Hotel News ME

Dubai projects fast-tracked in Expo lead-up

First & Foremost launches fresh concept

Quality over quantity is new sector mantra

THE NEED FOR SPEED

F&B BOSSESSPEAK OUT

NEW FAMILY BRAND

Filling the void left by a dramatic downturn in Russian and CIS business

MARCH 2015 | WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COMTHE PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

MIND THE GAP

MARCH 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME 3

CONTENTS

hot topics

features

08 | NEWS ROUND UP A SUMMARY OF REGIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

36 | COVER STORY WHAT STEPS HOTELIERS ARE TAKING TO FILL THE GAP LEFT BY THE CIS MARKET

60 | TAKE 10WHAT MAKES A GREAT ENGINEER?

24 | THE PANELA GROUP OF F&B BOSSES DISCUSS QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

44 | DESTINATION FOCUS AN OVERVIEW OF DUBAI'S FAST- TRACKED EVOLUTION

62 | MEET THE EXPERTSHOSPITALITY SPECIALIST VIEWS

36

24

60

44

HOTEL NEWS ME MARCH 20154

interviews

50 | CHAIN FOCUSPROFILING THE HOTEL GROUP'S ACHIEVEMENTS AND FUTURE GOALS

66 | SUPPLIER FOCUSTHE BATHROOM SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

72 | CHRISTOPHE LANDAISDISCUSSES ACCOR'SAMBITIOUS PLANS TO DOUBLE IT'S PORTFOLIO BY 2020

16| MIKE SCULLYREVEALS HIS PLANS TO ROLL OUT A BRAND DEDICATEDTO FAMILIES

CONTENTS

S U B S C R I B E

C O N T R I B U T O R S

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Managing Director Walid Zok

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Director Rabih Najm

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Director Wissam Younane

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Group Publishing DirectorDiarmuid O'Malley

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Sales ManagerCharlotte Ringrose

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Executive Editor Gemma Greenwood

[email protected]

Deputy Editor Sophia Soltani

[email protected]

Art Director Rana Husam Shiblaq

[email protected]

Marketing Executive Mark Anthony Monzon

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16


CHAIN OF THOUGHT...

ON THE REBOUND, HOTELS BOUNCING BACK, LET'S SEE

LOVING THE DRAWINGS, BUT SOMETHING'S MISSING?

OK, I SEE WHERE IT'S GOING...

NOT SURE IF IT CONVEYS THE COVER STORY WELL ENOUGH

GREAT! GOT IT IN ONE, MIND THE GAP, WITH A TWIST

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GEMMA GREENWOODExecutive Editor

SURVIVAL STRATEGIES KICK IN AS RUSSIAN CRISIS DEEPENS AND OIL PRICES TUMBLE

The hotel industry is facing a new wave of challenges in 2015, which threaten occu-pancies and RevPAR in the short- to me-dium-term.

One of the region’s most established and lucrative sources for business and lei-sure tourism, Russia, is suffering in the wake of US- and EU-led sanctions.

Assets are frozen, the rouble has deval-ued and inflation is rocketing; a combina-tion of factors that has put Russian con-sumer and corporate spending on hold.

The UAE in particular is one hotel and hospitality market impacted by this eco-nomic quagmire, with Dubai arguably set to lose out more than most.

To add fuel to the fire, Russians head-ing abroad for winter sun have been opt-ing for value-for-money destinations such as Egypt’s Red Sea resorts, leaving Gulf cities searching for alternative business.

Another market in decline is the CIS, led by the Ukraine where civil war has all but thwarted the population’s ability to venture overseas.

Hotels UAE-wide are reporting a signif-icant decline in business from what a year ago was one of the region’s strongest emerging markets for tourism.

Of course, given the Gulf’s advanta-geous geographical location, whereby two-thirds of the world’s population lives within an eight-hour flight of the region and one third lives within a four-hour flight, the opportunities to fill beds left empty by Russian and CIS visitors are plentiful.

And current and potential tourists and

corporate travellers continue to be lured to the GCC by investment in leisure and business infrastructure, the massive growth of the aviation industry and mega events such as the upcoming World Expo 2020.

That said, there are a number of other hurdles hoteliers must overcome in the immediate future.

Most industry experts agree that between now and 2017, hotel supply will outstrip demand, putting downward pressure on occupancies and revenues.

If there are no major market shocks over the next few years, the equilibrium will return in a relatively short time frame.

However, the biggest worry is the long-er-term impact of low oil prices. With oil revenues accounting for a major propor-tion of Middle East government budgets, a decline in profit will most likely thwart public spending.

This could lead to many infrastructure projects being put on hold if other invest-ment sources are not found to make up for the shortfall.

These peaks and troughs are unavoida-ble, but the hotel industry must once again adapt and evolve its business devel-opment strategy to take into account all eventualities.

AVOIDING A 2015 SLUMP

Hotel-News-ME-March-2015.indd 1 2/23/15 5:17 PM


Hotel industry buoyed by ME government initiatives

71%

200%

WHO SAID THAT?

“EGYPT IS AN

APPEALING

DESTINATION AND

PEOPLE ARE EAGER TO

CONSUME AGAIN AND

INVEST IN THE

MARKET; THERE ARE

SIGNS CONFIDENCE IN

THE MARKET IS

RETURNING"

MARK WILLIS, AREA

VICE PRESIDENT

MIDDLE EAST &

SUB-SAHARAN

AFRICA, THE REZIDOR

HOTEL GROUP

THE PERCENTAGE OF INFRASTRUCTURE

INVESTMENT DEDICATED TO

TOURISM PROJECTS IN LEBANON (SOURCE:

ARANCA)

THE Y-O-Y INCREASE IN TOURISM REVENUES

FOR CAIRO IN AUGUST 2014 (SOURCE:

ARANCA)

GO FIGURE

100

A raft of government initiatives designed to boost tourism and off-set the negative impact of regional pockets of instability, have been wel-comed by the hotel industry.

Hoteliers and industry analysts say the growth of the hospitality sector, even in recently beleaguered markets, is being supported by investment in infrastructure and a surge in promo-tional activity.

Egypt stands out as one of the most proactive mar-kets says Prabir Chetia, associate vice president at research firm Aranca.

“Government and pub-lic authorities have worked extensively to strengthen relation-ships with travel firms regionally and internationally,” he says. “Plus travel bans have been lifted, allowing key feeder markets to return to Egypt.

“The country’s effort to diversify the target market by attracting more tourists from Asian growth markets, such as India and China is also likely to contribute to drive demand.”

Mark Willis, area vice president Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa, The Rezidor Hotel Group, confirms Egypt is one of the region’s “most positive stories”, with occupancy rates rocketing from 20 to 80% in the last half of 2014 – “a sure sign business is returning”.

“The Egyptian government [now] needs to position the destination again and capitalise on the draw of

classic and Nile tours, Luxor and the Giza Pyramids in order to bring back traditional markets like the UK, France, Italy, Germany and the USA,” he says.

Willis and Chetia pinpoint Leba-non as another market where relative stability combined with government initiatives are paying dividends for the travel and hospitality sector.

“The strategy of governments and tourism organisations is to highlight the country’s divers product offering and promote it as a multi-purpose destination,” says Willis.

“Beirut’s occupancy towards the end of last year increased by 40% over the first quarter and this upward trend has continued, with RevPAR on the rise too.”

Chetia notes the destination’s ef-forts to attract religious tourism with the tourism authorities releasing a film and book to promote Leba-non’s Christian and Muslim holy sites.

He says the wider Mid-dle East is set to benefit from the improved economic and political circumstances in former crisis-hit countries such as Egypt, Lebanon and also, in Bahrain.

“It will not only result in more Gulf tourists travelling intra-region-ally, but improve international visitor sentiment in favour of the Middle East as a destination,” he argues.

REGIONAL NEWS

NEWS

"THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT [NOW] NEEDS TO POSITION THE

DESTINATION AGAIN "

THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES NOW

ELIGIBLE FOR A VISA ON ARRIVAL IN

BAHRAIN (SOURCE: ARANCA)


REGIONAL NEWS

204mn 122.8

WHO SAID THAT?

“IT IS TOO EARLY TO

EVALUATE THE FULL

IMPACT OF

CRASHING ROUBLE

AND RUSSIAN

ECONOMY ON THE

TOURISM SECTOR

IN THE UAE”

LAURENT A.

VOIVENEL, CEO,

HMH – HOSPITAL-

ITY MANAGEMENT

HOLDINGS

THE AMOUNT

SECURED IN AED BY R

HOLDING/R HOTELS

FOR THE DEVELOP-

MENT OF ITS NEW

PALM JUMEIRAH

PROPERTY

THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE FOR

THIRD-QUARTER OCCUPANCY GROWTH

IN THE CAIRO HOTEL MARKET

(SOURCE: STR GLOBAL)

GO FIGURE CAIRO OCCUPANCY GROWTH

1,550

Meliá Hotels International has announced two hotel firsts for the Gulf.

The Spanish hotel brand has revealed plans to open one of three properties under its new “urban brand”, Innside by Meliá, in the UAE - Innside Dubai will feature 125 rooms. The other two will open in the UK; Innside Glasgow and Innside Birmingham

The firm also recently opened the doors to its second property of three planned for the Gulf.

Meliá Doha is the Qatari capital’s first five-star Spanish property.

Located in the West Bay district, it fea-tures 280 rooms and 37 suites plus three restaurants including award-winning Signa-ture by contemporary Indian chef Sanjeev Kapoor, marking the outlet's Doha debut.

The Meliá portfolio comprises 378 hotels with 100 more in the pipeline, located in emerging markets in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.

All eyes on Cairo as occupancies bounce back

Cairo reported 122.8% occupancy growth in Q3, 2014, indicating re-newed consumer confidence in the tourism destination, according to STR Global Middle East area director Philip Wooller. "However, occupancy was still below 50% at 46.6%, so there is still some growth to be had before it reaches pre-crisis levels," he noted.

Meliá discloses two hotel firsts for the Gulf

Jumeirah Group signs first Venu on Bluewaters IslandJumeirah Group has inked a deal with Meraas Holding to manage its first Venu property on Blue-waters Island.

The debut of the hospitality firm’s new lifestyle hotel brand will operate under the Venu Living brand and is expected to open in 2017.

Venu Bluewaters Island will comprise around 300 rooms plus 119 serviced apartments.

The property will boast ex-tensive beachfront access, a wide range of restaurant and bar op-tions, a spa, plus conference and meeting facilities.

Bluewaters Island is a Meraas Holding mixed-use development currently under construction off the coast of Dubai. When

completed it will be home to the world’s largest Ferris wheel.

“Meraas Holding is a respect-ed developer with a bold vision and we are proud to bring our unique hotel experience to Blue-waters Island,” said Jumeirah Group president and CEO.

“Opening our first lifestyle Venu hotel is a significant mile-stone for the Jumeirah Group and an exciting achievement to-wards our goals for expansion.”

Meraas Holding chief hospi-tality officer Cherif Hosny said the partnership with Jumeirah for Venu hotel was "is in line with our objective to grow our portfolio in the hospitality sector to cater to the 20 million pro-jected tourists".

THE NUMBER OF ROOMS ADDED TO

ABU DHABI'S HOTEL MARKET IN 2014

(SOURCE: JLL MENA)


Lactalis Dairy Products and Trading (Middle East) LLC Email: [email protected] - Tel: +971 4 3623025

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J

CM

MJ

CJ

CMJ

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Annonce beurre PDT feuillete 203x273mm HD.pdf 1 03/02/2015 10:21


REGIONAL NEWS - SPOTLIGHT ON SAUDI ARABIA

Hoteliers confirm confidence in KSA prospectsSome of the world’s biggest hotel groups have re-confirmed their com-mitment to aggressive expansion plans in Saudi Arabia.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Hilton Worldwide, Moven-pick Hotels & Resorts and Rezidor are just some of the big names forg-ing ahead with hotel openings be-tween 2015 and 2017.

“Saudi Arabia remains one of our strongest markets in the region,” said IHG’s chief operating officer for In-dia and MEA, Pascal Gauvin.

“We operate 24 hotels in Saudi Arabia today, with nine new proper-ties in the pipeline. “

This year IHG will open Hotel Indigo Riyadh King Abdullah Fi-nancial District, marking the Middle East debut of this boutique brand.

Gauvin said IHG was also well placed to cash in on the kingdom’s burgeoning religious tourism market with visitor numbers from this sector expected to hit five million this year.

“In response, 2016 will see the

opening of Holiday Inn Makkah – the largest Holiday Inn hotel in the world with 1,238 rooms,” he said.

“Domestic tourism is expected to account for 640 million nights by 2019 and we are ready to cater to this growth with the opening of Crowne Plaza Riyadh ITCC this year.”

Meanwhile, Hilton Worldwide has 23 hotels planned for Saudi Ara-bia – its largest pipeline in the Mid-dle East.

The hospitality firm most recently announced a new Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Yanbu City, marking the seventh property to open under this midscale brand in the kingdom.

Expected for completion in early 2017, the new-build will be devel-oped in the Red Sea port city featur-ing 239 rooms.

“KSA’s hotel market continues to perform strongly and 2014 saw Hilton Worldwide open two new properties – Hilton Makkah and DoubleTree by Hilton Dhahran,” said Christian Grage, vice president

of operations, Arabian Peninsula, Hilton Worldwide.

“The Hajj season and business tourism continue to drive growth as Saudi looks to diversify its economy into new industries, with the hospi-tality sector playing a major role.”

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is also setting its sights on KSA expan-sion, recently signing a deal to man-age the 270-key Mövenpick Resi-dences Al Khobar, scheduled to open in 2016.

Taking into account 2015 open-ings of properties in Riyadh and Jeddah, the company will boost its Saudi Arabia portfolio by one-third, from nine to 12 properties by the end of next year.

Rezidor is quick off the mark too, revealing plans to open the Radisson Blu Hotel & Residences Jeddah Gate in the first quarter of 2018.

The property will feature 302 rooms and 150 service apartments and represents the group’s eight pro-ject in Jeddah.

13,397

WHO SAID THAT?

“THE NUMBER OF PILGRIMS EXPECTED TO

VISIT THE KINGDOM IS SET TO REACH FIVE MILLION THIS

YEAR, PRESENT-ING A GREAT

OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TO

GROW OUR FOOTPRINT IN

THE COUNTRY”PASCAL

GAUVIN, CHIEF OPERATING

OFFICER, INDIA & MEA, IHG

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HOTEL KEYS IN

RIYADH AT THE END OF 2014

(SOURCE: JLL HOTEL MARKET OVERVIEW,

Q4, 2014)

THE Y-O-Y DECLINE IN RIYADH'S ADR IN NOVEMBER 2014;

FROM $254 TO $237 (SOURCE: STR

GLOBAL)

GO FIGURE

7 %


WORLD NEWS

1 million

10,000WHO SAID THAT?

“IN 2014 ALONE,

MARRIOTT SIGNED

AGREEMENTS FOR

MORE THAN 650

HOTELS AND

100,000 ROOMS TO

BE ADDED TO ITS

WORLDWIDE

SYSTEM OVER THE

NEXT FEW YEARS,

A SIGNING PACE OF

NEARLY TWO NEW

HOTEL DEALS A

DAY”

ARNE SORENSON,

PRESIDENT AND

CEO, MARRIOTT

THE NUMBER OF

MARRIOTT ROOMS IN

OPERATION OR

PIPELINED BY THE

END OF 2015

THE NUMBER OF EXHIBITORS ANTICIPATED

AT THIS YEAR'S ITB BERLIN TRAVEL TRADE

SHOW, WHICH TAKES PLACE FROM MARCH

4-8, WITH 190 COUNTRIES REPRESENTED

GO FIGURE

67%

ITB Berlin has identified the Middle East as one of its key growth markets for exhibitors.

