Hotel News ME - July 2015

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

How the region’s hotel industry can cash in on the fast-paced growth of the global Muslim travel market

THE FOODIE FIGHT IS ON

MOROCCO PROVES MOORISH

TURNING ON THE CHARM

Home-grown F&B brands take on the big boys

Hotel development rush meets ambitious 2020 targets

Mandarin Oriental courts the ME market

CONTENTS

hot topics 08 | NEWS ROUND UP A SUMMARY OF REGIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS 20 | THE PANEL HOTELIERS DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BACK IN LIGHT OF THE HOLY MONTH 50 | TAKE 10 SURVING THE SUMMER MONTHS 56 | MEET THE EXPERTS HOSPITALITY SPECIALIST VIEWS

features

24

24 | COVER STORY TAKING A LOOK AT THE BOOMING HALAL MARKET 30 | DESTINATION FOCUS AN OVERVIEW OF MOROCCO - A HOT BED FOR INVESTMENT 42 | F&B FEATURE THE FIGHT FOR A FOODIE FOLLOWING

16 30

20

CONTENTS

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51 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 Executive Editor Gemma Greenwood Gemma@bncpublishing.net Deputy Editor Sophia Soltani Sophia@bncpublishing.net

34 | CHAIN FOCUS KEMPINSKI: PROFILING THE HOTEL GROUP'S ACHIEVEMENTS AND FUTURE GOALS

Art Director Rana Husam Shiblaq Rana@bncpublishing.net

38

Marketing Executive Mark Anthony Monzon

CONTRIBUTORS LucyTaylor

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interviews 16 | AIMAN ROUJOULEH REVEALS HIS PLANS TO ENHANCE THE HONG-KONG FIRM'S MIDDLE EAST PROFILE 46 | HEINZ BECK ROMAN MASTER CHEF DISCUSSES HIS ,ODERN ITALIAN KITCHEN WITH A MED STYLE TWIST

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THE MUSLIM MONEY-SPINNER

CHAIN OF THOUGHT...

GET HALAL RESORTS RIGHT AND YOU’LL CASH IN The potential of the global halal tourism market has been well documented of late, piquing the interest of destinations and their industry partners across the Middle East.

GOOD START, BUT TRY DIFFERENT FONT AND COLOUR

The sector was worth a staggering US$145 billion in 2014 with 108 million Muslim travellers representing 10% of the entire travel economy, according to the recent MasterCard CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index 2015(GMTI 2015).

Its value is forecast to be worth around $192 billion by 2020, with 150 million Muslim travellers representing 11% of the world travel community.

It’s a market which Muslim destinations in Asia are already targeting with well thought-out campaigns and strategies, with Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand encouraging key industry players including hotels and restaurants to embrace the halal concept.

NOT SURE ABOUT THE TOURISTS AROUND THE EDGES NOW?

Yet in the Middle East, a burgeoning regional tourism hub that is also home to 3% of the world’s Muslim population, the travel industry is reticent.

The terms ‘halal tourism’ and ‘halal hotels’ are often grossly misunderstood and the potential of this market as a high revenue-earner for the region’s hotel industry is gravely underestimated.

Firstly, hoteliers, tourism service providers and even Muslim travellers themselves wrongly perceive halal holidays as religious or pilgrimage driven.

To the contrary, the best examples of true halal resorts are coastal high-end hotels that offer multiple swimming pools and beaches, all-inclusive food and drinks packages, kids’ clubs, waterparks, family entertainment, extensive spa fa-

MUCH BETTER FUNKY IDEA BUT GO BACK TO THE GREEN

cilities, and much more.

They are just as enjoyable as non-halal resorts, but crucially offer separate pools, beaches and spa facilities for women that are 100% private, plus run Mus-

THE profEssional pErspEcTivE for THE HospiTaliTy indusTry junE 2015 | WWW.HoTElnEWsME.coM

lim- and family-appropriate entertainment programmes.

A ‘dry’ (non-alcohol) environment with halal food is a given, plus hotels earn high revenues on their all-inclusive deals given the costly consumption of high alcohol volumes is taken out of the equation.

Given the tourism investment drive and availability of land in the Middle East, the opportunity for hotel investors and operators to emulate these best-practice models and roll out proper halal re-

How the region’s hotel industry can cash in on the fast-paced growth of the global Muslim travel market

THE FOODIE FIGHT IS ON

MOROCCO PROVES MOORISH

TURNING ON THE CHARM

Home-grown F&B brands take on the big boys

Hotel development rush meets ambitious 2020 targets

Mandarin Oriental courts the ME market

HELLO!

sorts across the region is there for the taking.

The message is simple; don’t dismiss what you don’t understand.

GEMMA GREENWOOD Executive Editor

6

HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

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

REGIONAL NEWS

NEWS

WHO SAID THAT?

"THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES BEING HOSTED IN DUBAI IS SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE RISE IN VISITOR NUMBERS" HELAL ALMARRI, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF DUBAI TOURISM

GO FIGURE

Dubai to add more than 28,000 hotel rooms by 2018 An influx of more than 28,000 hotel rooms will flood Dubai’s hotel market by 2018, a new report by Jones Lang LaSalle has revealed.

They will help accommodate the 20 million visitors Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) is anticipating by 2020, as well as the additional 25 million visitors expected when the city hosts the World Expo the same year, said the report, published for The Hotel Show Dubai.

More than 3,000 new keys will flood the Dubai market in 2015 alone while over the next five years, developments such as Al Habtoor City, Bluewaters Island, and Dubailand will drive a surge in inventory.

New mid-market properties will also make an impact, according to Wajeed Bagwan, general manager of the newly launched SUBA Hotel in Dubai, which he claims is the city’s “first four-star boutique ‘smart

8

HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

hotel’ with advanced technology facilities”.

“We launched in Dubai in 2014 and are planning to open three new SUBA Hotels in the Middle East and Africa by 2017,” he revealed.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts will launch its first W Hotel and St. Regis brands in Dubai by the end of 2015

MORE THAN 3,000 NEW KEYS WILL FLOOD THE DUBAI MARKET IN 2015 (pictured). Alongside a new Westin, the three hotels will be located in the new Al Habtoor City complex, described by developer Al Habtoor Group as the “world’s biggest residential and hospital development currently under construction”.

Meanwhile, Dubai-based global luxury hotel company, the Jumei-

rah Group, will open two properties in the city by 2017 including the Jumeirah Al Naseem at Madinat Jumeirah and its first hotel under its new lifestyle brand, Venu, located on Bluewaters Island - the offshore mixed-use development, which will boast the world's largest Ferris Wheel. The Venu Bluewaters Island Hotel will offer around 300 rooms.

R Hotels, part of R Holding, has also started work on the second phase of its new US$ 136.2 million) property on the East Crescent of Palm Jumeirah. This will add 253 new rooms to Dubai’s inventory when it opens at the end of 2016 and represent the first four-star and Sharia-compliant hotel and resort on the island.

Dubai’s current pipeline of total rooms under contract is 25,327 rooms according to STR Global data.

There are 70,343 rooms already in operation across the emirate.

14.3m THE PREDICTED NUMBER OF VISITORS TO DUBAI IN 2015, A RATIO OF

5.7 INTERNATIONAL OVERNIGHT VISITORS PER CITY RESIDENT AND COMPARES TO

13.2m VISITORS IN 2014 (SOURCE: MASTERCARD)

44th DUBAI'S GLOBAL RANKING ON LIST OF TOP CITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS, 2014.

(SOURCE: ICCA)

REGIONAL NEWS

Samir Arora, vice president for operations, R Hotels, speaking after work on phase two of the group's first property on The Palm Jumeirah commenced last month.

The four-star sharia-compliant 253-room property is R Hotels' sixth UAE hotel.

WHO SAID THAT?

GO FIGURE

83%

“With the total investment of AED 500 million, our property on The Palm is one of our biggest development projects to date”

OF UAE CONSUMERS

“AS WE CELEBRATE

WILL NOT LEAVE HOME

OUR 40TH YEAR IN

FOR A LEISURE TRIP

SAUDI ARABIA, WE ARE ALL THE MORE

WITHOUT THEIR SMARTPHONE (SOURCE: EXPEDIA)

FOCUSED ON CONTINUING OUR EXPANSION IN THIS KEY MARKET."

900

PASCAL GAUVIN, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, INDIA, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA, IHG

THE NUMBER OF METRES FROM MAKKAH'S GRAND MOSQUE WHERE HOLIDAY INN MAKKAH ABRAAJ AL TAYSEER IS BEING CONSTRUCTED

InterContinental opens new Dubai Marina property The InterContinental Dubai Marina has opened its doors, featuring 132 rooms and 196 serviced InterContinental Residential Suites.

Part of the marina’s Bay Central development, the property features nine restaurants, lounges and bars including wine and tapas bar YNot, and Ginter, offering ones of Dubai’s largest gin collections.

Marina Social is due to open soon – the hotel’s restaurant by British Michelin-star chef Jason Atherton.

The hotel, IHG's fourth InterContinental in the UAE, also offers an outdoor pool with marina views, separate male and female spas, gym facilities and nine meeting rooms.

IHG inks mega Makkah deal InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has inked a deal to operate the world’s largest Holiday Inn in The Holy City of Makkah in Saudi Arabia.

The hospitality firm has signed a management agreement with Al Majd Al Arabiah Company for Holiday Inn Makkah Abraaj Al Tayseer, which will offer a staggering 5,154 rooms across five towers. It will be built on the site of the current Abraaj Al Tayseer pilgrim accommodation and open in phases.

Nearly 1,650 rooms across two towers will open by the end of this year. The remaining 3,500 rooms are slated to open over the next three years.

IHG is one of the largest international hotel groups in Saudi Arabia with 25 hotels (5,900 10

HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

rooms) operating across three brands – InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn. The company has nine properties in the pipeline due to open in the next three to five years, including the world’s second largest Holiday Inn, also due to open in Makkah in 2016.

Holiday Inn Makkah Abraaj Al Tayseer will offer guests privileged views of the Al-Masjid alHaram (The Grand Mosque), located just 900 metres away.

Each tower will house one large all-day dining restaurant with menus tailored for guests travelling in groups. The property will capitalise on the growing number of pilgrim visits to Makkah each year, on track to more than double from two million in 2013 to five million by 2025.

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REGIONAL NEWS

Jannah unveils ambitious plan for 30 hotels by 2020

"MORE THAN 650,000 HOTELS ARE NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR GDS; .

WE HAVE ALL THE KEY CHAINS AND SUPPLEMENTED WHAT WE HAVE THROUGH A NUMBER OF AGGREGATORS, INCLUDING THE OTAS AND BIG WHOLESALERS" NIKLAS ANDRÉEN, SVP & MD, GLOBAL HOSPITALITY, TRAVELPORT

GO FIGURE

40 percent OF UAE TRAVELLERS BOOK TRIPS ON THEIR SMARTPHONES COMPARED TO 25% GLOBALLY (SOURCE: EXPEDIA)

75 THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL WITH MOBILE DEVICES (SOURCE: MARRIOTT)

12

Jannah Hotels & Resorts has revealed ambitious plans to open 30 properties in the GCC and Mediterranean markets by 2020.

The UAE hospitality firm, which is based in Liwa in Abu Dhabi's Empty Quarter, has already signed five memorandums of understanding to build five more hotels in the UAE in 2016, with a new threestar hotel already mooted to open in Dubai that year according to the Jannah Hotels & Resorts vice president of operations, Richard Haddad.

“The group has presented interest, and we have a letter of intent with an owner in Greece," he said.

"There’s another owner in Oman that accepted a proposal and we’re negotiating now, so we’re not in final agreement yet."

Haddad added: "We’re reinvesting all our profit into the growth.

We’re not at this stage distributing dividends for partners.”

He was speaking as the company prepares for the September 2015 opening of its first hotel in Abu Dhabi, which will kick-start the firm’s expansion campaign.

The 318-key Jannah Burj al Sarab will be located on Mina Street in the UAE capital’s Al Zahiyat district, catering primarily to business travellers. The four-star property, which will be jointly managed by Jannah and the Al Rubaya Group, will offer 224 Jannah Deluxe King/Twin rooms, 66 Jannah Deluxe Suites, 22 one-bedroom Suites, two penthouse suites and four Royal Suites.

Additional facilities will include international dining brands, meeting facilities and a rooftop recreation area featuring an outdoor pool, gym and coffee shop.

Jannah Burj al Sarab will also be halal-friendly, in line with the Abu Dhabi government's current goal to transform the emirate into a halal tourism destination.

The property will be dry (alcohol

HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

free) and offer women-only gym and pool sessions.

The hotel is also marketing itself as a “smart hotel”, using apps and technology to control its heating and air conditioning, to generate solar power and to control the laundry.

Jannah Burj al Sarab's recently appointed hotel manager, Lennart Mass, said the Burj Al Sarab's executive suites were “some of the most spacious around”.

“The latest technology and connectivity is designed to ease the stress of business travel, without

compromising on style, comfort and service,” he added.

Guests will also be offered Jannah’s renowned ‘Karim’ butlerstyle service whereby Karims, also known as genies, assist with their every need, from arranging couriers or booking event tickets, flights or yachts, to finding schools for their children.

"Basically, we take care of everything so our guests can take care of business," said Mass who joined Jannah Hotels & Resorts from Doha's new Banana Resort.

REGIONAL NEWS

Meliá to cash in on Morocco's 2020 tourism growth strategy Meliá Hotels International is cashing in on Morocco’s flourishing tourism industry, opening three properties (more than 700 rooms) in Saidia before 2017.

The Spanish hotel firm has joined forces with SDS, a partnership between the major Moroccan group CDG and the Moroccan Tourism Development Fund, to open a Meliá ‘Beach Hotel’ with 396 rooms; a ‘Club Hotel’ with 150 rooms (2016); and luxury holiday apartments with 190 luxury rooms (2017).

Meliá is one of several global hotel brands signed up to the scheme as GDC already owns more than 8,000 beds with at least 5,300 under development.

Research by Expedia.com on the mobiledevice behaviour and habits of UAE travellers also found the nation’s consumers tend to use their tablets more frequently when travelling on holiday. For example, 39% report booking flights on their tablets for leisure compared to 17% for business trips. The top use for mobile devices when travelling is email and messaging (65%).

14

HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

GO FIGURE

WHO SAID THAT?

"TODAY, OUR

$4.9bn

34% of UAE leisure travellers have booked a hotel using a smartphone compared to 18% for business trips

“The potential of the country is huge, receiving more than10 million tourists last year with government plans to double this number in the next decade, part of the country’s Vision 2020 Plan to establish Morocco as one of the top 20 tourist destinations worldwide,” said Meliá Hotels International vice chairman and CEO Gabriel Escarre. Morocco’s close proximity to Spain where the Meliá brands were well recognised, as well as key European feeder markets, made the country attractive,” he added.

Meliá is also eyeing opportunities in Casablanca, Agadir, Rabat and Marrakech where leisure and corporate demand is strong.

GROUP CHANGES AND LOUDLY AND CLEARLY PROCLAIMS ITS DESIRE TO GO FURTHER, FASTER”

THE VALUE OF INVESTMENT RAK'S AL MARJAN ISLAND CO. IS LOOKING TO ATTRACT TO TRANSFORM DREAM ISLAND INTO A "MINI IBIZA", WITH NIGHTCLUBS AND FIVE HOTELS

ACCORHOTELS CHAIRMAN & CEO SÉBASTIEN BAZIN TALKS ABOUT THE

7

GROUP'S REBRAND FROM ACCOR TO ACCORHOTELS

THE NUMBER OF BRAND NEW FAMILY SUITES THAT HAVE BEEN UNVEILED AT THE OBEROI DUBAI

Ritz-Carlton rolls out meeting planner Chime app in Saudi The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh’s awardwinning MICE offering, including its ballroom (pictured), can now be booked 24/7 using the Chime app on planners’ mobile devices.

Multiple planners can request, review and share responses and liaise with the hotel’s events staff using the app, which has already been rolled out at many other Ritz-Carlton properties globally. Chime allows meeting planners around the world to "schedule services and request fulfillment prior to and during their events", and allows them to "connect in real time".

FACE TO FACE

ORIENTAL CHARM Aiman Roujouleh, the brand new regional director of sales Middle East at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, outlines his plan to enhance the Hong Kong firm’s Middle East profile

M

andarin Oriental Hotel Group recently promoted Aiman Roujouleh to regional director of sales for the Middle East as the luxury hospitality firm looks to consolidate its position as the brand of choice for discerning Middle East travellers.

Aiman Roujouleh, regional director of sales, Middle East, Mandarin Oriental.

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HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

Roujouleh, the group’s former regional director of sales for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain (since April 2012), is now responsible for developing Mandarin Oriental’s sales strategy across the Middle East and Turkey, as well as managing a team of six across KSA and Dubai. Here, Roujouleh tells Hotel News ME his game plan.

What’s the latest on Mandarin Oriental’s regional footprint and pipeline?

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the award winning owner and operator of some of the most luxurious hotels, resorts and residences located in prime destinations globally.

The group currently operates and has 43 hotels under development, almost 11,000 rooms and 15 Residences in 24 countries.

The Middle East is an important destination for our brand and we are actively pursuing development opportunities here, as we are elsewhere in the world. We will soon open three properties in the region, in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The final opening dates are determined by each project's owner and developer. Our objective for each new hotel is to select the right project, in the right location, with the right sponsors in order to ensure each project is consistent with our luxury brand and reputation for excellence.

Given the huge proliferation of luxury hotel brands in the Middle East market, what does Mandarin Oriental bring to the mix that’s different?

Increasingly recognised for creating some of the world’s most sought-after properties, the group combines 21st century luxury with oriental charm. Our properties are design and architecture-led and known for the legendary Mandarin Oriental service. Each has a sense of place, reflecting the best of the city or country in which they are located. We have also earned an enviable reputation in delivering award-winning restaurants that compete in major cities with stand-alone concepts. We have 16 Michelin stars at 11 restaurants around the world, which is more than any other hotel group.

We have also established a name for our holistic spas and wellness centres, with more Forbes Five Star spas than any other hotel group and we are also leading the field in providing customer-centric technology and highly sophisticated in-house entertainment systems Looking to the future our aim is not to be the biggest hotel group in the world, but to continue to be recognised as providing the very best in luxury hospitality.

What are your top priorities in your new role?

