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bq | RETAIL+HOSPITALITY | RETAIL EXPERIENCE
QATAR
A TOUCH OF RETAIL Hotels in the GCC are adding another layer of retail to make the overall experience for the customer unique and more engaging
Photograph: Mohammad Shams
By Shereen D’Souza, Doha
Gone are the days when exciting gift and souvenir shops were a predictable lobby fixture in upscale hotels all over the world. For a great majority of travellers and businessmen, the word “hotel” sparks a number of thoughts like comfortable beds, exceptional service, fancy restaurants and relaxing spas. The hospitality sector however, has turned things around quite a bit. The retail storm that has been hovering around has managed to make its way into hotel offerings and is now become a distinguishing feature of the hospitality sector. As hotels compete with each other for corporate clients and leisure travellers, the retail offering within the hotel is a vital part of the marketing and branding strategies of any hotel brand, as it serves to delight customers. The dynamic hospitality sector in the GCC is vying for international recognition and partnering with unique and luxury brands, while upgrading and expanding their set-ups to accommodate and add retail brands to their families. Hotels are well aware that retailing and hospitality require different levels and types of expertise. For a large number of luxury www.bqdoha.com
retailers, presence at hotels presents unique opportunities for them, especially with the existence of a more specific and defined target market. Cross exposure According to figures released by the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), total visitor arrivals to Qatar grew by 8 percent in the first half of 2014 reaching 1.42 million. More than half a million GCC nationals (536,264) visited Qatar, representing 38 percent of tourists. With the increasing influx of tourists into the GCC countries and a rise in the overall occupancy rates, industry experts predict a substantial growth in luxury and concept stores and boutiques within hotels. In an interview with bq, the Ritz Carlton group of hotels expresses the importance of such collaborations. “Partnering with retail brands external to the hotel is key for us,” says a hotel official. “It gives cross exposure for the hotel as well as the retail brand and that ultimately means cross profitability. The benefits can either be in the branding and marketing department, or purely financial.” The Ritz-Carlton partners with several brands
across different hotels. The Sharq Village and Spa by the Ritz Carlton has a dynamic Souq area, with a variety of brands featured there from designers, jewellery stores, a bank, hair dresser and fragrance stores like Arabian Oud. A visually appealing store or well-known brand entices guests and gives them the opportunity to spend more time and money at the hotel.
Madeleine Olsson, senior spa director MEA, Four Seasons Hotel Doha