“Demand for places from the Arab states has been extremely high and un-able to be fulfilled in every case; halls 5.2a and 5.2b were booked up at an early stage,” said an ITB statement.

“Iran is becoming increasing popu-lar as a tourism destination and for the first time has its own Hall (7.2a).”

Asia is another growth market for the show, with Bangladesh and Gilgit-Baltistan, a hiking destination in Paki-stan, attending the event (March 4-8) for the first time.

Relais & Châteaux CEO Jean-François Ferret talks to Skift.com about the future of the guest experience, the evolving expecta-tions and demands of hotel guests and the group's strict culinary admission standards.

ME key growth market for ITB

“Cuisine is really our specialty and there is no competition around this. We have 328 Michelin Stars in our family, which is really unmatched”

IHG reveals 'Trust Capital' trendA 2015 trends report by In-terContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has revealed a blueprint organisations can follow to build trust amongst different consum-er demographics.

The ‘Building Trust Capital: The new business imperative in the Kinship Economy’ report identifies a transition from brand experiences to brand relation-ships in the hospitality sector.

“As we look around us, there are so many shifts taking place. In a digital, 24/7 world, where personalisation is increasing and consumers have a new definition of value, the trust that people have in both brands and the or-ganisation behind them is more important than ever,” said IHG CEO Richard Solomons.

“Our research has shown that building ‘Trust Capital’ plays a critical role in delivering sus-tainable, high quality revenue growth. To build trust, organisa-tions must ensure they adopt a trust agenda, focus on personali-sation whilst being aware of the boundaries and develop a deep understanding of how guest needs are changing by demo-graphic and by geography.”

The report identifies two key consumer groups with very dif-ferent travel preferences and desires: Boomers (born 1946-1964), who look for brand rela-tionships that go smoothly with no hitches or glitches and Mil-lennials (born 1982-2000, who prefer close, experiential relation-ships with brands.

OF BOOMERS PREFER TO CALL A HOTEL AND SPEAK WITH

‘REAL’ PEOPLE(SOURCE: IHG

REPORT)

“Trust Capital’ plays a critical role in delivering sustainable, high quality revenue growth”


FACE TO FACE

Mike Scully, managing director of First & Foremost Hospitality, reveals his plans to roll out the world’s first and only brand dedicated to families

FACE TO FACE

MIKE SCULLY

It’s very likely you know or have met Mike Scully – the larger than life South African hospitality professional who spent more than 20 years working in the Middle East’s hotel sector.

He is perhaps best known for manag-ing two of Dubai’s leading luxury family resorts, the Westin and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi, which he developed into leisure and entertainment destinations in their own right.

But now Scully has set his sights on roll-ing out an entirely new and unique hospi-tality concept that he firmly believes could

take the region – and eventually, the world – by storm.

As founder and managing director of hotel group start up, First & Foremost Hospitality, Scully is launching a brand dedicated to families, with the first prop-erties to open in the Gulf over the next few years.

To make it possible, Scully has teamed up with a company already excelling in this field with properties in Central Eu-rope, Mayer Family Hotels.

The group operates 56 top-end family hotels and resorts and is considered the

global pioneer of family properties and va-cations. Its existing resorts currently oper-ate at 95% average occupancy, 30% above the average in the Austrian hotel market, with an impressive repeat guest rate of 72%, such is this unique proposition’s popularity with the family leisure market.

First & Foremost Family Hotels has also joined forces with professional golfer Er-nie Els to launch the business venture.

Speaking at the recent Dubai launch of the concept, Els told media and guests he believed there was a “huge market for family hotels” and that First & Foremost

Mayer Family Hotels – key features

•World’sfirstandonlybrandfullydedicatedtofamilieswithkidsandaspecialfocusonbabiesandtoddlers

•Everyhotelsuitehasseparatekids’bedrooms,babymonitoringdevicesandotherrelevantequipment

•Coretotheconceptisakids’clubwith30registeredchildmindersavailable14hoursaday,sevendaysaweek,acrossfiveagegroups

•Kidsfacilitiesandservicesincludeindoorandoutdoorplayareas,softplay,acinema,theatre,on-siteskifacilities,watersplashareas,sportsfacilities,swimminglessons

•Offersaholidaywiththechildren,butawayfromthechildrenandall-daydiningrestaurant

FAMILY FIRST


Hospitality could “fill a gap” by providing a concept that’s “better than what’s out there already”.

Investment potential aside, Els also has a philanthropic interest in the venture, driven by personal circumstances.

Both Els and Scully have children who are on the autism spectrum and in a world first, they have vowed to build in an au-tism-friendly aspect into the family hotels they develop.

At first this will mean two or three rooms adapted to suit the needs of families with autistic children.

However, in the longer term, the prop-erties aim to draw on the expertise of the Els Centre of Excellence, which is being built in the US under the guidance of the Els for Autism Foundation. This will mean hotels atering to autistic guests with specialist facilities, services and dietary re-quirements.

“We don’t want to sell ourselves as a ho-tel for autistic people but we will have fa-cilities available for autistic kids,” explains Els. “The concept of a family hotel chain makes sense to me.”

Scully describes the collaboration with Els and Mayer Family Hotels as a “dream partnership”. Here he explains why:

Why is now the right time to launch a family hotels concept in the Middle East?Most of the world is currently reaping the benefits of low oil prices, which is reduc-ing the price of fuel and cost of living in our key source markets, Europe and US. It should drive more tourism business to the region and in general.

Add to that strong growth in family tourism and there is a gap in the market for fully inclusive family hotels. The Middle East needs what we have. It’s a very family-orientated market and will at-tract domestic, regional and international guests. We also have 350,000 guests who stay at Mayer Family Hotels already and they have told us they want a beach al-ternative in the sun. GCC guests like the concept too and have said they want some-thing closer to home.

Where will you launch your first prop-erty and when?I’d certainly like to open a property in Dubai, given I spent 20 years working in the hotel industry here, plus the UAE and other Gulf states including Saudi Arabia.

FACE TO FACE

DEFINING GUEST EXPERIENCE SINCE 1942DEFINING GUEST EXPERIENCE SINCE 1942

www.northmace.com

Dubai (Stockist):+971 4 420 2667Cairo:+202 225744966Amman:+962 6 4783 251Email:[email protected]

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FACE TO FACE

the hotel industry here, plus the UAE and other Gulf states including Saudi Arabia. We are also speaking to potential partners for a property in Egypt and ultimately, we would like to take the concept worldwide. We believe it would work exceptionally well in the US.

What makes these hotels different?We focus on fully inclusive family hotels and resorts. The 56 hotels in Europe do very well and we feel we can export the brand here, catering to families looking for a hotel where all family members can be looked after.

The properties include purpose-built annexes within the room for the young children; a crèche for the babies and tod-dlers with nurses and fully trained carers; mini water parks; plus a theatre for kids’

productions. All these facilities make us quite unique and add substantial value to the property through RevPAR.

So what’s the business case for opening family properties here?There is a huge amount of hotel inventory coming online and properties without a point of difference will struggle, particular-ly when so many rooms are booked online through OTAs. The phenomenon of ‘air and B&B’ (whereby travellers book their flight and room online themselves) plus peer-to-peer selling is making it difficult for properties that don’t have unique sell-ing points to stand out. However, we are almost exempt from these factors because we are unique. Around 99% of bookings made at the family hotels in Europe are direct, which demonstrates the strength of

the family product in a world taken over by OTAs. Obviously we respect the OTAs, we need them and will be happy to work with them but we are in a good position in a world where everyone’s objective is to get direct bookings and avoid paying commis-sion. These properties also enjoy fantastic occupancies and most, double-digit ROI.

How will you ensure you get the right staff on board?Fortunately we have the big advantage of 56 hotels in Europe with fully trained staff and the best teams in the world. Mayer has its own training academy so we can tap into this expertise. Another key objective is to be a leading employer of autistic adults. We will also encourage our suppliers and partners to take on the responsibility of employing them too.

“AROUND 99% OF BOOKINGS MADE AT THE HOTELS IN EUROPE ARE DIRECT, WHICH DEMONSTRATES THE STRENGTH OF THE FAMILY

PRODUCT IN A WORLD TAKEN OVER BY OTAS”

Vital statistics(For Mayer Family Hotels)

95%averageoccupancy–30% morethantheAustrianaverage

72%repeatguestrate

Iweekminimumstay

350,000familiesinthedatabase-whostay2.8timesperyear

82% ofguestsareself-employed

(L TO R) MIKE SCULLY, ERNIE ELS AND FLORIAN MAYER, DIRECTOR, MAYER HOTELS


With Accor’s plans to double its portfolio by 2020, Christophe Landais, chief operating officer, Middle East explains how this ambitious target will make headway across the region

MID-SCALE HOTELS

How many hotels do you currently oper-ate in the UAE and how well are these properties performing?We recently reached a key milestone in the Middle East of 100 hotels in operation or under development, which breaks down as 66 opened hotels, with a total of more than 16,000 rooms, and 34 under development.

These hotels are spread across 10 coun-tries with a total of over 24,500 rooms, open and being developed which under-lines our status as one of the largest hotel groups in the Middle East.

In the UAE specifically, we operate 26 hotels with over 7,000 rooms and have five hotels under development, bring-ing the total number of rooms to nearly 9,000, spanning from economy to luxury brands. Our economy segment includes ibis and ibis Budget, whilst our midscale brands are Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mer-cure and Adagio Aparthotels. Our upscale offering consists of Pullman and MGal-lery, with Sofitel being our luxury brand.

Our hotels performed very well in 2014, and in particular at the end of June 2014, our occupancy levels are still extremely strong and we expect this to continue for the remainder of the year. We are also see-ing solid occupancy in our new Adagio Aparthotels hotels that opened in Fujai-rah, Abu Dhabi and Doha. Our Adagio Aparthotels Al Barsha in Dubai will open shortly and we are confident that there will be sufficient demand here too.

What are the key factors driving occupancies at your properties and what are your key source markets for business and why?In addition to Dubai’s Vision 2020, key factors driving demand and occupancy at our properties include the increased con-nectivity we have experienced and are still witnessing in the region in the form of more airline connections. The Emirates and Qantas partnership brings arrivals to the region from East Asia and Australia in particular. The expansion

of interregional airlines such as Air Ara-bia and Fly Dubai also contributes to in-creased traffic and demand for hospitality and hotel infrastructure.

In Qatar, ahead of the World Cup 2022, approximately 60,000 - 80,000 rooms are needed, with the current number less than 20,000. There is a need to develop the in-frastructure, with or without the World Cup, and in particular, three and four star hotels. Accor is committed to work-ing with the authorities to help meet this demand.

You have announced plans to target 30,000 rooms in the Middle East by 2020, why is now the right time to be opening more properties in the UAE?There are several factors why we be-lieve now is the right time to be open-ing properties in the UAE and Middle Eastern region. The UAE in particu-lar is a five-star destination, so there is a natural requirement for upscale and luxury brands, which we are increasingly

FULL STEAM AHEAD

CHRISTOPHE LANDAIS, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, ACCOR, MIDDLE EAST

100 HOTELS IN OPERATION

OR UNDER DEVELOPMENT66 O

PENED H

OTELS

ACCOR’S PORTFOLIO

16,000 RO

OM

S

34 UNDER DEVELOPMENT

26

HO

TELS IN THE UAE

MID-SCALE HOTELS

“ACCOR’S AMBITIOUS DECISION TO DOUBLE THE SIZE OF OUR OPERATIONS WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE DYNAMIC GROWTH TAKING PLACE IN THE REGION

AND OUR COMMITMENT TO DOUBLE IN SIZE BY 2020 IS A BOLD STATEMENT OF OUR CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF THE REGION”

servicing with our Pullman, MGallery and Sofitel brands.

There is also rising demand for the de-velopment of more three and four star hotels, particularly in light of Dubai’s Vi-sion 2020 and the city’s growing status as a global leisure, trade and financial hub.

As a worldwide and regional leader in the midscale and economy segments, Ac-cor is well-positioned to help meet the need for three star brands with its ibis, ibis Budget and four star brands with No-votel, Suite Novotel, Mercure and Adagio Aparthotels in Dubai – and has led the

pack, operating ibis and Novotel hotels in Dubai since 2003.

This new target is almost doubling the Accor portfolio, how do you plan on making these projects a success, and at present, what are the top priorities for this project? Accor’s ambitious decision to double the size of our operations was in response to the dynamic growth taking place in the region and our commitment to double in size by 2020 is a bold statement of our confidence in the future of the region.

Our success depends on the support of our valued partners who work closely with our experienced and localized teams here in our three offices in Dubai, Jeddah and Cairo, and the strength of our portfolio of brands that continue to deliver opera-tional excellence and compelling returns.

Can you provide details of the new properties?The new properties will comprise of many of our brands, including ibis and ibis Budget, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, Adagio Aparthotels, Pullman, MGallery


MID-SCALE HOTELS

and Sofitel, in various locations around the Middle East where we already have a presence. More details will be unveiled in due course.

What happens from 2020 onwards in terms of your ongoing expansion strategy? Our strategy of expanding aggressively through select developments tailored to each market location, in partnership with leading regional investors, has delivered outstanding results so far, and we will continue to build on this over the com-ing years.

As a result of the Expo 2020, we are

seeing increased demand for hotels in the region, but this is in conjunction with a number of other factors. We see strong growth potential given that there are on average only two rooms per 1000 inhab-itants in the Middle East, compared to 10 and above in more matured markets. Across all our segments, from economy to luxury, we are seeing rising demand for the development of more hotels, and expect this to continue.

Accor represents mid-scale brands, what potential is there for this type of property in the region?Accor caters for all market segments from

luxury to economy brands depending on the market demand. Back in early 2000, we noticed a lack of supply but increasing demand for economy and midscale hotels in the region, and hence developed this market segment.

This strategy proved successful and we are now the regional market leader in the economy and midscale segments, helping to meet the growing demand for three and four star hotels in the Middle East. This is driven by factors such as Dubai Vision 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and Saudi Arabia’s target to attract 20 million visitors – all of which increase the need for affordable yet comfortable accommodation.

“THE EMIRATES AND QANTAS PARTNERSHIP BRINGS ARRIVALS TO THE REGION FROM EAST ASIA AND AUSTRALIA IN PARTICULAR. THE EXPANSION OF INTER-REGIONAL AIRLINES SUCH AS AIR ARABIA AND FLY DUBAI ALSO CONTRIBUTES

TO INCREASED TRAFFIC AND DEMAND FOR HOSPITALITY AND HOTEL INFRASTRUCTURE”

IBISMALL OF

THE EMIRATES


THE PANEL

MONICA METZGER, F&B OPERATIONS

MANAGER, THE WESTIN, DUBAI MARINA

JUSTIN GALEA, DIRECTOR OF F&B,

LE ROYAL MERIDIEN, ABU DHABI

CONOR O' LEARY, DIRECTOR OF F&B,

GRAND HYATT, DUBAI

SUBARNA THAPA,FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGER,

DUSIT THANIDUBAI

This month, Hotel News ME in association with Rikan General Trading, gathered a group of F&B professionals at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina to discuss how the rise of independent restaurants are challenging the F&B outlets within hotels more than ever and what the professionals within these outlets are doing to secure their place in the dining scene across the region.

How much of the hotels revenue would you say comes from the F&B outlets and why?