The Middle East is one of our top five markets globally in terms of revenue. My top priorities are four-fold: to further establish the Mandarin Oriental brand in preparation for our openings in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha; to develop a sales team in Dubai and Riyadh and restructure the office as part of our regional expansion plan; to continue to grow market share by introducing the brand to potential customers; and to develop strategic partnerships with high-end agencies and airline and trade partners

JULY 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

17

FACE TO FACE

“THE MIDDLE EAST IS AN IMPORTANT DESTINATION FOR OUR BRAND AND WE ARE ACTIVELY PURSUING DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS REGION”

MANDARIN ORIENTAL - Marrakech Leading-edge design, Spanish and Arabic influences, landscaped gardens and mountains views define this new property Scheduled to open any day now, the Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech is set among 20 hectares of landscaped gardens, filled with the scent of 100,000 roses, bougainvillea, olive trees and prickly pears, and is a short drive from the bustling medina.

Contemporary in style, the resort’s interiors have been conceived by French design duo Patrick Gilles and Dorothée Boissier who have combined their contrasting styles to create a balanced look. Patrick has focused on clean lines and symmetrical forms while Dorothée has added subtle Berber and Spanish Arabic touches.

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HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

Each of the property’s 54 villas has its own garden and private pool while nine spacious suites have terraces boasting views of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. Two of them are dedicated to wellbeing and feature their own spa treatment room and lap pool.

Berber’s inspiration is also found in the hotel’s five restaurants and bars, which are decorated with contemporary reminders of Moroccan arts and crafts, while the interior decor at the spa at Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech, is inspired by the cathedrals of Andalusia.

Spanish Arabic influences dictate the interior design at the brand new Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech

What are the key facets of your 2015-2016 sales and marketing strategy?

The Middle East region is an important outbound market for our group. Some of our properties, particularly in Europe, are very attractive to Middle East travellers because they are all unique places to stay whether in Barcelona, Paris, Geneva or London. We also see a growing interest in other destinations such as Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, New York and Munich. We are seeing greater interest for family travel from the Middle East too.

In 2014 we opened our first resort in Bodrum, Turkey and this year we will be opening two great new properties in the heart of Milan (this summer) and in Marrakech (H2, 2015).

We will also focus on the sponsorship of niche events such as the Art of Heritage Foundation in Saudi Arabia, which we supported in April.

What opportunities are there for the Mandarin Oriental brand to expand its Middle East presence going forward?

We continue to review development opportunities around the world and have a number of potential projects under evaluation at any one time, including prospects in the Middle East.

We never comment on these opportunities until a project is officially confirmed.

The experts

THE PANEL

BOB BUSMAN,

REGIONAL RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS COORDINATOR, MIDDLE EAST, RADISSON BLU

KAI SCHUKOWSKI,

HOTEL MANAGER, KEMPINSKI HOTEL AJMAN

AYMAN AL DEIK,

HEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY, JUMEIRAH GROUP

SLIM ZAIANE, HOTEL

MANAGER, KEMPINSKI MALL OF THE EMIRATES

The spirit of giving This month Hotel News ME talks to a group of hoteliers on the importance of giving back to the local community and sustainable practices throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan Can you tell us about any CSR activities that you are running in light of the Holy month of Ramadan?

Al Deik: Jumeirah Group will donate AED 10 per room night booked to Dubai Cares during Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr at six Jumeirah hotels in Dubai, including Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Jumeirah Al Qasr, Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf and Jumeirah Mina A’Salam.

The funds will be used to support Dubai Cares programmes aimed at providing quality primary education to children in developing countries. This initiative by the 20

HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

Jumeirah Group complements the Dubai Cares ‘We Can Teach Each Other’ Ramadan campaign 2015, which emphasises the abundance of talent and resourcefulness amongst children in developing countries, as well as the responsibility of the international community to help empower these children through education.

Wild Wadi Waterpark is also offering complimentary entry every Monday between 3pm - 7pm during Ramadan, in return for charitable clothing donations. The items of clothing will be donated to support Beit Al Kheir Society, a non-profit organisation that provides assistance to underprivileged families in the UAE.

MICHAEL MARTIN, GENERAL

MANAGER, INTERCONTINENTAL DUBAI MARINA

Busman: Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson properties in Dubai have been distributing juice, water and fruit to construction workers in Dubai, throughout the Holy Month and the weekly distributions are sponsored by Al Ain Dairy, and will continue until the end of August.

This community initiative is inspired

by Carlson Rezidor’s Responsible Business programme. The Think Together pillar of the programme ensures the company is committed to upholding the highest standard of responsibility, and is encouraged to give back to the community socially and economically.

In Radisson Royal Hotel Dubai, we col-

lected monetary donations from our hotel team to buy Ramadan Iftar food packs for taxi drivers, which are being distributed throughout the month and our Radisson Blu Resort Sharjah is also distributing Iftar meals to one of the mosques in Sharjah throughout Ramadan.

Schukowski: As Ramadan is the time of giving, worship and contemplation, Kempinski Hotel Ajman is supporting orphans and the local children who are less privileged by inviting them for Iftar.

Martin: Inspired by the Holy month of Ramadan we shared Iftar meal boxes with over two hundred taxi drivers in the city.

Over the course of three days our employees handed out the boxes of carefully crafted Arabian delicacies to taxi drivers who passed

by InterContinental Dubai Marina.

Taxi drivers play a key role in showing travellers around the Emirates, especially now, when guests rely on their valuable

services due to the heat of the summer. As a token of our appreciation for their efforts and commitment, we wanted to thank them through this gesture.

Schukowski: We feel a strong sense of responsibility towards our surroundings and society, which is crucial for our stakeholders, and therefore we feel we must give first to get back.

We believe that the business has to be both profitable and sustainable. Supporting the less privileged is a basic way of supporting the community. You can’t take if you don’t give.

back to the community. We are pleased to collaborate with Dubai Cares, which shares Jumeirah Group’s belief in the importance of charity and volunteer work.

Travel and tourism is one of the world’s largest sectors in both economic and employment terms. Our current priority is to focus on the impact of our hotels and resorts, where we can influence and help to create positive outcomes. We are committed to investing in our local communities around the world and the tourism infrastructure.

By creating unique employment and career opportunities, sourcing local products and services and helping build local supplier capacity, we aim to bring sustainable economic worth and empower our local communities.

Al Deik: Charity is very important in Islam and even more so during Ramadan which is the month of giving and forgiveness. This campaign is closely aligned with the spirit of Ramadan and emphasises our efforts to promote equality and social cohesion and give

Zaiane: Building better communities in the cities where we operate our hotels is part of the Kempinski culture.

Where possible, we look for opportunities to make a difference in our own regions by supporting local charities and initiatives;

Why is it important for hotels to engage in CSR activities not just at Ramadan but also throughout the year?

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Releasing of the turtles, Jumeirah

THE PANEL

Carlson Rezidor gives linen donations to workers Water distributed by Carlson Rezidor

however, we also participate in international CSR initiatives, by supporting our sister hotels in other regions as they serve their communities.

It is always so rewarding to see the happy faces and smiles of the community members, especially children, who so deeply appreciate the contribution of local businesses to improve the lives and experiences of the less fortunate.

Busman: We believe corporate social responsibility should be a continuous process throughout the year. The timings however, need to relevant to the activity in order to get the highest level of engagement. Ramadan is the month of giving and, as our culture dictates we feel all companies have an important role to play when it comes to creating public awareness and giving back to those in need.

Martin: At InterContinental Dubai Marina we are committed to having a positive impact in our local community and we want to give back to those who make our strong presence in the Dubai Marina possible. CSR activities inspire the best in every organisation and can positively influence the lives of many people around them.

What does your hotel do to reduce surplus waste from Iftars, and what measures can hotels take to ensure reduce wastage?

Al Deik: Chefs use a benchmark system to ensure they cook and prepare the correct amount of food. By looking at what was required in previous years, the chefs can accurately tailor how much food they need to ensure waste is minimised each year and 22

HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

there is no over ordering. To ensure food isn’t wasted from the Iftar buffets, any surplus handled in accordance with local health and safety directives can be collected by authorized and registered charities. Some food is offered to colleagues and the rest is sent to recycling systems, such as bokashi at Madinat Jumeirah, which converts waste into fertiliser for the resort’s gardens.

Busman: We have implemented some changes which started last year. Instead of traditional big bowls and dishes we have reduced the size into a more modern style of display which reduces waste. For hot dishes we have implemented lots of live cooking stations which give the customers better, fresher food and, again, reduces waste.

Schukowski: We are shifting to a livecooking approach, which gives us a chance to offer food per demand and it helps to avoid unnecessary waste and there are definitely different measures that hotels can take to ensure the minimum amount of waste during Iftar, such as if an Iftar is offered as a set menu, we can make special arrangements and different menus that vary by food portion sizes.

It is also crucial for the kitchen team to be familiar with the reservation forecast and to consider if it is a weekend or a

IHG Dubai Marina shares iftar boxes with taxi drivers.

weekday in order to plan the prepared amount of food and avoid over-ordering the ingredients.

Martin: We ensure that we understand the demand in guests for each of the Iftars at our main restaurant, Accents, where we host our Iftar offering from sunset to 9:30pm. Each day a review is done to check the expectations in capacity and thus allowing the Food & Beverage team to prepare sufficient volumes of food to ensure that there is no wastage. It simply goes down to preparation, planning

and forecasting your incoming guests day by day to ensure less wastage.

What should we know about your hotel’s CSR initiatives and why are they different?

What new initiatives are you engaging in across the board?

Busman: Taking responsibility for the environment and local community has been an important part of Carlson Rezidor's broader commitment to sustainable development since launching its first environmental policy in 1989.

Rezidor aims to be a trusted industry leader for responsible business in our interactions with all of our stakeholders including: owners, developers, partners, guests, employees and the local communities in which we operate.

We focus on the areas of responsibility that impact our business and society. Our awardwinning Responsible Business programme is built on three pillars, Think Planet which is about minimising impact on the environ-

Busman: In Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek we have created a special campaign for social media. A number of toy camels will take a break from roaming the desert and join in the sharing spirit. These camels will be travelling around from house to house with their owner to see family and friends and each guest who receives a camel can trace where the camel has travelled to using the hastags: #RamadanCamel #RadissonCamel #RadissonBluDXB on all social media platforms. At the end of the challenge the camel that gets the most likes and shares on Facebook or Instagram wins an exciting prize which he then can share with his proud new owner and then Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek will donate AED 5.00 to feed those in need, for every single like and share to a charity during this worthy campaign.

Zaiane: This year, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates also took part in Al Bayan Wojoh Modia’a ‘Behind the Eyes’ campaign, aimed at encouraging people to reconsider their own lifestyle and live in a healthier, more sustainable way. Through our participation, we wanted encourage people to take a more complete look at their life and implement the changes they need to make improvements – see what’s going on behind the eyes.

Schukowski: In the beginning of 2015, we launched our green committee, which is focused on reducing energy waste and highlighting sustainability. The most recent activity led by the green team contributed to a local community in Ajman by organising a newly opened waterfront marina-area clean-up event.

We are also looking at organic food production and planning on partnering with Slow Food Dubai, which is an innovative concept rewarded by the Snail of Approval when a specific restaurant or the whole hotel participates in trainings and the menu is tailored so, that all the ingredients are sourced locally.

“IN RADISSON ROYAL HOTEL DUBAI, WE COLLECT MONETARY DONATIONS FROM OUR HOTEL TEAM TO BUY RAMADAN IFTAR FOOD PACKS FOR TAXI DRIVERS, WHICH ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE MONTH” ment, Think People is focused on taking care of the health and safety of guests and employees and Think Together is about respecting social and ethical issues in the company and the community.

Al Deik: Jumeirah supports the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project (DTRP), one of the longest standing corporate social responsibility initiatives in the region and the only project of its kind in the Middle East. Since the project began in 2004, 800 turtles have been rescued and returned to the sea. The project accepts any distressed turtle, but the most common turtles found in the Arabian Gulf are the critically endangered hawksbill and the endangered green sea turtle.

The majority of rescued turtles are juvenile

hawksbills, which are found washed up on the Gulf coastline during the winter months of December, January and February suffering from the adverse effects of cold sea temperatures. Other common aliments include ingesting plastic rubbish and injuries sustained from boats.

What do you do to limit water wastage and your carbon footprint?

Busman: Radisson Blu has signed a partnership agreement with Just a Drop, the international water aid charity that will ensure the hotel brand provides a lifetime supply of fresh drinking water to 12,000 children per year. The partnership marks the launch of the Radisson Blu’s Blu Planet towel re-use programme, whereby hotel guests will be asked to consider re-using their towels during their stay in exchange for a donation to Just a Drop.

Other actions range from collecting AC condensate water for landscaping to the installation of building management systems and intelligent kitchen ventilation systems to the use of grey water facilities.

Schukowski: We have implemented the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP plant), where mechanical components provide a process to help break down solids to produce cleaner, and more environmentally friendly effluent.

We use the water for gardening purposes in the outside areas, we are also planning to source food more locally. If we can use the Burrata cheese produced in Ras Al Khaimah, there is no need to import it from Italy.

Al Deik: Jumeirah Group has a growing number of properties accredited by Green Globe, the global certification for sustainable tourism. Examples of sustainable measures implemented at Jumeirah properties in the UAE include paperless check-ins, installation of LED bulbs, which are 80% more efficient than existing fittings, grey water from Dubai Municipality for irrigation purposes to conserve water supplies, flow restrictors on certain showers and taps, a water treatment plant at Oasis Village to recycle grey water, integrated room automation systems and a building management system which monitors and controls the air conditioning and electrical devices when guests enter or leave their room.

JULY 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

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Hello How hoteliers can cash in on the fast-paced growth of the global Muslim travel market with resort concepts that cater to pent-up demand for proper halal resorts

COVER STORY

H

alal tourism is a concept the Middle East’s hotel industry needs to get to grips with. Worth an estimated US$145 billion in 2014 with 108 million Muslim travellers representing 10% of the entire travel economy, it’s much more than a market niche. It fact its value is forecast to hit the $192 billion mark by 2020, with 150 million Muslim travellers representing 11% of the world travel community, according to the recent MasterCard CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index 2015(GMTI 2015).

The fast-paced growth of this ‘halal’ travel demographic has already been recognised in Asia where popular tourism destinations, many of which are home to a large Muslim population themselves, are developing well thought-out strategies to better target this market.

Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand are not only making their tourism facilities and services more Muslim-friendly, but encouraging key industry players including hotels and restaurants to get on board and embrace the halal concept.

Yet in the Middle East, a burgeoning regional tourism hub that is also home to 3% of the world’s Muslim population, the travel industry is arguably somewhat reticent.

The terms ‘halal tourism’ and ‘halal hotels’ are often grossly misunderstood and the potential of this market as a high revenueearner for the region’s hotel industry is gravely underestimated.

That’s the opinion of Ufuk Seçgin, chief marketing officer of HalalBooking.com, which has taken the halal travel market by storm with its online accommodation ‘search and book’ platform that meets fast-growing global demand for Muslim- and familyfriendly holidays.

“Halal does not mean boring and it does not mean it’s a religious or spiritual holiday where you go to a camp to read the Quran,” he stresses. “A halal-friendly hotel is a fun hotel with extra facilities for ladies and children and a family entertainment programme.

“Our customers are practicing Muslims who want to relax and enjoy themselves, but in compliance with their religious views.”

He says the term ‘halal’ can sometimes be misinterpreted leading to misconceptions amongst the hospitality and tourism communities that need to be overcome.

“I actually prefer the terms halal-friendly, Muslim-friendly and family-friendly,” adds Seçgin.

WHAT ARE HALAL HOLIDAYS? Since it was established in 2009, HalalBooking.com has been a trailblazer in educating both the trade and consumers about what ‘halal’ really means when it comes to holidays.

The London-headquartered halal holidays specialist, which has set itself the goal of becoming ‘the’ Bed-Bank of the halal tourism industry, offers a wide range of quality resort, city, thermal and private villa accommodation that adheres to Islamic principles.

The online travel agent (OTA) is already considered a world leader in the halal travel market, with the website available in six languages and serving customers in 70 countries across the globe.

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COVER STORY

“OUR CUSTOMERS ARE PRACTICING MUSLIMS THAT WANT TO RELAX AND ENJOY THEMSELVES, BUT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR RELIGIOUS VIEWS.” – Ufuk Seçgin Its top source markets include France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Scandinavia and Turkey.

“We also have many Arabic- and French-speaking customers from GCC and North African countries, particularly from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Algeria,” says Seçgin. “Russia, home to 25 million Muslims, is a major source market for us too, as are the CIS countries.”

Halalbooking.com’s top-selling category is beach resorts because of the Muslim-friendly facilities they offer, which primarily cater to the needs of women and families.

Most have dedicated indoor and outdoor ladies’ pools and many offer ladies-only beaches where they can sunbathe and swim in the open sea with 100% privacy.

These beach resorts also have separate spa facilities saunas, Turkish hammams and steam rooms for men and women, plus children’s programmes.

“They take extra care to ensure resort entertainment is appropriate for families with young kids, which is desirable whether you are Muslim or non-Muslim,” explains Seçgin. “Our properties serve alcohol-free drinks and offer halal food.”

Adenya Beach Resort, Turkey, has separate beaches, pools and spa facilities for women

Halal resorts are alcohol free and serve halal food

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The majority of HalalBooking.com’s beach resorts are in Turkey, primarily in the Antalya and Alanya regions, where there are more than 24 halal-friendly resorts, four of which opened this year in time for summer.

“There is massive demand for this destination because it’s fun, there’s great food, there are Muslim-friendly facilities and the region has many natural and historical tourist attractions,” says Seçgin.

UAE POTENTIAL In fact around 70% to 75% of our HalalBooking.com’s business is to Turkey, which Seçgin refers to as “an example of best practice” for hotel investors and operators in other parts of the world looking to roll out a halal resort.

The OTA does offer one property in Egypt, the Porta Marina Resort & Spa on the North Coast, but globally, no other country understands or offers the halal holidays concept like Turkey, says Seçgin.

“We are just waiting for the day someone opens a halal resort in Sharm el Sheikh,” he says. “It’s a popular destination with good infrastructure, sunshine, plus it’s very affordable.”

Seçgin is also a firm believer in the UAE’s natural propensity to offer halal resorts.

“It’s an all-year-round destination with great potential,” he says.

