hospitality business me | 2012 october

Eyad Ali Abdul Rahman reveals his plans to increase inbound tourism and change people’s perceptions of Dubai

General Manager Luigi Romeniello introduces us to the Rosewood Abu Dhabi

Procurement - how, when and how much? Hotels share their best practices when it comes to furniture and fittings

Dusit Thani talk Emiratisation; Rezidor feel the benefit of the Box Appeal and we reveal the hottest Q4 restaurant launches

28 tenders and new MENA projects you need to know!

Publication licensed by IMPZ

GLOBAL HOTEL INDEX: Asia Pacific 68.1% - Americas 67.9% - Europe 71.3% - Middle East/ Africa 53.8% (Average room occupancy August 2012)

In association with...

Publication licensed by IMPZ

cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 1OCTOBER 2012

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S LETTER

NEWSNEW AIR ROUTES, NEW HOTELS AND THE LATEST SHARE PRICES

DATA WATCHSTR GLOBAL AND ERNST & YOUNG’S LATEST SATA

TENDERSTHE NEW PROJECTS ACROSS THE MENA REGION

OPENING SOONIBIS ABU DHABI GATE

COVER STORYHI-TECH HOTELS: WHICH NEW TECHNOLOGY OFFERS THE BEST ROI IN FOUR VERTICALS?

GO GITEX!WHAT BRANDS SHOULD HOTELIERS NOT MISS?

A ROSE IN BLOOMA LOOK AT THE NEW ROSEWOOD ABU DHABI

DEFINITELY DUBAIEYAD ALI ABDUL RAHMAN EXPLAINS HIS VISION FOR INBOUND TOURISM

SUPPLY AND DEMANDLEADING BATHROOM SUPPLIERS IDENTIFY NEW TRENDS

Q&AWE TALK BEST PRACTICE IN PROCUREMENT

GM FEATUREGORDON MACKENZIE AT THE RADISSON BLU DOHA

DUTELEPRESCENCE - A NEW VIEW

TRENDSTHE LATEST TRENDS AND SUPPLIER NEWS

JOBS BOARDYOUR NEW TOP LINE POSITION

COMMENTHOW HAVE DUBAI’S FEEDER MARKETS SHIFTED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS?

06

32

11

15

20

22

28

32

36

42

44

50

52

59

50

42

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COMMENT / EDITOR’S LETTER

PUBLISHER: Dominic De SousaGROUP COO: Nadeem Hood

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERSAlex BendiouisCarol OwenGeorgina Wilson-Powell

EDITORIALGroup Editor: Georgina [email protected] / +971 50 574 2884Senior Designer: Christopher HowlettPhotography: Cris Mejorada

ADVERTISINGAntony [email protected] / +971 55 338 7639Alex [email protected] / +971 50 458 9204Carol [email protected] / +971 55 880 3817Rekha D’[email protected]

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONSMarizel [email protected]

WEB DEVELOPERLouie Alma

PRODUCTIONProduction manager: Devaprakash

DISTRIBUTIONRochelle Almeida

SUBSCRIPTIONSwww.cpievents.net/mag/magazine.php

PRINTED BYPrintwell Printing Press LLC, Dubai, UAE

PUBLISHED BY

Head Office, PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE

Tel: +971 4 440 9100

Fax: +971 4 447 2409

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Building 4, Office G08, Dubai, UAE

A publication licensed by IMPZ

© Copyright 2012 CPI. All rights reserved.

While the publishers have made every

effort to ensure the accuracy of all

information in this magazine, they will not

be held responsible for any errors therein.

4 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012

Editor’s letterThe speed of change is increasing are you up to date?

Every day a new innovation, collaborative solution or integrated possibility is announced

2012 has flown by so far and

coming up on the tail-end of

the year, 2013 looks to be an

even more exciting year in

terms of openings and developments

both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. But

as fast as the year seems to have

been passing us by, the way in which

technology has been developing

seems even faster. Every day a new

innovation, collaborative solution or

integrated possibility is announced

in every area of the hospitality

business, from reservations systems

to in-room safes to new social

marketing trends. But who has time

to keep up with all of this and how

do you know the new technology

you invest heavily in, will give you a

decent return on investment before

becoming outdated?

This month we’ve spoken to experts

in four technology verticals to help

give you an idea of the big new

technology trends you should be aware

of (p23) and we’ve also highlighted

some of the most useful companies

to look up at this year’s Gitex (p28).

Bathroom suppliers too, highlight the

most recent developments in their

sector, as hotel guests expect more and

more of a spa style environment when

they check in (p41).

And as much as the year is rushing

GEORGINA WILSON-POWELL GROUP EDITOR

by, there’s still plenty of excitement

left in 2012 yet. We round up the Q4

restaurant openings that you should

book in a visit to now on page 64.

Elsewhere, we speak to Rosewood

Abu Dhabi (p32) and Ibis Abu

Dhhabi Gate (p20) about their new

openings and Radisson Blu Doha’s

long serving General Manager about

his hotel’s new operator (p50).

Of course, for keeping up with the

now, we have all the usual news, data

reports, tenders and top line jobs to

take in. We’re also starting to plan our

next year’s editorial...if there’s anything

you’d like to see in Hospitality Business

Middle East that hasn’t been covered so

far, we’d love to hear from you

Follow us for daily updates on the global hospitality industry at HospitalityBME.

On Twitter?

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NEWS WATCH

cpidubai.com6 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012

UAE NEWS SOFITEL ABU DHABI CORNICHE

OPEN SO SPASofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche has opened a

So Spa, which uses a gastronomy-inspired

‘spa menu’ to offer a variety of men’s and

women’s treatments. The spa has been

inspired by natural elements like wood

and stone and stocks Carita, Cinq Mondes

and Shiffa skincare lines. “This is an urban

sanctuary where people can detach then

reattach from the world. Our bespoke

and customised treatment service means

you can do this in the space of your lunch

break or over a day of pampering” said Spa

Manager Hannah Dowd. The hotel is also

home to So Fit, a multi-purpose gym, with

equipment from TecnhoGym.

UAE IN FIRST PLACE FOR TRAVEL AND TOURISMAccording to Visa’s Tourism Outlook: UAE

recent report, the UAE saw more inbound

and outbound flights in 2011 than ever

before, and welcomed 8.2m international

visitors (down 8.8 per cent on 2010). The

UAE also has the most diverse number of

source markets, with increasing demand

from Russia and China.

COURTESY LOUNGE OPENED BY THE WESTIN DUBAIThe Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach

Resort & Marina has opened the very

latest facilities for its guests to enjoy in a

relaxing hub area for both hotels. Services

include massage chairs, complimentary

refreshments, a business centre, private

check in, children’s entertainment and

changing and shower facilities for late or

early flights. Open between 6am and 6pm

the Lounge is free to all guests.

NEWS IN BRIEF

6,400 ROOMS TO COME IN RIYADH, THE

MIDDLE EAST’S BIGGEST PIPELINE

(source: STR Global)

The 30-year-old hospitality

company will become ‘JA Resorts

& Hotels’, with a new logo but the

guiding principles of the group will

remain the same. Kevin Wallace,

Chief Executive Officer explains,

“Essentially, we’re reinforcing what

we already do well, which is ‘heartfelt

hospitality’ at all of our properties,

whether big or small, central or

remote. JA Resorts & Hotels, as an

experience is all about casual luxury

and heartfelt hospitality.”

Jebel Ali International Hotels undertakes rebranding effort

Think Planet launched by RezidorRezidor, a member of the Carlson

–Rezidor Group has launched Think

Planet, a group-wide energy-saving

initiative, that aims to reduce energy

consumption by 25 per cent by 2016.

“Think Planet reinforces Rezidor’s

position as one of the industry leaders

in terms of sustainability. Many of

our hotels have already introduced

progressive, environmentally friendly

measures, now we are spreading these

initiatives into all our properties and

focus on key energy-saving investments

that will have the biggest impact”, said

Inge Huijbrechts, Director Responsible

Business at Rezidor.

The new So Spa concept

NEWS WATCH


542 SERVICED RESIDENTIAL

APARTMENTS IN YET-TO-COME

THE BVLD HOTEL SOLD IN ONE DAY

DOWNS

UPS

EGYPT WORST COUNTRY FOR HOTEL INVESTMENT

According to the Ernst & Young Middle

East Hotel Benchmark Survey, Egyptian

cities make up four of the five bottom

locations for investments in hotels.

RIYADH OCCUPANCY FALLS IN AUGUST

According to STR Global the city’s

occupancy fell 8.5 per cent to 31 per

cent over August, the region’s biggest

fall that month.

KUWAIT MUNICIPALITY PLANS MORE HOTELS

The Hotel-Owners Association feel

this would further damage occupancy

and ADR in the small country, where

tourism is not a main focus.

DUBAI’S HOTEL RATES IM-PROVE IN JULY

According to TRI Hospitality’s HotStats,

ADR increased 6.4 per cent to $188.51

whilst occupancy fell 11 per cent.

ROTANA JETS DOUBLES DAILY FLIGHTS

Rotana Jet will now fly twice a day to

Fujairah, Al Ain and Sharjah from Abu

Dhabi International Airport.

GULF AIR RESUMES FLIGHTS TO IRAN AND IRAQ

The Bahrain-based airline has resumed

flights to Baghdad, Erbil and Basra

in Iraq, Tehran, Mashhad, Shiraz and

Isfahan in Iran.

DOWNS

Intercontinental Dubai Marina to come in 2013Dubai based property developer

Select Group has inked a deal

with IHG (InterContinental

Hotels Group) to open the five

star hotel as part of the Bay

Central development at Dubai

Marina. The hotel will open Q4

2013 and will have 132 keys plus

196 residential suites for long-

term guests. The property will

also include eight F&B outlets,

including a 600 sq m nightclub,

a spa, health club, pool deck and

eight meeting rooms.

Pascal Gauvin, IHG’s Chief

Operating Officer, for India,

Middle East and Africa said

“The Dubai Marina is a

fantastic hub of activity for

guests looking to experience

everything Dubai has to

offer. It’s close to great

shopping malls as well as

one of Dubai’s most popular

beaches. The InterContinental

Dubai Marina will perfectly

complement its sister hotel

in the city, InterContinental

Dubai Festival City, and

we are looking forward to

opening the hotel by the end

of next year.”

IHG sign iwth Almadina Real Estate

Crowne Plaza resort to open in Ras Al KhaimahAlmadina Real Estate Development

with IHG will open the first Crowne

Plaza resort in the UAE. It will be set

on Marjan Island and open in 2015,

spanning more than 18,000 sq m. It

will be home to nine F&B outlets.

a spa, fitness centre, beauty salon,

nursery, indoor souk and six state of

the art meeting rooms. Pascal Gauvin,

IHG’s Chief Operating Officer, for

India, Middle East and Africa, said:

“The Marjan Island development is

set to become an exciting destination,

and it is the perfect setting for our

first Crowne Plaza Resort in the UAE.

Offering an idyllic beachfront setting,

a fantastic selection of F&B options,

and all the services and facilities

you normally associate with Crowne

Plaza, we expect the resort to set a

new benchmark for the brand.” IHG

will operate two properties in Ras

Al Khaimah, the group will open an

InterContinental in 2014.

NEWS WATCH


AIR ARABIA NOW FLIES TO ODESSATargeting the expanding CIS market, the

Sharjah based airline now offers twice-

weekly flights to Odessa in the Ukraine.

“This service will further strengthen our

flights to Ukraine offering more choice of

air travel. We are confident that the flights

will strongly contribute to the trade and

tourism ties of both UAE and Ukraine,”

said, Adel Ali, Group Chief Executive

Officer, Air Arabia.

EMIRATES LAUNCHES ALGIERS ROUTEFrom next March the airline will offer a

daily flight to Algiers, helping to open up

a further African network for the airline.