Metzger: Personally speaking we have 14 restaurants and bars, with one as a major bar and contributes quite significantly to our revenue, so these outlets are just as im-portant as the rooms are. So in our case, I would say around 40%, obviously we put a lot of emphasis on keeping the F&B out-lets up-to-date, but it is safe to say that the rooms don’t always necessarily contribute to the revenue within the F&B outlets as we have a large following of people who come to the hotel just for the restaurants

and especially the brunches we offer here at the Westin.

Thapa: I think in terms of revenue, when you compare how much a room brings in compared to an F&B outlet within the hotel, it depends largely on what type of hotel you are running and I completely understand the resort aspect, but for ex-ample, when you go to a business hotel like ours and you have five or six dining options within the property the percent-age of the food and beverage revenue can equate to around 30-35% maximum be-cause this is a different platform in terms of the hotels positioning due to it being a

business kind of hotel, so a resort always comes a little stronger with their F&B rev-enue intake.

Galea: Well we are a business hotel, and our dining outlets amount to at least 50% of our revenue, if you talk about capture rate and you look at the Middle East as a region compared to anywhere else in the world, F&B is very, very strong, and it is driven by one thing, beverage.

Beverage drives F&B in the Middle East, competition is rough and trying to focus on your capture rate is paramount to your success trying to get the proper con-cepts in, venues that do not compete with

Hotel News ME gathered a group of F&B managers and directors to discuss how having less restaurants within a hotel makes more sense than ever, and the ways in which standalone restaurants are posing challenges never seen before within the industry WORDS SOPHIA SOLTANI

REINVENTING STRATEGIES

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

The Hoteliers


THE PANEL

The Hoteliers

KHALED SHAWESH, DIRECTOR OF F&B, PULLMAN HOTEL,

JUMEIRAH LAKES TOWERS

IVAN LEON, F&B MANAGER,

JUMEIRAH ZABEEL SARAY, DUBAI

DAVID NUENEMANN, DIRECTOR OF F&B, KEMPINSKI HOTEL,

MALL OF THE EMIRATES

each other and create USPs within your hotel, this drives the revenue. I say this as an ex executive chef, so instead of spend-ing three days in the kitchen preparing one dish that generates 75DHS as opposed to opening a beverage that produces 50DHS per serving, you have to look at the facts and see where your revenue is coming from. So when you look at beverage driv-en venues, their revenue is higher, their la-bour costs are lower and their productivity is higher, so as far as revenue goes, it allows an outlet to compete with room revenue to a certain degree.

O’Leary: I think it is changing a bit, I’ve

spent a lot of time in London and in the UK, and there people spend as much time as possible trying to avoid eating in the restaurants within hotels, whereas here you don’t really have a choice as far as licensed venues go. But now the mar-ket is beginning to change, and you have the likes of Pier 7 popping up and DIFC upping its game, so our strategy going forward is to certainly look at having less F&B outlets within our hotel, we have 12 that we run and one that we lease, and I don’t think that this model will continue to run with so many licensed outside and stand alone venues popping up. So overall our F&B outlets generate around 30% of

our revenue and our banquets add on an-other 20%.

Leon: I would say for us it is slightly dif-ferent being located on the Palm, so we have quite a large hotel which is a slight distance away from other outlets, which benefits us as it encourages our guests to dine in-house and I would say the F&B outlets account for approximately 50% of our overall revenue. We have ten different outlets, I also agree with O’Leary that the model of having so many different restau-rants in one hotel will begin to fade out due to the competition, at present we have 10 and it works in our favour.

“WE ARE A BUSINESS HOTEL, AND OUR DINING OUTLETS AMOUNT TO AT LEAST 50% OF OUR REVENUE, IF YOU TALK ABOUT CAPTURE

RATE AND YOU LOOK AT THE MIDDLE EAST AS A REGION COMPARED TO ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD, F&B IS VERY, VERY

STRONG, AND IT IS DRIVEN BY ONE THING, BEVERAGE” – GALEA

IN ASSOCIATION WITH


THE PANEL

Apart from decreasing the amount of restaurants within a hotel, what other challenges are faced and how can they be overcome?

O’Leary: The quality is changing drasti-cally I think that it was enough just to have the outlets for a long time and now you have some great concepts arriving some great operators setting up it forces the quality to increase, so this links can also lead to the downsizing of outlets. By reducing the number of restaurants you can focus more on the quality of the few you do have.

Leon: For example, we have a Turkish restaurant and when we opened there were only around 2 or 3 Turkish restau-rants in the whole city, now you go to Jumeirah Beach there are about twenty.

So people are looking for new outlets and new concepts, in the city there are

also new areas that people are talking about and DIFC is one of them, DIFC is coming up stronger than ever. So trying to fill 200-300 covers within the hotel is getting a bit more challenging.

Metzger: I think the challenge that we have in Dubai is that we are living in a city that is literally growing under our feet, which is something that you don’t get in other countries as they have been established for hundreds of years. I have been here for 8 years in Dubai, and when I first arrived you didn’t have any other choice but to dine in a hotel restaurant if you wanted to go out and socialise, and previously people didn’t trust the small independent outlets based on the quality, so everyone was very cautious, you didn’t know if the quality was going to justify the risk of not knowing what you were going to get, but now it is a complete-ly different case, the smaller outlets are

becoming more favourable, even if they don’t serve alcoholic beverages they have really secured their place within the mar-ket as small, independent stand alones. Additionally, people are also becoming more cost conscious, so the mentality has changed drastically, why does someone want to spend 100DHS on a pizza in our Italian when they can buy four pizzas at that price from a standalone.

Galea: For me it is about quality and creating USPs within your venue, but moving away from food halls and creat-ing boutique restaurants, concentrating on average check quality, creating a feel in your venues which makes you feel that you are not actually in a hotel, I think that none of us actually like eating in ho-tel venues and we all strive as operators not to have a hotel feel in our restaurants yet we are all guilty of doing it in one form or another.

“THE MARKET IS BEGINNING TO CHANGE, AND YOU HAVE THE LIKES OF PIER 7 POPPING UP AND DIFC UPPING ITS GAME, SO OUR STRATEGY GOING FORWARD IS TO CERTAINLY LOOK AT HAVING LESS F&B OUTLETS WITHIN OUR HOTEL” – O’LEARY

Left to right:Galea, thapa,

Shawesh, Metzger

IN ASSOCIATION WITH


THE PANEL

If you look at Abu Dhabi as a market for the population and tourism, it is com-pletely oversaturated as a market and we as hoteliers then over saturate our hotels with venues. It is also about looking at concepts that don’t clash and don’t com-pete. Am I a fan of 10 venues, I am and I’m not, so I don’t believe that if you have 10 venues, that all 10 should be open for lunch and for dinner, then what you are able to do is offer variety, control your costs, and your labour, plus you are able to ferry your guests and your sleepers into where they should be dining. Then that allows you the scope of having a multi-dimensional F&B structure, but it is con-trolled and that is what we are trying to do in 2015.

Shawesh: I agree, because the saturation within your dining outlets also has a sig-nificant amount to do with your location. For example, we just opened up Pullman Hotel in JLT.

Now the business within that area is lunch, so after 6 to 7pm you hardly see anyone walking around that area unless you are lucky enough to be located in a residential area of JLT it is unlikely you will attract a mass of people in to eat around dinner time.

So it is a completely valid point to say that not every F&B outlet within your hotel should be open for both lunch and dinner, due to our location we are trying to push business lunches and beverage driven revenue in the evenings.

Nuenemann: To add another challenge to the table, as a hotel based around a mall [Kempinski Mall of the Emirates] and of course a couple of years ago this area was less developed, there were not many other hotels around and so we were the lucky ones being attached to the mall and at that time it was a huge advantage. We were driving people in from the mall into our restaurants, they were easily ac-cessible without much competition, now things have drastically changed and we now have serious competition especially with the new three and four star hotels popping up around the area, they are also providing good F&B with the liquor li-cence, therefore we have really adjusted our F&B to focus more on quality as you

“SOCIAL MEDIA HAS TAKEN HOLD OF SOCIETY, SO AS AN F&B MANAGER OR AN F&B DIRECTOR YOU HAVE TO SUDDENLY CON-

SIDER A BAD REVIEW ON TRIP ADVISOR, NOT JUST FOR THE HOTEL BUT FOR YOUR RESTAURANT TOO” – THAPA

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

The F&B managers respond to the input of the group

Leon engages in conversation with Nuenemann and O'Leary

THE PANEL

you cannot compete with everybody, this is an impossible task considering there are more tan 100 outlets within the mall now. So here with us, the key lies that we are driv-ing the revenue forward with our beverage selection.

Having touched upon the challenges, how would you say the F&B industry has changed over the past five years across the region?

Nuenemann: Most definitely the standards in quality has changed, clients are getting more demanding and other outlets are be-coming more competitive, so what we see in Europe, is people are not in the habit of going to a hotel just for a restaurant except

for a super famous chef that is making an ap-pearance and this culture is starting to latch on in Dubai, especially with the freestanding restaurants popping up across the region.

Leon: I would say that there has been a move to more branded restaurants, consumers are becoming more aware as to what brands are out there and they identify themselves with-in a category of restaurant.

Metzger: We must also be mindful and ad-dress the fact that Dubai is very much about the newest, the biggest and the best outlets in town. The whole culture and society is built upon appearances, the latest trends and being so new, Dubai is still adapting to its own self. One of the advantages that the

standalone restaurants benefit from that we, as hoteliers do not, is that there has never been a premeditated standard to adhere to. They have the flexibility of creating their own identity. Additionally, they also have unlimited capital from the investors so they are able to build a restaurant to appear overly attractive in appearances and focus on the aesthetic look of it but not necessary focus on the refinement of the service or quality of the food, so this alone pushes people through the doors of their restaurants. The problem that we then have from a hotel restaurants perspective is that we do not always have the capital to renew ourselves or do something different because we are tied from so many different angles.

“DIFC IS COMING UP STRONGER THAN EVER. SO TRYING TO FILL 200-300 COVERS WITHIN THE HOTEL IS GETTING

A BIT MORE CHALLENGING” – LEON

IN ASSOCIATION WITH


Galea: The pressure has most definitely increased over the past five years, in rela-tion to the fact that an independent outlet does not need to worry about upsetting its guest as much as we do within our out-lets, this is because the critics can often be guests within the hotel and upsetting them can be detrimental to bookings which can subsequently lead to a revenue decrease from other parts of your hotel.

Another key factor that has changed the industry is pop culture in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, it is almost like Japan in the 80’s except now whatever is hot for the next 38 seconds and is up on Instagram or trend-ing on Twitter has to be looked at and taken seriously within the F&B outlets in our hotels.

Nuenemann: We could also learn a lot from the independent restaurants, but as Monica also mentioned, we don’t always have the luxury of throwing money into a quirky concept or refurbishing so our F&B outlets are also somewhat of an amenity within the hotels, as what you generate from rooms you can also gen-erate from your dining options, so they can balance each other out, but this also means that whatever revenue comes in from your restaurants do not always stay within your restaurants.

This then hosts the problem of staff, as the pressure is often more intense within a hotel, and so when the revenue is split between sectors of the hotel, we cannot always afford to offer extortionate salaries to our staff, so the independent restau-rants come in, offer them double and we are left at a loss once again.

The majority of good staff that you find in the independent restaurants have been trained and refined within hotels, the main reason the staff move on is due to pay.

Thapa: There are many more restrictions for hotels now as opposed to five years ago, legislation has changed the scope and direction of the outlets, and also so-cial media has taken hold of society, so as an F&B manager or an F&B director you have to suddenly consider a bad review on Trip Advisor, not just for the hotel but for your restaurant too.

We must keep up to date with trends and train our staff better in order to ser-vice our guests to the highest standard possible and this can often stretch your resources hence the high turnover of staff within the hospitality sector.

Shawesh: Restaurants have to be well maintained for sure, but not always refur-bished, if it has been good for a set amount of years, don’t change it if it works and that is what people are expecting.

How often does a restaurant need to be refurbished or reinvented to stay fresh within the competition?

O’Leary: Depending on how good it already is, for example so many restau-

rants haven’t been changed or touched for over 20 years plus, because the outlet rep-resents everything it is supposed to and that is the experience that the customer is expecting to receive. On the other hand you have restaurants that open within a year and then find it necessary to try and reinvent themselves or so to speak refresh themselves within the market having only been around for 12 months or so.

Galea: I think that you have to be very careful with regards to change. If you have a concept that has created its own brand and you have an existing following, for the want of refurbishing you can actually do damage to your venue.

We have an Irish pub, which was the first Irish pub in Abu Dhabi and by no means is it in line with the rest of the ho-tel and that’s putting it politely.

Now this Irish pub has outperformed four newly opened restaurants within the hotel and has it own cult following, going to prove an F&B venue within a hotel can build its own brand and be a strong brand at that without having to fabricate on the foundations of glossy interiors.

THE PANEL

“NOT EVERY F&B OUTLET WITHIN YOUR HOTEL SHOULD BE OPEN FOR BOTH LUNCH AND DINNER, DUE TO OUR LOCATION WE ARE TRYING TO PUSH BUSINESS LUNCHES AND BEVERAGE DRIVEN

REVENUE IN THE EVENINGS” – SHAWESH

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Rikan distributes

gift bags at the end of the

discussion


THE PANEL

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THE PANEL

Firm foundations Mark Griffiths, senior vice president, regional operations for Middle East & Africa, Kempinski Hotels, talks to Sophia Soltani about the trials and tribulations of a 25-year long career within the hospitality industry

WHAT SETS US APART

With over 25 years experience in the hospitality industry, how did you tran-sition between asset management to senior management roles?I worked in operations for the majority of those 25 years, but the time I spent on the asset management side was time well spent in preparation for a larger role in regional operations.

As an asset manager with operations experience I was able to see where hotels could realistically improve profitability from first-hand knowledge, and not by just crunching numbers.

Stepping back into the operator’s side with the asset management perspective works in much the same way. Having that kind of insight into the expectations

of our various owners and asset managers enables me to manage those relationships well and to better support the GMs. What would you consider to be your greatest achievements within the his-tory of your career and why?One of my greatest achievements would be working together with the team at Le Meridien Nirwana Golf & Spa Resort to break even when business dropped over 80% following the Bali bombing in 2002. The whole team pulled together and took a pay cut to ensure that no one lost their job. The team spirit, inven-tiveness of the team, and hard work by everyone was a truly amazing time and achievement for all of us.

MARK GRIFFITHS, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, REGIONAL OPERATIONS FOR MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA KEMPINSKI HOTELS

WHAT SETS US APART

Firm foundations

WHAT SETS US APART

Kempinski recently unveiled its new Beijing property, at present, what would you say there is room for expan-sion within the UAE and Africa? If so, what are Kempinski’s plans to grow?Kempinski is expanding all over the world. Over the next few years we are opening hotels in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

In the Middle East and Africa we have hotels coming up in Ghana, Oman, Egypt, Lebanon, KSA, and three more in the UAE, and Kempinski has a variety of new openings in the pipeline for 2015 including, the Royal Maxim Palace Kem-pinski in New Cairo, Egypt, Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden, Germany, Kempin-ski Hotel Gold Coast City, Accra, Ghana,

Kempinski Hotel Harbin Harbin, China, Kempinski Hotel Summerland, Beirut, Lebanon, Kempinski Al Othman Hotel, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia and Kempinski Hotel Nusa Dua, Bali in Indonesia What factors would you credit the suc-cess of your career to and why?Throughout my career I’ve always looked for ways to make improvements at work, either in my department, or at the hotel in general. It’s easy to just show up at work every day and do your job, but to go beyond just doing your job well and take the initiative to see what can be changed, enhanced, or even eliminated, to make a positive impact on our business is a qual-ity I admire in others too.