“There are vast amounts of land available to build resorts tailored to the halal tourism industry, plenty of family attractions and unspoiled beaches, favourable weather, plus it’s well connected by air to the rest of the world,” Home to more than one third of the world’s Muslim population, the Middle East and Africa also has a captive halal audience on its doorstep, particularly given it accounts for 30% of the travel spend of that population, Seçgin notes.

“Big outbound markets like Saudi Arabia are lucrative and UAE destinations would get pay back quickly [if they built halal resorts],” he says.

Internationally, all of HalalBooking.com’s top customer markets, plus Asia’s large Muslim travel community would be attracted to the UAE as a halal destination, Seçgin continues.

“We have customers booking with us for the sixth year and have experienced all the top resorts in Turkey,” he says. “They are now asking for other destinations and when something’s in place in the UAE, we will sell it to them.

“There is lack of understanding in the GCC about halal products, but they are very well received and we sell them in the millions.

“Hoteliers and investors in the Arab world would do well to look into this in more detail because there are lots of Muslim travellers who would appreciate this offering, but are often forced to compromise on their holiday plans.”

HALAL ESSENTIALS What is a halal resort?

• • • • • • •

No alcohol policy Halal food Ladies-only indoor and outdoor pools Ladies-only beaches with 100% privacy Separate male and female spa facilities Entertainment in line with Muslim and family values Trained staff that understand Muslim and halal principles

Who stays at one?

THE BUSINESS CASE Seçgin says many of the Turkish resorts that have converted to the halal format are often not run by practicing Muslims, but shrewd business men and women who understand the market potential.

“There’s big demand, so why wouldn’t you do it?” he asks. “If you are a fast mover in the (Gulf ) region and develop a chain, you’ll reap the rewards.”

He also notes the cost savings on all-inclusive packages, which are typical at Turkey’s halal resort.

“When alcohol is included, hotels can spend millions during the summer season,” he says. “Make one change and become a dry resort and you save all of that money, plus because of the high demand for halal resorts, you can charge more. The margins are

• • • • •

Muslims who want a beach holiday that complies with their faith Young professions (aged 25 to 45) Couples and honeymooners Families with young children Multi-generational families

Key source markets • • • • •

Europe Russia CIS countries GCC North Africa

(Source: HalalBooking.com)

COVER STORY

“ALL OF OUR HOTELS OFFER THE ‘BASIC REQUIREMENTS’ SUCH AS NO ALCOHOL, HALAL FOOD AND THE HOLY QURAN, QIBLAH AND PRAYER MATS IN EACH ROOM.” – Chris Nader

“AT HMH WE HAVE TAKEN A ‘HALALFRIENDLY’ APPROACH, WHICH IS ALL ABOUT A CLEAN AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT” – Laurent A Voivenel significantly higher than for a comparable non-halal resort.”

One of Turkey’s most popular halal properties is Adenya Hotel & Resort, which is certified by the World Halal Union, due to its “unique concept” that “appeals to Muslim travellers”, says the property’s general coordinator, İlknur Tataroğlu.

“We have five swimming pools for women and three for men, plus one women-only beach that is totally private,” she explains. “All food served is halal and there is a strict no-alcohol policy.”

The resort also offers separate fitness centres, hammams and spas for men and women, plus a 480-square-metre masjid (mosque) and all female facilities are run by female staff, she adds.

Tataroğlu says the property, which has 289 rooms, operates at 100% occupancy all year round.

“And if we had another property, that would be full too,” she says.

“We have many repeat guests.”

The main selling point, she reiterates, is the separate male and female facilities, as well as an all-inclusive offering, both of which the resort advertises heavily to ensure Muslim guests from around the world are aware of what Adenya Hotel & Resort has to offer.

“The halal tourism market is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and will continue to grow as the Muslim population’s

NEW HALAL SUMMIT The inaugural World Halal Travel Summit & Exhibition (WHTS15) will take place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from October 19 to 21.

With a mission to “drive the halal conversation’, the event will see travel buyers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, plus hospitality groups, hoteliers, developers, investors and key decision makers from the halal

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tourism market come together under one roof.

WHTS15 is supported by the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), which has made clear its plans to target the global halal tourism market as a key source market going forward.

The event includes seminars, an exhibition, plus The World Halal Travel Awards 2015, hosted at Emirates Palace on October 20.

“BY 2030, MUSLIMS WILL MAKE UP MORE THAN A QUARTER OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION AND MORE THAN 30% OF THIS 2.2 BILLION POPULATION WILL SEEK HALAL OPTIONS” – Samir Arora size and spending power increase,” says Tataroğlu.

“Halal hotels are being built to cater to this demand and we are even noticing how regular hotels and restaurants are adapting their model to become halal certified.”

UAE PIONEERS While the UAE has some catching up to do by Turkish standards, a handful of savvy UAE-based hospitality firms are rolling out halal hotel concepts regionally.

Shaza Hotels, R Hotels, HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings and TIME Hotels are amongst the major players in this field.

Shaza Hotels, a partnership with Kempinski Hotels, has a portfolio of nine hotels either in operation or under construction, with ambitious plans to double this number over the next two years, reveals the firm’s vice president – development, Chris Nader.

“We opened our first hotel in Al Madinah in 2010 and have four more openings in 2016 in Doha, Amman, Muscat and Makkah.

“All of our hotels offer the ‘basic requirements’ such as no alcohol, halal food and the Holy Quran, Qiblah and prayer mats in each room. We also offer prayer rooms, separate (leisure) facilities for men and women, and appropriate entertainment.”

“Authentic halal lifestyle experiences” are also reflected in hotel service ethics, which encompass “respect, privacy and warmth”, adds Nader.

Shaza’s first luxury resort is under construction in Salalah and is expected to open in 2017. It will include 50 villas with private pools on the beach, as well as separate spa and hammam facilities for men and women.

Meanwhile Sharia-compliant hospitality firm TIME Hotels recently announced plans to open its first resort in Hurghada, Egypt, which true to its roots, will “focus on the needs of the halal traveller”, says CEO Mohammed Awadalla.

“All of our properties and upcoming openings in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Egypt and Qatar, are dry (no alcohol), we do not serve pork products and offer spa facilities with separate male and female sections.”

Awadalla says TIME’s efforts to “actively court the halal traveller” have paid dividends for the company, with owners and investors buying into the concept once they understand these “cultural demands” and their commercial value.

Echoing Seçgin’s sentiments, Awadalla says the development of

“ALL OUR PROPERTIES AND UPCOMING OPENINGS IN ABU DHABI, DUBAI, EGYPT AND QATAR, ARE DRY (NO ALCOHOL), WE DO NOT SERVE PORK PRODUCTS AND OFFER SPA FACILITIES WITH SEPARATE MALE AND FEMALE SECTIONS” – Mohammed Awadalla

dedicated halal resorts has the potential to “widen the attraction of a destination to Muslim travellers who want to enjoy all that a resort destination has to offer but with a 100% guarantee that the experience will be halal”.

“It will also position destinations as open and encouraging to all guests of all nationalities/religious beliefs, which can only send out a positive message for global tourism,” he adds.

According to HMH CEO Laurent Voivenel, “the way forward is not halal-only but rather ‘halal-friendly”.

“Yes, halal tourism is a huge market but no destination can count on that market alone unless it is a religious destination,” he argues.

“At HMH we have taken a halal-friendly approach, which is all about a clean and safe environment.”

He says 60% of guests are non-Muslims who appreciate this type of offering, noting the importance of encompassing all faiths and cultures within a halal environment.

HMH properties are alcohol- and pork-free and offer halal food, on-site prayer facilities, Qiblah signage, in-room Qurans and prayer mats, family-friendly TV channels, and “where possible”, separate spa and pool facilities for women.

“We are eager to grow our footprint in this lucrative sector and to raise awareness among hotel developers and investors about its growth potential,” says Voivenel.

R Hotels, the hospitality division of Ajman-based R Holding is another halal-friendly hotel operator looking to expand its presence and in Q4, 2016, will open the first four-star sharia-compliant hotel on The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, featuring 253 rooms, a holistic wellness centre, two restaurants and family-friendly recreational facilities.

“Resorts will benefit immensely if they cater to halal markets as currently this market hesitate to mingle with other guests who are not conscious or sensitive of Islamic traditions,” says Samir Arora, general manager of Ramada Downtown Dubai, which is one of four properties in R Hotels’ UAE portfolio.

“By 2030, Muslims will make up more than a quarter of the global population and more than 30% of this 2.2 billion population will seek halal options.”

DESTINATION REPORT

MOORISH MOROCCO Morocco is a hot market for new hotel developments, thanks to the North African country’s tourism vision 2020 that calls for more beds and double the number of international arrivals

PROJECTS & DEVELOPMENTS General Morocco and four Gulf states (Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE) are ploughing US$2.78 billion into tourism projects across Casablanca, Tangier and Rabat.

Tangier • The port is being replaced by a new marina • Corniche upgrade to attract more visitors • New high-speed rail link from Tangiers to Kenitra • Qatari Diar’s Al Houra project to include 18-hole golf course, hotels and homes along 2.5km beachfront overlooking Atlantic • New airport terminal, business district and sports stadium amongst upcoming developments Casablanca • Redevelopment of the port area is set to the tune of $741.14 million • New cruise terminal to be developed Rabat • A valley will be developed near Salé that will include residential units, hotels and cultural attractions such as a museum and a theatre • New tourism destination known as Saidia Med is being

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built to include three five-star hotels operated by Melia Hotels International

HOTELS Anantara Al Houara Tangier Resort is part of Qatar Diar’s Al Houara project and will feature 230 keys, a selection of restaurants and bars, a large Anantara Spa, wellness and fitness centres and kids and teens clubs.

Jumeirah Marrakech Golf & Polo Resort, Morocco Located seven kilometres to the south of Marrakech in the lee of the Atlas Mountains, this resort features a golf hotel, 10-hole golf course, clubhouse and academy, plus a polo hotel with two polo fields and practice course, and a third five-star hotel. Additional features include a variety of restaurants, bars and lounges (some located in a purposebuilt souk), a 2,50-square-metre Talise spa, and conference facilities for up to 900 people.

Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech Scheduled to open any day now, the Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech, features 54 villas, each with their own garden and private pool, and nine suites with terraces boasting views of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains.

Two suites have their own spa treatment room and lap pool, plus there are five restaurants and bars.

Melia Hotels International The Spanish hotel operator has signed an agreement to manage three new hotels under the Meliá Hotels & Resorts brand in Saidia Med, Morocco, marking its destination debut. It has teamed up with SDS, a partnership between Moroccan institutional fund, CDG and the Moroccan Tourism Development Fund to develop the three new distinct properties, which will include a beach hotel, club hotel and luxury holiday apartments.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts The hospitality firm currently operates two properties in Morocco (in Tangier and Casablanca) with a third, Mövenpick Hotel & Palais des Congrès, Marrakech, due to soft launch in Q4 this year following an extensive renovation and expansion programme to the tune of US$69 million. It will feature 501 rooms and suites and feature a dedicated entrance to Morocco’s largest convention centre, the Palais des Congrès, which will also be operated by Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company Ritz-Carlton has three properties planned for Morocco: The Ritz-Carlton Rabat with 120 rooms and 15 onebedroom and five two-bedroom villas opening in 2016; the Ritz-Carlton Marrakech with 50 hotel suites and 20 hotel villas of two, three and five bedrooms (2017); and Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Morocco, in Tamuda Bay, with 98 rooms and 35 pool villas suites, plus a beach club, set to open between 2016 and 2017.

MARKET ANALYSIS Morocco has grand visions to rocket-launch its status to one of the world’s top 20 tourist destinations by 2020.

It’s all part of the government-led Morocco 2020 Vision, designed to boost tourism infrastructure and significantly increase arrivals by the end of the decade.

Targets include doubling international tourist numbers from 9.6 million in 2010 to 18 million by 2020, as well as tripling the number of domestic trips made by Morocco’s residents.

The strategy, which involves the public and private sectors, sets out to increase tourism receipts to 140 billion Moroccan Dirhams by 2020. Through sustainable development the vision also seeks to create eight new tourism destinations across each region of Morocco, while preserving natural resources and the “socio-cultural authenticity” of the country.

Morocco 2020 Vision’s ultimate goal is to double the size of the tourism sector, creating one million new direct jobs and crucially for the hotel and hospitality industry, create between 200,000 and 375,000 extra beds.

The Ritz-Carlton Marrakech

HOTEL MARKET PERFORMANCE For the first quarter of 2015, Morocco reported a 5.4% decline in RevPAR, driven predominantly by ADR declines of -8.8% and March was the fifth consecutive month of negative RevPAR performance for the country.

However, occupancy managed to increase by 3.7% for the period, which STR Global says reflects the increasing popularity of Morocco with travellers from the UK and Europe, given the relatively short flight time.

April 2015 has been the month with the highest occupancy performance this year so far at 61.5%, despite a 0.3% year-overyear decline.

“Demand has been reporting positive growth on a monthly basis since the start of this year. However, supply showed a much lower, almost flat positive growth of 0.1% for March 2015,” says an STR Global spokesperson.

“The positive news is that Morocco has a 12% pipeline growth, which illustrates investor confidence in the market.”

Morocco has also been mildly impacted by political uncertainty linked to the Islamic State given its North African location, the spokesperson notes.

“However, from a tourist point of view, the country is safe and the data does not show anything different. Morocco remains a very neutral country and was not impacted

by Arab Spring.”

“French visitors heavily contribute to Morocco’s tourism industry and economic uncertainty in France has dampened tourism flows to the country, which has had a negative impact on room rates.”

STR Global says occupancy rates are coming a regional second to “resilient Egypt”.

“The Morocco Vision 2020 is expected to bring positive growth for tourism and the introduction of a new convention centre will also attract more business tourism to the country as the current hotel supply cannot provide the space,” adds the spokesperson.

THE HOTELIERS VIEW Stephen Banks, vice president sales and marketing, Africa, for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, which operates two properties in Morocco with a third hotel planned, says 2015 occupancies promising.

“It depends on the location and we only took over Mövenpick Hotel Casablanca in June, so we are coming up to our first anni32

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Mövenpick Hotel & Palais des Congrès, Marrakech, is due to soft launch in Q4 this year

HOTEL MARKET STATISTICS 2014 (year-on-year comparisons) Occupancy: up 1.7% to 59.3% ADR: up 5% to 1,137.5 Moroccan

Dirhams RevPAR: up 6.8% to 674.6 Moroccan Dirhams YTD April 2014 (year-on-year comparisons)

Occupancy: up 2.6% to 56.6% ADR: down 10.1% to 1,050.4 Moroccan

Dirhams RevPAR: down 7.7% to 594.6 Moroccan Dirhams (Source: STR Global)

versary, but we are currently operating occupancies in the high 70s with good rates,” he says. “The results are certainly stronger than in 2014.” The hotel has undergone a soft refurbishment with a new bar and evening venue added, which has helped, he adds.

“Tangiers is witnessing increased competition with the recent opening of the Royal Tulip in the city centre and with the soonto-be-opened Hilton, so the market will become much more dynamic than in recent years,” Banks continues.

“Tangiers is undergoing somewhat of a renaissance with the port being replaced by a new marina and a huge investment in the corniche upgrade. “Currently our hotels’

results are flat to last year, however we see increased demand for the city from 2016 onwards with the opening of the fast rail link from Tangiers to Kenitra, which will cut the journey time to Casablanca considerably.”

Banks says the Q4 soft opening of 501key Mövenpick Hotel & Palais des Congrès, Marrakech, will put the hospitality firm in a “strong position in the country”.

“Marrakech is a very hot destination right now,” he says. “The city offers a huge variety of hotel product, from the traditional Riads to luxury brands such as Four Seasons. The market has become incredibly popular for short breaks with good airlift from the UK and key European cities. Recent visits by celebrities have helped too.”

Banks reveals that with three hotels operating under the Mövenpick banner by the end of the year, the hospitality firm is now “actively seeking further opportunities and would consider Rabat, Fes and Agadir.”

CHAIN FOCUS

Kempinski Hotels

HOTEL NEWS ME EXAMINES THE LUXURY HOTEL GROUP’S CURRENT AND UPCOMING MEA FOOTPRINT AND FUTURE GROWTH PLANS GROUP OVERVIEW Created in 1897, Kempinski Hotels is Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group. The group now manages a portfolio of 75 five-star hotels in 31 countries and continues to add new properties in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Kempinski’s inventory spans 20,496 rooms and suites, as well as 1,874 serviced apartments (residences) across a portfolio that comprises historic landmark properties, award-winning urban lifestyle hotels, outstanding resorts, and prestigious residences.

Kempinski is a founding member of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands.

CURRENT MEA PROPERTIES Africa: 9 hotels »» Djibouti Palace Kempinski Djibouti »» Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay, Egypt »» Kempinski Nile Hotel, Cairo, Egypt »» Kempinski Hotel N’Djamena Chad »» Kempinski Seychelles Resort Baie Lazare, Mahe, Seychelles »» Olare Mara Kempinski, Masai Mara, Kenya »» Villa Rosa Kempinski Nairobi, Kenya »» Hôtel des Mille Collines by Kempinski, Kigali, Rwanda »» Kempinski Hotel Fleuve Congo Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Middle East: 10 hotels »» Kempinski Hotel Amman Jordan »» Kempinski Hotel Aqaba, Jordan »» Kempinski Hotel Ishtar, the Dead Sea Jordan »» Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi, UAE »» Kempinski Hotel Ajman, UAE »» Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates Dubai, UAE »» Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE 34

HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

»» Kempinski Suites & Residences Doha, Qatar »» Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl Doha, Qatar »» Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

COMPANY FIRSTS (2015) New palatial property: Marsa Malaz Kempinski The Pearl Doha This property opened on January 7, setting a “new benchmark” in the luxury hotel market, according to Kempinski’s vice president operations, Middle East & Africa (MEA), Mark Griffiths.

“Situated 330 metres off the east coast of Qatar on a 400-hectare artificial island, The Pearl, the hotel is in one of Doha’s most sought-after locations,” he says. “Offering more than 281 opulent rooms and suites, the luxury resort may indeed be called a palace.”

Property highlights include a vast 1,100-squaremetre ballroom, an exclusive beach in a private bay as well as various outdoor pools, a range of water sports facilities plua a tennis court and yacht moorings.

“Last but not least, a 3,000-square-metre Spa by Clarins completes the offering,” Griffiths continues. “One of the most impressive hotels in the area, Marsa Malaz Kempinski also offers six restaurants, two cafés, al fresco beach dining, an elegant lounge and a unique open-air roof terrace.”

