UNLOCKING THE FUTURE OF HOSPITALITY INNOVATION & TRANSFORMATION

THE HOSPITALITY AND INNOVATION SUMMIT 2023, SAUDI ARABIA AND UAE, WHICH TOOK PLACE 15-16 MARCH 2023, FEATURED WORLD-CLASS KEYNOTE SPEAKERS AND ENGAGING PRESENTATIONS BY INDUSTRY LEADERS WHO SHARED VALUABLE INSIGHTS INTO THE KEY OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN THE INDUSTRY.

The Hospitality Innovation Summit, organized by Global Business to Business (GBB), was the perfect platform for finding the right products, right projects, right people, and the right services, with an exclusive pool of project holders, a host of innovative global suppliers, an intelligent matchmaking process, and intriguing knowledgesharing sessions to ensure the event was not only informative but also practical.

In all, there were 70+ suppliers, 120+ buyers, 35+ speakers, 1,000+ meetings, and 800+ minutes of networking. All of this, of course, was fuelled by Vision 2030, arguably the most ambitious project a country has ever undertaken anywhere in the world. Targeting 100 million visitors annually, the hospitality sector is one of the flagbearers of this program, so it came as no surprise that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was the host of this summit, as it has one of the largest pipelines of hotels in the world, worth over $110 billion.

A Stellar Cast

The inaugural address was given by Wahdan Alkadi, Chief Business Officer at the Tourism Development Fund, while the welcome address was presented by Yousuf Lootah, CEO of the Corporate Strategy and Performance Sector at the Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai.

Keynote Presentations were delivered by Cedric Sala (MEA Hotel Segment Sector, Schneider Electric): Net Zero Carbon Hotel –Making Hotels of the Future a Reality Today; Fillipo Sona (Co-owner at Wood Couture): Date and Insights from 1.5 Million Rooms; Antonio Luca Maria Terrana (Head of Urban Design at Luca Dini Design & Architecture): From Yachting to Design – a Unique Value Proposition for Luxury Hotels; Tamer Desouky (Head of Sales at Seagate Ship Building): Live the Ocean Dream; and Justin Wells (CEO, Wells International): Porsche design Hotel – a Race of Luxury Lifestyle.

Training Staff On Technology

During the Hospitality Innovation Summit 2023 panel on ‘Hotel Innovation: How to

Ensure Relevance Today and Tomorrow’, Laurent A Voivenel, Senior Vice President, Operations & Development, EMEA & India, and Senior Vice President, Group Human Resources & Talent Development, SwissBelhotel International, gave one of the most fascinating talks, highlighting the potential benefits and risks of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The panel was moderated by Christopher Lund, Executive Director and Head of Hotels for the MENA region at Colliers International, with other speakers on the panel including Imran Changezi, Development Senior Director of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority; Ian Wilson, Regional Director for Hospitality at The Line, NEOM; and Chadi Hauch, Regional VP Lodging Development ME at Marriott International.

“While AI has emerged as a powerful tool for productivity enhancement through automation and virtual assistance, consumer behavior analysis, and personalization of services, it is important to understand its risks too. Like any technology, it is vulnerable to many dangers, and users must take into account the downside related to data privacy and security breaches, as well as the centralization of power in a few companies. While it presents an opportunity, it also comes with a responsibility,” Laurent said.

Speaking about how hotels can draw in top talent, Laurent explained: “It is undoubtedly becoming extremely challenging to attract and retain the best talent in our industry. To attract top talent, hotels must offer competitive compensation packages with exciting learning and growth opportunities for all-around career development. It is important to provide the right training for employees to learn new skills and stay up to date with the latest trends in the industry to excel in their jobs and achieve the highest guest satisfaction. Last but not

70+ suppliers

120+ buyers 35+ speakers

1,000+ meetings

800+ minutes of networking least, it is necessary to create a positive work culture with a supportive and inclusive environment where employees feel valued.”

One question that arose was whether hotel staff are being trained adequately in the use of technology. “Technology plays an increasingly important role in improving operational efficiency, enhancing the guest experience, and increasing revenue,” Laurent said. “Therefore, it is critical for hotels to train their staff to use technology, but it also depends on the budget provided by owners.

“The training process should begin by assessing the current level of technology proficiency among the staff. This will help the hotel identify areas where training is most needed. Hotels should also ensure that the training provided is ongoing and includes updates on new technology and changes in existing technology. Regular training and refresher courses can help keep staff up to date with the latest advancements and ensure that they can make the most of the technology available to them. Hotels should invest in the right infrastructure to support technology and AI, such as high-speed internet, cloudbased systems, and robust data management systems. This will enable them to leverage technology effectively and efficiently.”

Appreciated By All

The Hospitality and Innovation Summit 2023 was a huge success, with Rui Angelo Sousa, Executive VP of Sales at Gruppo Buoninfante, commenting: “ It was a great event. It was a really great opportunity for us and next year we will be back again for sure.”