Hospitality is a business that can get weighed down by its traditions. It has served me well in my career to continu-ally look for opportunities to improve the way I work and the way my teams work in order to drive success and profitabil-ity. We create our own opportunities, and if you don’t take time to look for them, you’ll miss out on them. What would you say differentiates you from other senior vice presidents in the region? There is some serious talent in hospital-ity in this region because it’s been such an important area of growth for many brands. Kempinski has a strong portfo-lio of hotels in this region and we only


“WE CREATE OUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES, AND IF YOU DON’T TAKE TIME TO LOOK FOR THEM, YOU’LL MISS OUT ON THEM”

for ways to make improvements at work, either in my department, or at the hotel in general. It’s easy to just show up at work every day and do your job, but to go be-yond just doing your job well and take the initiative to see what can be changed, enhanced, or even eliminated, to make a positive impact on our business is a quality I admire in others too.

Hospitality is a business that can get weighed down by its traditions. It has served me well in my career to continually look for opportunities to improve the way I work and the way my teams work in or-der to drive success and profitabil-ity. We cre-ate our own opportuni-ties, and if you don’t take time to look for them, you’ll miss out on them. What would you say differentiates you from other senior vice presidents in the region? There is some serious talent in hospitality in this region because it’s been such an im-portant area of growth for many brands. Kempinski has a strong portfolio of hotels in this region and we only have one brand, so unlike many of the multi-brand compa-nies with hotels in the five-star market, I

can focus on helping our hotels deliver the luxury product and service that Kempin-ski is known for. And of course my experi-ence on both the owner’s and operators’ side of the business differentiates me from some of my peers who have come from an exclusively operational background, or an exclusively asset management background.

What advice would you give to yourself about the hospitality industry if you could go back to the start of your career?Hospitality is a people business and man-aging stakeholder relationships well is the

key to success in this industry. Whether that is managing guests, em-

ployees, suppliers or owners, it will serve you well to be flexible and polite, to de-velop good communication and listening skills, to be adept at problem solving and negotiation, and the most important tool to have is a great sense of humor. In your opinion, what would you sug-gest are your strongest points as a senior vice president and why?I’ve worked as a GM in a variety of

hotels in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Understanding the owner’s side of the business is also a plus for someone in my role. Owners need to work with some-one they trust just as much as the GMs. Working with great leaders and having the opportunity to lead my own teams in diverse settings gave me the kind of first-hand experience necessary to excel in this role. Who has been your biggest inspiration within the hospitality industry?Bernard Lambert, former CEO of Le

Meridien Ho-tels and Re-sorts, he truly has a gift for leading and connecting

with others, which is why he was able to rise in the ranks of Le Meridien and become CEO. How would your employees describe you?I’m actually pretty new to the Kempinski team, but I think they would describe me as hardworking and fair, which is what I expect from them.

I’m a family man and believe in main-taining a healthy work-life balance, which can often be challenge in the hospitality industry.

WHAT SETS US APART


WHAT SETS US APART

GRIFFITHSFACTFILE

OVERSEES KEMPINSKI’S NINETEEN OPERATING HOTELS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

JOINED KEMPINSKI IN NOVEMBER 2014

GRIFFITHS HAS MORE THAN 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN HOSPITALITY

HAS WORKED WITH LE MERIDIEN AND JUMEIRAH IN EUROPE

EMIRATES PALACE, KEMPINSKI HOTELS, ABU DHABI

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

MIND THE GAP

COVER STORY

As hotel guest numbers from Russia and the CIS countries plummet, Gemma Greenwood looks at what steps hoteliers are taking to fill the void


COVER STORY

Tumbling oil prices, civil war in the Ukraine and the subsequent US- and EU-led sanctions on Russia have crippled one of the Middle East’s biggest source markets for hotel guests and hos-pitality property investment.

Russia’s trading position is severely compro-mised; its assets are frozen, inflation is rocketing and the value of the rouble has diminished.

Neighbouring CIS countries, a once burgeon-ing source market for tourism to the Gulf, are feeling the pinch too, plus war-torn Ukraine is in a state of crisis.

It spells bad news for the Middle East’s tour-ism and hospitality sector, which for the past decade has witnessed strong visitor growth and high spend from Russia and the CIS

Russia is one of the UAE’s top 10 inbound tourism markets, but hoteliers are already wit-nessing significant declines in business from a

country where spend on both leisure and cor-porate travel has been stifled.

“The collapse of the rouble and the plunging of Russia’s economy towards recession has put pressure on hotels in the Middle East, which are struggling to find ways of keeping the flow of business from this key tourism market,” con-firms Prabir Chetia, the associate vice president

of research firm Aranca.“The Middle East has become a popular des-

tination for Russian visitors, with Egypt and the UAE welcoming the highest numbers of Rus-sian tourists to the region. In light of the chang-ing economic landscape in Russia, the hospi-tality and travel industry is seeing an overall reduction in outbound travel from this market.”

However, the current low oil prices (to below US$60 per barrel), while thwarting revenues for Middle East economies heavily reliant on this

sector, accounting for more than 70% of some annual government budgets, could help drive tourism benefits, says Chetia.

“Lower oil prices will enable airlines to re-duce ticket prices, boosting travel to Middle East countries,” he argues.

However, STR Global’s Middle East area director, Philip Wooller, says the oil price de-

cline could create financial challenges across the Middle East and Russia with knock-on effects for the hotel sector.

“Some of the region’s larger projects may be put on hold, which could impact certain aspects of the hotel business,” he argues.

“[But] the economic situation in Russia is [definitely] an issue for Middle East hoteliers,” he says. “Russian visitors are very important to the region, particularly the UAE; they spend a lot of money and tend to stay at luxury hotels.”

“LOWER OIL PRICES WILL ENABLE AIRLINES TO REDUCE TICKET PRICES, BOOSTING TRAVEL TO MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES”

The hoteliers

WYNDHAM HOTEL GROUP: BANI HADDAD,

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, MIDDLE EAST

AND AFRICA

KEMPINSKI HOTELS: AVSAR KOC, REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING - INDIA,

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

PREMIER INN: DARROCH CRAWFORD, MANAGING DIRECTOR PREMIER INN HOTELS LLC AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT PREMIER

INN MEA

CITYMAX HOTELS: RUSSEL SHARPE, CHIEF

OPERATING OFFICER

HMH – HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

HOLDINGS: LAURENT A. VOIVENEL, CEO


RESPONSIBLE BUSINESSCOVER STORY

“THE COLLAPSE OF THE ROUBLE AND THE PLUNGING OF RUSSIA’S ECONOMY TOWARDS RECESSION HAS PUT PRESSURE ON HOTELS

IN THE MIDDLE EAST”

If the value of the rouble remains low and the political situation in Russia is not resolved quickly, the region’s hotel sector will bear the brunt, he adds.

However, some destinations in the region could benefit from the situation in Russia, with Egypt’s Red Sea resorts luring the country’s middle class travellers with discounted packages and all-inclusive deals, according to TRI Hospi-tality Consultancy, Middle East.

“Russian tourists could be reconsidering their trips to more expensive destinations, such

as Dubai, and travelling to more value-driven destinations like Sharm [El Sheikh],” the firm’s senior consultant, Rashid Aboobacker, recently told the media.

Average Dubai beach hotel rates are currently a staggering six times the price of Red Sea re-sorts, which is driving up occupancies in the latter.

Dubai and the northern emirates are likely to be two of the biggest casualties of misfortunes in Russia and the Ukraine.

Dubai’s tourism figures for 2014 and a mar-

ket-by-market breakdown had not been released at time of press, but Dubai International Air-port revealed a 18.2% downturn in passenger traffic from Russia and the CIS in November 2014, compared to November 2013.

However, this was offset by increased traffic from emerging markets with Eastern Europe topping the list with a 54.1% year-on-year hike in passenger numbers, spurred by growth from Budapest, Prague and Warsaw.

South America and Asia were the second big-gest growth markets respectively.

RUSSIA IS ONE OF THE UAE’S TOP 10 INBOUND TOURISM MARKETS

How has your hotel business been impacted by sanctions on Russia?

Haddad: It depends on the individual property, but bookings from Russia are down by around 35% at some hotels. This appears to be slightly better than declines experienced by large tour operators and travel agents bringing inbound tourism from Russia to the market.

Koc: “In our high-end luxury segment, most of our clientele keep their savings in foreign cur-rencies like the euro, dollar and pound so they are not necessarily affected by the depreciation of the ruble. However, mass-market destina-tions like Egypt, Spain and Turkey have suffered because all government employees were urged to spent their winter vacations in Russia. Some of our hotels in this region have experienced a decrease in Russian business since October, but properties like Emirates Palace have seen slight increases. News that some Russian travel

companies have faced financial difficulties and shut down their operations has made people nervous. This hasn’t been the case for our con-tracted operators, but it has pushed everyone to limit their financial exposure in Russia by using pre-payments.

Crawford: We attract little Russian or CIS busi-ness but we are aware the top-end and budget sectors seem to have been impacted the most. It seems Russian visitors filled rooms at the two extremes of the industry and, fortunately for Premier Inn, much less so in the mid market.Sharpe: We have noticed a 25% drop in Russian business, with Citymax Hotels Bur Dubai most impacted.

Voivenel: The Russian Federation is the world’s 5th largest outbound travel market and a top source market for the UAE from September to June, so we are naturally seeing a big drop in tourists from the country as visitors stay away

or cut down spending. The rouble has dropped nearly 40% against the US dollar since the start of 2014 as Western sanctions over [hostilities in] Ukraine have hit the Russian economy. Ow-ing to the currency peg between the UAE dir-ham and the dollar, the fall in the rouble trans-lates directly to reduced spending power in the UAE. Western sanctions have also affected the credit facilities of big Russian tour operators.

What has been the impact on business from the emerging CIS market?

Haddad: “CIS guest numbers are down approx-imately 15%. Declines are most pronounced from the Ukraine (around 65%). In 2013, there were as many Ukrainian arrivals as there were arrivals from all other CIS countries combined (excluding Russia). Now they number around 40% to 45% of the total arrivals from other CIS countries (excluding Russia). For the Wyndham Hotel Group, the impact is limited to the UAE

BOOKINGS FROM RUSSIA ARE DOWN BY AROUND

35% AT SOME WYNDHAM GROUP ME HOTELSBUSINESS


RUSSIA IS ONE OF THE UAE’S TOP 10 INBOUND TOURISM MARKETS

COVER STORY

“IT DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY, BUT BOOKINGS FROM RUSSIA ARE DOWN BY AROUND 35% AT SOME HOTELS”

THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION IS THE WORLD’S 5TH LARGEST OUTBOUND

18.2% YEAR-ON-YEAR DOWNTURN IN PASSENGER TRAFFIC FROM RUSSIA AND THE CIS IN NOVEMBER 2014 (DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT)


RESPONSIBLE BUSINESSCOVER STORY

and price-sensitive leisure travellers is the seg-ment most affected; this is evident at Ramada hotels in Sharjah and Ajman. In Dubai, the number of Russian guests has dropped 15% versus 2013.

There is a possibility that Turkey, where Wyndham Hotel Group is the market leader, will be affected in the summer months if the situation remains as is.

Koc: We don’t have the figures for Kazakh-stan, Azerbaijan and other CIS destinations.

Sharpe: We began to feel the drop-off [from this market] during summer 2014 and it has progressed quickly since then. This has im-pacted hotels across the UAE and we have had to drop rates.

Voivenel: Tourist numbers from CIS coun-tries are down 15 to 35% in the northern emirates.

How have you adapted your sales and mar-

keting strategy in light of declines in Russian and CIS business?

Haddad: The UAE already benefits from diver-sified feeder markets and sectors and the drop in Russian and CIS visitors sharpens our focus on developing new markets such as China and India.

Koc: For hotels where the Russian market is a leading producer we are pursuing markets in Europe and the GCC while continuing our push into China, India, Brazil, Scandinavia and Nigeria as part of our long-term business devel-opment strategy.

Crawford: We haven’t experienced a drop off in business, quite the reverse in fact, although we are aware demand softened overall in Dubai in the second half of 2014. But we’re never com-placent and continually fine-tune our business mix to maximise RevPAR.

Sharpe: We have realigned our strategy to target

OIL PRICES ARE TUMBLING TO BELOW US$60 PER BARREL

CITYMAX HOTELS HAS WITNESSED A

25%DROP IN RUSSIAN BUSINESS

OIL REVENUES ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN

70% OF SOME ANNUAL ME GOVERNMENT BUDGETS

group and FIT business in new and expand-ing markets such as India, Australia and the Far East.

Voivenel: Business from emerging source markets such as India, China and Africa has helped to boost occupancies but not at the same rate as the CIS market and ARRs and RevPAR have been diluted.

What do you believe will be the impact of the Russian crisis on your group and the in-dustry in general in 2015?

Haddad: The price sensitive sector of leisure market is likely to be affected in Sharjah and Ajman as the Egyptian Red Sea resorts are back on the market with very competitive of-fers.

Koc: Kempinski maintains a rate over volume strategy and would rather invest in marketing

and distribution to reach new clients than dis-count. However, I do expect some operators to use this tactic to capture leisure business, particularly all-inclusive hotels and resorts.

Crawford: We are not predicting any major impact, just a slight slow-down in growth in Dubai this year.

Sharpe: We have to be confident in our prod-ucts and avoid dropping our rates significantly, but we are also mindful of destinations such as Egypt and Turkey promoting themselves heav-ily in the European markets and Thailand, offering very competitive pricing.

Voivenel: The CIS is an important source market for Sharjah and Ajman but we have a replaced this with business from a diverse range of destinations. It has given us the op-portunity to look at markets such as the GCC, India and China and we performed far better

in Q4, 2014, based on this strategy.

How will falling oil prices impact the re-gion’s hotel industry?

Haddad: We do not anticipate a major impact in 2015 but if the oil prices remain at that level for several months it could reduce public spending and affect the region’s economy. That would more likely impact 2016.

Koc: When oil-producing countries cut down their investment in oil exploration, drilling, etc. this impacts the number of business travel-lers staying at hotels in the region. Diminished oil revenues could also result in fewer govern-ment-funded projects, but so far, in the case of [oil producer] Saudi Arabia, increased invest-ment is planned for 2015. We have certainly not seen a drop in guests from KSA at any of our properties. I don’t see any airlines cutting down fares yet.

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OIL PRICES ARE TUMBLING TO BELOW US$60 PER BARREL

CITYMAX HOTELS HAS WITNESSED A

25%DROP IN RUSSIAN BUSINESS

OIL REVENUES ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN

70% OF SOME ANNUAL ME GOVERNMENT BUDGETS

COVER STORY

AJMAN SEEKS CIS REPLACEMENTS

Ajman is one destination feeling the pinch from a decline in CIS business, which until H2, 2014, was one of its fastest-growing markets.

But hoteliers in the burgeoning emir-ate have been quick to execute strategies to compensate.

“Ramada Ajman has entered into many new markets to offset the decline in CIS guests,” confirms Iftikhar Hamdani, clus-ter general manager, Ramada Hotel and Suites Ajman and Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman.

“We compensated with German and Turkish business, plus the corporate and sports segments, and to date, this strat-egy is working well. Occupancy at both hotels was 100% for the last quarter of 2014, and 2015 is very promising.”