UPCOMING MEA PROPERTIES Kempinski has signed management agreements for: Africa: 4 Hotels Middle East: 9 Hotels

2015-2016 FOCUS In the next 12 months, Kempinski will open four new hotels in the MEA region:

Mark Griffiths, vice president operations, Kempinski Middle East & Africa (MEA)

KEMPINSKI HOTEL GOLD COAST CITY ACCRA This five-star hotel, with more than 269 rooms

and suites, will introduce a new standard of luxury to Accra, says Griffiths. The group’s first hotel in Ghana, located in the city centre, the property will offer the most spacious rooms in Accra, plus two restaurants, a lobby with an open-air lounge, a cocktail bar and pool lounge, and 1,700 square metres of conference facilities, including the city's largest ballroom.

The hotel complex also includes boutiques and extensive spa and fitness facilities. The 3,000-square-metre Resense Spa will be the largest and most luxurious spa in West Africa featuring treatment rooms, relaxation areas, a hammam and a yoga studio.

ROYAL MAXIM PALACE KEMPINSKI CAIRO Located close to Cairo International Airport, the majestic Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski, characterised by its impressive blue cupolas, will feature 245 rooms and suites. The property, Kempinski’s second in the Egyptian capital, will offer seven restaurants, meeting rooms and Egypt’s largest ballroom with a capacity for 2,300 guests. There’s also a private theatre seating 60 people and a 1,700-squaremetre Resense Spa.

KEMPINSKI SUMMERLAND HOTEL & RESORT BEIRUT Kempinski Summerland Hotel & Resort is currently being built on a coastal plot just outside Beirut and close to Rafic Hariri International Airport. When it opens in Q3 this year, it will feature 153 rooms and suites, two restaurants, and a medley of leisure facilities including a private sandy beach, a marina with 47 berths, a spa, several pools, plus water skiing, sailing and diving.

KEMPINSKI AL OTHMAN HOTEL - AL KHOBAR, SAUDI ARABIA This property will offer 141 rooms, 57 suites

Laurent A. Voivenel, CEO, HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings

Left: Marsa Malaz Kempinski The Pearl Doha opened in January Above left: Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra will set new standards of luxury in Ghana Middle: Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski Cairo opens this year, Right: Kempinski Summerland Hotel & Resort will open in Beirut in Q3, 2015

including two presidential suites and one 250-square-metre royal suite, plus 20 apartments with hotel service. Top features include nine restaurants, cafés and bistros, a fitness studio, swimming pool, a Resense Spa and meeting facilities including two large banquet halls.

GROUP MILESTONES IN 2014/2015 Kempinski Hotels closed its best financial year in the group’s history in 2014, marking the sixth consecutive year of record-breaking results.

Turnover increased 6.5% year-on-year to €1.27 billion; operating result (GOP) increased 8.3%; and room revenue improved by 5.6%. Kempinski Hotels also achieved a 5.6% increase in worldwide management fees.

The group also opened six new hotels including Marsa Malaz Kempinski The Pearl Doha, the first luxury resort on the artificial island of The Pearl off the coast of Qatar, signed 12 new hotel projects globally, and extended the management contracts for eight hotels, including Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.

"In 2015 we continue our focus on offering an exceptional guest journey and ensuring our brand positioning is clear, streamlining our

portfolio to focus on hotels that deliver the Kempinski promise." Said Griffiths.

our pricing strategy and rather than lower rates, offer added value.

MARKET CHALLENGES FACED

TOP MEA GOALS FOR THE NEXT 12-18 MONTHS

Hotels catering to luxury segment are impacted by two key factors in the Middle East and Africa. Firstly, political instability regionally can drive leisure travellers to seek alternative destinations but business travel is much less affected. Kempinski is working closely with destination tourism boards, regional airlines and trade partners to promote destinations accurately through public relations, marketing and sales activities. Kempinski recently organised a MICE showcase in the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea in Jordan, bringing the industry’s top meeting planners and their partners together, which has boosted confidence amongst decision-makers that the destination is safe and perfect for holding large events.

Secondly, currency fluctuations and devaluations in the key feeder markets such as the Eurozone and Russia have again, impacted leisure travel more than business travel, with holidaymakers taking fewer or shorter trips. We are maintaining

Kempinski will focus on delivering the required resources to make the four new hotel openings taking place over the next 12 months a success. Given the increasing number of Kempinski hotels opening in the MEA region, there are greater cross-selling opportunities and one of our goals will be to share business opportunities between the properties to develop intra-regional business.

THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY "Technology is not only enabling the company to better manage its business, but to improve the guest experience. Through technology we can understand the search and booking behaviour of our guests, engage with them, and then efficiently manage this large volume of data and translate it into actionable information. Kempinski is also enhancing in-room technology to provide higher levels of comfort and hospitality, without being too intrusive." Concludes Griffiths.

Queitsch, Ducry & Harb discuss social media with Kubler

GM LEADERS

EVENT REVIEW

Setting the agenda

G

PRESENTING SPONSOR

eneral managers from across the emirate’s came together at the Four Seasons Resort Dubai, Jumeirah Beach on the 1st of June, 2015 for the inaugural edition of Hotel News ME’s GM Leaders Conference, which featured some of the Middle East’s leading professionals, including experts from the tourism and hospitality sector sharing their expert observations to over 150 GMs at the half-day conference.

The event which was moderated by, broadcaster, presenter and journalist, Stephen Marney, comprised of lively panel discussions, prime networking opportunities, presentations and open Q&A sessions, concluding with two workshops, which touched upon key issues that are currently being faced in the hospitality industry such as staff retention which was presented by Piers Burton, executive director, Eagles Spearing, and the crisis of hotels keeping their F&B offerings fresh

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in order to compete with the numerous stand-alone restaurants presently dominating the market which was presented by Jean Pierre Garat, chief operating officer, Royal Catering.

The conference began with opening remarks from Diarmuid O’Malley, group publishing director, BNC Publishing who emphasised that the agenda of the conference had been formulated around principal issues currently being faced by the industry; including luxury oversupply which headlined as the first panel discussion of the day. Discussing the issues of oversupply, O’Malley said, “tying in with the report that a staggering 50 million visitors came to the Middle East in 2014, essentially outstripping other regions in terms of ADR and occupancy levels.”

O’Malley also went on to discuss some of the driving forces behind the conference: new growth developmental areas and key source markets, explaining, “Jeddah and Abu Dhabi have a forecasted RevPAR growth of 7.3% and 6.7% respectively with growth also anticipated in Doha at 6.5% for the remainder of this year, it is with no doubt in my mind that Dubai will continue to flourish and develop as a global leader Bennett presenting in the hospitality sector in line with Dubai’s 2020 vision for 20 his speech million visitors annually to Dubai alone.”

Following on from O’Malley’s address, a brief video clip from the presenting sponsor of the conference, Rikan General Trading was played to the audience showcasing the company’s ongoing dedication to providing the hospitality sector with new innovative concepts and products. A second welcome address from Simon P. Casson, regional vice president & general manager, Four Seasons resort Dubai who accentuated the importance of timing for a new hotel opening and the state of the hospitality industry, said, “entering a new market for a hotel brand is always a question of timing. We at Four Seasons know this having patiently waited 12 years to enter the Dubai hotel market and we chose the optimum moment to launch.

Khneisser, Zager, Tapken & Scully on the first panel

A year ago as we were setting our budgets for this property the outlook was buoyant and our CEO told me that he would be disappointed with anything less than an $1,000 average rate for this hotel, a year on we are all faced with low oil, high dollar, weak rouble and strong Euro, an imperfect tsunami of challenging factors which perhaps conspire against us. A recent release from Hot Stats tells us that year-on-year average rates in the city are down by 13%, the lowest it has been in four years.”

Keynote address by Marc Bennett, senior vice president, international operations, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) who acted as the unified voice of the hospitality industry, imparting with anecdotal advice, Bennett enthusiastically engaged the hoteliers, explaining, “we are faced with a scenario in Dubai where collectively overcoming the challenges is going to be much more useful than individually overcoming the challenges. When you look at economics in general, a disciplined marketplace always overcomes its challenges quicker, and an undisciplined marketplace destroys its own value. What we have in Dubai is an incredible infrastructure of quality, and this hasn’t happened overnight but quality that is continually invested in over a sustained period of time.”

Bennett dismissed the notion that Dubai is heading for a state of oversupply, despite the anticipated 35,000 rooms currently in the pipeline, “when I look at the word oversupply, it makes me think about the US treasury bond market, that’s oversupply. That is a way of organisations continually raising cash and paying interest against that capital raise and that is massively oversupplied, an ultimate recipe for disaster.

When I look at the context of Dubai and I see the world’s biggest airport with another one under construction, then the size of the current one in Dubai being built in Abu Dhabi to match that, plus a World Expo that will act as a landmark for Dubai, plus all of the investment being pumped into the infrastructure, attractions and developments on-top of the fact that

“IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THE INFLUX OF TRAVELLERS WHO WILL ON AVERAGE STAY FOR THREE NIGHTS, WE WILL NEED APPROXIMATELY 60 MILLION ROOMS. THAT IS A HUGE AMOUNT, SO WE STILL NEED MORE THAN 70,000 ROOMS TO FACILITATE THOSE 20 MILLION VISITORS AND THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO FOR US” - KHNEISSER Dubai is within eight hours flying time of three quarters of the population, I scratch my head in wonderment about the oversupply conversation.

When you question oversupply, what about undersupply and the effect it can have on a market? We all know that with undersupply it inevitably ends in inflationary pricing mechanisms, which result in an unsustainable market.

It is impossible to sustain price increases over a long period of time and still appeal to a global audience with the range of products that you have in a market. So finding the right balance between supply and demand is crucial.”

To add a somewhat different perspective into the oversupply equation, following Bennett’s speech, Guy Wilkinson, managing partner, Viability Management Consultants added an interesting twist by presenting to the audience details on all of the 35,000 rooms in the pipeline for the region.

The detailed report consisted of 139 active hotel chains in the GCC showing an increase of 52% with 351 hotel chains expanding in 2014 compared to the staggering 533 in 2015.

Another statistic highlighted the number of keys in the region at present are up by 47% with anticipated numbers between 2015 and 2029 showcasing a comparative of 91,950 keys in 2014 to 135,591 keys in 2015.

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EVENT REVIEW

“WHEN YOU QUESTION OVERSUPPLY, WHAT ABOUT UNDERSUPPLY AND THE EFFECT IT CAN HAVE ON A MARKET? WE ALL KNOW THAT WITH UNDERSUPPLY IT INEVITABLY ENDS IN INFLATIONARY PRICING MECHANISMS WHICH RESULT IN AN UNSUSTAINABLE MARKET” - BENNETT

The GMs network

Wilkinson’s data also concluded that the UAE holds the top spot for the total number of keys in the pipeline with 55,035, 41% of the overall pipeline breakdown by country. Closely following, Saudi Arabia with 52,268 keys in the pipeline, taking 38% of the overall share, and Qatar holding 12,126 keys in the pipeline and 10% of the share.

With the certain controversy regarding oversupply and what might indeed happen should this exist in the forthcoming future, especially with the number of rooms in the pipeline, the first of the two panel sessions titled: Oversupply Woes was suitably positioned in the running order of events, panelists included, Carlos Khneisser, vice president of development, Middle East Hilton Worldwide, Michael Zager, regional vice president, Middle East & Africa, Wyndham Hotel Group, Thomas Tapken, vice president operations, Millennium & Copthorne Middle East & Africa and Michael Scully, managing director, First & Foremost Hotels.

Zager discussed the need for additional three and four star hotels across the region, implying that there is a huge untapped market for budget and midscale hotels, saying “all of the projects that we currently have in the pipeline, 90% are in the mid-market sector with a few new brands in the pipeline, there will be some economic pressure but that also opens up a lot of opportunities for new brands and it is also refreshing to hear that DTCM will be opening up to global markets as we need other customers coming to a global city and the luxury segment will always be here in Dubai because that is everything that it represents.

But there is still a huge market for us to encourage other travellers to the region with new budget and mid-market hotels.”

Adding to the discussion of growth and the potential for new budget brands, Khneisser said, “If we look at Dubai and focus the 20 million visitors, doing some quick offset calculations, in order to accommodate the influx of travellers who will on average stay for three nights, we will need approximately 60 million rooms. That is a huge amount, so we still need more than 70,000 rooms to

BOUTIQUE BRANDS Abdulla Bin Sulaymen, CEO, Seven Tides and Asteco discussed why now is the right time for hoteliers to be looking into new concepts such as a boutique brand alongside his top tips on making headway in the market.

"If you fail to plan then you plan to fail. Before we even considered launching DUKES

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Oceana, we spent years planning our business model and strategy. Always over-budget

your finances and never underbudget. Most importantly always remember we live in a changing world, especially in the Middle East, so your plans should always be flexible, always have a plan B. Secondly, get the right team in place, a hotel maybe an asset, but we know that a hotel without good staff will fail, so hiring an experienced, talented and motivated management team to lead your staff is absolutely essential and incentive schemes can improve staff performance.

Research your market and position yourself before you start any business and it is imperative that you’ve done your homework. Research the market, your competitive set, carry out a SWOT

analysis and look at how the market has reacted to other recent launches. When less is more - it is vital that any new business sets itself apart from its competitors. In such an aggressive industry it is extremely difficult to be truly unique. Lastly, sell, sell sell- generating revenue is the lifeblood of any company, without it we simply cease to exist, so the sales and marketing teams are crucial departments in any successful hotel. Much has been made of tools like social media and how cost-effective it can be. We can also put our rates on platforms such as Booking.com, which are truly international.”

facilitate those 20 million visitors and there is still a long way to go for us.

Dubai is an absolute paradise for developers and all companies that are doing business in Dubai, I think that there is still a gap to fill with regards to the mid-scale sector and hotel brands. Hilton have nine properties upcoming in Dubai, but most of them are mid-scale. When we look at the majority of hotels in the region, they are five-star, but I think that the country still has to distinguish borders between upper scale, five-star hotels, and upper-upper scale and define the real meaning of luxury.

In saying that, there is also amazing potential for more luxury brands in the region and there are some great untouched locations that can still sustain luxury hotels and Dubai is a great platform compared to other countries that don’t spend as much money in terms of their tourism strategy.”

Taking a look at the positioning of luxury brands in the region and the competitive nature of the business, the panel also discussed recent 2014 figures and reports highlighting a significant drop in occupancy levels and how the hoteliers planned to target the second half of the year with the debate still in question as to whether there actually is an oversupply in the market.

“If you look at the city wide drop in occupancy and profitability, in our hotels in Dubai and in the rest of the UAE we didn’t see this massive drop that is reported in the media, I was reading that profitability levels have dropped by 20%, truth be told, we would be out of business if this was the actual case. Owners bring in international operators not only to manage hotels but also to manage costs, and we make sure when there is a slight drop in occupancy or in average room rates to take action and immediately manage our costs to make sure our flow through is completely healthy and that there is always a sustainable return for owners”, Khneisser added.

Commenting on the importance of consistency, Tapken said, “As an operator you need to work on both ends of the scale to work towards the bottom line.

The good years of double-digit growth is over and we need to accept that, it is just down to the ways in which economics work. We realised early on that you GMs visit the UPI stand

“IF DUBAI DOESN’T HAVE THE RIGHT ATTRACTIONS AND REASONS FOR PEOPLE VISITING THEN WE WILL FIND THE SOFTENING OF BOTH RATES AND OCCUPANCY OVER TIME”

LAUNCH DAY John Philipson, area vice president Oman, Six Senses Resorts, Middle East & Indian Ocean discussed with the audience his tips on how to successfully launch a new property into the market and the strains of overcoming the highs and the lows.

“There is never a perfect launch as no matter how much we plan and prepare there are too many internal and external influences that change over the years it takes to get a product launched and the key is to stay true to the basics.

Rule number one: Never under estimate the power of a brand, so find an operator or brand that will help you stand out in the market, as well as one that matches your own values and beliefs.

The stronger the sales and marketing spread, the easier the launch will be. Next, stand out in the crowd: It is essential to have a very clear identity of product that you know and captures the aspiration of your customers.

Having

visionary USP’s that others in the market don’t have is always a winner.

Getting the message out there: Ensure that the communication is consistent and relevant to the audience. Sales partners want different information than the social media or marketing partners and an integrated marketing communication plan is vital. People Vs Product: Hospitality is all about people, and for hotels it’s the Holy Grail to get the staff right. The right management before and during an opening make sure you have a greater chance of consistency from the outset. Find talent that shares your vision and values and love to serve with heart and empathy.”

- SCULLY JULY 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

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EVENT REVIEW

MID-SCALE SUCCESS Russel G.H Sharpe, chief operating officer, Citymax Hotels analysed the ways in which a mid-scale hotel can compete and attain success in a market dominated by luxury. .

“The key to mid-market success, is to remember that not everyone can afford five-star luxury, so we have a massive niche in the market to appeal to the rest of the world.

Firstly, it is important to get the basics right, the most important thing to remember about being budget or mid-scale is to have a welcoming environment, comfortable bed, clean bathroom, good F&B outlets and an unforgettable service. Just because it is mid-market, doesn’t mean it should be poor quality. Be customer centric: Identify your key target audience and exceed their expectations, don’t try and be a jack-ofall-trades, you cant please everyone.

Next, your location is key, proximity to tourist attractions is one of the primary factors when people

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are booking a hotel.

Convenience of travel and complimentary drop-offs make for good tipping points during the booking process. Stay true to the value process: Budget travellers are looking for affordable mid-market hotels. Charging anything more will alienate the cost conscious traveler, because the ones that can afford five-star luxury, wont come your way anyway. It is fundamental to ensure management efficiencies, so as a budget or mid-scale brand focus on keeping costs low, outsource but don’t lose brand credibility. Next, don’t get mental about the rental: Whilst location is key, be wary of high rental costs in prime areas as lack of profitability will meet you much farther down the road that you want to be.”

have to be all about service quality and consistency, ensuring that the brand performs well and stands for value for money.”

And with the topic of a seeming rate war embracing the region and the hospitality industry, Scully added to the debate stating, “If Dubai doesn’t have the right attractions and reasons for people visiting, then we will find the softening of rates and occupancy over time and the important fact is that we know Dubai Parks and DTCM are all encouraging people to the region with government led incentives, but filling the hotels is as much a responsibility of the owners, hotels, brands and concepts as it is the responsibility of the government to bring a new market segments to all seven emirate’s.”