Imran Changezi, Development Senior Director at Diriyah Gate Development Authority agreed, saying: "It was a pleasure to be at the Summit. I think what is most unique about the event are the high-quality panelists and the intriguing topics. It makes a nice combination of giving the platform to suppliers and vendors who want to work in the industry.”

Summits are a great opportunity to see how far a company has come, learn what others are working on, and identify where it is necessary to focus attention more closely. The Hospitality and Innovation Summit 2023 provided all of this and much more besides. “This is my third event and every time they surprise us with new companies, new networking sessions and new people, which is valuable to our projects and also gives us a chance to form new networks, “ Samer Ibdah, Director of Engineering at IHG, concludes. “Thank you GBB for your efforts.”

SAUDI CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY GETS A BOOST FROM SAUDI AMANA, TAKING ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO THE 2030 VISION

SAUDI AMANA, ONE OF THE REGION’S MOST INNOVATIVE AND INFLUENTIAL DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTORS, HAS CONSOLIDATED ITS LEADERSHIP IN MODULAR CONSTRUCTION WITH THE OPENING OF A NEW FACTORY IN RABIGH. THE FACTORY IS A RESPONSE TO THE SURGING DEMAND IN THE KINGDOM FOR THE OFF-SITE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES PROVIDED BY ITS SUBSIDIARY COMPANY, DUBOX, WHICH HAVE BECOME VITAL TO THE SUCCESSFUL PROJECT DELIVERY OF SAUDI ARABIA’S RAFT OF AMBITIOUS HOSPITALITY AND ENTERTAINMENT DEVELOPMENTS. DUBOX HAS NOW SHIFTED 85% OF CONSTRUCTION FROM ITS SAUDI GIGAPROJECT SITES, SUCH AS QIDDIYA AND RED SEA GLOBAL’S TOURISM DESTINATIONS, TO ITS RABIGH FACTORY.

First opening its doors for business in 1993, Saudi AMANA has been at the forefront of disrupting the construction sector for three decades, making it faster, safer, greener and smarter by leveraging technology and modular methodologies.

It has continually evolved and expanded over the years, establishing DuBox in 2010 and DuPod in 2020, allowing it to develop a whole portfolio of intelligent solutions and new technologies that have revolutionized the construction industry in the region. Through Saudi AMANA Manufacture, DuBox has delivered 130,000m2 of construction in the Kingdom since 2012 and, over the past three years alone, AMANA Manufacture has also completed in excess of 2,500 pods and designed over 50 units using DuBox and DuPod.

Precision Engineered

Overall, modular construction reduces the need for manpower by up to 30%, with up to 85% of construction being able to be completed off-site in a factory, ensuring stricter quality standards in a controlled environment. Modular buildings can also be constructed within up to 50-70% of the time of a conventional project of comparable size, 50% less construction waste, and up to 70% improved work safety environment.

Hattan Ghazi Nazer, Vice President KSA at Group AMANA said: “AMANA has been a pioneer in adapting modular construction to solve complex challenges, streamline efficiencies and build greener. We are well-positioned to support the country’s Saudization efforts by sourcing materials locally and supporting talent development. We are humbled to be a part of the Kingdom’s marquee projects, deploying modular construction for positive socio-economic and environmental impact.” All of this is of course whilst these building can be easily erected and dismantled making relocation quick and easy.

The economies of scale realized in a factory environment drive significant cost savings in modular construction. DuBox develops, manufactures and assembles complete structures at its Rabigh facility, which spans 70,000m2. It can make 12 modules per day, and the factory has adequate production to assure repeatability, learning, consistency in quality, and volume savings on procurement.

Brings A Whole New Dimension To The World Of Construction

The Rabigh factory not only ensures smoother logistics, ensuring modules reach project sites in record time, but it has also created opportunities to retain and develop Saudi talent. Saudi AMANA is deeply invested in reskilling and upskilling local talent, so as to facilitate the shift from traditional construction to a digitalized manufacturing environment.

Group AMANA delivered a total of 50 projects from January to December 2022, and as projects across the region race to completion, modular construction has emerged as a viable solution. It offers a safer building environment, decreasing the need for manpower and making it an ideal solution for the post-pandemic environment. Modular construction also has far lower wastage rates than an open construction site. Moreover, the final products are easily relocatable, further enabling the client to shift and relocate in sync with market demands.

Ian Williamson, Group Chief Projects Delivery Officer, Red Sea Global, explained: “We selected DuBox based on their innovation and proven track record in delivering prefinished modular units to a very high standard of quality. These capabilities will allow us to provide the residents of our newly constructed town on the Red Sea coast with stand-out accommodation while maintaining our commitment to protecting the environment, even during the construction phase.”

SAUDI