ABU DHABI ON TRACK TO HIT 2.3M VISITORS1.37m guests stayed in Abu Dhabi in

the first seven months of 2012, with the

average length of stay increasing to 2.84

days, a six per cent up on last year. Overall

so far this year tourist numbers have risen

11 per cent but occupancy dropped six per

cent over Ramadan on 2011. The UK, India

and Germany are the capital three major

non-GCC source markets.

AUGUST PIPELINE SITS AT 487 HOTLESAccording to the STR Global Construction

Pipeline Report, the MENA region

development pipeline currently is made

up of 487 projects, comprising 122,954

rooms. Within the region the largest

room growth can be seen in Riyadh, Saudi

Arabia with 84.5 per cent growth, while

Jeddah, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and

Amman all are expected to see a 20 per

cent increase.

NEWS IN BRIEFMENANEWS

$5mTO BE SPENT BUILDING A SMURF

THEME PARK IN BAHRAIN (source: Gulf Daily News)

Jeddah saw profit rise in RamadanThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s

Jeddah’s hotels saw a 30.9 per cent

profit spike in July, over Ramadan,

according to HotStats from TRI

Hospitality Consulting. Average

occupancy at the top end of the

market reached 83.9 per cent, up

just over three per cent on the same

period in 2011, whilst RevPAR

increased to $192.47.

Oman Air adds Tehran routeLast month saw the debut of Oman

Air’s first direct flight to Tehran. Each

flight has 11 business class and 60

economy class seats.

Oman Air now heads to Tehran

The resort is now home to 20 F&B outlets

New F&B outlets at Shangri-La Jissah Resort Lebanese restaurant, Fairouz and

Asian-inspired, Asia, have opened at

the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort

& Spa’s Al Mazaar souk. Fairouz

has been inspired by the famous

singer, whilst Asia will serve up

flavours from China, Japan, Thailand,

Malaysia and Vietnam. They bring

the hotel’s F&B total to 20.

Increased RevPAR during Ramadan for Jeddah

Abu Dhabi’s Grand Mosque

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NEWS WATCH

cpidubai.com

REZIDOR HOTEL GROUP APPOINTS NEW CEOKurt Ritter, the longest serving CEO, will

step down from the Rezidor Hotel Group

at the end of this y ear. He has held the

position since 1989. Wolfgang M. Neumann,

the company’s Executive Vice President and

COO, will become CEO on January 1, 2013.

“We are pleased to announce the planned

transition of Wolfgang M. Neumann

as incoming President & CEO. He is an

internationally experienced hotelier who

will build on Rezidor’s strengths as an

industry leader and valuable member of

the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group – with

a continued focus on revenue generation

and profitable growth,” said Trudy Rautio,

Chairman of Rezidor’s Board of Directors

and President & CEO of Carlson.

EMAAR SELLS DUBAI MARINA HOTEL TO ESHRAQ PROPERTIESEmaar Properties has let go its Nuran

Marina property, serviced hotel apartments

in Dubai Marina to Eshraq Properties.

Meanwhile Emaar Hospitality Group, the

hotel operation arm of the group, has won

a contract to operate a resort near Masai

Mara in Kenya.

ONYX HOSPITALITY GROUP LAUNCHES AMARI HOTEL IN DOHAThai hospitality company Onyx will open

the Amari Doha Hotel next month in Qatar’s

capital. The 13-storey hotel will host 120

guest rooms including six suites. It will also

be home to swimming pools, a spa, fitness

centre, business centre and various F&B

outlets and banqueting facilities.

OMAN ATTRACTS BOLLYWOOD FILM INDUSTRYThe Oman Tourist Board has opened up the

country to shoot Balaji Motion Pictures’

Once Upon a Time in Mumbai... Again

in Oman. Oman Air and Tour Oman are

partnering with the ministy and Muscat’s

Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa will

act as one of the key backgrounds in the

movie as well as the film unit’s home.

NEWS IN BRIEFMENA NEWS

$282AVERAGE ROOM RATE IN 2012 IN MAKKAH

- THE BEST MENA CITY FOR INVESTMENT

(source: Ernst & Young Middle East Hotel

Benchmark Survey)


Thursday 52 week

Closing share price as at: 20 Sept 2012 High Low

Accor (Euro) 26.8 28.0 17.0

Hyatt Hotels (US Dollar) 40.8 44.5 29.2

Intercontinental Hotels Group PLC (British Pound) 16.4 17.6 9.5

Marriott International (Euro) 40.8 41.8 24.1

Melia Hotels International 5.4 5.8 3.5

Millenium & Copthorne (pp) 492.2 516.5 368.6

NH Hotesl (Euro) 2.6 3.9 1.7

PPHE Hotel Group (British Pound) 2.2 2.5 2.0

Rezidor Hotel Group (KR) 24.5 28.4 16.3

Starwood Hotels & Resorts (US Dollar) 58.5 61.1 35.8

Whitbread PLC (British Pound) 23.1 23.3 14.7

Source: Reuters

ABSOLUTE SHARE PRICE PERFORMANCE: 13-20 SEPT 2012Hospitality consultants, HVS, impart

with us the most recent actitvity in

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DATA WATCH

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 11cpidubai.com OCTOBER 2012

Data watchGlobal hotel data review for August 2012 from STR Global

AUGUST 2012 VS AUGUST 2011

ASIA PACIFIC

OCC% ADR PERCENTAGE CHANGE FROM AUGUST 2011

2012 2011 2012 2011 OCC ADR REVPAR

68.1 68.1 139.49 138.45 -0.1 0.7 0.7

REVPAR

AMERICAS


2012 2011 2012 2011 OCC ADR REVPAR

67.9 66.1 109.05 105.06 2.8 3.8 6.7

REVPAR

EUROPE


2012 2011 2012 2011 OCC ADR REVPAR

71.3 70.9 135.17 138.12 0.5 -2.1 -1.7

REVPAR

MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA


2012 2011 2012 2011 OCC ADR REVPAR

53.8 48.1 154.93 150.36 11.9 3.0 15.3

REVPAR

2012 2011

95.11 94.35

2012 2011

2012 2011

2012 2011

KEY FIGURES

6.7% INCREASE IN

AVERAGE REVPAR

IN AMERICAS IN

AUGUST 2012

68.1% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY

IN ASIA PACIFIC

IN AUGUST 2012

-2.1% DECREASE IN AVERAGE

ADR IN EUROPE IN

AUGUST 2012

15.3% INCREASE IN AVERAGE

REVPAR IN MENA

REGION IN

AUGUST 2012

$139 AVERAGE ADR RATE IN ASIA

PACIFIC IN AUGUST 2012

67.9% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN AMERICAS

REGION IN AUGUST 2012

71.3% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN EUROPE


53.8% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN MENA


74.08 69.43

96.32 97.95

83.37 72.28

DATA WATCH

DATA WATCH

12 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012 cpidubai.com

The hotel benchmarkThe Earnst & Young hotel benchmark report provides a monthly performance overview of leading hotels

in the Middle East. It includes five star and four star international branded and operated properties.

DUBAI OVERALL MONTHLY PERFORMANCE

DATA WATCH

% OCCUPANCY DUBAI - OVERALL HOTELS

AVERAGE ROOM RATE DUBAI - OVERALL HOTELS (US$)

Average Room Rate July 2011 - July 2012350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Aver

age

Room

Rat

e

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul

REV PAR IN DUBAI - OVERALL HOTLES(US$)

Room Yield July 2011 - July 2012300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Room

Yie

ld


KEY FIGURES

$167 AVERAGE ROOM RATE IN

DUBAI JULY 2012

69.4% OCCUPANCY IN HOTELS

IN JULY 2012

$116 REV PAR IN DUBAI

IN JULY 2012

Occupancy % July 2011 - July 2012100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Occu

panc

y %


80.5

52.6

74.182.3

87.483

87.9 89.3 85.778.8 78

69.4

87.7

161147

189

255

217

254274 268 280 290

204

174 167

129

77

40

210189

211

241 235250 249

161

135116

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 15OCTOBER 2012

TendersAll the latest information about the tenders you need to know about

Tel: (+971) 2 634 8495www.EmiratesTenders.com

NEW SUPPLY AND SERVICE TENDERS

$153mBUDGET FOR NILE TOWERS

PROJECT, EGYPT

Nature of work: Supply of covers and furniture for

a ministry.

Project name: Ministry of Health (Kuwait)

Address: Ministry of Health Bldg., Jamal

Abdulnasser Street, Al Solaibeykhat Area

City: Safat 13001

Postal/Zip Code: 5

Country: Kuwait

Phone: (+965) 2487 7422

Fax: (+965) 2486 5414

eMail: [email protected]

Website: www.moh.gov.kw

Cost of Tender Documents ($): 180

Last date of submission: October 7, 2012

Nature of work: Annual contract for provision of

fruits and vegetables, meat, cheese, oil and spices,

drinks/beverages and other general consumables

for restaurants.

Project name: Al Reyami Group (Dubai)

City: Dubai

Postal/Zip Code: 14462

Country: United Arab Emirates

Phone: (+971-4) 336 4666

Fax: (+971-4) 336 6775

eMail: [email protected]

Website: www.reyami.com



Nature of work: Supply of meals, including

popular cooking services, normal buffets and

VIP meals during events and races for the year

2012/2013 at a Club.

Project name: Emirates Heritage Club

(Abu Dhabi)

Address: Behind Bus Station, Next

to Zayed Girls University, Muroor

Area

City: Abu Dhabi


Country: United Arab Emirates

Phone: (+971-2) 445 6456

Fax: (+971-2) 445 1444

Cost of Tender Documents ($): 85 Last date

of submission: October 4, 2012

Nature of work: Provision of catering, cleaning and

laundry services for the guest house of a ministry.

Project name: Ministry of Health (Oman)

Address: Opp. Khoula Hospital, Bldg. No. 105

City: Muscat PC 113


Country: Oman

Phone: (+968-24) 602 177

Fax: (+968-24) 602 647

Website: www.moh.gov.om



Nature of work: Provision of catering services for

a hospital.

Project name: Health Affairs Directorate

City: Riyadh

Country: Saudi Arabia

Phone: (+966-1) 406 6695

Website: www.riyadhealth.med.sa


Last date of submission: November 10, 2012

Client name: National Guard (Kuwait)

Address: Khaldiya


Country: Kuwait

Phone: (+971-4) 336 4666, (+965) 2481 1633

Fax: (+965) 2481 2831

Preparing and supply of meals, hot and cold drinks for

a defense authority.


Project Name: Five Star Hotel Construction Project -

Saraya Development

Description: Construction of a five-star hotel

comprising (5) basement levels, (4) podium levels,

(32) floors and (4) levels of services.

Client Name: Aabar Properties L.L.C

(Abu Dhabi)

Country: UAE

Consultant: Confluence Project Management

(Abu Dhabi)

Status: New Project

Project Name: Headquarters Building

Project

Description: Construction of headquarters building

comprising 105-metre-high, 35-storey office tower.

Client Name: Al-Abdulkarim Holding

(Saudi Arabia)


Status: New Project

Project Name: Five-star Hotel & Hotel Apartments

Description: Design and construction of a five-star

NEW TENDERS

16 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012 cpidubai.com

TENDERS

BUDGET FOR MERIDIEN HOTEL EXTENSION

$54m

hotel comprising (200) rooms and (120 Nos.) hotel

apartments, including associated facilities.

Client Name: Arab Resort Areas Company (ARAC) -

Saudi Arabia


Status: New Project

Project Name: Rotana Centro Hotel

Project

Description: Construction of 10-storey Rotana

Centro Hotel including (230) rooms and related

facilities.

Client Name: Al Malki Group of Companies

(Qatar)

Country: Qatar

Status: New Project

Project Name: Al-Risafa Sports Stadium

Project

Description: Construction of Al-Risafa

sports stadium with capacity of

30,000 seats .

Client Name: Ministry of Youth &

Sports (Iraq)

Country: Iraq

Consultant: Hill International, Inc.

(USA)

Budget (USD): 100000000

Status: New Project

Project Name: Nile Towers Project

Description: Construction of 22-storey Nile Towers

consisting a five-star hotel tower and a residential

tower.