The final panel discussion of the event titled: The Digitisation of the Hospitality Sector, focused on how digital media has changed the industry with new tech-savvy Gen Y travellers choosing to interact with the industry through social media, online booking channels and mobile apps, plus what steps hoteliers need to take in order to keep this new breed of ‘connected customers’ happy, panellists included Rupprecht Queitsch, CEO, INHOCO, Fabrice Ducry, general manager The Palace Downtown, Philippe Harb, chief operating officer, One to One Hotels and Resorts and was moderated by Martin Kubler, CEO, Iconsulthotels.

Launching straight into the discussion and divulging the ways social and digital media has changed the way hotels operate, Queitsch explained, “The whole concept of social media has revolutionised not only the hospitality industry, but also the way the tourism boards and governing bodies operate, influencing how we purchase and how we make decisions. Already 50% of Gen Y travellers are part of a loyalty reward system; around 80% of them check out the hotel or restaurant online on their handset before they visit and about a quarter of them make a reservation with their mobile phones So if you tell me nothing has changed, two or three years this wasn’t even technically possible.”

Also commenting on the new age, tech-savvy traveller, Harb added “we think that 75% from total travel spend is going to be from the millennial traveller and so we have to ask ourselves what do that really want? I am sure that they are looking for something new, a different authentic experience.”

Finding new ways to cater to the so called ‘connected customer’ is an optimum priority according to Ducry, who explained, “we have to get content that is relevant to them and also know how to target them.

Every hotel has its own niche and the objective is to stay young, fresh, and spontaneous. But it can also be a very dangerous tool as once it is out there, there is no going back and this can notoriously damage the reputation of not only a hotel, but also a GM.”

Allies:

PHOTO ALBUM A quick snapshot of the day in action

JULY 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

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F&B FEATURE

BIG BRANDS vs

HOME GROWN The fight for a foodie following

T

he Middle East offers a wealth of food and beverage concepts from around the globe, from fast food franchises to celebrity chefendorsed restaurants.

This is, at least in part, due to local operators using international reputations to boost the destination’s dining credentials.

But today, certain hotels are bucking that trend – either by partnering with local independent concepts, or developing their own cross-property chains – in a trend that looks set to alter the dynamic of the regional dining scene.

CELEBRITY SELLS Big brands and international chefs have had much to do with making the GCC a gastronomic hub, particularly in cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Doha.

Daniel During, principal and managing director at Thomas Klein International (TKI), notes: “People here love brands, they think that if it’s imported, it’s better. This is very sad indeed, as there is great talent in the region.

“And the issue is further accentuated by landlords who think there’s less risk renting to established brands than to newcomers.”

While importing an existing concept may be considered the ‘easy route’, there’s no doubt established names have done much for the local F&B scene.

Four Seasons Hotel Doha is home to the largest Nobu in the world, at 26,000 square feet. Rami Sayess, regional vice president and property general manager, calls it 42

HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

In a bid to build a world-class F&B industry, the Middle East has imported numerous bigname restaurant brands; but today, successful home-grown concepts are proving the region capable of developing winning food formulas for itself

“just one of the many examples of Doha's elevated new culinary scene”.

“It's wonderful for the city on many levels, and encourages the sector to continue to flourish,” he says.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi’s Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri has this year overhauled its Pears & Caviar outlet, partnering with two-Michelin-star Spanish chef and restaurateur Sergi Arola to deliver new tapas concept ‘p&c

by Sergi Arola’.

Hotel general manager Thomas Guss agrees wellknown chefs do a lot for the destination: “We are fortunate to have an environment where the best brands are encouraged and sought after…which raises the bar to a very high standard.”

On a property level, benefits are also manifold. At Dubai Festival City, the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) Dubai Festival City has welcomed both the internationally franchised Belgian Café, and a restaurant boasting a celebrated French chef-patron: Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire.

Todd Roydhouse, executive assistant manager of F&B for the complex, expands: “When [Pierre Gagnaire] visits us, he’s such a hands on person, he gets into the kitchen

S

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and really motivates the whole hotel.”

Shangri-La’s Guss adds that the benefits of partnering with an established culinary master are not limited to their kitchen expertise. “Sergi Arola has a loyal global following, and we’ve already welcomed guests from near and far who are keen to experience his unique approach,” Guss observes.

Today, the appeal of international names remains strong in the Middle East. Just recently, three-time Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten opened two restaurants in Dubai. In addition, Michelin-starred Brit chef Jason Atherton is poised to make a UAE debut while the renowned Richard Sandoval opened a Doha branch of his Toro Toro restaurant.

HOME-GROWN TALENT There’s no arguing with the clout of the world’s bestknown chefs and brands; but excitement is growing in the Gulf regarding locally developed F&B concepts.

During notes “Kuwait is already well known for its many, very successful home grown brands, as is Lebanon.”

“Slowly, the UAE public is becoming more open to home-grown brands as well,” he continues. “Now the developers and landlords just need to accept them.”

According to Her Excellency Laila Mohammed Suhail, chief executive officer at Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) organiser of the Dubai Food Festival, this change is underway, setting the scene for a more balanced F&B mix.

“Having long favoured international culinary stars and concepts, we are beginning to see a paradigm shift of focus towards home-grown concepts and Emirati cuisine,” she says. “As the city evolves, so does its creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.”

F&B FEATURE

As stronger independent brands develop, these standalone outlets are drawing custom away from the traditionally hotel-based dining scene. It’s unsurprising, therefore, that hotels are interested in partnering with such concepts.

Markus Thesleff is co-founder of Whissle Group – the developer behind successful F&B brands such as OKKU Japanese restaurant at The H Hotel Dubai, as well as other independent outlets including Riva Beach Club on Palm Jumeirah and Claw BBQ, Crabshack and Grill located at Souq al Bahar.

“Home-grown food and drink concepts are completely taking over the customary hotel-based dining scene,” he says. “There are more and more restaurateurs in the region that know the market, and are coming up with concepts the market wants and needs – without having to rely on being in a hotel or having a big international name behind them.”

Similarly, UAE restaurant Fümé recently opened a second branch at Manzil Downtown Dubai. Ammar Al Alwan, managing director of the brand’s owning company Jas Hospitality, believes that “creating independent home-grown concepts allows us to push boundaries and bring creative ideas to life, without the limitations set forth by franchises or international chains.”

This new breed of local operator is in a strong position; so will more hotels recognise that, going forward?

Thesleff is unsure: “Hotels are relying

OKKU restaurant at Dubai's H Hotel

too heavily on hoping to drive footfall with big international restaurant names. They’re scared to take the risk on a local brand that has no track record of success,” he insists.

“I’d encourage more hoteliers to open their eyes to what an asset a unique, home-grown restaurant can be to them, since these operators have a local following.”

Al Alwan agrees that hotels “tend to avoid risk and stick to what they know”.

“With that said, operators are increasingly recognising the value that professional local F&B operators and home-grown brands can bring to their hotels,” he adds.

This is a trend During believes should be emphatically encouraged. “Hoteliers should handle their own all-day-dining and room service operations, and let their restaurants be operated by restaurateurs,” he asserts.

“But this is something that needs to be decided by the hotel owner at the master

Ask the experts

How is the rise in home-grown standalone F&B outlets impacting the Middle East’s hotel dining scene?

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HER EXCELLENCY LAILA MOHAMMED SUHAIL, chief executive officer, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment: As independent concepts in the region typically fall in the mid-range pricing category, they do not usually compete directly with higher end F&B options found in hotels. The market has long been home to high-range hotel dining options, breeding a strong demand for concepts that provide an alternative. By way of example, the 2015 Dubai Food Festival’s focus on home-grown concepts, especially at the ever-popular Beach Canteen, was met with unparalleled enthusiasm.”

DANIEL DURING, principal and managing director, Thomas Klein International: With the rise of trendy, high-design, high-energy and non-licensed restaurants, people are becoming more open about dining without alcohol. The Beach is a prime example of a very good brand mix that competes with hotel dining. There are not that many stand-alone unbranded licensed restaurants yet; this is still to come. And it will.”

HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

planning and design stage, as independent restaurants have different requirements to those operating through a central kitchen.”

Thesleff says these “different requirements” can cover operating ethos and company culture, as well as logistics.

“Hotel chains have their strict global guidelines to adhere to, and asking a restaurateur from a home-grown brand to meet these guidelines can prove tricky, because they don’t necessarily have the experience to understand certain strict brand rules – and this can impact on concept delivery,” he adds.

Neither does Thesleff rose-tint the benefits of such a partnership for the independent operator.

“It’s purely down to securing an alcohol license,” he says, while Al Alwan notes that for a home-grown brand, securing a hotel location provides the “added value of maximising exposure to tourists and hotel guests”.

For independent F&B concepts that do partner with a hotel, there’s significant potential for expansion across other properties. However some hotels have cut out the middleman and decided to develop a groupwide F&B chain for themselves.

BEST OF BOTH Hotel groups around the world have recognised the value of developing an in-house brand – a concept customers can recognise and patronise across multiple properties.

In the Middle East, home-grown hotel outfits from Jumeirah Group and Rotana Hotels have both employed this strategy.

But one international brand which took the step many years ago is Shangri-La, it

TOP TIPS FOR NEW F&B BRANDS

"In working with hotels, F&B developers and operators need to be flexible. Hotels have their standards that need to be adhered to, but that does not necessarily mean that you can’t be creative."

Shang Palace at the Shangri-La Hotel Dubai

Ammar Al Alwan, managing director, Jas Hospitality

"Keep your concept simple.

Overcomplicating just leads to confusion with guests, which in turn deters them from visiting the outlet.

Conor Hadlington, director of F&B, Shangri-La Hotel Dubai

The Beach Canteen at Dubai Food Festival 201

Fümé at Manzil Downtown Dubai

has rolled out its Shang Palace Chinese restaurant concept at properties around the globe – including Dubai.

Conor Hadlington, director of F&B at Shangri-La Hotel Dubai, comments: “There are many benefits of having a home-grown restaurant chain within the group, such as being able to deliver standardised service, consistency in brand image and awareness, loyalty of customers, and having wider marketing budgets.”

But Hadlington sounds a note of caution: “Unfortunately the cross-property business model does not fit with every individual hotel’s business model, which can make success quite difficult.

“This type of concept requires huge investment. There’s always a risk of failure and a worry that the restaurant might not catch on,” he warns. “When a concept is replicated throughout a group, customers expect a certain level of consistency throughout.”

The alternative, suggests Hadlington, is to bring in a third party to operate a restaurant space. The issue is then whether to go for an international name or home-grown brand?

A decade ago, this question wouldn’t even warrant discussion. But thanks to an increasingly impressive array of locally born concepts, it’s one that’s coming to the table for more and more of the region’s hotels.

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F&B INTERVIEW

Roman master chef Notable master of gastronomy, Heinz Beck, sits down with Sophia Soltani to discuss his unique interpretations of a modern Italian kitchen and the daily pressures of having three Michelin stars

Three starred Michelin chef, Heinz Beck

H

einz Beck is widely known as perhaps somewhat of a gastronomic superstar with his unique interpretations of the modern kitchen extending beyond his unique culinary talent, including the utmost attention toward the selection of ingredients and their transformation into highly innovative flavours within his kitchen.

Beyond his excellent career as a highly decorated chef, Beck has been heralded as a leader in Italian and Mediterranean style cooking, winning numerous awards being recognised by Michelin, Bibenda, Gambero Rosso and L’Espresso to name a few. His profound understanding of the culinary culture is revealed in several of his texts, which address more than just culinary practices and his noteworthy works include ‘L’Arte e Scienza del Servizio’ translating into: ‘The Art and Science of Service’.

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You have been heralded as a leader in Italian and Mediterranean style cooking, what do you make of this?

Well, I have been a chef in Italy for over 21 years and of course when I arrived in Italy I didn’t know what the true meaning of Italian cooking was, but over the years I have created my own style by interpreting traditional Italian methods from the North and South of the region and then reinventing dishes by doing them in a light, healthy and modern way. Essentially a brand new way of producing Mediterranean flavours and traditional concepts.

I am always telling people that you can not choose where to be born but you can choose where you want to live and I chose Italy, which was the best decision I ever made to grow and develop my style and taste of cooking, aiding me in my methods of cooking to become an expert in Italian and Med style dishes.

Truthfully, the biggest impression I can give to anyone, is that I met my wife over 15 years ago and through family and tradition you learn the Italian way of life. Family and cooking are all extremely important factors when translating these feelings into preparing food.

I now have over 30 years of experience in learning how to cook certain products, what foods to prepare for a certain dish and at what time it is meant to be served. Once you have learnt the professional way of cooking, you can implement your style into a family way of cooking, this is wholly what rep-

La Pergola Restaurant, Rome Cavalieri

resents Italian food. Once you embrace the love of your family, it is the only way to emphasise the core principals and values behind Italian cooking.

You have three Michelin stars, what do you credit your success to?

Continually trying to keep up standards and to always focus on quality, making sure the highest of superiority is always delivered to my guests. I am always putting my guests at the centre of attention and I always talk to my staff explaining that they shouldn’t be working to fill up their ego, but to deliver the highest levels of service and quality to the guests because the core reason as to why I have achieved success, isn’t due to articles in the newspapers or the products you are processing, it also isn’t the latest tableware or glasses that you use, the biggest resource and success is your customers and this is what I credit my success to. When they return to one of my restaurants it is the biggest compliment as a chef I can receive.

Sushi & Sashimi prepared by Beck

What are some of the pressures of holding three Michelin stars?

This is like running a hundred metres under nine seconds every day with lots of pressure but you see, I have a very nice team full of young vibrant staff and of course it helps to have new blood and new ideas on the team keeping things fresh. We as humans, especially chefs have to take everything in our stride.

What would you say are some of your principle influences when designing a menu?

Everything around us offers inspiration, the environment and architecture has the facility to inspire a true chef. When I talk to young chefs I always say to them don’t take your inspiration from others, be unique. For example, one winter I was swimming outside and it began snowing, I was watching in awe as the evergreen trees became white from the snowflakes and I was swimming in the water like a fish, so I went back to Rome and developed a dish based on this memory. Pieces of broccoli made into a creamy soup, fish cooked with garlic and pepper oil with the cod then shedding like snow flakes, merging these concepts into great dishes elevates a chefs passion for cooking and ignites a renewed sense of belonging in a kitchen.

The principal influence is also the selection of food products that are top quality, in season, and available in the market and so my menus change seasonally throughout the year and the food is prepared in a way that respects the integrity of the food product itself to be healthy, tasty, and modern, respecting the Italian methods of cooking.

You have been with La Pergola since 1994, what first attracted you to this role and what has kept you there for over 15 years?

I have been with La Pergola for 21 years, and if you’re not thinking about how many years you spend in a place, then you will still feel young and everything will still represent your first time, this is the zest of life and what will keep you young.

I first came to Italy because I wanted to try out a new culture, learn a new language and experience something different, then I just fell in love with such a fantastic city that I never wanted to leave, and so I didn’t.

As a chef, for me Italy is what I would call the grand tour, saturated with history, art, food and culture and so La Pergola has become part of me, my DNA and I hope to continue for many more years even another 21 if that is possible!

What would you say makes La Pergola different from other restaurants and why?

I would firstly say that our location is key, we are in a very special hotel at

“I ALWAYS PUT MY GUESTS AT THE CENTRE OF MY ATTENTION AND I TALK TO MY STAFF EXPLAINING THAT THEY SHOULDN’T BE WORKING TO FILL UP THEIR EGOS, BUT TO DELIVER THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF SERVICE, FOOD AND QUALITY TO OUR GUESTS” the Rome Cavalieri with the restaurant overlooking the eternal city, you will see one of the most beautiful settings in the world, with so many beautiful people and our guests get a somewhat different Italian experience.

I specalise in cooking light and healthy food full of Italian flavours with my own interpretation implemented into my food, I put my heart and soul into what I do whilst cooking. People can eat a nine-course menu and feel absolutely divine; you are renewing your soul and your mind with a new culinary journey. I don’t just focus on making a meal look nice, I also study the carbohydrates very closely so as not to overload or bloat out the guest, so that our food is easy to digest. Italian food can often be misinterpreted as heavy food, but this actually all depends on who is cooking it, the quality of the produce and how it is prepared. Real Italian food shouldn’t be too hard to digest, it is all about the interpretation.

Have the restaurants positioned within the hotels driven more people to visit the outlets like Social in the Waldorf Astoria on the Palm?

In the restaurants we have in Dubai such as Social we have a large number of people who visit and approximately 35% of visitors are not guests within the hotel, which is a great number considering all of the choices people have in. We have every nationality coming into enjoy the cuisine, and the Middle Eastern culture appreciates the delicacies we serve with our refined style of cooking.

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Canal Views in the Burj Area of Dubai

OVERVIEW

Having recently announced at this year’s Arabian Travel Market the opening of DAMAC’s Naia Breeze, a 342-key luxury project in the heart of the Burj area, Sophia Soltani sits down with Niall McLoughlin, senior vice president, DAMAC Properties to find out more about the Dubai based firm’s aggressive pipeline plans

DAMAC

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hilst driving through Downtown and Business Bay, it is hard to ignore the large DAMAC signs at every corner and this is no surprise considering that DAMAC Properties have just celebrated a significant milestone, having opened five hotels in just 15 months; an astonishing number of newly opened properties in such a short amount of time.

With no signs of slowing down comes the recent announcement of plans to open NAIA Celestia at the end of 2017. With two more hotels just becoming operational at the end of March.

Niall McLoughlin, senior vice president for the DAMAC wastes no time in defining the DNA of the brand and discussing the aggressive expansion plans for the hospitality division of the group, “DAMAC properties has been around for 14 years, and in 2008 to 2010, we had a number of buildings that were set aside for commercial purposes, but we learnt very quickly that we needed to adapt our commercial offices and amend our business strategy determining that the hospitality industry in Dubai, even through the recession was bullish with 100 million people coming through the UAE airports and five million people coming to Dubai. So we knew we had to modify these commercial buildings into becoming serviced hotels and we created DAMAC Hotels and Resorts in late 2012. We have no plans of slowing down with 1,460 units opened and a further 10,000 rooms in the pipeline.”

Discussing the recent announcement of DAMAC’s latest venture, NAIA Tenora, McLoughlin explains, “NAIA Tenora is a 10-storey,

270 unit luxury hotel apartment project with a swimming pool, gymnasium, designer boutiques and coffee shops which will open in time to serve the predicted 277,000 employees working at the airport and preparing for the World Expo.”