He says Ajman beach hotels were “heavily dependent on the CIS market” and were suffering given its decline.

“To tackle this issue, we are also fo-cusing on Eastern Europe, particularly, Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Po-land and Bosnia,” Hamdani continues.

“Until now, the GCC market has been ignored due to high occupancies, but now we are focusing on Oman. In Octo-ber, 50% of all GCC guests were Oma-nis. The local market is good for weekend business and has contributed 15% of our total occupancy year to date.”

Many Ajman properties are targeting Asia’s new wave of middle class travellers to offset CIS declines, including The Aj-man Palace Hotel, managed by HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings.

“There is sufficient business out there across the different segments to sustain existing and upcoming hotels, but we will have to work very hard for it as we are competing with top destinations,” notes general manager Ferghal Purcell.

“As feeder markets, the GCC, UK, Germany as well as other Western coun-tries, plus India and China hold strong potential for us and we will be tapping into these further.”

Crawford: We are viewing this as a potentially bigger issue for the industry than the Russian/CIS situation.

If oil prices remain low for a sustained pe-riod, the region will witness a slow-down in investment, and a reduction in general spend-ing will follow.

Premier Inn hotels attract custom from all over the world, so we are less exposed than other, but GCC business will be impacted.

Sharpe: One could argue air fares will come down and bring more business, but falling oil prices are not good for the Gulf government coffers that fund public spending.

Voivenel: We do not expect any major impact on intra-regional business.

However, Russian and CIS visitors to the UAE have dropped considerably due to falling oil prices and the weakening rouble.

INDIA AND CHINA HOLD “STRONG POTENTIAL” FOR THE AJMAN PALACE HOTEL.

“IF OIL PRICES REMAIN LOW FOR A SUSTAINED PERIOD, THE REGION WILL WITNESS A SLOW-DOWN

IN INVESTMENT”

HOTEL NEWS ME MARCH 201544 HOTEL NEWS ME FEBRUARY 201544

THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS

Dubai’s evolution is being fast-tracked in the run up to the World Expo 2020 with mega projects worth more than US$240 billion under construction

DESTINATION FOCUS: DUBAI

FEBRUARY 2015 HOTEL NEWS ME 45

NEW DEVELOPMENTSAl Maktoum International, Dubai World Central: The new airport will accommodate more than 200 million passengers annually when fully operational in the mid 2020s after Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum endorsed an AED 120 billion (US$32 billion) expansion project.

World Expo 2020 site, Dubai Trade Centre – Jebel Ali: Construction of the 438-hectare DTC site, set out in the Dubai Expo 2020 Master Plan, starts this year and will include a 150-hectare Expo area and a surrounding residential, hospitality and logistics zone. When completed in 2019, the site will have capacity for 300,000 visitors.

Mohammed Bin Rashid City: One of the emirate’s most ambitious developments to date, this ‘city with-in a city’ will feature a large water park, Universal Stu-dios theme park, a mega mall and 100 hotels when it is completed in 2022.

Al Habtoor City: This AED 11 billion (US$3 billion) metropolis will be completed by 2017 and feature the Middle East’s first standalone theatre, the world’s first Bentley Café and three five-star hotels. It is expected to attract 20,000 visitors daily and up to 7.3 million annually once fully operational.

Dubai Trade Centre District (DTCD): The con-struction of the Dubai Trade Centre District (DTCD)

is underway – a 146,000-square-metre development located between Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre (DICEC) and Emirates Tow-ers with the initial phase encompassing offices and a 588-room business hotel, scheduled for completion in Q3, 2015.

Dubai Design District: Also known as d3, Dubai Design District is a purpose-built community dedicated to promoting and nurturing emerging local talent.

In addition to housing design studios, office spaces, ateliers and workshops, d3 will also offer resi-dential, convention and F&B spaces, plus boutique hotels along a waterfront promenade.

NEW ATTRACTIONSLEGOLAND Dubai: Merlin Entertainments has teamed up with Dubai Parks & Resorts Limited (part of Meraas Holdings) to open the region’s first LEGOLAND Park in the Middle East, located in Jebel Ali and scheduled for completion in 2016.

Dubai Safari: Set to open this year, the 120-hectare safari park near will boast a zoo, butterfly park, bo-tanical garden and golf course.

IMG Worlds of Adventure: A theme park fea-turing the Marvel Universe, the Cartoon Network Zone and several additional entertainment zones, located in Dubailand.

Dubai Opera House: Shaped like a traditional sail-ing vessel, this iconic building will feature a theatre with 2,000 seats.

Bluewaters Island: A 210-metre Dubai Eye Ferris wheel, inspired by the UK capital’s London Eye, will be the focal point of this island project.


7.8% INCREASE IN SUPPLY

IN 2014

5.7%INC

REASE IN DEM

AND IN 2014

10,969 NUM

BER OF RO

OM

S UNDER

C

ONSTRUC

TION

NUMBER OF ROOMS UNDER CONTRACT

22,332

HOTEL DATA



Quran Park: Located in Al Khawaneej, this park will be designed with the Holy book of the Qu’ran in mind featuring many of the 54 plants mentioned in the text, plus a special Islamic gar-den, children’s play areas, an Umrah corner, out-door theatre and fountains.

Madinat Jumeirah Phase 4: The established Arabian-themed Madinat Jumeirah development is being expanded (phase four) to the tune of S$700 million to include another five-star prop-erty, a villa complex, restaurants and retail outlets

Dubai Frame: Opening soon, this structure, re-sembling a huge picture frame, will be an iconic centrepiece within Dubai’s Zabeel Park and fea-ture a viewing gallery boasting city views.

NEW RETAIL DEVELOPMENTSMall of the World: Part of the world’s first tem-perature-controlled city being built on Sheikh Zayed Road, this mall will stake its claim as the world’s largest shopping mall – four times the size of the current record-holder, Dubai Mall. It will also boast the world’s largest theme park, a cov-ered street-shopping concept and 100 hotels.

Akoya Drive: Pitched as the Rodeo Drive of the Dubai, Akoya Drive is a 1.3-km strip featuring shops, an outdoor cinema, ice-skating rink and kids entertainment areas. It is part of the Akoya by Damac golf community.

Nakheel Mall: Located on The Palm Jumeirah, this mall will offer five retail levels, a nine-screen cinema, medical centre, fitness complex and a rooftop plaza with fine-dining options. Adjacent to the mall, The Palm Tower will house a five-star 50-storey hotel and residential complex.

MARKET ANALYSISThe International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts Dubai’s economic growth will average around 5.6% over the next six years, driven by large real estate projects and huge spend on infrastructure related to the World Expo 2020.In fact ten mega projects worth a whopping US$240 billion are set for completion over the next 16 years, accord-ing to MEED Projects data.

The biggest in terms of its value is Meraas Holdings’ Jumeirah Gardens ($89.5 billion), followed by Dubai Holdings’ DubaiLand devel-opment ($61 million) and of course, develop-ment of the $16.7 billion Dubai World Central (DWC) aerotropolis, home to what will become the world’s largest airport, Al Maktoum Interna-tional, is also ongoing.

Add to these developments a raft of new ho-tels, with 140 new properties offering 85,000 rooms set to open by 2016; tourism attractions, retail precincts and venues; not to mention the rapid growth of the emirate’s homegrown airline sector; and it’s easy to understand why investors and analysts are more bullish than ever before about Dubai’s future.

INVESTOR SENTIMENT OUTLOOKDubai remains at the top of the wish list for inves-tors eyeing Middle East markets, according to Chi-heb Ben Mahmoud, executive vice president – head of hotels & hospitality, Middle East & Africa, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group.

The firm’s Hotel Investor Sentiment Survey published in December 2014, which tracked inves-tor sentiment for 32 cities, ranks Dubai as one of the top locations in terms of medium-term inves-tor sentiment, along with Casablanca, Amsterdam and Paris. But while developers are optimistic about building in Dubai, with more than 21,000 luxury hotel rooms and serviced apartments expected to en-ter the market by the end of 2017, attaining Dubai’s goal of attracting 20 million visitors by 2020 will require the emirate to also increase its midscale of-fering, which is slightly less appealing to investors.There is also concern about where these extra visitors will come from. Dubai relies heavily on the Rus-sian market, but with the depreciation of the rouble and political uncertainty, the number of visitors is expected to fall and it will be necessary to attract visitors from new feeder markets if the emirate is to achieve this goal.

“Dubai attracts investors, not because of the re-quirement of rooms, which would tend to act in the opposite direction as there would be expectation of larger supply, but because of three main reasons: (1) the unique infrastructure; (2) the track record of the entire tourism chain, including retail, entertainment etc., in delivering a complete and coordinated experience;

LEGOLAND DUBAI WILL OPEN IN 2016


DATATOURISM(H1, 2014 FIGURES)

TOP SOURCE MARKET: SAUDI ARABIA

TOP EMERGING MARKET:CHINA, WITH ARRIVALS

UP 26% Y-O-Y

“ DUBAI WILL CONTINUE TO

SEE A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN

INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC

TRAVEL”

TOP SOURCE MARKET: SAUDI ARABIA

TOURISM ARRIVALS:

5.8 MILLION



and (3) continued and consistent focus on tourism as a strategic development driver,” notes Ben Mahmoud.

THE HOTELIER ANGLE Investment in unique infrastructure and mega proj-ects has led global hotel operator InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) to focus on Dubai as one of its key Middle East markets for expansion. Last year the firm signed a new Holiday Inn hotel and Stay-bridge Suites at Dubai World Central and this year will witness the opening of the “landmark” 328-key InterContinental Dubai Marina.

Pascal Gauvin, chief operating officer, India, Middle East and Africa, IHG, says the new hotels will capitalise on status as a “well-established tour-ism hub” and cash in on the anticipated increase in visitors to the emirate in the run up to the World Expo 2020.

“And with a projected airline capacity of 98 mil-lion by 2020, according to Dubai International Air-port, Dubai will continue to see a substantial increase in international and domestic travel,” he says.

“As one of the largest hotel companies operating in the region, we are in a good position to support this growth.”

With the midscale segment currently underserved in Dubai, another global chain, Hilton worldwide is focusing on filling this gap.

“We will debut our mid-scale Hilton Garden Inn brand in Dubai in 2015, with the opening of Hil-ton Garden Inn Al Mina and Hilton Garden Inn Al Muraqabat,” notes Christian Grage, vice president of operations, Arabian Peninsula, Hilton Worldwide.

At the same time Hilton is rolling out new up-scale properties across the emirate having opened two DoubleTree by Hilton properties in Al Barsha and on Jumeirah Beach in 2014.

AL WASL PLAZA, PART OF THE DUBAI EXPO

2020 SITE


NAKHEEL’S PALM TOWER


CHAIN FOCUS

Hotel News ME profiles the hotel group’s 2014 achievements, its future goals, plus its planned Middle East pipeline

WYNDHAMHOTEL GROUP

WYNDHAM GRAND

MANAMA WILL OPEN

IN 2016

CHAIN FOCUS: WYNDHAM


Group overviewWyndham Hotel Group, part of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), is the world’s largest and most diverse hotel company with approximately 7,590 hotels and 655,300 rooms in 71 countries under the hotel brands: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts®, Ramada®, Days Inn®, Super 8®, Wingate by Wyndham®, Baymont Inn & Suites®, Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham®, Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham®, TRYP by Wyndham®, Howard Johnson®, Travelodge® and Knights Inn®.

The company also has a licence agreement to franchise the Planet Hollywood Hotels brand and provide management services globally. Most hotels are independently owned and operated, but some are owned or managed by an affiliate of Wyndham Hotel Group.

Current MEA propertiesWyndham Hotel Group has 39 hotels open and operating across nine countries in the Middle East, in locations spanning the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait and Oman.

The company operates six brands in the region covering all segments:•Wyndham Hotels and Resorts (upscale)•Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham (extended stay)•Ramada (full service midscale)•Days Inn, Howard Johnson and Super 8 (budget)

In Africa: Five hotels across Ghana, Morocco, Tunisia and Nigeria under the Ramada and Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham brands.

Company firsts• Wyndham Hotels and Resorts properties will soon debut in the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kenya.• The company will also launch the midscale TRYP by Wyndham brand in the region, bringing “a cosmopolitan, Mediterranean flair to the midscale segment”. • Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham will debut in Bahrain.

AfricaWyndham Hotel Group plans to double its presence on the African continent, expanding the Ramada brand into Tanzania, Ethiopia and Kenya. In addition, a Wyndham Hotels and Resorts property will open close to Amboseli National Park in Kenya.




BANI HADDAD, REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA,

WYNDHAM HOTEL GROUP

THE HOTEL GROUP’S KEY ACHIEVEMENTS AND MILESTONES IN 2014:

The Wyndham Hotel Group marked a number of

firsts across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and

Indian Ocean (EMEAI) in 2014. We:

• Launched the first Super 8 property in the region

- in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

• Opened the first Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham

in Saudi Arabia.

• Signed the first Wyndham Garden for the Middle

East, expected to open in the Qatari capital

in 2017.

• Celebrated the 60th anniversary of our iconic

Ramada brand, with more than 20 new Ramada

hotels opening across EMEAI during the year,

including new properties in the UAE and

Saudi Arabia.

• Signed our first upscale property in Africa

- Wyndham Amboseli Golf Resort and Spa.

• Launched the Ramada brand in Kenya with

Ramada Nairobi.

• Announced Wyndham Hotel Group’s first

property in the Ethiopian market, Ramada Addis.

TACKLING CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNI-TIES FACING THE HOTEL GROUP:

The key challenges facing Wyndham Hotel Group

and the industry largely concern technology,

human resources and the political and economic

stability in some parts of the world in which

we operate.

Social media presents huge opportunities

for hotels to directly communicate with their

guests and track feedback and back in 2012

we introduced WynReview, our social listening

and online reputation management platform.

WynReview helps our franchisees and managed

properties efficiently manage reviews not only

on TripAdvisor but also across major online

travel agency sites, allowing owners and general

managers to better understand and measure

feedback about their properties and benchmark

their hotels against their competitors.

In the same year, Wyndham Hotel Group

also introduced TripAdvisor ratings and reviews

on all of its proprietary websites such as

WyndhamRewards.com to help potential guests

make more informed decisions based on fellow

travellers’ feedback.

Wyndham Hotel Group also recently entered

a strategic partnership with technology supplier

Sabre. We are now the first large global hotel

company to leverage Sabre’s SynXis Enterprise

Platform, enabling us to provide our hotel

owners with an integrated and automated

revenue management system that optimises

rates, occupancy and revenue per available room

(RevPAR) to grow market share, as well as enhance

hotel-level security with cutting-edge credit card

capabilities to support tokenisation and chip-and-

pin technology.

Technology aside, as the group’s portfolio and

geographical presence grows, we need to recruit

talented staff possessing skill sets relevant to the

regions in which we operate.

Wyndham Hotel Group offers an extensive

online training platform accessible to corporate

associates, as well as the associates of our

franchised and managed hotels worldwide. Course

topics range from leadership training, sales and

marketing to business compliance.

Touching on my last point, political and

economic stability in some parts of the world

affects occupancy as well as ADRs. We monitor

and pre-empt these developments in our markets

as much as possible by diversifying our segments

so that we can compensate should there be a drop

from any given market feeder.

A current example is the decline in Russian

visitors to several key hotel markets around the

globe such as Dubai, due to the fall in value of

the rouble.

“SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENTS HUGE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOTELS TO DIRECTLY COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR GUESTS AND

TRACK FEEDBACK”

WYNDHAM DUBAI MARINA WILL OPEN THIS YEAR


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Model shiftWhile Wyndham Hotel Group has historically focused on franchise agreements, with 35 of the company’s 39 hotels in the Middle East and all of the company’s properties in Africa operated under this model, the company is increasingly offering management services. Management contracts now comprise more than 60% of the company’s regional pipeline. Through partnerships with other companies within parent company Wyndham Worldwide, such as RCI and The Registry Collection, Wyndham Hotel Group is also in the position to facilitate holistic solutions for mixed-use developments combining hotel bed stock with shared ownership components.

SUPER 8 RIYADH OPENED IN 2014

THE UPCOMING RAMADA RESORT DAR ES SALAAM

OBJECTIVES FOR 2015:

Wyndham Hotel Group is committed to growing its

footprint in the MENA region with an emphasis on

the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Hawthorn Suites by

Wyndham, Days Inn and Super 8 brands. We believe

there are still many opportunities in the upscale and

budget sectors. In addition, extended stay products

such as Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham are relatively

new to the market, but will cater to pent-up demand

for this offering in certain locations. Several hotel

openings are imminent including Wyndham Dubai

Marina, Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam and the Ramada

and Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham hotels in Manama.

These openings not only introduce new brands to

key cities but will see us double our managed portfolio

in the MENA region. This is a clear testimony to our

multi-faceted, flexible approach to adding the right

hotels in the right locations with the right partners.

HOW TECHNOLOGY IS DICTATING THE

WAY WYNDHAM HOTEL GROUP RUNS ITS

BUSINESS AND LIAISES WITH CUSTOMERS:

We are embracing the mobile technology trend

and continue to develop more responsive websites,

mobile apps and express booking options, to name

but a few.

We also engage with our guests through our

WynReview platform and our social media channels

such as Facebook, Google+ or Instagram. Social

media platforms not only help us raise brand awareness

and engage in conversations which may drive product

innovation through direct feedback, but also to recruit

fresh talent and connect with new suppliers.

DECEMBER 2014 HOTEL NEWS ME 1

T: +971 56 480 6518E: [email protected]: www.tgom.me

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Hotel News ME profiles the international dairy produce company to view its extensive portfolio of hospitality clients and growth strategy

LactalisInternational

LACTALIS INTERNATIONALLactalis is a family-owned dairy group based in Laval Mayenne, in the west of France. In 1933, André Besnier started up his cheese-making company On the first day he collected 17 litres of milk and produced 35 camemberts: the Besnier company was in business. Since then, the group, which adopted the more international name of Lactalis in 1999, has continued to expand rapidly. Its range of products has grown considerably (cheeses, milk, cream, butter, ultra-fresh, milk powder, etc.), as has the reputation of its products. Lactalis now owns a series of prestigious French and international brands.

QUICK FACTSThe group now employs 55,000 people, and owns more than 200 industrial plants around the world, in 35 different countries. It is the:•Number 1 dairy group in the world•Number 1 dairy and cheese group in Europe•Number 1 milk collector in Europe•Number 1 cheese producer in Europe

PRODUCT PORTFOLIOLactalis supplies a variety of dairy products across the region to mass catering companies, hospitality outlets and restaurants, brands include President, Lactel, Picot and Roitelet. Discussing the brands, Fadi Selwan, regional food service manager explains that, “we supply a variety of high-class, high-quality dairy products to so many different platforms throughout the region, coming from France, all of our products are authentically made, so as you can imagine, no kitchen is complete without the basic dairy products, we supply all of those.”

ONGOING STRATEGYFor more than 80 years, Lactalis has been dedicated to milk processing and covers all dairy products, from cheese, nutrition and FMCG to Ingredients. Currently, Lactalis is focusing on introducing to the Middle East and GCC regions an exquisite range of high-end specialty cheeses such as Comté,

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Distributed by: BAHRAJA GENERAL TRADING LLC P.O. BOX: 20197, DUBAI, U.A.E. Phone: +971 4 267 2353 Email: [email protected]

lookseasy.com Created in Germany.

Camembert, Saint Marcellin, Tomme de Savoie, and Beaufort as examples, under various brand names like Président, Société, Lanquetot, Pochat, Corsica, Lou Perac, Le Montagnard, and more. Discussing local plans Selwan explains “It is important for us to remain in the public eye and attend exhibitions suich as Gulfood where we can showcase and highlight our products and services, it is also a fundamental part of what we represent to engage with out clients and suppliers, so we held a cocktail dinner in collaboration with Xavier Thuret, international ambassador of French cheeses for Lactalis and Jean Chauvel, Michelin Star Chef on the 9th of February at the Palace Hotel. We need to continuously show the consumer and food service industry of Dubai that cheese isn’t only for consumption as a dessert or throughout breakfast, cheese is also a food that can be used for high-end cuisine and gastronomy, this is why we have with us this year, establishing chefs coming to Dubai and putting cheese on the map for innovators with cheese.”

CASE STUDY

ROTANA EARTHRESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

Having participated in 273 CSR activities across the region, raising over AED 2 million through initiatives and achieving a 9% water saving in 2014, Hotel News ME profiles the hotel chains upcoming CSR goals for the rest of 2015

Rotana recently published its sustainability re-port for 2014 as part of the group’s commitment to addressing environmental, social and econom-ic priority areas and measuring the progress and performance of CSR and sustainability initiatives undertaken within the framework of its landmark Rotana Earth, the company’s global corporate sustainability platform.

Documenting the progress, the report empha-sised the hotel chains commitment to CSR initia-tives across the region, highlighting that Rotana undertook a total of 273 CSR activities across its 50 properties, raising the equivalent of AED 2 million through cash and in-kind contributions as well as employee volunteering and fundraising.

Additionally, Rotana achieved a combined sav-ing of AED 3 million in 2014 from waste man-agement and recycling programs executed across group properties, including over 1,100 tonnes of recyclable waste was diverted from landfill and 74,064 litres of used oil was also recycled.

Omer Kaddouri, president and CEO of Rota-na, explained, “Rotana is focused on developing innovative solutions to reduce our environmental impact and operating costs.

We believe protecting the environment is ev-erybody’s responsibility, and at Rotana our com-mitment to sustainability extends beyond our own wide-ranging green initiatives to engage and educate various stakeholders, including guests at

our properties on sustainability topics in order to bring about awareness and inspire action.”

Kaddouri also added, “In linking sustainabil-ity to strategy, Rotana Earth provides a practi-cal guide to achieving our business goals without sacrificing the environment and the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, and it gives us immense satisfaction that we were able to exceed targets and expectations in the very first year of the program’s implementation. Rotana Earth will continue to set the guiding principles for the group as we press ahead with our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and

integrate green practices into our operations across the value chain to build a more sustainable future for everyone.”

Having embarked on a successful CSR pro-gramme in 2014, Rotana has lined up two ma-jor sustainability initiatives for the coming two years. The first of these involves building on Ro-tana’s commitment to responsible procurement by developing a responsible procurement code.

The hotel chain will also implement a stakeholder engagement plan through surveys and targeted interactions to actively engage with its stakeholders.

RASHID CENTRE STUDENTS WITH KINAN AL GHRAOUI, GM, VILLA RIMAL AND RIHAB

HARMONY HOUSE IN INDIA IS SUPPORTED

BY THE ROTANA EARTH PROGRAMME


RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

In-Stock in Dubai

UNIQUE PRECISE INTERNATIONALSuite No. 1006 • Sidra Tower • Tecom • Sheikh Zayed Road PO Box 120537 • Dubai, UAEPhone: +971 4 4572012 | Fax: +971 4 4572130 [email protected] | www.uniqueprecise.com

Exclusive Distributor

Setting the pace for other GMs across the region, Michael Nugent, general manager of Mövenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate, is due to participate in the London Marathon taking place in April, con-sisting of 42.2km, which will then be followed by the 89km South African Comrades Ultra Mara-thon in May, running a total of 131.2km over the course of two months to raise funds for Crohn’s and Colitis research charity.

Nugent’s goal is to raise AED 50,000 to be do-nated towards research into Crohn’s and Colitis. He knows personally, several young people suf-fering from this debilitating illness and wants to help in any way he can.

Throughout his career in the hotel industry, 54-year-old Nugent has implemented and initi-ated various corporate social responsibility activi-ties. His simple philosophy is that “if we all do

something, be it big or small, we can ultimately make a tangible difference in our local communi-ties and beyond.” He also wants to inspire all his colleagues to run or undertake their own personal challenges for worthy causes.

To contribute towards Nugent’s run and sup-port Chron’s and Colitis Research Charity visit www.justgiving.com/Michael-Nugent54

MORE THAN A MILE

MICHAEL NUGENT, GM, MÖVENPICK

HOTEL IBN BATTUTA GATE


What makes a great engineer?GEORGEFARES,DIRECTOROFENGINEERING,JUMEIRAHZABEELSARAYDISCLOSESTHETOP10ESSENTIALSKILLSEVERYENGI-NEERREQUIRESTOMAKEITSAFELYTHROUGHTHEDAY

TAKE 10

With over 25 years experience work-ing with Jumeirah, George Fares who is originally from Lebanon holds a Masters Degree in Electro Mechanical Engineer-ing. Fares first came to Dubai joining the Jumeirah team in 1988 with the intention of only staying for one year and joined the team at Chicago Beach Hotel as as-sistant chief engineer.

Shortly after, he became heavily in-volved in the demolition of the Chicago Beach Hotel, Fares then took on the challenge of assisting in the construc-tion and pre-opening of Jumeirah Beach Hotel.

Following this, in 1999, he moved to Burj Al Arab where he took on the role of resident engineer.

Still with Jumeirah today, Fares imparts on the precise knowledge and skill it takes to develop within the complex in-dustry of engineering and the things they didn’t teach the engineers about in college.

“HAVING DEEP PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDUSTRY IS ESSENTIAL, THERE IS NEVER A FAILURE IN ENGINEERING, IT IS

EITHER A SUCCESS OR AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE LESSON LEARNT”


TECHNICALLY INCLINEDIn a world of continu-ous development, it is an extremely desirable skill to keep up-to-date with the latest technological advancements. To know

about the latest trends and technologies within your industry as technology ad-vances every day in engineering and these advancements happen very quickly. Keep-ing informed about these advancements and trends often means getting a job done quicker and enhances ones skills, having deep practical knowledge is also essential, There is never a failure in engineering, it is either a success or an extremely valuable lesson learnt.

ENTHUSIASM Confidence and enthusiasm in solving all the technical and non-technical related matters are highly and possessing the eagerness and passion to ex-ecute a job always encourages learning on a daily basis. This

also entails being constructive and dealing with the challenges being an engineer consist of, you can’t be afraid of getting your hands dirty at times.

MANAGEMENT I have been with Jumeirah for more than 26 years and along the way, there have been so many achievements as well as challenges. Here, I learned that regard-less of the circum-

stances a lot of things are dependant on your attitude and perception of things. So my advise to other engineers within the hospitality industry is to stick with it, this way you learn so much and grow within your field with one organisation.

TRAVELYou must be flexible and able to travel, demolitions or architectural designs are influential from all over the world, which can inspire any engineer and bring back ideas from another

country back to Dubai.

ATTITUDE Willingness to learn and to be at my best is very important especially that Engi-

neering is the Heart of the Building where we tend to make everything functional so as not to affect the operations.

STRONG LEADERSHIPBeing a director of engi-neering means that you are not only responsible you’re your work, but also your team and the foundations of the hotel in which you are work-

ing for. Knowing that every second counts, there is therefore no time to waste in delaying a project, some-times you have to be firm to get things done.

DEADLINESMeeting and deliv-ering projects in a timely fashion is so important but

executing and completing everything

earlier than the deadline is even more essential with all due respect to the quality output of the project, because if you miss a deadline, a project may be left undone which has the ten-dency to create a domino effect.

COST CONTROLStrictly monitoring the budget, ROI and P&L are all key factors of the job, it is very im-portant to ensure that the engineer does not jeopardise the bud-

get and is able to manage well by finishing on time, as delayed jobs can severely damage the budget and set back on other pending jobs. Studying the market and do-ing comparative analysis tables also assist in managing the budget, this was you can compare where others are sourcing from too.

RESULT ORIENTEDWhether it be a direc-tor of engineering or an engineer, it is imperative to ensure that the prop-erty is well maintained to the highest level of standards, in order to be results orientated

we must be mindful to the Health, Safety and Environmental standards that are required.

DUTY OF CARETo be an engineer you must be a team player, you become a

family, jobs can often be danger-

ous, so sourcing the correct staff on the team means you become a united front, the direc-tor of engineering has to manage a place where colleagues, guests, partners, tenants and contractors all are safe to work and roam. Further to this, the project has to be envi-ronmentally friendly and adhere to local standards.

TAKE 10


Looking beyond RevPAR to assess revenue performance

Maximising a hotel’s revenue streams can prove a complex exercise

MEET THE EXPERT

Measuring a hotel’s revenue performance has become a hot topic of debate – one that generally divides asset managers and operators.

Operators measure performance based on in-dustry benchmarks, most notably RevPAR (rev-enue per available room), while asset managers will consider other factors in order to formulate a deeper analysis.

While RevPAR is a useful tool for assessing per-formance, it does not provide deeper insights and nor does it challenge an operator to strive to exceed industry benchmarks.

Hotel revenue is generated from a significant number of sources. Operators prefer to focus on RevPAR because they generally consider these other factors a distraction. In other words, they are normally very protective of their income strategies.

Asset managers are best placed to assess the various revenue streams and to identify any gaps in performance.

They are therefore ideally placed to play a key role in formulating the hotel’s commercial strategy and to work with the operator to best leverage the property’s attributes to generate maximum income.

Ultimately, the greatest value is created when the respective goals of ownership and manage-ment are aligned.

Measuring revenue performance is a complex exercise. A single KPI is not a sufficient tool in this respect. Additional performance indicators should

be considered, such as the displacement effect, identifying optimum market segmentation and the acquisition cost of particular bookings.

Displacement is the most complex but po-tentially useful tool for determining the relative value of a certain business proposal. Hotel opera-tors may consider this factor in certain room al-lotments without considering the displacement consequences and the potential knock-on effect on overall profitability.

Identifying optimal market segmentation is an-other critical aspect. The average room rate is bro-ken down into different market tiers. Establishing goals for each of these tiers is important when try-ing to formulate an overall strategy.

Revenue management refers to the process of selling a room at the right price and at the right time to the right customer through the right channel. It primarily focuses on price strategies, leaving aside the cost of acquisition of a particular booking. In an increasingly fragmented market shaped by emerging technologies, hotel operators must sacrifice a portion of their revenues, whether through price reductions or commissions to third parties in order to remain competitive.

Therefore, the cost of acquisition is becoming a key consideration when determining the feasibility of any type of deal.

Ultimately, the asset manager’s revenue strategy should be fully integrated with the owner’s objec-tives. The hotel operator and the asset manager

MARIANO FAZ, HEAD OF ASSET MANAGEMENT AT TFG ASSET MANAGEMENT.

ABOUT THE FIRST GROUP AND TFG ASSET MANAGEMENT

The First Group (www.thefirstgroup.com) is a British-owned global property development company based in Dubai, with an exclusive focus on creating innovative, iconic hotel projects. The First Group Asset Manage-ment (TFG Asset Management - www.tfgassetmanagement.com) assists with every aspect of a completed development to en-sure property investors get maximum return on investment. Head of asset management, Mariano Faz, has more than 12 years of ex-pertise in global hospitality and real estate markets and has held a number of high-level positions in hotel operations and manage-ment, business development, and hotel asset management for hotel owners.

should be fully integrated with the owner’s objec-tives. The hotel operator and the asset manager should embrace the same approach and strive to meet agreed targets.