Client Name: Saudi Egyptian Construction Company

(SECON) – Egypt

Country: Egypt

Consultant: Arabtec Construction L.L.C (Dubai)

Budget (USD): 153000000

Status: Current Project

Project Name: Delta 1 Residential Tower Project -

Dubai Marina

Description: Construction of 21-storey Delta 1

residential tower.

Client Name: Delta Properties L.L.C

(Dubai)

Country: UAE

Consultant: National Engineering Bureau (Dubai)

Contractor: Engineering Contracting Company L.L.C.

- ECC (Dubai)


Project Name: ADNOC Headquarters Complex

Description: Design and construction of a new

headquarters complex for ADNOC comprising a

342-metre-high, 65-storey office tower, podium,

basement and underground parking areas, as well

as a tunnel connecting the office tower with the

underground parking.

Client Name: Abu Dhabi National Oil Company

(ADNOC)

Country: UAE

Consultant: HOK International (Dubai)

Contractor: Besix Group (Abu Dhabi)

Budget (USD): 490000000


Project Name: Mushrif Healthcare Centre

Construction Project

Description: Construction of Mushrif Healthcare

Centre.

Client Name: Abu Dhabi Health Services

Company PJSC (SEHA)

Country: UAE

Consultant: Hill International Ltd.

(Abu Dhabi)

Status: New Project

Project Name: Meridien Hotel Extension

Description: Construction of an extension to the

existing five-star Meridien Hotel.

Client Name: Wasl Asset Management Group

(Dubai)

Country: UAE

Consultant: Arch Group (Dubai)

Contractor: Al-Futtaim Carillion (Dubai)

Budget (USD): 54000000


Project Name: Doha Festival City Development

Description: Development of Doha Festival City

comprising a retail centre, an entertainment

park, two hotels and an auto park made up of car

showrooms.

Client Name: Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate

(Dubai)

Country: Qatar

Consultant: Mace Limited (Qatar)

Contractor: Arabian Construction Company - ACC

(Qatar)

Budget (USD): 1600000000


Project Name: Sohar Ferrochrome Smelter

Description: Construction of a ferrochrome smelter

with capacity of 50,000 tonnes a year (t/y), including

two furnaces each with a capacity of 16,500 kilovolt-

amperes (keva) in Sohar Freezone.

Client Name: Gulf Mining Materials Company

(GMM) – Oman

Country: Oman

Consultant: Gulf Mining Materials Company (GMM)

- Oman



Project Name: Acid Plant Construction

Description: Design and build (DB) contract to

build an acid plant, including (6 Nos.) acid storage

tanks capable of holding 50 cubic metres each, a 600

square metre chemical storage area along with office

and control buildings.

Client Name: Midland Oil Company

(Iraq)

Country: Iraq

Status: New Project

Project Name: Gypsum Board & Plaster Board Plant

Development Project

Description: Carrying out development of a plant

with capacity to produce 8-million square metres of

gypsum board a year and 200,000 tonnes a year (t/y)

of plaster of paris.

Client Name: Zawawi Minerals (Oman)

Country: Oman


Status: New Project

Project Name: Polyethylene Plant Project - Jubail

Industrial City

Description: Engineering, Procurement &

Construction (EPC) contract to build an ultra-high-

molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) plant

with production capacity of 35,000 tonnes per year in

Jubail Industrial City.

Client Name: Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Company

(Saudi Arabia)


Consultant: Jacobs Engineering (Saudi

Arabia)

Status: New Project

Project Name: King Faisal Medical Complex


Description: Construction of a medical complex,

including housing units and apartments for medical

staff.

Client Name: Ministry of Health (Saudi

Arabia)

Consultant: Saudi Arabia Hill International Middle

East Ltd. (Saudi Arabia)

Contractor: Al-Fouzan Trading & General

Construction Company (Saudi Arabia)

Budget (USD): 1100000000

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 17OCTOBER 2012cpidubai.com

TENDERS

BUDGET FOR JABAL OMAR AREA DEVELOPMENT

$51bn


Project Name: King Abdullah Sports City

Project

Description: Construction of King Abdullah Sports

City covering an area of 9 square kilometres featuring

a main stadium with capacity of 60,000, together

with at least five other smaller sporting arenas,

including a specialist hospital for sporting injuries,

a number of indoor arenas and accommodation

facilities.

Client Name: General Presidency of Youth Welfare

(Saudi Arabia)


Consultant: Arup Gulf (Dubai)

Contractor: Besix Group SA (Belgium)

Budget (USD): 4000000000


Project Name: Mowassat Specialised University

Hospital & Smouha University Maternity Hospital

Project

Description: Construction of Mowassat Specialised

University Hospital comprising 223 beds

providing advanced healthcare for men, including

neurosurgery, a urinary tract centre and a kidney

centre; and construction of Smouha Maternity

University Hospital comprising 200 beds for

gynaecology and obstetrics.

Client Name: Ministry of Finance

(Egypt)

Country: Egypt

Consultant: Mott MacDonald (UK)

Contractor: Dar for Trading & Contracting (DETAC)

- Egypt

Budget (USD): 200000000


Project Name: Al Bayaa Teaching Hospital

Project

Description: Construction of Al Bayaa Teaching

Hospital comprising (600) beds, which will be used to

train physicians and other medical professionals.

Client Name: Ministry of Higher Education &

Scientific Research (Iraq)

Country: Iraq

Consultant: Hill International, Inc. (USA)

Budget (USD): 210000000

Status: New Project

Project Name: Ghayathi Community Hospital


Description: Construction of 50-bed capacity

Ghayathi Community Hospital.

Client Name: Abu Dhabi Health Services Company

PJSC (SEHA)

Country: UAE

Consultant: Hill International Ltd. (Abu

Dhabi)

Budget (USD): 105000000

Status: New Project

Project Name: Mixed-Use Development Project -

Project Number: 56850

Territory: Obhur District

Description: Design and construction of a 2.4

million square metre mixed-use development in

Obhur, which includes (240 Nos.) residential towers,

(1,200 Nos.) villas, a five-star hotel, hospital, clinics,

mosques, commercial district, schools and municipal

buildings.

Territory: Saudi Arabia

Client Name: Company Name: Rayadah Investment

Company (Saudi Arabia)

City: Riyadh 11564


Phone: (+966-1) 205 9911

Fax: (+966-1) 205 9922

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.raid.com.sa

Consultants: Infrastructure Consultant, Saudi

Consulting Services (SaudConsult) - Saudi Arabia,

KEO International Consultants (Saudi Arabia)

Status: New Tender

Last Updated: July 11, 2012

Tender Categories: Construction & Contracting,

Hotels, Medical & Healthcare

Remarks: This project is at Jeddah in

Saudi Arabia. Client has received

prequalification entries for an

infrastructure package on the

residential scheme and is planning

to issue tender documents for the

contract by July 2012. Local office of

KEO International Consultants has been

appointed as the project manager on this

development. Client has invited contractors to submit

bids for the first infrastructure and earthworks

package on this scheme. Client has set a deadline of

August 13, 2012 for the tender. Local Saud Consult

has been appointed as the infrastructure consultant

on this scheme.

Project Name: Jabal Omar Area Development

Project Number: 56968

Description: Development of Jabal Omar area

involving construction of five-star hotels, residential

towers, retail concourse and a car park.

Budget ($): 5100000000

Territory Saudi Arabia

ClientCompany Name: Jabal Omar Development


City: Makkah


Phone: (+966-2) 553 3898

Fax: (+966-2) 559 3395

Consultants: Design Consultant Associated

Consultants Engineers (ACE) International (Saudi

Arabia)

Design Consultant-1: Hill International Middle East

Ltd. (Saudi Arabia)

Financial Consultant: Al Rajhi Banking &

Investment Corporation (Saudi Arabia)

Master Plan Consultant: T.R. Hamzah & Yeang

International (Malaysia)

Project Manager: Hill International Middle East

Ltd. (Saudi Arabia)

Contractors: A/C, Chillers & Heating Systems

Supplier, Saudi Tabreed (Saudi Arabia), Cement &

Concrete Products Supplier, Saudi Readymix Concrete

Company Ltd. (Saudi Arabia), Cement & Concrete

Products Supplier(1), Precast Manufacturing Co. -

PREMCO (Saudi Arabia)

Main Contractor: Rio Trading & Contracting


Main Contractor(1): Saudi Oger Limited (Saudi

Arabia)

Main Contractor(2): Saudi Binladin Group (Saudi

Arabia)

Main Contractor(3): Saudi Arabian Baytur

Construction Company L.L.C (Saudi Arabia)

Main Contractor(4): Azmeel Contracting &

Construction Corporation (Saudi Arabia),

Safety Products Supplier , Combisafe (UK)



Tender Categories: Prestige

Buildings, Leisure & Entertainment,

Hotels

Remarks This project will be developed

around the Grand Mosque in the holy city of

Makkah. To be built over 230,000 square metres,

the scheme will entail construction of (40) hotels,

(15 Nos.) 35-storey residential towers, a four-level

retail concourse and a car park to accommodate

(12,000) vehicles. The project also includes

commercial developments, roads, gardens, schools,

medical centres, air-conditioned plazas for 100,000

worshippers and open courtyards for prayers.

The scheme will be handled by a newly formed

company, Jabal Omar Development Company,

which is expected to soon issue a tender for the

position of project and construction manager.

Malaysia’s TR Hamzah & Yeang has carried out the

original master plan.

TENDERS


BUDGET FOR MUSCAT CONVENTION &

EXIBITION CENTRE

$18bn

Project Name: Nile Towers Project

Description: Construction of 22-storey Nile Towers

consisting a five-star hotel tower and a residential

tower.

Budget ($): 153000000

Territory: Egypt

Client: Saudi Egyptian Construction Company:

(SECON) - Egypt

Address: Ganaklis

City: Alexandria

Country: Egypt

Phone: (+22-03) 5820699/5827011

Main Contractors: Arabtec Construction L.L.C

(Dubai)

Main Contractor(1): SIAC Industrial Construction &

Engineering Company (Egypt)



Tender Categories: Hotels, Leisure &

Entertainment, Prestige Buildings

Remarks: This project is in Egypt. The scheme will

have a total built up area of 105,000 square metres.

First tower will be a fiver star hotel managed by

Hilton International, with a total of (256) rooms

and the second will be for residential use and will

consist (114) hotel apartments. A joint venture of

Dubai-based Arabtech Construction and local SIAC

Industrial Construction & Engineering Company has

been awarded the main construction contract on this

scheme. Work is scheduled to commence in 2012 and

completion expected in 2015.

Project Name: Muscat Convention & Exhibition

Centre

Project Number: 479

Description Construction of Muscat

Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Budget ($): 1800000000

Territory: Oman

Client: Company Name: Oman

Tourism Development Company S.A.O.C

(Omran)

City: Muttrah PC 114

Country: Oman

Phone: (+968) 2477 3700

Fax: (+968) 2479 3929


Website: www.omran.om

Design Consultant: RMJM (UK)

Environmental Consultant: Geo-Resources

Consultancy (Oman)

Main Consultant: RMJM (UK)

Master Plan Consultant: WATG (UK)

Project Manager: AEG Ogden (Australia)

Quantity Surveyor: Hanscomb & Company L.L.C

(Oman)

Contractors: Foundations, Enabling & Piling

Contractor Al-Awazi International L.L.C (Oman)




Hotels, Leisure & Entertainment

Remarks: This project is in Oman. The convention

centre will be located in Muscat, about 4 kilometres

from the airport. The client has invited firms to

submit proposals by June 04, 2007 for various

consultancy contracts, which covers project

management services, mechanical, electrical and

plumbing engineering, construction engineering

and civil engineering. Bids have been submitted on

July 16, 2012 for the packages 5.2, which include

construction of a primary substation on this scheme.

Construction contract is expected to be awarded in

the fourth quarter of 2012.