“The Dubai World Central district is set to be one of the most impressive construction projects in the world over the next five years and the news that the Metro line will now run right outside the project significantly improves the connectivity to the area, NAIA Tenora offers a luxury lifestyle experience on the doorstep of the world’s biggest airport hub and moments from the new World Expo 2020 exhibition site.

Combining luxury and location, we believe NAIA Tenora is the ideal investment property with strong potential for impressive rental returns to provide ideal accommodation for those working on the project.”

Discussing the distinctive DNA of NAIA, McLoughlin continues by stating, “overall NAIA has a different demographic with a more fun, youthful feel and so we focus it around the motto ‘the city is yours’ we want people to come and stay, have a great experience but also be able to get out and about to explore the area with solid advice and so that ties in with our staff. And train them to be experts

Chrysalis Spa, DAMAC Maison Dubai Mall Street

The penthouse at DAMAC Maison

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NAIA Breeze -Two Bedroom Living Room

Niall McLoughlin, senior vice president, DAMAC Properties

The rise of

OVERVIEW

in their field and area, so if you ask the concierge team 'how far is Dubai Mall'? They are going to know the quickest way for you to get there, how to get there and what is nearby.”

We focus heavily on expertise here in our DAMAC hotels and that stands for our rooms, to the layout to the F&B outlets at each hotel, we have Essor which offers traditional Khaleeji food, and NAIA is based around an artisan concept café, we had a launch where local artists came in offering something different to our guests.”

NAIA Breeze, located in Business Bay has 339 serviced apartment units, a café, outdoor swimming pool, separate male and female spa facilities and now that DAMAC Hotels & Resorts has a firm collection of serviced apartment properties, it is looking to operate fully-fledged hotels, with the first to be under the Naia Hotels & Resorts brand which is set to be located at Damac’s Akoya Oxygen development, and will have an adjacent serviced apartment building with the whole project due to be completed by 2019.

Set on a 1.3 km retail strip, The Drive at Akoya by Damac, which is to feature an outdoor cinema and skating rink, the properties

will have views across the Trump International Golf Club, which is already fully grassed.

DAMAC Properties is also working on a second project in the area, NAIA Celestia, which is due to be handed over to owners in 2017. A ground plus seven floor complex comprising of luxury hotel apartment studios, one and two bedroom apartments.

The modern, architectural design inspires an opulent residential lifestyle, incorporating modern, sleek finishes in a warm, welcoming layout. NAIA Celestia will also come with a state-of-the-art gymnasium, health and fitness club, as well as a swimming pool, and luxurious spa with the Celsetia property also set to have its own retail area, with designer boutiques, fine dining restaurants, and an attractive retail avenue.

Work is already well underway and National Piling has completed all excavation and piling work, with the dewatering process already started.

“NAIA Celestia is the jewel in the crown development in the area, luxury five-star standard services and furnishings will create a luxurious atmosphere within a key location of new Dubai,” added McLoughlin.

NAIA Tenora offers a luxury lifestyle experience on the doorstep of the world’s biggest airport hub and moments from the new World Expo 2020 exhibition site. Combining luxury and location, we believe NAIA Tenora is the ideal investment property

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TAKE 10

Surviving the

SUMMER Bill Keffer, general manager, JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, Dubai discusses the top ten strategies in order to maintain a hotel's strong identity throughout the summer season

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ailing from the southern state of Tennessee in the US, Bill Keffer has held managerial positions with Marriott International for 25 years. Beginning his career at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Keffer joined Marriott International in his home state of Tennessee, followed by positions in Florida and at the New York Marriott Marquis.

In 2000, Keffer decided on a move to Asia and spent two years in Japan as the food and beverage director of the Renaissance Hotel, Sapporo, followed by three years in South Korea as director of operations in the JW Marriott, Seoul.

Throughout his career, Keffer has been the recipient of a number of prestigious awards including Continent General Manager of the Year 2012 and 2014, Continent Hotel of the Year 2011, Global Hotel of the Year for 2011, three individual recognitions for leadership and engagement excellence between 2010 and 2012.

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SUMMER VALUE Business and leisure guests want to find the best deals as the emirate heats up, summer is a great time in Dubai for people to benefit from many special deals on offer across the region. People are looking for the most value they get when spending, so offers which deliver the most bang for a buck quickly become favourites. Hotel’s should always strive to provide the very best-in-class products and services to business and leisure guests during their stay, and this summer

reason it’s important to think about the innovative concepts you can introduce to bolster your existing offering, and aim to think outside the box for a refreshing corporate approach that will attract new clients.

For example, we have launched a new brand initiative called ‘Meetings Imagined’ which allows and encourages businesses to get creative when holding MICE events.

3 ACCESS

season should be no different, for example offers at JW Marriott Marquis include, stay for three nights but only pay for two, children may also dine for free, while adults enjoy a 50% discount across a number of our restaurants.

2 IMAGINATION There is huge emphasis on team building

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and activities during Ramadan, particularly companies look to engage in team building exercises and training, however; due to the heat, indoor options are essential. For this

Often travelling myself, and having visited several continents in the last few months, I know firsthand how demanding changing time zones can be for our international guests. It is vital for us to ensure that those who may be travelling from locations have access to all the facilities they need. This is important all year round, but especially in the summer when some venues across the city close for the season. As a fully international business hotel we have 24/7 guest facilities such as the state-of-the-art gym, business centre and 15 check-in desks.

4 CONNECTIVITY

With the intense summer heat, finding creative ways to keep guests occupied are essential, and helping them stay connected is one of them. To make life easier for guests it’s important to have taken all the steps to ensure they are seamlessly connected. For example, we have launched mobile check-in allowing guests to check in online as soon as their plane lands and waste no time waiting for their room. We also have cashless pay and

JW Marriott Marquis Dubai

an app for meeting planners called JW Concierge, which allows them to insta-message the hotel event planners with updates even during conferences. This is in addition to all the in-built technology in rooms allowing guests to connect their devices to the screens and watch their own downloaded content.

5 CELEBRATIONS

This summer is full of seasonal holidays, which bring families and friends together. It is a festive season and a wonderful time to experience UAE culture, national customs and religious observances such as Ramadan. Ramadan in particular is one of my favourite times of the year, as it is a time for reflection and quality time spent with loved ones. That’s why it is very important to create the right setting for people to enjoy Ramadan. This year for Ramadan we will transform the Dubai Ballroom into a beautiful lounge adorned in gold and cream for Iftar and Sohour.

6 FLEXIBILITY We all appreciate flexibility, and venues which can offer dynamic solutions to both our business and leisure needs and we have the capacity to host groups of up to 1,000 to meet, eat and sleep in one location and we are the only hotel in Dubai that can host groups of this scale. Previously, conference and event organisers would have needed to split their group between numerous different hotels within the same city, so now Dubai is a viable MICE destination even in the summer months.

7 ONE-STOP-SHOP

When avoiding the summer heat, I personally prefer to seek a range of entertainment that is under one roof, and I believe many individuals, families and groups in Dubai feel the same way. It’s also a great time to treat your loyal guests during summer, so it’s important to consider valuable ways to do this. At JW Marriott Marquis we will be launching a destination campaign, which invites customers to claim instant rewards for dining in our restaurants and lounges, as well as entering draws to win holidays to iconic places.

“PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR THE MOST VALUE. OFFERS WHICH DELIVER THE MOST BANG FOR A BUCK QUICKLY BECOME FAVORITES" deserve that extra bit of support in the community. We regularly organise activities with organisations to stay connected. It’s very humbling to see people value certain things in life that we may take for granted. So it’s very important to keep that awareness top of mind. This year we have special plans for our staff and the various charities in town and we encourage all companies to make a habit of getting involved however they can.

ACTIVITIES 9 GET SOCIAL 8 COMMUNITY Ramadan and summer is an ideal time to Social media has advanced so far and is such get involved and reach out to those who

a great way to keep up to date with family,

friends and brands that you are interested in, as well as Dubai’s plethora of events. For the property, we have almost 30,000 followers on Facebook and we work hard to keep them engaged with our brand. This is particularly necessary in summer, when people are stuck indoors with fewer activities available outside. Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat are all ways in which we stay dynamic and involved, maintaining an ongoing conversation that is mutually beneficial.

TAILOR MADE SOLUTIONS 10 Executive travellers from within the GCC are often seeking not only world class business facilities but a balance of luxury conveniences and outstanding service. It is important for bespoke service based industries to cater to this niche. Service is obviously at the heart of our offering, and we focus on training and upskilling our associates as an absolute priority to ensure we provide exceptional service that is crafted, intuitive and authentic –which are the central pillars of the JW Marriott brand.

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MARKET UPDATE

G N I T A D O M M O C C A TH

W O GR

EXPONENTIAL GROWTH

Philip Shepherd, PwC Middle East Hospitality & Leisure Leader and Alison Grinnell, PwC Middle East Hotels Leader discuss the Middle East cities hotel forecast for 2015 and 2016

the city’s ability to manage the supply coming on board will be the Growth fundamentals for the region’s hotel industry remain strong, driving factor to achieving this forecast. with solid performance in terms of ADR (average daily rate) and The 25% devaluation of the Euro against the Dollar, has also led to occupancy levels; however, external factors present new challenges. a drop in visitors from the Eurozone. As a Dollar-based economy, the The conflict between Russia and Ukraine combined with the oil price Middle East has now become a very expensive destination for those in decline has led to the significant weakening of the Rouble. This plus the Eurozone, resulting in not only a drop in visitors from there, but the 25% devaluation of the Euro versus the dollar are impacting also GCC nations heading to Europe for shopping tourism, rather tourist numbers. We believe it may take time for this to reverse, so than travelling within the Middle East region. oversupply could become an issue, especially at the crowded luxury end of the market.

A NEED FOR LEISURE Our report looks at the prospects and key issues facing the hospital- The arrival of tourists from new markets calls for more leisure activiity industry in the featured cities of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, ties to be developed in the region as most of the tourist Doha, Jeddah, Muscat and Riyadh. All six cities saw an authorities in the region continue to expect visitor increase in RevPAR in 2014, with a double-digit rise numbers to increase significantly, and most predict in Doha, and nearly that in Jeddah. Abu Dhabi and these new tourists will come from new markets, such as Muscat saw around a 6% increase, and Dubai managed China, India, and elsewhere in Asia. The growth of the only marginal RevPAR growth as occupancies fell.

Muslim population in China will also lead to higher By contrast, Riyadh saw occupancy gains of over 6% numbers of Chinese visiting the region, especially but ADR tumbled, so RevPAR rose only 1.1%.

Mecca and Medina.

Our forecast for 2015 and 2016 paints a different The challenge for the operators will be to understand picture; after a mixed year in 2015 where we believe and meet the needs of these new tourists, which tend to growth will again be the dominant theme for 2016. be different from those of Europeans or Russians and the Philip Shepherd, PwC Middle East Hospitality & The cities best placed for growth in 2015 are Jeddah Middle East needs to provide more leisure activities beyond Leisure Leader and Abu Dhabi, with forecast RevPAR growth of 7.3% the beach and the facilities available inside its hotels. Projects and 6.7% respectively, and growth also expected in like Dubai Park & Resorts, the Angry Birds theme park in Doha (6.5%). However, Muscat, Dubai and Riyadh are Doha, and the Louvre, Zayed National Museum, and Guglikely to see a decline in RevPAR. genheim projects in Abu Dhabi are already being planned In 2016, according to our findings, we see that there and developed. will be positive growth in all six cities. Muscat and With the six billion people in reach of the UAE within Abu Dhabi are forecast to achieve good growth in both eight hours, and the landscape of the industry is set to ADR and occupancy, driven by infrastructure spend, expand further with the addition of at least five full-scale moderate supply increases, and the increase in tourist theme parks over the next three years, and if the UAE takes numbers that will result from Government promoa holistic approach to its destination management,w offertional programmes. Doha is expected to see a return to ing an Emirates-wide vision and coordination, encouraging Alison Grinnell, PwC Middle positive ADR growth in both 2015 and 2016; however collaboration and partnerships between all stakeholders, East Hotels Leader 52

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it can exploit its unique geographical location and deliver high quality attractions that can weather the diverse cultural requirements of the Middle East and the extreme summer weather conditions. This will put the UAE in direct competition with the likes of Singapore and Hong Kong in the east, mainland China and the ‘granddaddy’ of the sector, Orlando.

RISK OF OVERSUPPLY High occupancy has been a long-term trend in the region, but with so much new supply coming on-stream, there lies to be a question mark about whether this is sustainable in the future. With over 54,000 rooms under construction and another 72,000 planned for the region, supply could well start to outstrip demand, putting ever-greater pressure on both occupancy and ADR. Interestingly, we have seen that during the peak month of February 2015, regional supply exceeded demand in a peak time for the first time since in 2009. We expect supply to exceed demand in the summer months, however in peak times this is a more worrying trend.

REASSESSING THE RIGHT MIX OF HOTELS The oversupply of the luxury end of the market and the change in the profile of tourists coming to the region are calling for a reassessment of the type of hotels available to tourists.

One of the many anomalies about the Middle East’s hotel sector is the high number of hotels in the five star and luxury segment. Most mature markets would have a more even distribution or a ‘pyramid’ distribution of properties, with the majority in economy or budget, and fewer at the ultra-premium end. In the Middle East, this pattern is inverted, with huge numbers of luxury rooms, especially in Dubai – at present, around 10,000 rooms are under construction in Dubai, of which less than 1,000 are in the mid-range or economy segment.

ONLINE AGENCIES CHANGE THE FACE OF HOSPITALITY Digital now dominates the way people manage their travel, as they use sites to find and book flights and accommodation and use social media to feedback their experiences. There’s no question that this have benefited many hotels, however over time, this has been counterbalanced by the challenges this ‘digital disintermediation’ brings.Our findings show one thing that hasn’t changed is the management contract between the owner and operator. Given that so much of the hotel’s reputation is now determined online, we query whether management contracts need to find a way to reward or sanction operator’s performance in this area.

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Breaking NEWground INTERVIEW

With Ja Resorts & Hotels recently announcing its partnership with Gravity Resort Group inking a deal in Sri-Lanka, David Thomson, Chief Operating Officer at JA Resorts & Hotels tells Hotel News ME all about the new Indian Ocean properties, Dubai's rate war, and why family comes first

Can you tell us a little about your Dubai-based properties and how well are they performing?

We have several properties that are functioning here in Dubai and our Ocean View hotel is our four-star property on JBR which is doing very well and enjoying some very strong occupancy rates. It is actually buckling the trend for Dubai at the moment.

Dubai in general is suffering from a bit of an unnecessary rate war if I am honest. People have got carried away and certain parties have enjoyed driving the rates down even further, spreading horror stories about the state of Dubai. I would say hoteliers need to get a grip and stop dropping rates so low because we are enjoying great occupancies but obviously the rate wars impact that.

Our average occupancy sits at around 77% so we are actually very happy but the rates are the issues, they are not where we want them to be.

There is a big market for family travel here in Dubai, how does JA secure its share of this lucrative market?

Family travel for us is huge and at the resort we are very well geared up for families. We have our Palm Tree court rooms at 55 square meters so we can accommodate twin beds for large families. At Jebel Ali Beach Hotel, we also have 96 interconnecting rooms and so we are able to offer two rooms and if the second room is for the children we can offer that at half price with twi rooms and bathrooms.

Our apartments also do very well. Families like to come to a serviced apartment where they can feel like it is a home

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away from home, so we specialise in luxury hotel apartments. We have two and four bed formats which are popular with the GCC guests, as well as those from Scandanavia and Germany.

We have tied up with Worldwide Kids, which is a company that goes around the world checking that anyone associated with them is properly trained and vetted and that the childrens' clubs we offer have the latest equipment, from an education and entertainment perspective.

We also run a guidance crèche for children with qualified nurses and we one of the only hotels to provide a crèche in a hotel from the age of three months. We do the same in our properies in the Maldives, too.

What new entertainment initiatives do you think the Governent needs to implement to encourage more families to the region?

Dubai is already doing a lot and the theme parks are going to drive a lot of families to the region.

The entertainment offered here is actually world class at a very high level already' I mean I have six teenage children here who seem to spend their lives at the mall!

Dubai malls are spectacular for teenagers providing them with these facilities. Teenagers can be notoriously difficult to entertain and aside from the large scale events and new openings, many hotels are updating their electronic systems to put in games rooms with consoles.

The key thing is the theme parks and we are only 15 minutes drive from the new park set to open at the end of this year, making us the closest resort to the theme park.

How do you ensure that JA stands out in a competitive market, especially one that is somewhat saturated in luxury already?

As a brand we are very comfortable in the four-star realm as we are in the luxury segment that gives us a unique feel really as we are not just

JA Eclipse Beach Resort location in Sri-Lanka

tailored to one particular audience or star rating.

There are markets we can enter such as Phuket and the Indian Ocean, which have a high luxury inventory and therefore reputation. The luxury market in my eyes isn’t saturated....yet.

As a brand we are more excited to pick up on new four-star opportunities. People are engaging with these properties on so many levels and we are focusing on affordable luxury because we know how to get traction there.

What makes us different is that we have a great heartfelt hospitality and casual luxury feel about us. We have achieved this pretty well and we have fantastic retention from our associates.

We take pride in our staff and our hotels and I think that shows through the guest experience, as well as on social media for example. You can see our images on Twitter of our chef mingling with guests and they know each other on a first name basis. It sounds bizarre but this is the emphasis of our property.

Hotel chains are now investing and launching budget hotel brands. Why do you think there demand for this type of property and is this a market that JA would consider going into?

We most likely wouldn’t consider budget but we think it is great these properties are actually coming into the market. They will diffuse this rate war slightly and stop the high end properties trying to compete with the budget rates and it will fill this gap and allow rates to stabalise.

A market the size of Dubai with 13.2 million visitors last year we are going to bust the 20 million mark way before 2020, the way the growth of the country is going. But you cant do that with just high end properties. Take London for example at only 16 million visitors a year they have a wide variety of hig-end and midscale, plus budget brands and a range of properties catering to these travellers.

There have always been one or two star properties in the city but they have always been pushed

to the outskirts of Dubai to places like Deira.

Now we see them entering central Dubai, this will push travellers closer to main attractions.

The delivery of four-star hotels in Dubai is way above the standards seen anywhere else in the world so we need these traditional three and four-star properties.

