasinbeen the LLC in UAE has thesince UAE been since 19781978 in the UAE since 1978 Silentnight Silentnightisisthe theUK’s UK’s largest largest acturing manufacturing manufacturing quality mattresses quality mattresses quality not only not mattresses for only the forretail the retailnot only for thebed retail bed manufacturer manufacturerwith with over over 60 60 as sector sector the UK’s as the No.1 asUK’s the brand No.1 UK’s but brand also No.1 butfor also the brand forcontract the contract but also for the contract years excellence. years ofofexcellence. supplying sector sector supplying quality supplying mattresses quality mattresses quality and divan andmattresses divan bedsbeds and and and divan beds and Voted Voted one oneofofthe theUK’s UK’s strongest strongest ories accessories accessories for all sections for all sections for of the all contract ofsections the contract market. market. of the contract market. brandsbybyexperts experts&& consumers consumers brands

Office: Al Lttihad Street, BoxAjman 2604,Street, Ajman For further information, contactthe thefollowing: following: gistered Registered Office: Registered Al Lttihad Street, Office: P.O. Box AlP.O. 2604, Lttihad - UAE - UAE P.O. ForBox further 2604, information, Ajman please -please UAE contact For furthe Tel:740 (+971 6) 740 7264 /6) 740 7511 Fax: (+971 740 8550 MATTHEW CHRISGOURDIE GOURDIEMATTHEW Tel: (+971 6) 7264 Tel: /(+971 740 7511 Fax: 740 (+971 7264 6) 740 /6) 8550 740 7511MATTHEW Fax: (+971 GO GO6) 740 8550 CHRIS Email: contracts@silentnight.ae | Facebook: @SilentnightUAE.1978 matthew.go@silentnight.aechris.gourdie@silentnight.ae chris.gourdie@silentnight.ae ontracts@silentnight.ae Email: contracts@silentnight.ae | Facebook: @SilentnightUAE.1978 | Facebook:matthew.go@silentnight.ae @SilentnightUAE.1978 matthew. www.silentnight.ae (+971) 55 6854 Website:Website: www.silentnight.ae Website: (+971) www.silentnight.ae 55 6854 882882 (+971) 55