This joint venture approach will ensure a healthier relationship between owner and opera-tor and guarantee their energies are focused on the same performance measures and outcomes.


BRINGING TOGETHER GMS FROM ACROSS THE REGION FOR A DAY OF WORKSHOPS, PANEL

DISCUSSIONS AND DEBATE

GIVING DELEGATES A PRIME OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK

AND DISCUSS THE LANDSCAPE OF THE EVER CHANGINGHOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

REGISTER TO ATTENDMark Anthony Monzon

[email protected]

SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIESSophia Soltani

[email protected]

SPONSORSHIPOPPORTUNITIES

Diarmuid O’[email protected]

INTRODUCING THE GM LEADERS CONFERENCE

PRESENTED BY


[email protected]

SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIESSophia Soltani

[email protected]

SPONSORSHIPOPPORTUNITIES

Diarmuid O’[email protected]

BRINGING TOGETHER GMS FROM ACROSS THE REGION FOR A DAY OF WORKSHOPS, PANEL

DISCUSSIONS AND DEBATE

GIVING DELEGATES A PRIME OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK

AND DISCUSS THE LANDSCAPE OF THE EVER CHANGINGHOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

INTRODUCING THE GM LEADERS CONFERENCE

PRESENTED BY

+971505597339

MONDAY 1ST JUNE 2015


MEET THE EXPERT

Piers Burton, executive director at boutique executive search firm Eagles Spearing Consulting, ponders the need to dig very deep with the reference process to ascertain the suitability of candidates that on paper look right for the job under consideration

It’s a major concern here in the GCC that troublesome or under-performing employees are often encouraged to resign and leave quietly from their company, rath-er than face the more negative impacts of dismissal. By agreeing to resign, it seems to be assumed that the employee’s exit can be smoother for all parties and, as part of the deal, assurances are given that a positive reference will be supplied when they are apply-ing for their next position. This is mendacious in every respect.

Conversely, due to lack of regulations in the region about how information can be shared, good employees who look to further their careers by applying for roles in other companies can be exposed to negative references from former employers who feel aggrieved that their good employ-ees are leaving them. Such griev-

ances can lead to an inaccu-rate statement about a former employee’s capabilities and reliability, so reducing their chances of obtaining the new position they are being con-sidered for.

As recruiters, we take the responsibility of obtaining a range of fair and accurate references very seriously. It is

our obligation to dig beneath the politics and to present candidates who are truly suitable for the role that they are being considered for, avoiding the cost and upheaval of hiring mistakes.

We largely avoid contacting the references listed on a candi-date’s CV, preferring to find oth-ers who have worked alongside the individual and asking them for candid feedback.

Usefully, we always ask the questions “Does the departure of this individual present you with a major problem, or will his / her exit not be of any significant im-pact?” and “Would you hire this person back into your company if he / she were to reapply?”. The answers to these questions tell us enough about a candidate’s potential, enabling us to present them to our clients with convic-tion about their capabilities.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THOROUGH REFERENCES


[email protected]


[email protected]


SUPPLIER FOCUS

ANDRE WINOGRADSKY, HEAD OF GULF, GEBERIT

INTERNATIONAL SALES AG HAS BEEN WITH GEBERIT

SINCE JANUARY 2014

THORSTEN BIES, SALES DIRECTOR BATHROOM AND WELLNESS

AFRICA/INDIA/NME, VILLEROY & BOCH, HAS BEEN WITH THE

COMPANY SINCE 1994 WORKING IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS

SOPHAY YOUNG HAS BEEN WITH THE GROUP FOR SIX YEARS AND IS

SENIOR PROJECT DESIGN CONSULTANT FOR

BAGNODESIGN, SANIPEX

ANDREAS DORNBRACHT, CEO, DORNBRACHT WORKS IN THE FAMILY RUN BUSINESS WHICH

LAUNCHED OVER 60 YEARS AGO BY ALOYS F. DORN-

BRACHT

The experts

SPOTLIGHT ON BATHROOMS Taking a look at the latest trends seen to be appearing in bathrooms across the

hospitality segment in the Middle East

What trends are currently being seen in bathroom design?

Bathrooms with uninspired tiled interior, white lighting and cold, stark fin-ishes are a thing of the past. Warmth finds its place in the bathroom in the form of wall textures, furniture, clever lighting and creative flooring. Wood is often used to create a relaxed mood, offering a subtle, warm element. Our new range of Metreaux furniture, which is available in Balinese Teak and Af-rican Wenge, lends itself very well towards this trend and nowadays mirrors are considered as feature pieces instead of just a functional item. There are many variations, ornate, backlit or full length. With the increased use of wallpaper in the bathroom, using backlit mirrors will allow the wall-paper to really shine! Additionally, granite was previously the go-to material for vanity tops but now quartz is a fresh, new material being introduced into the bathroom. This trend is not only limited to counters but is also used to produce velvety-smooth bathtubs and basins. Interesting metallic finishes are another big trend for 2015.

We are seeing a move away from regular chrome finishes toward warm coloured copper, brass and oil rubbed bronze finishes. Stainless Steel is also proving very popular right now.

Who are some of your hospitality clients?

To name a few, the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, Dubai, Yas Viceroy, Yas Island, The One and Only, Palm Dubai, Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, Kempinski and Raffles Hotels in Dubai.

What should buyers look out for in 2015?

Following the huge success of last year’s event, we are pleased to announce that the BAGNODESIGN Dealer Summit is back and will take place be-tween 19th-21st April in our BAGNODESIGN Academy in Dubai. Del-egates will be the first to see and hear about several new product ranges being launched by BAGNODESIGN over the coming months, additionally, the Summit will coincide with our 20th Anniversary.

“PART OF THE SANIPEX GROUP AND ESTABLISHED IN 1995, BAGNODESIGN IS AN INTERNATIONAL DESIGNER AND MANUFAC-TURER OF CREATIVE BATHROOM SOLUTIONS. WITH A PRESENCE ACROSS EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST, CENTRAL AND SOUTH ASIA, BAGNODESIGN HAS DEVELOPED AN ENVIABLE INTERNATIONAL

REPUTATION FOR SUPPLYING INNOVATIVE AND HIGHLY FUNCTION-AL SOLUTIONS FOR THE MODERN BATHROOM – YOUNG”

METREAUX MIXER

BAGNODESIGN

SUPPLIER FOCUS

What are the current trends are being seen in bath-

room design?

At Dornbracht we constantly search for answers, how does water influence our state of being? How should a fitting be designed so that it not only perform its function, but also conveys a sensation? We regularly explore and experiment.

We let ourselves be inspired by artists, architects and designers, we begin to define the details: aesthet-ics, health, intelligence, and intimacy. In the digital age, our needs in the bathroom are changing, and so are our ideas and products.

Modern technologies have the power to simplify and individualise our everyday lives and Dornbracht has applied this vision to reshape the way we interact with water. By applying intelligent control technolo-gies in the bathroom and kitchen our experience with water is made easier and more flexible, bringing more comfort to our everyday lives.

What new technology has Dornbracht introduced?

Through the SMART WATER vision, Dornbracht redefines our bath experience and transforms our time in the bathroom into an individual ritual. A source of spiritual strength, water is a living element, one that connects us with nature, providing relief and

greater vitality while purifying the mind. By being able to manipulate the pressure, temperature and volume of water with a simple touch, we can create different therapeutic effects on the body, which can positively impact our mood and emotions. Based on Dornbracht’s Smart Tools, Smart Water is an intel-ligent system that networks the components in the bathroom and kitchen with one another, while con-veniently simplifying and individualizing the applica-tions involved.

What are the latest products being seen within the

market?

In addition to a new luxurious platinum matt finish, Dornbracht has added new products to the already popular IMO series, giving more creative freedom and design opportunities. With a modern design and uni-versal appeal, IMO is the bathroom fitting to harmo-niously fit into every lifestyle and suit any design taste.

A three-hole basin mixer and a new single-lever ba-sin mixer with a raised spout have recently been added to the product portfolio, adding a little extra to the shape of the washbasin.

A tissue holder with cover and a towel bar round off the product range. In addition to the high-gloss ‘polished chrome’ finish, the entire series of fittings

will also be available in the elegant ‘platinum matt’ finish – giving you even more opportunity to be cre-ative in the bathroom with IMO.

Which hotels do you supply to?

One of Dornbracht’s most recently completed proj-ects was Four Seasons Resort Dubai, Jumeirah Beach, the resort that captures the city’s energy and excite-ment in a glamorous new beach resort. Dornbracht has provided the resort with luxurious bathroom ac-cessories

Could you name a few of your hottest products? The SensorySky is extremely popular as it provides the feeling of showering in the open air, the wide flat rain panel has separate shower fields for head sprin-kler, body sprinkler and rain curtain, a cold-water fog nozzle and light and fragrance functions. Sensory Sky provides a selection of three pre-programmed cho-reographies including the READJUST sharpens the senses with mist, warm rain and a pleasantly soft dry forest fragrance.

RELEASE is as cleansing and liberating as intensive summer rain – accompanied by a fresh, tropical-like fragrance. REJOICE protects, envelops and stabilises. Water drops sparkle in all the colours of the rainbow.

“DORNBRACHT EMBODIES THE VALUES AND BOUTIQUE CRAFTSMANSHIP OF A TRADITIONAL FAMILY COMPANY WHILST EMBRACING MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND AVANT-GARDE DESIGN

TECHNIQUES TO REDEFINE BATHROOM DESIGN. DURING OUR 65-YEAR HISTORY WE HAVE DEVEL-OPED SOME OF THE MOST ARCHETYPAL AND RECOGNISED FITTINGS FOR THE BATHROOM SEG-

MENT. OUR PRODUCTS ARE AN EXPRESSION OF A DISTINCTIVE BATHROOM AND KITCHEN CULTURE, WITH A FOCUS ON CLEAR, PURE FLOWING WATER” - DORNBRACHT ”

SENSORYSKY

DORNBRACHT


SUPPLIER FOCUS

“PRECISION, KNOW-HOW AND PLEASURE IN INNOVATION CHARACTERISE GEBERIT

PRODUCTS AND SYSTEMS, AND HAVE BEEN CREATING QUALITY

OF LIFE FOR GENERATIONS SINCE 1874.OUR ENGINEERS

AND PRODUCT DESIGNERS ARE REPEATEDLY FOUND ON CON-STRUCTION SITES WITH MEP.

TO NAME A FEW, OUR PRODUCT LINES COMPRISE OF

SANITARY SYSTEMS, INSTALLA-TION SYSTEMS, CISTERNS AND

MECHANISMS” - WINOGRADSKY

PUBLIC BATHROOM PROFILE

GEBERIT INTERNATIONAL

What are the current trends seen in hotel bathroom

design?

We see the trend towards more relaxing and comfort-able bathrooms. Building quality has dramatically improved so acoustics within buildings is of utmost importance. People now look to upgrade and renovate bathrooms using acoustic pipes and quiet fill valves in the toilet cisterns, which allow acoustic levels in living spaces to be reduced dramatically.

How have bathroom styles changed?

Today's hotel bathroom has evolved into a place of relaxation and a retreat, people look to the bathroom to luxuriate after their day in a fast pace life. More and more, people look for the spa element in the hotel bathroom. Cisterns are now increasing being placed behind the wall, still allowing access through the ac-tuator plate but creating clean

What new technology have you introduced?

We have introduced the Actuator Plate, actuated by

a hydraulic servo lifter, which is a slim plate made of glass or stainless steel, floating millimeters from the wall, without any buttons or knobs. Everything a style-savvy person needs for actuating a dual flush. Featuring servo support, a small pulse is all it takes for the hydraulic servo lifter located in the cistern service opening to activate a flush with virtually no noise at all.

What are the latest products?

Geberit is always improving its current products with new innovations, and maybe it is not always obvious, but there is a lot of sustaining innovation happening in our product portfolio every year. Be it with new designs for push plates or self-sustaining electronic faucets. Our shining star will be the new flagship of our Monolith range called Monolith Plus with odour extraction built in, electronic flush, ambient lighting with sensor. A few new products already released is the AquaClean Sela Shower Toilet, Monolith Plus module for WC, and the Omega concealed cistern range

Which countries do you supply to?

The Gulf regional office is in Dubai, across the GCC Geberit is very well positioned investing in the region for a sustainable long term growth. We have the right people in the right place to expand as the countries develop.Who are your hospitality clients? Geberit products can be found in numerous hotel chains. (Hilton, Fair-mont, Marriott, Holiday Inn, Four seasons, Kempin-ski, Ritz Carlton, Meridian, to name just a few).

Could you name a few of your hottest products?

Our best sellers to the hospitality industry include Geberit cisterns and mechanisms and the touchless sensor faucets. Lavatory taps must be hygienic, easy to clean and safe in order to handle the extreme stress they are subjected to in semi-publicly and publicly ac-cessible sanitary areas. By installing touchless Geberit lavatory taps, you provide your customers with eco-nomical and durable solutions that exceed the high expectations in this area.


SUPPLIER FOCUS

What are the current trends seen in bathroom design?

There is not just one powerful trend which determines bath-room design and equipment. In fact, there are various concepts and trends that have to be taken into account. In 2015 features like sustainability, hygiene, and comfort are all topics Villeroy & Boch is focusing on when it comes to bathroom design. Another aspect gaining more importance is the demographic change. People are getting older and want to live in their own homes as long as possible, therefore the private bath has to be designed in a way to accommodate this.

How have bathroom styles changed?

The bathroom was once a purely functional space for personal care. Today, it represents wellness, comfort and relaxation, which we see as people begin to place more emphasis on design and quality elements for their bathroom.

What new technology has Villeroy & Boch introduced to

the market?

In 2013 Villeroy & Boch introduced its new DirectFlush tech-nology, which is currently very successful. DirectFlush WCs are rimless and therefore the conventional flushing rim is replaced with an intelligent water flow that rinses the interior of the bowl, without over-splashing.

The rinsing of the bowl on each and every flush and the pre-vention of over-splashing are guaranteed by the special splash guard on the upper edge of the bowl and the higher positioning of the water jets.

What are some the latest products Villeroy & Boch has in-

troduced to the market?

With our new collection Vivia, launched at the ISH 2015 ex-hibition, we have focused on the current demands for bath-room design matched with comfort. The demanding customer expects bathroom products and equipment with sophisticated functionality for easy and convenient handling and a high level of user convenience, which is also pleasing to the eye. Vivia combines a timeless design with ingenious extras, providing more comfort and well-being in the bathroom. It provides step-less showering comfort with a spacious shower area in which a practical shower panel and several hidden functions have been incorporated.

Who are your hospitality clients?

In the professional business Villeroy & Boch is working with the key architects, interior designers and planners. In the Middle East our hospitality clients include major hotels such as Four Seasons, Bahrain, Kempinski, Hilton Doha, Ritz Carlton, Grand Hyatt, The Address, Meydan (Dubai), and Fairmont.

Could you name a few of your hottest products?

One of our hottest products is the new Squaro Prestige bath tub. Hand-fitted real wood veneers refine the freestanding Squaro Edge 12 baths, turning them into unique baths that fulfil the most discerning demands. Each product is elaborately hand decorated in a German manufactory.