What would you say are some of challenges and opportunities facing the brand at the moment?

When you offer a range of products like we do, you do end up having an issue with people understanding what the brand represents. When you say I have a great four star, but then go on to explain I have a great five-star that oozes luxury, people then go on to question the DNA of your brand.

Many companies create sub-brands and we have actually avoided this until now because we haven’t felt that we have the critical mass to do that. However, now we have our Maldives properties and we are offering, in a slightly low key way, JA Luxury which falls in very nicely with our new property in Sri-Lanka.

JA has properties in several luxury destinations such as the Maldives, why did you decide that Sri-Lanka was the right place to launch a new property?

nation in the Seychelles, Enchanted Island Resort, in December 2013 which was then rapidly followed with our JA Manafaru in the Maldives in November 2014.

Sri Lanka has been on our radar for a little while and we have been just so blown away by the beauty of it. There is a real sense of spirit in Sri Lanka and the government has several incentives in place so everyone knows where they stand when investing. There are real genuine safaris that people can do there and it is growing into a real tourist hub.

Our property will be known as JA Eclipse Beach Resort and this property marks our third premium tropical beach resort in the Indian Ocean. It will be located in Kathiraveli on the East Coast of Sri Lanka, in partnership with the Gravity Resort Group.

What measures will JA be taking in order to reduce its carbon footprint in Sri-Lanka and will there be any local initiatives in place?

We are Green Globe certified and we intend to be as eco-friendly as possible. They have something called LEASE in Sri Lanka, which focuses on energy consumption. We will be working closely with them to ensure that we are using the minimum energy required, everything we do will be fashioned from the point of view of reducing our carbon footprint as much as possible.

We will also be leaving much of the natural vegetation to its natural state. In the Seychelles we literally built around the natural habitat so we have plans to do this too and take this philosophy into Sri Lanka

As part of our expansion strategy we launched our first premium desti-

Below: Left to right: William Harley-Fleming, director of Hospitality Projects, Development & Acquisitions, JA Resorts & Hotels, Chris Bateman, Chairman - Gravity Investment Group, Deepal Ahangama, director, Gravity Resort Group, David Thomson, Chief Operating Officer, JA Resorts & Hotels, Jeremy Payne, manager development projects, Gravity Resort Group

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MEET THE EXPERT

TROUBLE ON THE HORIZON FOR HOSPITALITY RECRUITMENT Piers Burton, executive director at boutique executive search firm Eagles Spearing Consulting, wonders how the hospitality sector across the GCC can address the issue of an escalating staffing shortage

A

t Hotel News ME’s excellent GM Leaders Conference, Guy Wilkinson presented to the assembly a detailed analysis of the hotel properties are under construction across the GCC and scheduled to open during the 2015 to 2020 window. The numbers, which are covered elsewhere in this publication, are remarkable…. and somewhat alarming from a recruitment perspective. A serious problem of demand vs. supply is looming, particularly at the more junior staffing levels and I’m yet to meet anyone who knows how they’re going to tackle it.

From Guy’s presentation, there are 135,591 new rooms currently under development in the GCC, and these just from the established branded hotel chains. By my reckoning that equates to c.550 new properties. Add to these the non-branded properties (which were not factored into the presentation) and we can assume that the figure increases to c.175,000 new rooms, across c.700 new properties. An average of 120 new hotels per year for the next six years!

As a very rough estimate, I predict that the region will therefore require c.350,000 new line staff (from housekeeping, restaurant and bar staff, facilities,

front desk, security, etc.) to service these new hotel properties alone. This will more or less double to c.700,000 staff when we factor in the attrition that will naturally occur from the existing properties (and those coming on line) during the 2016 to 2020 development period. That’s more staff than are currently employed across the whole hotel industry in the GCC. Given the difficulties that many properties are already experiencing in their efforts to secure suitable staff from overseas (the local markets are still pitifully under-represented in the hospitality sector), the scale of this problem is likely to play a significant part in the success or underperformance of several properties in the future.

Then again, to firms who specialise in recruitment already, this looming problem could turn out to be a winning opportunity, for there is no doubt that with staffing requirements of this scale there is definitely a need for someone to seize the moment and start addressing the situation now. With that many staff being brought into the GCC there’s a definite business to be had.

Securing our share of the Halal market Operating several dry hotels in the UAE, Philippe Harb, Chief Operating Officer, One to One Hotels and Resorts discusses how Halal tourism is gripping the region and what hoteliers can do to secure their share of this lucrative market

H

alal tourism is the fastest emerging sector in the world and the UAE is beginning to tap into it. Until recently, the Muslim travel market was dominated by agencies specialising in pilgrimages to Mecca.

Flights to countries such as Pakistan and India account for the rest of the market and in recent years have witnessed a prominent rush of foreign awareness to the Saudi Arabian hospitality market, mostly directed towards its two largest cities, Riyadh and Jeddah, with the Holy Cities Makkah and Madinah often being sidelined on the international front.

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With the continued growth in business and religious tourism, One to One Hotels and Resorts have entered the KSA market to strengthen our leadership position with four new properties in Makkah and Jeddah with religious tourism is extremely important for our growth and presence in the market. The sheer density of developments around the area are pushing larger developments outwards, and Al Aziziyah is considered a prime district for future intake of more hospitality supply with Hajj visitor numbers expected to continue to grow to 5.2 million by 2025 from two million previously in 2013.

Halal tourism is forecasted to grow 6% per year, according to TCA Abu Dhabi, and Muslim travellers were worth $140bn in 2013 (excluding Hajj and Umrah, which alone generated $16bn), and represents 11.5% of total travel spend, generating a huge demand to cater to the Muslim traveller.

Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority is extremely active in promoting the capital in several markets as well as organising and sponsoring major city wide exhibitions and events including

the World Halal Travel Summit & Exhibition taking place in October 2015 and the biggest growth in Halal tourism is being seen by the mid-market segment.

The UAE’s strategy is to expand aggressively in this segment with a target of boosting the existing portfolio of hotels by 30% over the course of the next five years and whilst the UAE is at the forefront, it is still ranked third in the most recent Global Muslim Travel Index study, falling behind Turkey and Malaysia.

The growing demand, however, needs more attractions for Halal and non-halal consumers alike.

This widens the appeal of a destination diversifying its key and feeder markets and a destination like Abu Dhabi should consider affordable beach resorts which are dedicated to this customer segment, with several outdoor pools and great spa facilities exclusively for ladies.

It will be interesting to see over the next five years how hotel operators across the region capitalise on this fast growing sector and take their share this lucrative market.

Who says it’s a mans world?

Cornelia Erhardt was one of the first female hotel general managers in the Middle East and is currently the GM of Radisson Royal Hotel Dubai, here she advises how to strive and succeed as a female in the industry WOMEN HAVE THE POWER

“WE WOMEN STILL FEEL LIKE WE LIVE IN A MANS WORLD, BUT BEING A STRONG AND DETERMINED WOMAN, EVEN IN THE MIDDLE EAST CAN GET YOU WHEREVER YOU WANT TO BE”

Although it seems it has nothing to do with being a woman and sometimes you don’t want to admit it, when you look back and evaluate your path, the biggest challenge for a young woman is stepping higher up on the ladder and this can cause question to ones positioning.

When you reach a middle management position, you often realise that there is more potential and more will power to move forward. Often it takes a significantly longer time to climb up, when you compare yourself with some of your male colleagues as for them it’s often easier and faster to move up the career ladder.

I think many women share the opinion that we have to prove ourselves more often, especially in the beginning when perhaps there is some doubt, us women are key at questioning our abilities even though we know we are fully competent, questions such as ‘can I manage from a psychological perspective?' In hospitality for example, you have to deal with hotel owners and with the head office, but of course a female can handle this role, there is nothing holding one back except for oneself.

Our company, Carlson Rezidor has started an initiative of empowering women in leadership and it is committed to doubling the number of female leaders by 2016 to changing the paradigms in a male dominated hospitality industry.

SUCCESSFUL WOMEN IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY It is very simple just do what you are best at and go through with it. Don’t get negatively influenced, keep your positive attitude and believe in what you are doing, never give up.

The results will show then, which can prove that you are doing the right thing.

For women who want to come and work in the Middle East, I would advise them to get involved in the country in advance in order to get to know the culture - read a lot about the country in order to see what others have to say.

From a work perspective, I think there are no

big differences between Europe and the Middle East, it’s only important to perform your best.

Again, the culture plays a role, in the Middle East you need to know about Islam, about the religion and dos and don’ts before you move, you have to be prepared. In the Middle East you are working with different nationalities, which isn’t always usual for Europe and for example you have more locals employed.

REACHING A CAREER PEAK IN THE MIDDLE EAST I have been wholly welcomed into the MENA region and also very respected having had no issues with being a female. So I would say it is mostly up to the individuals attitude, you have to accept the culture and not provoke, you can’t bring your own habits from Europe or anywhere else, you have to adapt and be flexible to every new cultural environment.

The peak of my career was when I came to the Middle East, because it was really a challenge for me. There was a debate in our head office in Brussels as to whether they should send a female to the Middle East and after working in Egypt, where I was sent by the head office as a consultant, I felt that I had no issues with the culture, so I requested the CEO at the time, Kurt Ritter, if I could go back to work in Egypt.

I was almost transferred to Taba, I had a signed contract already, but the father of the owner rejected it, because I was a woman.

Another opportunity came up and it was in the UAE, I grabbed it and moved to Dubai, where I opened the Radisson Blu Marina Residence successfully, which made everybody realise that having a female GM in the Middle East is possible and not something to be reckoned with.

From there on I went to Jordan, where I was mostly working with locals, which is different from Dubai, and you are working with international people. These two and half years only proved even more that being a female GM in the Middle East has become the norm.

JULY 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

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Ideal for the outdoors

SUPPLIER FOCUS: OUTDOOR FURNITURE

This month Hotel News ME asks outdoor furniture specialists to discuss the latest design trends, innovations and how eco-friendly materials are shaping the way outdoor furniture is manufactured

Meet the suppliers

CLAUDIA VAN DER WERF, DIRECTOR, DESERT RIVER

IHAB AL SHEIKH, CEO, RATTAN HOUSE

DOUGAN CLARKE, CEO & CHIEF PRODUCT ARCHITECT, TUCCI

CATHY DI SAVINO, MARKETING MANAGER, INTERMETAL LTD

ROLAND CORKO, SALES DIRECTOR, SUN & SHADES PREMIUM OUTDOOR FURNITURE

What are some of the latest trends in the market for outdoor furniture?

PAOLO BESATE, EXPORT SALES MANAGER, FIM UMBRELLAS

CHAFIK KABBEJ, DIRECTOR, MILLENNIUM STUDIO

SLAVA SHIDLOVSKIY, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, KUDOS OUTDOOR FURNITURE

ALISDAIR WILCOX, GENERAL MANAGER, CASUALIFE

Besate: Producing outdoor furniture and finding the ideal combination between the usefulness of the product and a unique design is what people are looking for,

Van der Werf: One of the trends we see is mixing colours, a lot of venues

fun and friendly concepts.

choose a mix of two or three colours to complement their theme/concept.

They start out with a neutral tone for the table (i.e. black, white, grey,

Clarke: A recent trend we’re seeing in hotel design is the blurring of boundaries

beige) and then add chairs in bright and contrasting shades to really

between indoor and outdoor spaces. Designers are incorporating natural elements,

personalise the space.

including greenery walls, large windows for natural light and water features, indoors, while integrating the comfort and extensive amenities found within the

Wilcox: We are seeing a drive towards long lasting durable products with a view

hotel in the outdoor space with features like al fresco dining areas, fully integrated

to a long term investment rather than just getting the hotel open. The other

outdoor kitchens, fireplaces and open-air living rooms.

trend is for uniqueness to the design so either customising a current product to suit the client or producing a design the client submits.

Kabbej: I would say that some of the latest trends in the market available for outdoor furniture are upholstered sofas to give a more comfy feel to the outdoors

Di Savino: Eclectic mixing and matching has emerged into an avant-garde

and dining scene, plus roped and knitted sofas.

trend. Combining furniture pieces made of different materials and textiles is allowing for the creation of unique outdoor spaces for each individual

Al Sheikh: Another trend is the move towards metal materials, which are easy to

property. We are seeing aluminium chairs combined with teakwood dining

maintain, lightweight yet robust, and feature a modern and clean look. With our

tables, rattan loungers mixed with aluminium side tables the possibilities

special protective coating, metal tends to last a lot longer than the traditional wood

are endless.

and plastic materials.

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Corko: We have just launched our latest outdoor furniture collection, Haute

durability and maintenance of real wood. TUUCI has developed a product called

couture 2015. The whole collection was designed in Europe, but with the ‘touch’

“Aluma-TEAK,” a marine-grade, aluminum parasol with a durable veil that gives

of Middle Eastern art and heritage. Designs are highly contemporary, for the most

and authentic look of wood, yet produces a product that is highly engineered and

demanding guest of the five-star properties, the same as our exclusive clients are.

durable.

Shidlovskiy: The latest trends include furniture woven with polyester braid rope,

Wilcox: Teak wood is still popular as ever especially with the resorts along with

a material often seen in the marine environment. Based on our experience, this

belting and fully upholstered furniture doing away with wicker finishes.

material is best suited for European climate and hence, we turned towards glass reinforced plastic, or fibreglass. This material can easily withstand the heat, humidity

Di Savino: There are no rules, mixing vibrant colours and patterns with more

and airborne salinity combined, providing bespoke aesthetics and reliability.

subtle and introverted hues works, for instance, blending the old with new, bold and subtle, stripes with checks, it all works.

What new fabrics and materials are currently in and making a comeback to Besate: For us at FIM we are seeing a sure rise in the demand for products that

the market?

use micromesh fabrics, wood is coming back in for some markets.

Van der Werf: Integrated fabric, instead of added cushions, i.e. the Fermob Costa range is a combination of an aluminium frame with what is known as Outdoor

Al Sheikh: The latest design trends for 2015 call for out-of-the-ordinary combina-

Technical Fabric. Specifically engineered for outdoor use, the material makes cush-

tions such as mixing, contrasting prints such as stripes and floral and mingling

ions redundant. Comfortable to sit on, it is a super-strong, yet lightly woven fabric

bright vivid shades like poppy red and zesty yellow with neutrals like gray and tan.

that is well ventilated and comfortable when sitting for any length of time.

Shidlovskiy: With regards to materials, all weather wicker is still the predominant Clarke: Neutrals remain popular, but this year there has been a huge trend in

choice of outdoor furniture in the hospitality industry, we are slowly seeing the

creating a French Riviera feel. Another huge trend is wood but the challenge is the

demand for lightweight aluminium furniture once again.

INSIDE AND OUTSIDE WE HAVE YOU COVERED

Contract Furniture Manufacturer

Banquet | Restaurant | Conference

“OPERATOR-FRIENDLY EQUIP MENT WITH TILT FACILITIES, AUTOMATION AND UP-TO-TH SECOND MICROPROCESSOR | DISPLAYS Outdoor ARE HELPING LAUN DRY MANAGERS HAVE MORE CONTROL AND DETAILED REPORTS OF THEIR DAILY OPERATIONS” – NAIR

“WE NOW SEE IRONERS AND DRYERS WITH BETTER ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND WASHING MACHINES, WHICH CONSUME LESS WATER AND ENERGY” – GUEDICHI www.intermetal.com Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 8841650 Fax: +9714 8841934 email: sales@intermetal.com JULY 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

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SUPPLIER FOCUS: OUTDOOR FURNITURE

What qualities are hotels now looking for in the furniture that they buy?

Is there more demand for recycled and sustainable materials?

Van der Werf: They require mobility, so light and stackable or foldable furniture

Al Sheikh: At Rattan House, every product has been made keeping the

for ease of setting up and storage and are also looking for durability, as well as

environment in mind. We use 100% recyclable material of the highest quality

items that are scratch and weather resistant. We offer a three-year warranty on our

in the manufacturing process and all our furniture is UV protected. Leading

Fermob contract furniture. All chairs and tables are treated with a special coating

manufacturers provide our world-class synthetic fiber such as Rehau and Viro as

for added protection.

well as our weatherproof outdoor fabric such as Sunbrella, Texsilk and Sunproof.

Al Sheikh: Four things summarise hotel requirements when it comes to outdoor

Di Savino: With greater awareness placed on the environment and the future of it,

furniture: firstly that it be of high quality, secondly is the furniture's durability, but

there is definitely a rise by owners and operators towards responsible procurement

also size and stackability. They also would like good after sales service, and having a

and we are seeing more properties adapting to green practices. Today the process of

reputable company to guarantee the needed services.

procuring takes into consideration environmental and socio-economic issues.

Shidlovskiy: The initial demand for longevity is now no longer the focus with

Van der Werf: Not necessarily for recycled materials, however durability (which

short-term changes in trends and designs, hotels look for simple yet robust

makes it more sustainable as it is long-lasting) is very important. Instead of opting

products for a period of no longer than three years as by then new designs would

for cheap furniture, which is unlikely to last for longer than a season, operators

emerge and change would be inevitable, given the budgets of course.

nowadays focus more on making a high-quality, long-term investment.

Clarke: Hotels need products that are durable, long lasting and can stand up to

What measures do hotels have to take in order to preserve their furniture

the elements and extensive traffic throughout the seasons. Products that have

from the extreme heat, sunshine and often dust storms?

replaceable parts are extremely beneficial and cost effective.

Van der Werf: If the furniture is exposed to a lot of direct sunlight, opt for light Wilcox: Hotels are looking at value for money with a view of a long term purchase

metal materials and specially designed fabrics and choose furniture that can be

and partnership. So are looking for a product that suits their design but has the

easily moved and stored, so that it is protected when not in use and, hence, lasts

durability to last five years plus in this harsh climate.

longer, protective covers are also good measure.

Di Savino: Hoteliers are looking to purchase commercial grade furniture that

Al Sheikh: Some of these measure include, cleaning the furniture regularly, cover

has been tested for strength and durability; products that can withstand the harsh

your furniture, close umbrellas when the weather is stormy.

climate and products from companies that offer after sales support and backed up by product warranties

Wilcox: Casualife constructs all its furniture to suit the harsh climates in the GCC area (GCC specified) so no additional maintenance is need to accommodate the weather. However a comprehensive care and maintenance manual is provided to the customer when we supply.