Project Name: Msheireb Downtown Doha

Development Project

Description: Development of Msheireb Downtown

Doha (Formerly Heart of Doha City) mixed-use

scheme comprising several districts, including a

residential and mixed-use quarter, a retail quarter, a

heritage quarter and a commercial area.

Budget ($): 5500000000

Territory: Qatar

Client: Company Name: Msheireb Properties (Qatar)

City: Doha

Country: Qatar

Phone: (+974) 4459 0459

Fax: (+974) 4421 6125


Website: www.msheireb.com

Consultants:

Design Consultant: Aedas (Hong

Kong)

Design Consultant-1: Burns &

McDonnell Engineering (USA)

Design Consultant-2: Mossessian &

Partners Ltd. (UK)

Main Architect: John McAslan & Partners (UK)

Main Consultant: Gensler Associates International

Main Consultant-1: HOK International (Qatar)

Master Plan Consultant: Adjaye Associates (UK)

Master Plan Consultant-1: Allies & Morrison

Architects (UK)

Project Manager : Turner Projacs (Qatar)

Contractors: District Cooling Systems Supplier,

Drake & Scull International (Qatar), Foundations,

Enabling & Piling Contractor, Bauer International

L.L.C (Qatar), Foundations, Enabling & Piling

Contractor(1), Ammico Contracting Company (Qatar),

Foundations, Enabling & Piling Contractor(2),

Swissboring Overseas Corporation Ltd. (Qatar)

Infrastructure Works Contractor: Contracting &

Trading Company - CAT (Qatar)

Main Contractor: Hyundai Engineering Corporation

Main Contractor(1): HBK Contracting (Qatar)

Main Contractor(2): Carillion plc (UK)

Main Contractor(3): Qatar Building Company

Media Contractor: Crystal Media (Qatar)

MEP Contractor: Drake & Scull International PJSC

Raft Foundation Contractor: Redco International

Waste Collection System Contractor: Envac

W.L.L (Qatar)




Hotels, Industrial & Special Projects

Remarks: This project will be located behind Emiri

Diwan administrative centre on Doha corniche in

Qatar covering a development area of 750,000 square

metres. The development will contain hotel, retails,

residential, mosques, culture, heritage, school and

government buildings ranging from 3 to 30 storeys.

More than 100 buildings will be constructed to

offer housing, workspace, cultural and community

facilities, while preserving key heritage buildings.

The Mushiereb site is bordered by Al Rayyan Road

to the North, Jassim Bin Mohammed street to the

East, Musheireb Street to the south and Al Diwan

Street (part of Ring Road) to the West. The mixed-

use scheme includes an interchange for Doha’s

proposed metro system, a shopping mall, hotels

and a commercial district. The commercial area will

be called Headquarters Gateway. The client has

invited contractors to pre-qualify for the building

construction contract on this scheme. The estimated

$220 million package for which contractors are being

invited to pre-qualify involves the construction of

a national archive building, an annex to the Diwan

Centre, and a building for the Emiri Guard, which is

part of the country’s armed forces. All buildings are

designed according to environmentally sustainable

building standards, with the aim of receiving a

platinum rating, the highest available, from the

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)

rating system developed by the US’ Green Building

Council. The total built-up area of the buildings is

about 144,000 square metres. An award for the

main contract is expected by the end of this year

and construction is expected to commence by the

first week of January 2010. US’ Turner Construction

International is acting as the project manager.

It is understood that client has once again extended

the deadline to submit commercial bids for phase 2

on this scheme until July 30, 2012.

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Ibis Abu Dhabi Gate’s impending opening marks the start of a new rush of economy hotels in Abu Dhabi

70% EXPECTED

OCCUPANCY 2013

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 21cpidubai.com OCTO BER 2012

OPENING SOON

The Ibis Abu Dhabi Gate marks

a move in the capital to offer a

range of accommodation under

the five star label.

“The new hotel will fill the need

for internationally known economy

hotel accommodation in the UAE’s

capital. The city has an abundance

of five-star properties, but there are

very few hotels that target business

and leisure travellers on a budget,”

says Nicole Hochgruber, General

Manager for the Ibis Abu Dhabi

Gate, and Novotel Abu Dhabi Gate.

In terms of source markets, the

new property expects to see guests

mainly from France, UK, Germany

and the Asia Pacific region as well as

the GCC feeder markets.

Ibis was first introduced to the

region in Dubai and its strong

international reputation has seen

healthy occupancy in the market.

“Guests are now well-aware of

the Ibis brand and they love the

Ibis experience of simple, straight

forward service they can rely on…

which comes at an affordable price,”

explains Hochgruber.

This key price point is a unique

benefit for guests in Abu Dhabi,

who are overwhelmed with luxury

hotel offerings. The hotel is located

in the Bain Al Jessrain area, close

to the airport, Yas Island, and the

Mussaffah areas for corporate

travellers. What’s more rooms have

views over the Grand Mosque.

“Ibis hotels are always centrally

located in the business and leisure

districts with easy access to public

Ibis Abu Dhabi GateP.O. Box 92156 Road 34 Gate City Bain Al Jessrain

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Tel.: (+971) 2 558 9231

Fax.: (+971) 2 558 9253

Expected guests

30% GCC

70% NON GCC

transport, railway stations, tourist

attractions, airports and convention

centres” says Hochgruber.

She expects to see healthy

occupancy year in the first year,

“Since Ibis is a volume drive

brand we are already targeting an

occupancy rate of around 70 per

cent for the first year. There is stiff

competition from other hotel brands.

However Ibis has a strong global

identity, and a positive reputation

in the European and Asian feeder

markets. Thus, we are confident we

can reach healthy occupancy levels

and be the preferred hotel for budget

travellers. We can also count on our

strong international distribution

channels, our brand’s website, our

geo-localised website and support by

a worldwide sales network, to drive

growth for our new hotel.”

ACCOMMODATIONThe hotel has 252 standard rooms

with a mix of double and twin

rooms. Some rooms are suitable for

disabled people. They also have an

additional 42 spacious one bedroom

apartments, with contain a fully

equipped kitchen, living area and

two bathrooms.

Left: The Ibis

Abu Dhabi Gate is

connected to sister

property, Novotel Abu

Dhabi Gate

“With spacious, welcoming and

modern rooms, comfortable bedding,

modern bathroom facilities, fast

internet connection, a healthy and

balanced cuisine, Ibis has everything

to offer – all at value for money.”

The Ibis is connected to sister

property, the Novotel Abu Dhabi Gate

hotel, and guests can visit the F&B

offerings and use the gym facilities

for a small charge. The Novotel also

has a spa and wellness centre.

F&B OUTLETSThe hotel has a couple of outlets, one

of which is open 24 hours a day

WOK and Co Restaurant – which is

open for breakfast and dinner

Fusion Lounge: 24 hours a day,

seven days a week lobby lounge

FACILITIESThe hotel has free Wi-fi throughout

and also is home to six meeting

rooms of various size

Abu Dhabi tourists

1.3m 2011

5m 2021 (EXPECTED)

IBIS PORTFOLIO IN MIDDLE EAST

9HOTELS IN

OPERATION

2,203 ROOMS

7 HOTELS UNDER

DEVELOPMENT

(1,457 ROOMS)

With so many advancements and

innovations happening almost

constantly in the technology

sector, it can be overwhelming

for hoteliers who have day to day operations

and budgets to manage, let alone trying to

make sure that front and back of house areas

are tech-savvy. But how do you know which

‘next big thing’ is the right thing to invest

in? With margins becoming slimmer and

decreasing the TCO ever more important,

we speak to leading companies over four key

sectors: Facilities Management, IT, Security

and Reservations Systems, to find out what’s

really making waves, and what will create

the best ROI for your hotel.

TECHNOLOGY SPECIAL

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 23OCTO BER 2012OCTO BER 2012

FRONT OF HOUSE

Sabre Hospitality Solutions is

a leading software-as-a-service

business and provides reservations

systems, marketing and distribution

software, and internet marketing and

e-business solutions. Alex Barder,

Regional Director of Business

Development for Sabre Hospitality

Solutions talks technology.

HBME: How far is the hospitality industry in the region adopting new technologies like the cloud? Alex Barder: The trend towards cloud-

based hospitality technology is far

reaching and includes the Middle

East. The more advanced markets are

certainly showing more interest in

both cloud based PMS and CRS. This

is more focused in the UAE, Qatar,

Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Saudi

Arabia. There are a number of markets

in Africa where broadband capability

is more limited, restricting the take up

of cloud based platforms.

HBME: What are the inhibitors? AB: Broadband width can be a major

factor in adoption. Another reason

may be existing systems and concern

with replacing these. At this stage

cloud-based CRS and PMS systems

are here to stay, and should be a factor

with new technology choices.

HBME: What’s been the biggest ‘game-changing’ piece of technology with regards to your reservations systems? AB: Sabre Hospitality’s reservation

system features at its core the SynXis

CRS, an advanced Central Reservation

System which is able to act as a

single system of record. Using this

particular CRS, a hotelier has the

ability to interact with their PMS

seamlessly and connect to all key

electronic channels which have been

activated through the system. SynXis

connects to all of the key channels

directly and allows one single spot

for seamlessly communicating with,

loading inventory to and updating

all important channels. This can

drastically improve business efficiency

as well as help hotels manage their

rates and inventory in a way that will

help grow their business.

HBME: How far are the hotels you speak to aware of the benefits of new technology solutions? AB: The level of knowledge and

awareness in this market tends to vary.

Most hoteliers are aware of the value

of reservation systems, but not the full

extent of their capabilities. There are

a great number of systems available to

hoteliers today, and their functionality,

support, and pricing models vary

greatly. This particularly applies to the

integration ability to other systems

and third party suppliers, but also the

type of core systems vary as well.

One piece of technology which

is often misunderstood is the hotel

booking engine. The hotel’s own

website can be one of the most

profitable tools available to hoteliers,

and in addition to their website and

internet marketing efforts, the hotel

booking engine is a very important

piece of technology. A user-friendly,

intuitive booking engine can make a

huge difference in conversions.

HBME: What will the hotel of the future look like? How will people check-in in the future? How will you adapt to meet these changes? AB: We are likely to see mobile, near

field communication and social

integration play a much bigger role in

a hotel’s future. As these technologies

evolve and converge, they offer

hoteliers the opportunity to provide

a more personal and customised

experience for guests. Using mobile

technology, guests can check-in as

soon as they land from their flight

for instance, and manage their

hotel stay through their device – to

tell the hotel exactly what services

they want during their stay, which

newspaper they want, when they

want coffee served each day, and

when they don’t want to be disturbed

by housekeeping so no one knocks

on the door when they are taking

an important call. Technologies

that create efficiencies and eliminate

human error for both the hotel and the

guest, and leave the hotel with more

time to focus on creating a highly

personal experience for guests will be

successful. Sabre is looking at all of

these areas right now.

HBME: Does most of your business in this sector come from refit work or new opportunities? AB: We have both existing account

growth and new customers coming

from other providers as well as new

opportunities. From 2013 onwards

new opportunities should grow

exponentially across the region due

to the new hotel growth and general

industry need to upgrade their systems

and their efficiency.

HBME: Are most hotels reservations systems up to date? How often do they get upgraded?AB: All reservations system should

be frequently upgraded. The SynXis

CRS is constantly being enhanced

and many of the recommended

upgrades come from the community

model we use. This means upgrades

are prioritised both on the needs

and business interests of our hotel

customers around the world, and

future market trends that we see will

help hoteliers grow their businesses.

It’s never moved so rapidly in the

technology arena, and this requires

continuous enhancement to stay on

top of market demands.

HBME: What one IT solution do you wish senior hotel management understood? AB: The resource and cost efficiencies

of a single CRS platform to manage

and support distribution.


TECHNOLOGY SPECIAL

IT

Bios Middle East is a systems and

cloud system integrator company, who

keep measurable ROI in mind. The

company uses market share leading

products and is home to an accredited

and experienced design and delivery

team. Dominic Doherty, MD of Bios

Middle East, shares with us his views

on the future of the cloud.