“FORMED IN 1748 IN METTLACH IN GERMANY, VILLEROY & BOCH IS A LEADING CERAMICS MANUFACTURER AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL PREMIUM BRANDS IN THE AREAS OF BATHROOM AND WELLNESS, TABLEWARE

AND TILES. WE OFFER INNOVATIVE PRODUCT AND FURNISH-ING CONCEPTS FOR PRIVATE CUSTOMERS AND PROPERTY

DEVELOPERS. USING A VARIETY OF STYLES” – BIES

VILLEROY & BOCH MEMENTO RANGE

VILLEROY & BOCH


CeramicPlus: Torepeldirtthatquicklyaccumulatesthroughdailyuse,Villeroy&BochhasdevelopedCeramicPlusafinishforallceramicsurfaces.ThisceramicsurfaceactivelyrepelsdirtandiseasytocleaneveniflimescaleresiduecanbeeasilyremovedonaCeramicPlussurfacewithouttheuseofaggressivecleaningagents.

SUPPLIER FOCUS

[email protected]

DirectFlush: Insteadofthecustomaryrim,DirectFlushisarimlesstoiletwhichchannelsthewatertoensurethetoiletbowlifflushedthoroughlywillavoidover-splashing,whichispreventedbyaspecialguardatthetopofthebowl,aswellasbythehigherpositionofthewaterjets.

[email protected]

Power & Soul: Characterisedbytheirfluid,organicsilhouettes,GROHEPower&Soulshowerscomewithachoiceofuptofourinnovativespraypatternsandthe190mmshowerheadhasachoiceofthreesizesofhandshower,ensuringamatchforeveryinstallationneed.

[email protected]

BATHROOMS

Biarritz: BringingasenseofFrenchchictotheclassicbathroom,BiarritzfromBAGNODESIGNhassmoothcontours,avarietyoffinisheswithsimpletooperatecrossheadcontrolswithacurvedspout.Biarritzcomeswithachoiceofbasinmixers,adeckmountedorfloorstandingbathshowermixer.

[email protected]

Grandera: Stylistically,theGranderacollectioncanbecombinedwithawiderangeofbathroomfurnishings,withtheaddedflexibilityoftwocolours,chromeandchromegoldthankstoGROHEStarLighttechnology,notonlywillthefittingsretaintheirshineinthelongrunbuttheyarealsoextremelyresistanttodirtandscratches.

[email protected]

Full set: Alongtraywithasideopenboxattachedontopforcartonboxedamenities.Thisitemisforacompletesetupinfivestarbathroomsencasingthematerialofbrass,silverplatedandahammered,glossyfinish.

[email protected]

SUPPLIER FOCUS


SUPPLIER FOCUS

PRODUCTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

MEM Refinement: WithitsnewCyprumfinish,Dornbrachthasappliedthegrowingcoppercolourtrendtothebathroom,initiallyexclusivelyfortheMEMseries.18caratpinkgoldandcopperareusedtoproducethishighlyreflectivefinish,injectingitwithafineandexquisiteluster.

Footbath: TheFootBathcombinesdifferentjettypes,comfortfunctionsandpre-programmedscenariostorevitalise,refreshandstimulateforawarming,relaxingfeeling.

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[email protected]

Metreaux: ThecenterpieceofMetreauxisthefreestandingbath,generouslydeepforarelaxingsoakandmadefromBAGNOQUARTZ,acompositestonethatisrobustandultra-durable.Withallthebenefitsofnaturalstone,BAGNOQUARTZhasasatinmatttexturethatissmoothtothetouchandmaximisescomfort.

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Polyresin: Thissetofblackfrostfinishpolyresinaccessoriescomeswithasandyrubbertextureandisaccumulativeacombinationincludingatissuebox,cottonbudbox,amenitytrayandasoapdishforbathroomaccessorieswithinahotel.

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Self-supporting power supply: AAsmallgeneratormakesthetouchlesstapsindependentfromthemainspowersupplyorbatterypower.Thissystemreducestheecologicalimpactdownto50%comparedtotheuseofbatteriesand80%comparedtoanelectricalconnection.Theidealsolutionforsustainableprojects,allsettingsareprogrammedviatheGeberitServiceHandy.

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Hotel Collection: TheBAGNODESIGNHotelrangehasbeendesignedwiththeneedsofhotelguestsinmindandcoveringeveryrequirementforthehotelbathroom,includingtissuedispensers,shavingmirrors,towelracksandevenshowerseats.

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MARKETPLACE

MARKET PLACE

5 MINUTES WITH…

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HUPFER?Hupfer is more than 45 years old now and I have been with the company since 1978.

At Hupfer we pride ourselves on being a highly skilled manufacturer and supplier of top-quality products made from stainless steel for business sectors like commercial catering equipment.

We have been exhibiting at Gulfood since 1996 and our first customer was TSSC back then but today we are working with all major catering companies here in Dubai showing how we have grown.

WHAT PRODUCTS ARE YOU EXHIBITING AT GULFOOD?One of key sellers is our shelving range, and at this year's Gulfood , we are push-ing new innovations within this range.

We also supply and are exhibiting transport trolleys and stacking equipment for the catering and hospital-ity sectors. Additionally, we provide cooling units, kitchen furniture, and induction technology to the industry .

WHICH AREAS OF THE GCC ARE YOU CURRENTLY LOOKING TO GROW IN?Saudi and Kuwait especially as there is much room for growth in these sectors.

WHO: MANFRED POHLSCHMIDT, MANAGING DIRECTOR, HUPFER

FROM: HUPFER

WHERE:GULFOOD

PROJETS PRESTIGE ANNOUNCES 2015 DATES

ATTENDEES FROM THE 2014 EDITION OF PROJETS PRESTIGE

Bringing together hospitality suppliers and buyers from across the MENA region, Europe, Africa and Asia, Projets Prestige has an-nounced that the conscientious industry networking event will take place on the 3rd and 4th of December 2015, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Yumna Chabrol, event director, tells Hotel News ME about the upcoming edition of the event, “ Projets Prestige unrolled very smoothly and beyond our expectations for this first renewed ver-sion: we had repositioned the event on the high end segment of the hotel market and on the contract business.

More than 1150 face to face meetings took place during the 48 hours and we gathered a total of 754M€ of renovation and con-struction projects for four-five-star hotels.” Discussing the success of last year, Chabrol elaborated on the upcoming event highlights, saying, “We will be having 140 - 70 suppliers and approximately 70 buyers and there will be more private meetings between the buyers and suppliers, there is quite a lot of opportunity to be ben-efited from.”

Naming a few suppliers, Chabrol explained that, “Artemide, Astro Lighting, Moroso, Halo Creative Design, Parsua, Niko, Hy-dropolis and Ligne Roset” are a few of the esteemed suppliers due to attend the 2015 edition of the event.

The supplier and buyer roundup of news, products and services


MARKET PLACE

F i n e s t b e d d i n g . . . S i n c e 1 9 2 0

Mühldorfer GmbH & Co. KG · D-94145 Haidmühle · T +49 8556 96000 · www.muehldorfer.com

FINEST BEDDING MADE IN GERMANY

AIGNER: To set things apart and spice up in-room products, Aigner No.1 Oud encompasses aromatic tones, offering a mys-terious fragrance, which takes inspiration from Middle Eastern traditions. Opening with spicy tones of coriander, cinnamon and nutmeg for a dramatic entrance, the scent then moves into its floral heart with jasmine, rose and violet with a hint of Clove.

diversified.ae [email protected]

PRODUCT PLACEMENT

COFFEE MOMENTS SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DEAL WITH BONCAFÉ MIDDLE EAST

Thamer Abdallah Baeshen, CEO and owner, Coffee Moments came together at Gulfood 2015 with Tony Billingham, CEO, Boncafé Middle East to sign an agreement for the KSA exclu-sive distribution. Boncafé Middle East LLC signs and appoints Coffee Moments as its exclusive distributor for Boncafe products for the territory of KSA.

Coffee Moments operates in all 3 regions Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, commenting on the new partnership, Baesh-en explained, “expanding its operations to provide coffee machines with full after sales service and maintenance of the highest standards we turned to the experts in the industry, Boncafe Middle East.”

Coffee Moments will now further expand its operations by providing a ‘one stop shop’ coffee solu-tion by adding coffee machines to its product port-folio, providing after sales service and maintenance facilities to its already successful coffee supply business module.

THAMER ABDALLAH BAESHEN, CEO AND OWNER, COFFEE MOMENTS AT GULFOOD 2015 WITH TONY BILLINGHAM, CEO, BONCAFÉ MIDDLE EAST


SUPPLIER EVENT

Each year Gulfood connects suppliers and buyers alike from across the globe to network and engage with like-minded individuals, at the hope of expanding their busi-ness development strategies and revenue statistics.

Throughout this period of time, it is also perceived as a valuable occasion in which to gather together select individuals to celebrate achievements and encourage new business opportunities.

In sync with the networking opportunities, MKN not only exhibited in the 2015 Gulfood showdown, but also chose to celebrate its clients, partners, consultants and end-users at the Nay restaurant & Lounge, DIFC. Elias Rached, export department, regional director, MKN praises the success of the event, “ We witnessed a huge number of visitors at Gulfood, and many of our loyal ex-isting clients.

During this period, we had a successful evening at Nay Restaurant & Lounge where we enjoyed food, drinks and live music.

It was a humble way to thank all our business partners for their continuous support and commitment to MKN.”

MKN GULFOOD EVENT

QUICK BITE

VALRHONA: New to the chocolaty collection this year, Valrhona has launched Biskélia 34%, Chocolatey and Toasted Biscuit, plus Azélia 35%, Hazelnut and Chocolatey. The Biskélia 34% consists of fresh, smooth milk chocolate which gives way to warm notes of toasted biscuit and caramel, enhanced by a touch of salt, and the Azélia 34% is a combination of chocolate, milk and hazelnuts, and can be used for chocolate bonbons, tablets or bars, ganache, des-serts, ice cream and sorbets.

[email protected]


COVER STORY

MKN GULFOOD EVENT


MEET THE SUPPLIER

Could you provide a description of your company?Arecont Vision manufactures high-per-formance megapixel IP cameras and as-sociated software. Our products are made in the USA and feature low-cost parallel image processing architectures MegaVideo and Surround-Video that represent a drastic departure from traditional analog and network camera designs. All-in-one products such as the MegaDome, MegaView and D4F/D4S/D4SO series provide installer friendly solutions. Compact JPEG and H.264 series of cameras address cost sen-sitive applications. These innovative tech-nologies enable Arecont Vision to deliver multi-megapixel digital video at IP VGA camera price points.

ARECONT VISION

ARECONT’S HOSPITALITY

CLIENTSFOUR SEASONS

HILTONINTERCONTINENTAL

ROTANASHERATON

Sanjit Bardhan, director, Middle East, Africa & Indian Subcontinent, Arecont Vision discusses the companies latest innovations in surveillance technology

WHAT’S NEW?

THE 4KSURROUND VIDEO

OMNI MEGABALL PANOMORPH

What does your company offer that other suppliers in your field do not?We have one of the most diverse ranges of products in the IP Surveillance industry. Our diverse product range has a bevy of unique products that can add tremen-dous value to our growing customer base. Our products such as the SurroundVideo series, provides users with massive fields of view to capture more detail with fewer cameras. With fewer cameras on the net-work, there is a huge reduction on other systems like cables, network, civil work, labour and maintenance.

Our product offering is unique, and something that all our customers appre-ciate. We provide a great return on in-vestment and thus have very strong cus-tomer retention.

What products and services do you provide to the hospitality industry?The hospitality vertical is one of our larg-est and most successful areas of business globally. In the Middle East, Africa and India regions, we have successfully im-plemented our solutions to some of the best-known chains.

It is hard to point one particular prod-uct line, as all our product families have been accepted with very strong results.

Having said that, I must mention that our panoramic technology (Surround-Video®) has been a door opener for us.

All our hotel references utilise our pan-oramic technology, and can vouch for the performance.

How well did your company performed over the last year?We grew dramatically, and thus made significant investments in the region. Our Manufacturing representatives who have grown significantly as well closely support our team, all this success boils down to great products, technology and customer-support.

What growth do you anticipate to see over the course of the year?2015 is expected to be yet another strong year for Arecont Vision in the region. We have upscaled our regional resourc-es, and now have a very strong support base. We have always been consistent with our growth, and this year, we expect the same.

What is the most popular product that you supply to the industry?Our SurroundVideo and MegaVideo se-ries are the most popular products within our hospitality clients. The Surround-Video Omni is of particular interest in the SurroundVideo series, due to the application needs that it addresses.


M. +97155 5032366 T. +9714 3253130www.hills-hospitality.com

Magy KhalilGeneral Manager

Hills Hospitality & Services DMCC

HOSPITALITY & SERVICES JLT

Hospitality ServicesQuality Management Systems consultancy and certi�cation (HACCP, ISO22000, ISO9001, and other customized management systems for private enterprises and government sectors)

Food Safety Training courses (all levels)

Consultancy services for hotels (supply and buying with the vision of helping hotels in reducing their cost by getting them quotations with the best value in terms of quality and price on food and non food supplies such as equipment and furniture); the service does not apply any charge on the hotel itself but on our subcontractors

Consultancy services for food trading companies and distributors (supply and buying products from di�erent countries, brands launching and sales planning and execution); this service applies charge on brand owners and not on distributors.

For more info, please contact:


Corporate Director of FinanceComplex Director of EngineeringDirector of Sales & MarketingComplex Executive Housekeeper

Laundry ManagerRevenue ManagerSales Manager

General ManagerDirector of OperationsHR Director

Training ManagerDirector of F&BBar ManagerExecutive Chef

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: [email protected] Tel: +971 6 5686144 Website: www.bineid.com

BIN EID EXECUTIVE SEARCH & SELECTION(Specialised in 5* Hotel Sector)

COMPETITIONTo be in with a chance of

winning 6 Spiegelau style glasses and 6 Spiegelau

style flutes, simply answer the question below:

‘The company that supplies Spiegelau glassware, is also the same company that supplies Dudson and Revol’, which com-pany is it?’

Email your answers to [email protected] with the subject line ‘competition.’

Room with a viewTHIS MONTH’S ROOM WITH A VIEW GOES TO THE PANORAMIC VIEWS OF MARINA BAY IN SIGNAPORE FROM THE ICONIC RITZ-CARLTON

The art of luxury comes to life at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, where an impressive collection of contemporary art, unobstructed views of Marina Bay and a location near popular attractions such as Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Flyer and Esplanade. All rooms come with panoramic views of the Marina Bay, Singapore river or city skyline, and for art lovers, unlimited access to the hotel’s 4,200-piece contemporary art collection, including works by Frank Stella, Andy Warhol and Dale.

The final say Mark Griffiths, senior vice president, regional operations for Middle East and Africa, Kempinski Hotels, shares his views on a career outside of the hospitality industry. “If I wasn’t in the hospitality industry, I’d definitely work in sports. I am a big football fan and it’s an exciting industry with global appeal and opportunities.”

LAST WORD

HOTEL NEWS ME MARCH 201580www.ivvnet.it

For over 60 years IVV, Industria Vetraria Valdarnese represents Italian Style and quality in the fi eld of glass production offering elegance and style, classic and contemporary design to cater to every need at home as in professional hospitality. A truly comprehensive offer of exclusive Made in Italy serveware, drinkware, tabletop and decorative pieces ideal for all dining, serving and entertaining occasions.

IVV the House of Italian glassware.

IVV Exclusive Partner for professional hospitality in UAE is 1765 Gemini

www.1765gemini.com • Tel. 00971 4 [email protected] • [email protected]

l u x u r yhote l&restaurant

ES_Advertising gemini FEBBRAIO15.indd 2 24/02/15 10.44

Hotel News ME

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