The Emerald Collection, Pool & Beach from Kudos

Di Savino: Teakwood requires oiling to protect the items against water, wind, heat and cold. Synthetic rattan is a bit more sensitive to the elements and may require furniture covers when not in use. Furniture manufactured in aluminium is one of the easiest to preserve as it requires minimal maintenance and is strong enough to withstand heat, sun, and sandstorms. Cushion covers should be upholstered in weather resistant materials and are best removed when not in use.

Premium Deluxe sun umbrellas from Sun & Shades

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HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

Fermob Bistro family dining set from Desert River

“NEUTRALS REMAIN POPULAR, BUT THIS YEAR THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE TREND IN CREATING A FRENCH RIVIERA FEEL” Monte Carlo, by Intermetal LTD

Besate: We always recommend that clients should use protective covers that we supply for all of our FIM range of products, but it is also important for all outdoor furniture to be serviced and maintained regularly and to close umbrellas in case of

Kabbej: So many factors come into play in order to make furniture safe for use

strong winds.

in hotels, things that should always be taken into consideration is, ddurability, functionality, maintenance free, comfort, no sharp edges and adapted to their own

Clarke: The easiest way to protect furniture from damaging UV radiation, hu-

climate criteria to avoid injury or burns.

midity and water is to shield it from the elements with parasols or pavilions. If hotels are using metal outdoor furniture, an effective shade structure prevents

Clarke: Hotels should ensure that all furniture is in accordance with country

seating from becoming extremely hot and uncomfortable for guests when there

requirements and standards and perform regular safety checks as a protective

is extreme heat and sun. For shade coverings and upholstery it is important

measure should a legal issue ever arise.

to use fade resistant fabrics that are able to withstand years in the sun without losing vibrancy.

What are some of your best sellers and why?

What are three of the most popular outdoor furniture items on the market

Van der Werf: Fatboy original outdoor as it is a stylish, oversized beanbag made

at the moment and why?

of Sunbrella fabric, for outdoor heave-duty use. Fermob Luxembourg chairs and tables, available in 24 colours and made of light- weight aluminium, the chairs are

Van der Werf: Beanbags for outdoor use - for the ultimate lounge feeling, for

stackable, extremely strong and beautifully designed. Fermob Alize sun loungers

sipping sundowners and relaxing with friends. High quality sun loungers and deck

and deck chairs designed by Pascal Mourgue, this collection is a lesson in lightness,

chairs in new materials, as opposed to the traditional wood, plastic or synthetic

which sees an aluminium frame combined with outdoor technical fabric.

wicker materials, high quality dining tables in small sizes, that can easily be placed together to create larger tables when needed – giving you flexibility in set-up.

Corko: Our core products are own production of outdoor furniture made with only the finest raw materials, our upholstery made in Dubai is of the finest foams

Al Sheikh: Living sets and lounges; they turn your outdoor space into an extra

and fabrics. We also do sun umbrellas, with the range of our own Premium Deluxe

room to entertain the guests, dining sets; outdoor outlets are the best place to dine

parasols and with the distribution of Scolaro designed umbrellas, made in Italy and

during nice weather, sun-beds and umbrellas; beaches and swimming pools are

Uhlmann heavy duty high quality umbrellas made in Germany.

major attractions in Hotels.

Di Savino: Our best selling items are the Monte Carlo, Corsica and Santa Fe colDi Savino: Furniture is like fashion, new styles and trends with each changing

lections. All three are manufactured in high-grade durable aluminium, powder

season. At the moment with the rise of ‘chat & chill’ areas we are seeing a trend

coated to the customer’s choice of colour and upholstered in weather resistant

towards versatile sofas, day beds and lounge seating manufactured in aluminium.

fabrics. Aluminium is a cost effective furniture solution as once delivered it is

Items that offer flexible use and that can be used for a multitude of purposes or

virtually maintenance free.

functions are widely sought after.

Al Sheikh: Rattan House has several best selling items, including the following: What safety features should hotels take into consideration before

Clayton corner set: because of it’s flexibility factor, it is like a puzzle you can re-

purchasing and choosing their selected furniture and why are these

arrange it into any set. Round lounge offers a relaxation factor with a canopy and

factors important?

our Hilo Dining Set, everyone likes to dine with style.

Van der Werf: If you choose folding chairs, or furniture with adjustable backrests

Clarke: Our Cantilevers, these parasols are hot items in the market due to the

like sun loungers, make sure the mechanism is safe and easy to operate to prevent

fact that their mast is on the side and does not block views of the table, pools

fingers from getting stuck! Only with good quality and branded furniture can you

or other guests. They are also offered in a wide range of shapes and sizes to fit

be sure that this has been tested properly.

the area, which needs to be shaded.

Pavilions create a luxury statement and provide a shady outdoor room for

Di Savino: Purchasing from a reputable manufacturer with many years of experi-

guests to claim while spending time at the pool. They also offer a way for

ence in the contract furniture market is paramount and to verify to whom the

hotels to build revenue; they can be rented by the hour or day and often times

company has supplied to. The supplier should offer product warranties on all its

with different layers of luxury at an additional cost. MAX products: Large

furniture and should be able to provide after sales support. Basically, there must be

Shade products are an economical solution for properties needing to cover

assurance of the supplier’s capability when procuring products.

large spaces with minimal expenses.

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61

OUTDOOR FURNITURE PRODUCTS

PRODUCTS YOU SHOULD KNOW Showcasing some of the hottest laundry products available to the hospitality sector

Plantation MAX Classic

The Plantation MAX Classic combines the strength of aluminum and stainless steel with the warm look of wood with TUUCI’s exclusive Aluma-TEAK materials offering durability, lowmaintenance and serviceability. tuuci.com | info@tuuci.com

Plantation MAX Cantilever

The Clax Profi forte is based on an effective blend of surfactants, water hardness sequeThe Plantation MAX Cantilever is an oversized parasol with up to 114 Sq ft of shade with an Aluma-TEAK finish and an Armor-Wall Aluminum construction leads to a structure resistant to seaside corrosion. tuuci.com | info@tuuci.com

Capri Lounger

This lounger is manufactured from durable aluminium and powder coated to the customers’ choice of colour, the frame is covered in commercial grade sling fabric that is low maintenance and will hold its colour against extreme UV rays. intermetal.com | sales@intermetal.com

Vienna Living Set

This Vienna Living Set has a frame made of Aluminum and is also powder coated to offer resistance against harsh weather conditions, with the weave being made from rope straps. rattan-house.com | dubai@rattan-house.com

Fermob Alize lounge chair

Bandol

Bandol is manufactured from a fully stain and waterproof polyester fabric with an aluminum frame and quickdryfoam with the pillows being made from acrylic solution dyed fabrics. milleniumstudiofurniture.com | milleniumstudiofurniture@gmail.com

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HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015

This lounger features an aluminium structure and aluminum sheet metal with tearproof outdoor technical fabrics of polyester coated with PVC in a simple or double weave structure. desertriver.com | Hello@ desertriver.com

OUTDOOR FURNITURE: EXPERT VIEW

Outdoor ideals

Basant Kushwaha, director of engineering, Kempinski Hotel Ajman offers his insight on the factors hotels should take into consideration when purchasing outdoor furniture given the often harsh weather conditions in the Gulf COMMON MISTAKES WHEN PURCHASING FURNITURE

Strong wind sun umbrella

Heavy-duty cantilever sun umbrella installed at Intercontinental, Dubai Festival City. These giant umbrellas can withstand a wind speed of around 75-50 km/hrs as the name suggests. sunandshades.com | info@ sunandshades.com

Whilst purchasing new furniture, people usually see the overall look, design and feeling to use, but considering furniture is purchased for long-term use, we need to analyse every aspect of it. There are a few common mistakes that people make, including not verifying the quality of fabric or the stability of the furniture. You should always check whether the fixtures are tempered or not and ensure that accessories like screws, nuts and bolts won’t get rusty when used outdoors.

All furniture should be tested whether it is for outdoor or indoor use. Even a short burst of rain can destroy furniture that isn’t climate proof.

Furniture should be strongly stable. Choice of colour, design and fabric should match with the overall interior décor of the space. This will give rich impressions and motivation to the occupant.

In addition, it is important that the supplier provides after-sale support.

BENEFITS OF CUSTOM-MADE FURNITURE

Custom-made furniture is quite unique, so it makes the owner feel great to have a single item made solely for them. Even though custom-made furniture is slightly more expensive, people prefer to invest in it in order to distinguish their furniture from others. It also gives flexibility to mould your ideas into reality, style your home and get a unique outcome.

When there is unique design in the interior décor, it is highly preferred to have custom-made furniture. The design and shape of the furniture should match with other design elements in the architectural concept. Custom-made furniture provides the option of having proper placement within the desired movement space.

Belt Range

A new concept in exterior furniture, Casualife combined durability and anti-corrosion properties of powder coated aluminium frames to withstand the local climate. casaulife.ae | sales@casualife.ae

CHOOSING THE FURNITURE

Choosing outdoor furniture at Kempinski Hotel Ajman is an extremely challenging task because the weather is unpredictable. The weather in Ajman is usually very humid and we frequently have very high volume wind or sandstorms.

In these condition, the salty sand gets sticky on the furniture, so it is always a cleaning issue. in addition it rusts the metallic accessories. Thus, outdoor furniture should be waterproof or semi-

waterproof and outdoor-grade metallic fixtures and fittings should be coated with powder.

The fabric should be washable on a daily basis and resistant to high temperatures, sunlight and extreme humidity. It should have a stable colour combination so that it will not look faded immediately and should be easy to handle in terms of setting-up.

In the case of five-star properties, furniture is a basic element that’s noticeable to each and every single guest. People like to see the change, as this gives the impression of freshness and liveliness.

Furniture should be either replaced or refurbished at least every five years. The items that are replaced most often during refurbishment are fabrics, furniture, curtains, carpet, wooden floors, sanitary fittings, wallpapers, art and paintings. If the condition of the furniture is still stable and strong, we recommend replacing the fabric and frame colours.

If the furniture is still in good condition but needs a bit of a refreshing, the best way to get a new look out of it is to change the colour by repainting it or simply changing the fabric. It is not a very simple procedure, but it immediately gives it new life!

FURNITURE AT KEMPINSKI HOTEL AJMAN

Being a European luxury brand, we do not compromise quality with any FF&E (movable furniture, fixtures, or other equipment that have no permanent connection to the structure of the building or utilities) at the hotel.

We buy exclusive products that mix with the modern-contemporary design concept of our hotel. The USP of Kempinski Hotel Ajman is definitely its serene white-sand beach, which is one of the best beaches in the UAE and we recently bought the most exclusive furniture items to enhance our beach area, such as umbrellas, day beds, hammocks, circular chill-out beds and big poolside gazebos. As per design concept and availability, we got furniture from Germany, Indonesia, Thailand, China and local markets.

For everyday use, it is important to buy only furniture items that are comfortable, stable, strong, durable, reliable, and of course, that meet your choice of colour and design expectations.

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

4 Corners and Coup de Pates sign new agreement Dubai based organisation 4 Corners has often been referred to as the ‘one stop shop’ and ‘green supply chain’ for the food and beverage industry. Supplying to the Middle East & FMCG client base a wide variety of products, including chilled and fresh produce, dairy, confectionary and snacks to some of the region’s top end hotels and catering companies.

Embarking on its latest partnership, 4 Corners have now struck a deal with Coup de Pates, one of the largest frozen bakery companies in the world, to distribute its products throughout the GCC. To celebrate this new joint venture,

a launch event was held last month at the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management and in attendance was renowned celebrity chef Gary Rhodes alongside Michael Kitts, director of culinary arts at the academy.

Highlights of the evening included live cooking stations and Coup de pates' chefs from France demonstrating 50 out of 1,400 of the leading products from their extensive range including artisan breads, sweet baked goods and savoury items to name a few.

Commenting on the new partnership, Paul Grimes, managing director of 4 Corners, and Christian Robin, export director at Coup de Pates, said, “it was a fairy-tale, we met a few months ago but we talk the same way with the same words.

Paul is talking about service and logistics, and I’m talking about quality and premium, we instantly understood each other. We have trust and once you have trust in a

KOHLER Introduces New Vox Sink Collection Adding to one of its most popular contemporary bathroom collections, Kohler, a leader in kitchen and bath design and technology, is introducing twenty Vox sink models to appeal to a wide range of bathroom styles, dimensions and aesthetics across the UAE and Middle East.

With six countertop models and 14 inset models, the Vox collection makes it easy to find the perfect size and shape. Additionally, the Vox sinks are known for their simple installation – sinks are ground on the rim underside so they rest cleanly and perfectly on the countertop – and easy-to-clean basins with soft slopes and no corners, making them an ideal solution for both residential and commercial hotel development projects. kohler.com

KOHLER Introduces

HOTEL NEWS ME JULY 2015 New Vox Sink Collection

4 Corners and Aryzta sign new agreement

relationship the business will thrive, just like a marriage.”

When asked about the length of the agreement, Grimes explained, “we are tied together because we know it will be success, and if it is success why would we want to part company again.”

Annick Goutal Luxury Hotel Collection

Annick Goutal Luxury Hotel Collection Pacific Direct in partnership with the French perfume House Annick Goutal have launched a new range of luxury amenities, the collection features elegant bottles modelled on the brand’s fragrance flacon. The bathroom amenities range features the brand’s bestselling fragrance Eau d’Hadrien, created in 1981, a concentrate of citrus fruit ripened under the Mediterranean sun is underpinned by the cypress wood and will initially be available in 50ml luxuriously designed clear bottles, accompanied by a 50g boxed soap embossed with the Annick Goutal monogram.

Other sizes such as 30ml and 100ml will be made available on request, as well as a tube format in white, with a gold cap. pacificdirect.co.uk

MARKETPLACE

5 MINUTES WITH...

ROBERT NURGBERG, Director of Marketing, LG, B2B, Middle East & Africa

Can you tell us a little about LG’s B2B products and services?

The Middle East and Africa is a key focus area for us, in general with the world economy as it is right now that is why we are looking to focus on this as a growth sector. We have been growing over the course of the last few years and by launching our showroom here in Dubai as it is the first LG B2B showroom globally.

Can you give an overview of the company?

We look at where the business is, and in an area where there is business we grow and develop products to innovate that market and we talk to our customers and partner to see what they need and then of course we apply our technology that we have inside at LG. We don’t focus on all different business areas, we don’t do cameras and printers, but hotels are a prime focal point for us our QSR Foodservice boards as display solutions for restaurants in hotels.

LG Electronics launches first B2B Showroom LG Electronics has launched their fist regional B2B showroom the LG Business Innovation Center. Located in Shatha Tower Dubai, the center was launched in the presence of Kevin Cha, President, Middle East and Africa Region, and LG Electronics. Designed to showcase the vast array of LG’s leading line of Business-to-Business (B2B) products and solutions, the opening forms part of the company’s on-going commitment to provide innovative vertical business solutions to customers across the region.

Targeted at government and business partners, the showroom has allocated sections that correspond to LG’s key vertical markets including; hospitality, quick service restaurant (QSR), transportation, education, retail, security and corporate. The showroom design sets the scene for customers to enjoy an interactive hands-on experience and also assistance from LG business experts in each vertical in the showroom.

Why did LG decide that it was now right time to open a B2B showroom?

It is a statement to say the least, but we have chosen Middle East and Africa region and we have chosen Dubai to launch our first global B2B showroom, as we are expanding quickly, the market is booming and if you look at how many malls are being built and how many hotels are being built this creates the demand for us to grow and showcase our products.

What would you say that LG offers its clients that other suppliers do not?

We try to come very close to our partners and customers trying to fulfill their needs and we focus on customisation to get the right solution, we also follow up with support it is not just a quick sale for us we are in it for the long haul and we want to build long term relationships.

What would you say is the top product LG supplies to the hospitality industry?

We have products which feature the new web OS and what is increasingly important is that a customer can bring their own content, for example you have your own music or content on your mobile phone and it can be translated onto the hotels TV wirelessly. We also have the Pro: Centric ready televisions which lead the way by enabling guest room television interactivity such as electronic program guides, games, and internet feeds.

What would you say are some of the challenges that LG is facing?

The competition is always a challenge, and also the market as such, we have a big task in helping our customers develop and in educating them to understand the end products value.

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

We see exponential growth, and we are building a strong team in the MENA region, bringing in specialists from Korea when needed with lots of focus on setting up a good foundation for our customers.

Kevin Cha, President, Middle East & Africa Region, LG Electronics (middle)

Slayer coffee machines For the first time, Slayer has built an inventory of machines that are immediately available and ready to ship, Muddle Me is offering the Slayer stock models in all sizes. These Single, 2-, and 3-group machines are assembled by hand alongside other Slayers.

The classic Slayer, comes with black body panels, silver X legs, Peruvian walnut handles and actuators.

All in-stock models are also equipped with pre-brew timers for each grouphead and one hot water tap. The world’s most advanced espresso machine, handmade in the USA, is now available with virtually no lead-time. muddle-me.com info@muddle-me.com

JULY 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME

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LAST WORD

Ladera Resort

WINNER!

Lucky winner, Elaine Nettleton, area public relations, digital communications Middle East and Sub Saharan Africa, Carlson Rezidor won a set of Spiegelau style glasses and flutes by correctly answering ‘who supplies Spiegeau glassware in the UAE’, and is presented her prize by Sharon Black, general manager, Renarte General Trading LLC.

COMPETITION

Room with a view

THIS MONTH’S ROOM WITH A VIEW GOES TO THE PICTURESQUE PARADISE OFFERED BY LADERA RESORT IN ST. LUCIA

Taking full advantage of its natural surroundings located on the UNESCO word heritage site on the Soufriere Volcano, the west side of the entire resort including all 37 suites and villas are left completely open, capturing the ‘open wall’ concept, boasting exquisite views of the Piton Mountains and the Caribbean Sea. This idyllic paradise is set 1,100 feet above sea level offering some of the best views on the island. The resort is situated on Soufriere’s oldest and most famous cocoa plantation and was transformed into the unique resort it is today in 1982.

Ladera embodies all things St. Lucian with an all St. Lucian staff, locally sourced St. Lucian cuisine and all hand crafted furniture made with local hardwoods by Ladera’s very own onsite craftsman.

To be in with a chance of winning this set of x4 Union Victor Glassware highball tumblers, which are handmade in Thailand, simply answer the question below.

‘Union Victor glassware is made in Thailand but who are the distributors 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 gym and leisure facilities, with the focus ranging from gym equipment and fit outs to flooring and wellness.

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

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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