HBME: How far is the hospitality industry in the region adopting new technologies like the cloud?Dominic Doherty: There is no doubt

that the hospitality industry in

the Middle East is looking at new

technologies like cloud computing

and virtualisation (the latter being

a key component of implementing

private cloud). Hospitality service

providers are also looking the viability

of establishing cloud based services in

the UAE specifically for the ME market,

although nothing has been formalised

as of yet (that we know about).

HBME: What are the inhibitors?DD: If you ignore the major

international players – mainly

because any major IT decisions that

impact the Middle East branches

tend to be made in Europe or the

US – then the biggest issue facing

many hotels is the relatively small

size of their IT infrastructures.

Many of the clients we work with

in industries from construction to

the media, have upwards of 15-20

servers. However, many hotels only

have around six. They might have

one for their Exchange (email),

their POS, their hotel management

system, their phones (if they are using

IP telephony), and so on. It’s not

impossible to virtualise that level of

servers – you could virtualise one if

you wanted to. It’s just that the return

on investment wouldn’t be anywhere

near as high for a single hotel as it

would be for our other clients. What

SECURITY

Global security company, Vingcard

Elsafe provides electronic locks, in

room safes, and advanced energy

management systems for hotels.

It works with RFID contactless

technology, RF-online hotel locks

and electronic in-room safes. Manit

Narang, Vice President , Middle East,

Africa & India, tells us where the

future lies in security.

HBME: How far is the hospitality industry in the region adopting new technologies in terms of in-room and guestroom security?Manit Narang: The region is moving

very fast in terms of adapting the

latest technologies for guest room

security e.g. RFID, NFC and online

technology for guest room locks and

in-room safes and at the same time

integrating wirelessly with energy

management systems to provide

superior guest comfort and a saving

of energy.

HBME: How are integrated technology solutions becoming the industry norm?MN: Energy management and locking

solutions are becoming integrated

and safes are also integrated on the

same platform for superior guest

comfort, security and saving of

energy.

HBME: Where is security heading within the hospitality sector? MN: Security is heading more and

more into the back of house areas, in

addition to guest rooms and common

areas and all solutions are now

integrated.

HBME: What new technology in your field will be game-changing in terms of the hospitality sector? MN: Hidden, online and battery-less

lock will be the game changers as

they will offer superior aesthetics and

higher security.

HBME: How far are the hotels you speak to aware of the benefits of new technology solutions? MN: I find that there is a great

awareness all over the region.

HBME: How has RFID technology opened up new avenues for hotels?MN: RFID offers no guess work for

guests. It provides anti-cloning, real

time information if online and also

integration with in-room energy

management solutions wirelessly and

without any cabling etc, so it’s a big

move forward.

HBME: Can you name some hospitality clients in the region? MN: We look after Accor, IHG,

Marriot, Starwood, Hilton, Fairmont,

Four Seasons , Rotana, Hyatt, Kerzner

International, Jumeirah, Dusit,

Millennium, The Address and many

other global, regional and local chains.

Technologies that create efficiencies and eliminate human error for both the hotel and the guest, and leave the hotel with more time to focus on creating a highly personal experience for guests will be successful Alex Barder, Regional Director of Business Development, Sabre Hospitality Solutions

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 25cpidubai.com OCTO BER 2012

TECHNOLOGY SPECIAL

is more likely is that service providers

will offer more and more cloud based

solutions to the hospitality market.

This might be things like their

reservation systems, digital TV on

demand, lead generation systems etc.

We have recently launched a cloud-

based helpdesk for hotels IT issues and

this is proving popular since there is

a measurable and compelling ROI to

outsourcing IT support.

HBME: Clearly the real benefits of adopting cloud technology come as it scales up. Does that mean your sales approach and solution implementation work best on a regional basis in this industry sector?DD: It doesn’t necessarily have to be

on a regional level. Most hotel chains

maintain a separate IT infrastructure

in each hotel. While it might not

make sense to virtualise a single hotel,

if you were to virtualise the servers

of three or more properties, it does

start making sense. Once they are

virtualised, it becomes possible to

implement a rudimentary cloud-style

network, where each hotel would share

a single physical server for a particular

function, such as hosting its HMS.

Often a hotel might only be using just

10 per cent of the server’s capacity

for its HMS, for example, so it makes

sense to host as many hotels’ HMS

on a single server as possible. This

results in a significant cost reduction,

not just by reducing the number of

servers the hotel has to buy, but also by

cutting down on space, power, cooling,

and maintenance needed. Hotels can

reduce their costs even further if they

were to outsource the parts of their

IT infrastructure that can be handled

outside of the hotels, such as their

Exchange server or disaster recovery to

a managed cloud provider like BIOS.

The major challenge to rolling

out a cloud network like this among

several distant branches is bandwidth.

It isn’t an availability problem, as

is commonly believed. However, it

is expensive. However, there are

a number of WAN optimisation

solutions out there like Silver Peak

that can cut the amount of data sent

over a network and the internet

by up to 800 per cent, which is

obviously helpful when trying to keep

bandwidth costs down.

HBME: How far are the hotels you speak to aware of the benefits of new technology solutions? Are they still in the automating existing systems stage or are they understanding the game changing possibility of technologies like cloud and Services-over IP?DD: Many of them understand the

benefits of the new technologies.

When it comes to things like

virtualisation – both from a server

and desktop angle – but for many

of them, the return on investment

simply isn’t high enough to justify it

with the way they structure their IT

currently. Cloud has the potential

to change this, but it requires a

virtualised infrastructure to make

the most of it. The biggest challenge

for hotels wanting to adopt cloud

and virtualisation face over the next

12 months is changing the way they

manage their IT infrastructure. It

has to move from being done on a

hotel-by-hotel basis to a city-by-city or

even country-by-country basis. If they

don’t, the returns just won’t justify the

expense.

However, there are a number of

revolutionary technologies – such

as IP telephony – that hotels are

investigating, and do have a much

quicker return on investment than

cloud and virtualisation. By using

IP-based telephony instead of the

traditional PBX approach, some hotels

have been able to create systems where

they can keep track of which rooms

are clean and which ones are pending

in close to real-time for example.

The way this works is phones are

programmed to let the maid press

a certain button to tell the hotel

management software that a room

has been cleaned. This then allows

the check in staff to know a room is

available, allowing a much quicker

turn around for both the hotel

and customers.

HBME: Are there security concerns about cloud provisioning?DD: Concerns? Yes. Are all of them

founded? No. As with any new

technology or business process,

there are always going to be those

who are afraid of what they don’t

understand. The crucial thing is

that if companies take the necessary

precautions, such as implementing

both IT security – and keeping it

updated – and teaching its staff

how to avoid falling victim of social

engineering, then there is nothing to

worry about.

HBME: What one IT solution do you wish senior hotel management understood?DD: The value of a good disaster

recovery plan. Too many companies

– not just hotels – lack a disaster

recovery plan that would be able

to cope with a real emergency. It is

shocking how many companies still

rely on tape to handle their backups.

Tape is notoriously unreliable. It can

require going through three or more

libraries to find a complete back

up due to errors in the recording,

or issues with the quality of the

tape. That not only means it takes

companies a long time to restore

from a system failure, but they can

also be lumbered with data that is

a week or more out of date. In an

industry like the hospitality trade

where customer data is one of the

most valuable assets a hotel possess,

it simply isn’t acceptable to back up

to tape. Modern cloud-based disaster

recovery systems are far superior.

Even disk-based backup solutions

have progressed to such a point now

that reason why tape was superior in

the past has now gone.

TECHNOLOGY SPECIAL


FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Transguard debuted in 2001 as

a security services provider and

has since diversified into Facilities

Management and is now one of

the leading brands in FM, with an

operational team of over 14,000 to

provide bundled and end to end FM

services. Mike Kitchen, head of FM

Services at Transguard fills us in on

the developments in his sector.

HBME: How far is the hospitality industry in the region adopting new technologies in terms of FM?Mike Kitchen: It is always difficult to be

industry- or market sector-specific

when it comes to FM technology and

to get a good handle on who is or

isn’t making best use of it. However,

it is safe to say that the region as a

whole was, and to a certain extent

still is, behind the curve when it

comes to using Computer Aided

Facilities Management (CAFM)

systems to manage their FM

function and in making full use

of monitoring and other smart

technologies for operational tasks

such as plant maintenance.

Perhaps the only area where the

market is very close to the wider

international landscape is in security

where the level of sophistication is

extremely high, and where systems

and procedures are driven by

legislation and where the need to be

compliant is high. However, things

are changing and changing quite

rapidly. The entire FM market is

now far more driven by performance

measurement and you need

technology to do this properly.

HBME: What are the inhibitors?MK: Cost and resistance to change are

probably top of the list but there are

also issues over training, skill sets and

support from the system providers.

Looking at the hotel and hospitality

markets specifically, there are

potential issues over integration and

interoperability with the overarching

hotel management system.

HBME: Where is FM heading within the hospitality sector?MK: Like the whole FM market in

the UAE – it is heading in the right

direction but slowly. Wind the clock

back five years in the UK and that

is about where we are. The major

trend sweeping the industry now is

sustainability and technology will play

a leading role in that revolution. There

is a direct correlation between utility

costs and carbon emissions and water

consumption, so environmentalists

and accountants can now see eye-

to-eye. The technical advances that

are being made in this area of FM,

from heat-reflective wall coatings

and windows, to grey water recycling

systems are significant.

HBME: What new technology in your field will be game-changing in terms of the hospitality sector?MK: Cloud-based overarching FM

solutions…integrating everything

from helpdesk to asset-tracking,

maintenance schedules. But again

cloud computing is still in its infancy

over here.

HBME: How far are the hotels aware of the benefits of new technology solutions?MK: I think everyone sees the benefits

– it is just looking for the tipping point

where it becomes a ‘no-brainer’ not

to use the technology. In FM we all

tend to be by nature conservative and

resistant to change for change’s sake.

HBME: How are integrated technology solutions becoming the industry norm?MK: They are not the norm here at

present and in general I believe it

will take another few years before

the region begins to benefit from

integrated technology solutions.

GO GITEX


We round up the must see brands for hoteliers at Gitex

MINERVAMinerva is the leading distributor for

a full range of cutting edge broadband

wireless, wireless LAN, two-way radio

and TETRA solutions. Based in the

UAE, which is its regional logistics

hub, Minerva serves the growing

demand of the Sub Saharan Africa,

North Africa, GCC, Middle East,

Pakistan and Afghanistan markets.

WHAT ARE YOU LAUNCHING AT GITEX?Minerva will be introducing the new

MOTOTRBO SL4000, a new slim fit

radio which is incredibly thin and

light. The SL4000 Series is the ultimate

in discreet communications. Versatile

and powerful, the SL4000 Series

portable radio is designed to meet the

communication needs of customers in

the security, hospitality, services and

airport industries.

CAN BE FOUND AT: Zaabeel

Hall Stands: Z-J25 Minerva, Motorola

and Sensear and Z-20 Minerva and

Adtran/Bluesocket.

WESTCONWestcon Group Middle East comprises

of Westcon Middle East & Comstor

Middle East, the leading Value Add

Distributors (VAD) of Convergence,

Infrastructure, Mobility, Security &

Cisco centric solutions in MENA.

It has a portfolio of the best in-class

products, services and solutions from

highly reputed vendor partners that

interoperate with and complement

each other. Westcon Group has

global business units with significant

sales channels for Avaya, Blue Coat,

Cisco, Juniper, Motorola and close to

100 other industry leading vendors.

The company has expertise in the

convergence of voice, data and video

application technologies, including

VoIP, internet security, wireless and

mobility solutions.

WHAT ARE YOU LAUNCHING AT GITEX?We showcase all our vendor

technologies across all the business

divisions – helping our channel

community to leverage on any/

all opportunities through hosting

alongside GITEX a Business

Hospitality Suite, under the banner

of ‘CONNECT’.

CAN BE FOUND AT: CONNECT’12, Sublime Bar &

Lounge, IBIS Hotel, DWTC .

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 29OCTO BER 2012

GO GITEX

cpidubai.com

CISCO SYSTEMSAfter inventing the multi-protocol

router in 1984, Cisco has shaped the

future of the internet by creating

unprecedented value and opportunity

for our customers, employees,

investors and ecosystem partners and

has become the worldwide leader

in networking – transforming how

people connect, communicate and

collaborate. It employs over 66,000

people around the world.

WHAT ARE YOU LAUNCHING AT GITEX?

The Home Networking Business

Unit will showcase its first Linksys

Smart Wi-Fi Router and Universal

Media Connector both powered

by the industry’s next-generation

wireless technology - 802.11ac, at

Gitex Technology Week. The new

technology is designed to deliver

wireless speeds approximately three

times faster than the current wireless

802.11n standard1. The new Linksys

Smart Wi-Fi Router EA6500 uniquely

blends the highest performance

802.11ac technology with Cisco’s

intelligent Cisco Connect Cloud

software platform for an experience

that is both powerful and intuitive,

simplifying how consumers connect,

control and interact with their home

devices and appliances.

CAN BE FOUND AT: Zabeel

Hall, stand Z-B 30.

AVAYAAvaya is a global provider of

enterprise communications systems.

Through its wide range of innovative

technologies it assists customers in

bringing the right people together

with the right information in the right

context, to deliver better business

results in real time. The company

believes technology should enable

collaboration, not dictate how business

FVCFVC is one of the leading Value

Added Distributors (VAD) across the

Middle East and North Africa. With

dedicated offices across the region,

FVC works through its growing

network of channel partners in over 45

countries, the company focuses on four

clear areas of enterprise computing:

Unified Communications, Information

Security, Application Delivery and

Cloud Computing. FVC’s business

strategy is built around key drivers for

its partners. These include demand

creation/evangelization of emerging

technologies with end users, and

enablement for education, training and

technical competence to support these

end users. FVC hosts regular certified

training sessions for its partners to

is done.

WHAT ARE YOU LAUNCHING AT GITEX? Avaya will be launching a new video

calling technology, made possible

over Wi-fi or 3G. The supplier has

partnered with Rotana Hotels who are

using it for the first time through its

mobile app and online on its website.

CAN BE FOUND AT: Zabeel

Hall, stand C-20

ensure that they are up to date with

new technology and fully empowered

to offer customised solutions to their

customers. These are in addition to

hosting regular educational initiatives

like workshops and Tech Cafes at their

Technology Briefing Centres in Dubai,

Riyadh, Cairo and Beirut.

WILL BE LAUNCHING AT GITEX: The company will

be launching a focus on industrial

solutions which include information

security and advanced networking

solutions that can help hoteliers

optimise their bandwidth costs and

improve network speeds across

large organisations which can in

turn improve customer service.

CAN BE FOUND AT: Za’abeel

Hall, stand Z-G1.


GO GITEX

DUDu’s hospitality solutions are

designed to allow hotels to create

a one-of-a-kind, personalised

experience for their guests. Through

its converged infrastructure, du

offers the integration of voice,

mobility, high-speed internet access

and TV entertainment services

with existing back office systems, to

create a single architectural platform

that supports the latest smart room

technology and amplifies the luxury

hotel experience. At present, du

offers a complete suite of managed

services for hospitality customers,

including high-speed wired and

wireless internet, IPTV, Triple Play,

event recording, high definition

video conferencing, telephony, and

video surveillance.

WILL BE LAUNCHING AT GITEX: During GITEX

2012, hospitality customers can visit

du’s stand to explore the range of

solutions that are specifically relevant

to their industry. Showcased at the

event will be Managed Security,

Managed Infrastructure, Managed

Video (as a service), data centre

solutions, and mobility solutions.

DLINKD-Link was founded in 1986 with

a mission to bring high-quality

computer networking solutions to

consumers and businesses of all

sizes. More than twenty five years

later, D-Link has become a billion-

dollar global enterprise with an

extensive portfolio of award-winning

networking products and services.

These services include more than

just networking hardware, but total

seamless integration with software

services such as D-Link Cloud

Solutions. with software services in

the form of D-Link Cloud Solutions,.

WHAT ARE YOU LAUNCHING AT GITEX? Cloud Services & Product – a

comprehensive platform that meets the

needs of consumers, businesses, and

service providers, today and tomorrow.

CAN BE FOUND AT: Za’abeel

Hall, stand Z-D30

American owned property

management Rosewood

Hotels & Resorts operates 17

ultra-luxurious hotels in seven

countries. Its newest addition, and its

debut into the UAE market opens next

year in Abu Dhabi. Rosewood Abu

Dhabi will be located in the capital’s

new Central Business District on Al

Maryah Island, between Sowwah

Square and Cleveland Clinic.

Offering the city’s visiting executives

a high-end stay and residents a similar

but long-term offering, the 189 room,

34 storey property will be home to

suites and long-stay apartments on top

of its room inventory.

“Rosewood Hotels & Resorts is very

excited to be opening

our first

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts latest addition to its flowering global collection will be coming online next year in Abu Dhabi

GM INTERVIEW

cpidubai.com

A rose in bloomBelow, right and

opposite: GM Luigi

Romeniello; one of the

luxurious bedrooms;

the new property in

Abu Dhabi

significant hotel in the UAE. Al

Maryah Island is a wonderful

development and exciting location,

part of Abu Dhabi’s 2020 vision and

will be a natural hub for the city’s VIP

guests and residents,” explains Luigi

Romeniello, General Manager for the

property. He has been with the group

for 12 years, opening hotels in Dallas

and Atlanta, after working the in the

Caribbean for Rosewood.

Resilient in the face of significant

increase in the five star room

inventory in Abu Dhabi over the next

couple of years, Romeniello sees his

hotel’s central location in Downtown,

close to the new Reem Island and

Saadiyat, Yas Island and the Corniche,

as part of a winning strategy,

“We expect both business and

leisure guests, we hope during the

week we’ll receive the corporate

travel and the leisure at

the weekends. We

have the

Galleria below us, offering a wide

range of shopping and cafes, and eight

restaurants in the hotel, a huge spa

and beautiful views of Arabian Gulf –

views from every room,” he says.

The hotel expects to see convention

and MICE markets using the property.

“We offer a fantastic location, it’s

a pulsating area with everything

visiting business people could want,

from the best chefs to state of the art

infrastructure, they’re not trapped in

a resort.”

“We would expect to see locals

coming to us for high-end wedding

celebrations. We have a boutique

ballroom for 700 people, which is

a nice size without feeling lost like

you’re in a convention centre and

we’ve a terrace that is accessible from

the ballroom.”

Boutique is what Rosewood is all

about. It certainly is compared to

some of the other five star giants that

are about to open or have recently

opened in the capital. But that’s

what the collection is all about, says

Romeniello, evoking a sense of place

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 33OCTO BER 2012cpidubai.com

We now want to see our portfolio double in this region, in the next five years…we would be excited to open a hotel in Dubai in the next couple of years


GM INTERVIEW

We prefer to rely on people interaction and passing information to the right person rather than our staff all walking around with a gadget

Aqua – casual and relaxed all day dining,

with an interactive kitchen and al fresco

dining on the veranda Catalan – Spanish restaurant with

décor inspired by a 1900s fine European

home, opulent and elegant with refined

wood floors and a Michelin starred chef

from Barcelona Spice Miller – a fun Indian restaurant

with serving progressive cuisine Sambousek – whimsical Lebanese

restaurant with a traditional menu with

vibrant presentation. Sambousek will also

be home to a tiered terrace called The

Smoke for shisha and cocktails with a DJ The Hidden Bar – a mysterious

hideaway where you can have a quiet

conversation, portioned off with veiled

drapes and secluded booths Glo – a funky, glam open air al fresco bar,

for the city’s lifestyle crowd with a great

cocktail and cigar menu Majlis – a beautiful living room feel in

the lobby where people can spend time

have coffees and pastries La Cava – an intimate, underground wine

cellar, which will feature 1,500 different

wines. It will be home to wine tasting,

private dining and for after work drinks. It

will have a walk in humidor, a cognac and

single malt bar. There will also be displays

of cheeses to go with the wines

Rosewood Abu Dhabi’s F&Band offering a feel for elegant travel,

“Rosewood is devoted to creating

to unique collection of hotels and

resorts, unlike another. It is very

important to us to have a sense of

place. It’s our philosophy to reflect

the culture and the history of the

local market through the hotel, we

always try to fit into the element of

the place. You can even see this in the

design of the hotel, which looks like

a local dhow boat emerging from the

water. We have combined our unique

traditions with exceptional service

and incredible intention to detail. For

us there’s nothing more important

that offering an intuitive guest

experience, we’re really passionate

about service.”

Although refrencing history and a

sense of place, the hotel is nothing if

not ultra-modern when it comes to

guest-centric technology. Every room

at Rosewood Abu Dhabi will have an

iPad which can control everything

from A/C to the curtains to F&B

reservations, room service and other

guest services.

Despite this, the operators place

huge emphasis on people service over

modern gadgetry,

“We have a Rosewood recognition

programme, we are a very good at

knowing the needs and likes of our

guests and we know what you like.

We do a fantastic job of replicating

all the things you like when you stay

with our hotels so you get a similar

experience every time you stay,”

Romeniello explains.

“We are very much a people

service, there’s a fine balance between

technology and losing touch. We

benefit from being a smaller group.

We prefer to rely on people interaction

and passing information to the right

person rather than our staff all walking

around with a gadget.”

The influx of new brands and large

upmarket developments, Romeniello

sees as a positive move by the Abu

Dhabi government,

“It is a challenge and an amazing

opportunity. We’re growing the

city together and it’s refreshing. It

will stimulate the luxury market in

a city that’s explosive and growing

like Dubai did a few years ago –

introducing luxury products to a city

that’s more than willing.”

The hotel will have 58 fully serviced

apartments and 75 unfurnished long

term apartments and four penthouses

on site, to help cope with the capital’s

shortage of central high end rentable

living spaces.

“There is a big demand for the really

quality residential rentals here in Abu

Dhabi as it’s developing and more and

more professionals are very discerning

over the right location. And we’re

offering a more updated offering with

all the facilities the hotel has to offer,”

Romeniello explains.

Rosewood sees its Abu Dhabi

debut as the start of a Middle East

expansion plan.

“We have three hotels in Saudi

Arabia already but we were

purchased by New World Hospitality

some time ago and we now want

to see our portfolio double in this

region, in the next five years. We

chose Abu Dhabi because it’s up and

coming and recognised globally as

an emerging city, we are exploring

the right locations, but we are very

discerning. We would be excited to

open a hotel in Dubai in the next

couple of years.”

Unlike many other larger

resort style hotels, staffing for the

Rosewood Abu Dhabu hasn’t been

an issue. Romeniello says,

“We are a smaller company and

we have the stigma of being ultra-

luxurious so people aspire to come

to our brand. They’ve heard of our

hotels in the States, it’s one of those

companies that is known for great

service – it’s in our DNA – so we

get great interest from some great

talents. We also ensure that we spend

enough time on the proper training

of all our staff – we have hired 600

employees which works out at 2.5

per room and that will include a fleet

of butlers for a full butler service so

that’s very exciting.”


DTCM

“PARIS SEES 15 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR AS ONE OF THE TOP DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD, WE’RE NOT FAR FROM THEM”


DTCM

New source markets, embracing innovative marketing strategies and thinking long term, Eyad ali Abdul Rahman, Executive Director

of Media Relations & Business Development talks us through Dubai’s plans to increase tourism

Dubai saw 9.1 million tourists

in 2011, while H1 figures

for this year show a 10 per

cent increase. Eyad aliAbdul

Rahman has seen these figures rise

for the last ten years in a row but his

department is always looking for new

ways to attract tourists.

“My role is to create new projects

for tourism business development. We

work on innovations for the tourism

products and we also develop new

markets outside of Dubai to work

on joint marketing for our city with

other departments. We have 18

tourism offices around the world

and I look after the media relations

to promote Dubai as the leading

destination in the world.”

SOURCE MARKETSOver the past few years, Dubai’s

Department of Tourism & Commerce

Marketing (DTCM) has not only


DTCM

focused on traditional

source markets such as the

UK, Germany and Australia

but has also broadened its reach into

China and Russia, with three offices in

the former, plus one in Hong Kong.

“From China and Russia we’re

seeing a much bigger increase, a nine

per cent increase in Q1 2012 on the

same period last year. In 2012 we

promoted Dubai a lot more than we

used to in UK, Germany, Australia

and New Zealand and have seen great

results, now we’re looking at Brazil,

South American in general, Spain and

the Benelux countries – this is the new

strategy,” explains Abdul Rahman.

“Spain is very important to us. We

know they have a problem right now

but we’re looking at the long term

future, five or ten years time.”

In terms of its global importance

as a tourism destination, Dubai has

remained steadfast and is growing,

despite the 2008 economic decline.

“Paris sees 15 million tourists a

year, as one of the top destinations

in the world, and we’re not that far

from them,” says Abdul Rahman. “In

addition Paris gives a rough estimate

of visitors not a close count of actual

hotel guests, where as we don’t count

people visiting their families or people

in transit, so we are probably nearer to

15 million if you count all of those.”

“We also have nearly 80,000 rooms,

which is a huge number and we are

expecting 20,000 more rooms over the

next three or four years which means

we’re one of the highest cities in the

world in terms of room numbers.”

But it’s not just externally that

Abdul Rahman’s role faces. He also is

behind new innovations for tourists in

Dubai, working towards HH Sheikh

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s

2015 vision.

“We work on many innovations

that will be starting before the 2015

vision in 2013 but we are working

hard to achieve many things from His

Highness’ strategy that he announced

in 2007, and I think we will achieve

many things before 2015.”

But will Dubai see that 15 million

tourist figure target in 2015?

“His Highness didn’t exactly mention

the figure of 15 million when he

announced this vision for 2015. We

would obviously like to see that but we’ve

seen amazing figures in the first half of

2012, a big increase on 2011 and we’re

encouraged by that.”

Abdul Rahman doesn’t just look

outwards at bringing tourists to Dubai he

also helps come up with ideas to make

their stay easier and more enjoyable. One

of the first projects we will see come to

fruition will be an ‘Electronic Tourism’

booth or virtual concierge, which will be

stationed in malls and five star hotels.

NEW INNOVATIONS“It will be like an automatic concierge.

If a guest wants to see a movie or book

a ticket, or buy a Nol pass or find out

what is going on in Dubai and what

DTCM are doing, this electronic stand

will help them. We expect to see this

come in in 2013. It will start in the

malls first and then we will expand

it to the five star hotels. It will be

updated from my team, we’ve already

been working on it for one year.”

He also wants to add more to

Dubai’s already busy events calendar,

“We have new events coming up,

we’re working on a Sea Carnival idea

“SPAIN IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US. WE KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM RIGHT NOW BUT WE’RE LOOKING AT THE LONG TERM FUTURE”


DTCM

“OUR GOAL FOR THE NEXT YEAR IS TO CHANGE PEOPLE’S PERCEPTIONS OF DUBAI”

DUBAI HOTEL ESTABLISHMENT STATISTICS SUMMARY - FIRST HALF 2012/2011

Indicators

Hotels Hotel Apartments Total

Jan-Jun 2012 Jan-Jun 2011 % charge Jan-Jun 2012 Jan-Jun 2011 % charge Jan-Jun 2012 Jan-Jun 2011 % charge

New guests arrivals 3,982,615 3,626,960 10% 1,044,608 958,059 9% 5,027,223 4,585,019 10%

Number of guest nights 13,356,818 11,531,935 16% 5,852,219 4,735,739 24% 19,209,037 16,267,674 18%

Average length of stay (in days)

3.4 3.2 5% 5.6 4.9 13% 3.8 3.5 8%

Total revenue (Dhs) 8,395,557 6,913,834 21% 1,401,726 1,136,359 29% 9,797,283 8,050,194 22%

Total operating hotel/hotel apartments

392 386 2% 195 187 4% 587 573 2%

Total hotel rooms & flats available

54,221 52,894 3% 21,787 20,360 7% 76,008 73,254 4%

Hotel room occupancy 82% 76% 6%

Apartment flat occupamcy rate

79% 76% 3%

Hotel average room rate (Dhs)

601 570 5%

Apartment average room rate (Dhs)

417 374 11%

and the Midnight Marathon at the end

of this year. We’re also working on an

ancient exhibition to be exhibited here,

a more educational event. Another

event we want to do is to promote

our Emirati cuisine. We want to stage

a competition amongst the chefs in

the hotels, teach them how to cook

Emirati dishes and then see who can

make the best traditional dishes.”

CHANGING PERCEPTIONSAbdul Rahman is concerned with

attracting people to Dubai for a variety

of reasons, this broad base of tourists

will help create a more stable economy

than the city saw before 2008 and key

to this is changing the perception that

Dubai is a luxury only destination.

“We have to change people’s

perceptions of Dubai. Before the crisis

it was all about luxury, a lot of people

didn’t think it was affordable. But what

we want to do is let people know that

it’s not all five star. We have amazing

properties in Barsha, that are two and

three stars, which equal some five stars

in other parts of the world, because

Dubai’s standards are so high. We

have to let people know that. Ibis for

example, there is so much difference

between Ibis in France and Ibis here.

And this strategy is working, we have

more people coming and staying in

those hotels,” he says.

“Our goal for the next year is

to change people’s perceptions of

Dubai. I am going back to South

Africa and France and other

places to do more joint marketing

initiatives to help people understand

more about Dubai. We also still have

the issue of the financial crisis. We

obviously want to bring people to

Dubai and sometimes the problem

is not with Dubai itself but with the

people outside Dubai who are still

in crisis. So we have to do different

marketing now. We have to offer

added value like ‘kids go free on

Emirates’ and more added value but

the strategy has worked so far.”

Another part of this is developing

more niches that Dubai fits into,

over and above the leisure or

business distinctions for travellers.

Sports tourism is one area that

has picked up over the last few

years with a number of impressive,

world class tournaments but Abdul

Rahman would like to see this success

replicated for medical tourism.

“We’re strong on spa and wellness,

but with medical tourism we are

working with the Department of Health

to handle this promotion. We are

starting to do more around this niche,

but it’s not easy as more infrastructure

is needed, which is coming, but

we want to start small and grow it

slowly. For example with the cruising

tourism we started in 2001 with 6,000

passengers and now we have more than

400,000 passengers. So we’re going to

do the same with medical tourism.”

SUPPLY AND DEMAND


GO BIG ON BATHROOMSNatural materials, more floor space, soft curves and high tech brassware, hotel bathrooms are evolving in many directions. We speak to several suppliers on what we can expect to see more of

Sanipex Group, a market leading supplier of

quality bathrooms, which was started in Dubai

in 1994, represents over 50 of the world’s

leading brands, including its own highly

successful BAGNODESIGN brand. Kerrie Black,

Marketing Manager for BAGNODESIGN shares

her thoughts.

HBME: How often do you refresh your

offerings?

Kerrie Black: Our exclusive BAGNODESIGN

collection is growing rapidly and is arguably

the most comprehensive range of bathroom

fixtures and fittings available in the market

today. Driven by our clients’ feedback the

BAGNODESIGN range has expanded

significantly in recent years, offering excellent

value whilst maintaining high levels of design

and quality. Our BAGNODESIGN collection is

constantly being updated with many exciting

ranges which we add to on regular basis.

HBME: What are the latest trends in

bathroom fittings and fixtures?

KB: Nature is the number one inspiration

for bathroom design today – not only is this

reflected in the nature-inspired colour trends,

and the drive for more eco-friendly products,

but also in the actual aesthetics of bathroom

design and the materials that are being used.

BAGNODESIGN recently launched stone basins

- highly durable and available in a variety of

shapes and sizes for any bathroom. Apart from

the natural beauty of stone, its hard quality

makes it durable, easily maintainable and

very resilient.

HBME: What do you offer that your

competitors don’t?

KB: Our core strength is the ability to work

with our clients through every stage of the

project. Our business dealings are not a

transaction but rather a long term partnership,

working with our customers through the

whole life of a project and beyond. In addition,

SANIPEX GROUP

There has been a sharp rise in demand for infra-red, sensor controls on bathroom brassware

Ivan Zupanovic, Head

of International

Project Sales & Export,

Laufen

our 8,300 sq m logistics centre in the Jebel Ali Free

Zone provides an unrivalled capability to deliver

what the customer wants, when they want it.

HBME: How have guests’ expectations of a

bathroom space changed and what does this

mean for new hotels?

KB: The market trends lean towards back to nature

designs with cleaner lines and a much more

spacious environment. More hotels are pursuing

clean, minimalist styles in room design.

HBME: What new technology are you seeing

coming through and changing what we see

as the traditional bathroom?

KB: Mirror TVs are becoming the new standard

for luxury hotels, where bathrooms are now the

benchmark of opulence by which many guests

judge their hotel experience. BAGNOVISION’s

Mirror TVs combine fashion and design with the

surprising technology to immediately convey a

hotel’s attention to detail and luxury status.

HBME: What are the most popular materials?

KB: Marble, natural stone and bronze. These all

age beautifully over time and have a natural finish.


SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Mirror TVs are becoming the new standard for luxury hotels, where bathrooms are now the benchmark of opulence by which many guests judge their hotel experience

Kerrie Black,

Marketing Manager,

BAGNODESIGN

LAUFEN has been an expert in the ceramic

manufacturing process for 110 years in

Switzerland. State of the art production

facilities produce fully integrated bathrooms

to a high design standard. Since 1999 Laufen

has been part of the ROCA Group. Laufen’s

Head of International Project Sales & Export,

Ivan Zupanovic, share his thoughts on the

company’s offerings.

HBME: How often do you refresh your

bathroom offerings?

Ivan Zupanovic: Our research and

development team are constantly busy

working on new innovations to ensure

that Laufen remains a leader in terms of

bathroom trends. What’s more we have our

finger very firmly on the pulse of trends in

all areas - whether that be furniture, fashion,

architecture or surfacing – all of this feeds in

to our understanding of what consumers are

looking for and what trends are emerging. As

a result we introduce several new ranges each

year that are innovative and forward-thinking.

HBME: How often do hotels renovate

their bathrooms?

IZ: In our experience generally hotels plan to

LAUFEN

refurbish their bathrooms every seven years. We

understand that most of the international hotel

groups have this point written as part of their brand

standards. There also tends to be a programme for

soft refurbishment every three years.



IZ: In terms of hotel bathroom design there is

a requirement for minimalist designs, ease of

cleaning and customisation. Larger than average

washbasins that can be used as statement pieces,

and which can be cut to any size to fit snugly into

recesses, are a key trend. Similarly, open shelving

units and flexible modular furniture are also key

trends as they help to keep the space clutter-free

yet provide essential storage space that hotel

guests expect.

HBME: What do you offer that your

competitors don’t?

IZ: None of our competitors have such a rich

history in ceramic manufacturing. Laufen has a

heritage going back 120 years and as such we have

honed our skills and craftsmanship in ceramics.

Unlike our competitors we have the capability to

make large scale basins measuring up to 180cm

long; to cast and fire a piece of this size takes

immense skill and craftsmanship and we are

incredibly proud to pushing the boundaries of

what is possible with the material. We also offer

hoteliers the option to customise their basins so if

a customer wants a particular shape, we can make

it for them (dependent on volumes). In addition

we can cut any of our larger basins so that they

feat neatly within a recess or alcove to give a really

precise finish.

HBME: How does the Middle East differ in


SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Duravit started making earthenware sanitary

products in 1817 in Germany. Since then

the company has gone global, supplying

high end bathrooms, with 10 production

plants and more than 5,000 employees. Toni

El Kadi, Area Manager UAE, Qatar & Oman,

talks to us.

HBME: How often do your clients refresh

their bathrooms?

Toni El Kadi: Hotel rooms and hotel

bathrooms are increasingly becoming a

business’ calling card. Many guests form

an opinion about a hotel after just a

cursory glance at the sanitary facilities.

Consequently, sanitary facilities should

always be in an immaculate condition and

make a hygenic impression on the user.



TEK: The bathroom is becoming increasingly

important as a living area and somewhere

to relax. This is why so much more is

expected of the bathroom today than simply

somewhere to take a bath, wash or shower.

The comprehensive bathroom concepts of the

future are based on individual needs. A trend

is increasingly emerging for the bathroom

to become a furnished living area that, at

the same time, promotes active healthcare

and, with multifunctional products, offers

maximum comfort.

DURAVIT


bathroom space changed?

TEK: Bathrooms in public and commercial buildings,

especially in hotels, are playing a very important

role, as they are often setting new trends. More

people want their stay in a hotel or a public spa to

be a special experience and enjoy the quality of

extraordinary bathroom designs, which they then

go and recreate in their own homes. Architects of a

hotel bathroom should be concerned with designing

a good shape for top end bathrooms, giving enough

space for a shower and bath and a nice wash basin

area with a mirror and cabinet.

HBME: What new technology is changing a

traditional bathroom?

TEK: Innovative products that perform several

functions simultaneously meet the complex

requirements of modern bathroom users. With

one product, the user can take a steam bath or

a shower. E.g. the OpenSpace shower partition

serves as a panel that is simply folded back against

the wall; in combination with the Nahho and

shower, it provides the perfect wellness combina-

tion in a space of just 210 x 100cm. Even the toilet

today is more than just a standard toilet: the Sen-

soWash shower-toilet seat designed by Philippe

Starck features pioneering technology. A stainless

steel spray arm with three shower types performs

the function of a bidet. Water temperature, water

volume and nozzle position can all be individually

adjusted. Feeling clean and fresh, the next stage is

the warm, drying air.

global bathroom trends?

IZ: The Middle Eastern market has a strong

focus on luxury products and unique designs,

particularly in the commercial sector. Our latest

product designs cater for the requirement for

customisation and individualisation in the

hotel bathrooms, and as such they offer huge

opportunities for the Middle East market.


bathroom space changed and what does this

mean for new hotels?

IZ: Hotels strive to present a ‘home from home’

experience while challenging the senses with

touch, feel, smells etc. In tandem there has

been a marked change in the domestic arena,

with homeowners looking to create ever-more

luxurious bathroom environments which have a

hotel-like feel. This has had a huge impact on the

hotel bathroom as guests expect to feel pampered

and spoilt by their surroundings in a way that they

simply do not get to enjoy in their own homes. For

new hotels this means there is a real requirement

to up the ante and raise the bar in terms of luxury

and opulence.

HBME: What new technology are you seeing

changing a traditional bathroom?

IZ: The biggest technological advancements

are in the realms of water-saving. Along with

dual-flush toilets, which are now pretty much

standard issue in hotel bathrooms, there has

been a sharp rise in demand for infra-red, sensor

controls on bathroom brassware. Where until

recently this was largely the domain of public

washrooms, such technology is now becoming

ever-more commonplace in guest bathrooms

too, as it helps hotels to make significant water

savings long term.

HBME: What are the most popular

bathroom materials?

IZ: Ceramic is by far and away the most popular

sanitaryware material. It offers unbeatable

qualities such as being durable, lightweight and

easy to clean. Laufen recently introduced a new

ceramic, which is lighter, but also allows more

precise contours. With cleanliness and hygiene

being top priorities in the hotel bathroom, we

have also recently launched an innovative dirt-

repellent surface finish, Laufen Clean Coat (LCC),

to ensure our sanitaryware always looks as good

as new and is simple to keep clean.

44 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012 cpidubai.comcpidubai.com

Q&A

A hotel’s procurement process shouldn’t just be seen as an exercise in cost control. Quality matters too

Russell Sharpe, COO, Citymax Sharpe oversees Citymax’s portfolio of over 1,200 rooms in the UAE and has over 30 years experience in the hospitality industry in the MENA region.

Nehme Darwish, Hotel Manager, Eastern Mangroves by Anantara Darwish has been with the Anantara group in the UAE since 2009 where he joined as F&B manager.

PROCUREMENT PANEL

Ram Chhetri Khadka, Material Cost Controller, Le Meridien Dubai Khadka has worked with the Le Meridien Dubai for the last 14 years, after moving from working in hotels in Nepal.

A hotel is so much more than

the fixtures and fittings but

getting those right can help

enormously not only for

making guests feel at home but also in

reducing the TCO and the individual

life cycles of products. We speak to

three procurement experts from three

very different hotels to get the inside

track on expenditure.

HBME: How many regular suppliers do you have?Russell Sharpe: We have an

approximate of 100 suppliers on board

at Citymax.

Ram Chhetri Khadka: We have more

than 300 suppliers for the hotel.

Nehme Darwish: We have 30 to 40

regular suppliers that we deal with at

Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by

Anantara. We have been dealing with

the same suppliers since the opening

of our other properties: Qasr Al Sarab

Desert Resort by Anantara and Desert

Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara.

HBME: What are the hardest products to

source at your hotel?RS: Engineering spares are probably

the most difficult to source. The

majority of our kitchen equipment

or operating equipment is from

international brands and it is difficult

to find them from the local market.

RCK: Dubai relies heavily on

outsourced goods. With the way the

hospitality industry has evolved,

suppliers are constantly knocking on

the door to provide better service and

products. To date we have not faced

any issues in being unable to source

or difficulty in sourcing especially

as Dubai is the Middle East hub in

procuring so all essential quality

products that are readily available

given adequate lead time.

ND: Our authentic Thai restaurant,

Pachaylen requires real Thai

ingredients imported directly from

Thailand, these ingredients can

sometimes be difficult to source,

especially as we are always looking for

the best quality produce.

HBME: How important to a hotel’s success is effective procurement?RS: Effective procurement is very

important as it plays a key role in guest

satisfaction by arranging for materials

on time and in compliance with

company approved quality standards.

RCK: Consistency in providing

Q&A


PAPER

OUTDOOR FURNITURE WATER

FIXT

URE

S AN

D F

ITTI

NG

S

high quality services and facilities

play a major factor and effective

procurement will make sure we deliver

our promise. Le Méridien Dubai is

amongst the leading institutions of the

F&B industry in Dubai and as such

the timely procurement of a quality

product at all times is imperative.

Effective procurement is the backbone

of every hotel’s success. You can have

the best sales and operation team but

if you don’t have the product then the

best teams under perform.

ND: It’s very important; all our

Anantara properties rely heavily on

effective procurement.

HBME: What are the biggest challenges to end of life for furniture and fittings?RS: This brings to mind a note

of caution issued by most of our

grandmothers; to think twice before

disposing of any item, as it might

come in handy sometime in the future.

Thus, the biggest challenge for us

relating to furniture and fittings is

similar - it is the decision of when to

consider items for disposal.

RCK: Reusing and recycling of used

furniture continues to be a priority.

ND: The biggest challenge is the

weather. Due to the heat in the

summer, the weather becomes the

worst enemy for outdoor furniture

which sometimes leads to an early end

life cycle.

HBME: How long a life cycle does your furniture need to have?RS: Our furniture tends to have a life-

span of not more than five-eight years.

RCK: Depending on the usage of the

furniture the period will vary from

four to five years.

ND: An average life cycle for hotel

furniture is around five years.

HBME: Is consistent and high quality hard to find in this region?RS: Yes, it is a challenge to find good

quality items, in the region, especially

with furniture.

RCK: As earlier mentioned, suppliers

are increasing by the day and quality is

something which is a priority for them

to survive in this industry.

ND: It is not too difficult because

we deal with certain suppliers who

have very good quality furniture and

other supplies. Quality is something

we never compromise on. As such,

we value the relationships we have

with our suppliers who are equally

committed to delivering to us the

highest quality.

HBME: What sustainability or environmentally friendly guidelines do you have for procurement?RS: We have stringent guidelines on the

usage of plastic. The plastics have to be

bio-plastics; wherein the decomposing

time is minimal. Also, we are striving

towards eco-friendly, recycled packing

material and stationery.

RCK: Le Méridien Dubai places great

emphasis in being environmentally

friendly and encouraging procurement

of items that are sustainable –

this is especially pertinent in the

procurement of paper supplies, our

service contracts, and consumption

and recycling of water and

housekeeping departments.

ND: At Eastern Mangroves Hotel &

Spa by Anantara, we only deal with

suppliers with the Green Globe

Certificate. We also deal with HACCP

(Hazard Analysis and Critical Control

Point) and EHSMS (Environment,

Health and Safety Management

System) as standard

HBME: Do these do enough?RS: When it comes to working towards

Q&A


an eco-friendly world, nothing is

quite enough. In fact our constant

endeavour is to upgrade ourselves by

looking for more environment friendly

products to save the environment.

ND: Once we become Green Globe

Certified, which we are in the process

of acquiring, then it will definitely be a

huge step forward.

HBME: For furniture do you have a removal and reimbursement process in place?RS: Since our hotels are relatively new

in the industry, just over two years old,

we have not formalised on a concrete

removal and reimbursement process.

However in due course of time, we will

have one in place.

RSK: Yes, Le Méridien Dubai has a

repair and replacement policy for all

its movable furniture and assets.

ND: Yes, we have selected suppliers

who we work with for the removal and

reimbursement process.

HBME: What is the biggest challenge over negotiating payment terms?RS: Though Dubai is a global market,

branded products are still with few

select distributors; this in turn leads

to the creation of a sellers’ market.

It is thus difficult to negotiate with

payment terms in such a scenario.

RSK: Le Méridien Dubai’s longevity

and credibility in the market gives the

suppliers a safety net to offer a 30 to 45

days credit facility.

ND: Fortunately, we don’t really face

any challenges.

HBME: Do you do all procurement in house, or do you use a consultant for anything? If so, who?RS: We now have all our procurement

done in-house. However during

the pre-opening time we did have a

consultant for all the procurements

made for the hotel.

RSK: Le Méridien Dubai has a strong

procurement department with 33

years of experience in the trade and

our Management Information Systems

are always a benchmark for best

procurement practices

ND: All of our procurement is handled

in house.

HBME: When choosing furniture, what region do you buy from – or do you consider brands from the whole world?RS: The decision of what furniture

and where it is sourced from depends

majorly on the type, look, feel and

the quality of the product that one

is looking for. For instance, it is

preferable to source wooden furniture

from the Far East, contemporary-

looking furniture from Europe and

the USA and customised furniture is

typically designed locally.

RSK: We consider brands from the

whole world and we identify the

best supplier in terms of quality

and pricing and it all depends on a

particular item.

ND: Our choice of furniture represents

Anantara’s philosophy of reflecting

and complimenting the style of the

property. For example, the recently

opened Eastern Mangroves Hotel

& Spa by Anantara, is authentic yet

modern. Therefore, we consider

the design of the furniture first and

foremost and how it compliments each

unique property.

HBME: How closely do you work with the interior design team?RS: We have an in-house interior

design team, whom we work very

closely with. It is imperative that the

procurement team understands the

concept of the interior designer, for

them to purchase the right product

in the budget allocated to them. Thus

their relationship is a close knit one.

RSK: Le Méridien Dubai has an in

house interior design team who

accounts to constantly improving

products at the time of major

procurement decisions.We work

closely with all departments so if there

is a refurbishment or interior design

job, once the items are identified, we

get involved in the confirmations of

the order rather than the sourcing.

ND: As operators, we work very

closely with the interior designers,

It is preferable to source wooden furniture from Far East, contemporary-looking furniture from Europe & USA and customised furniture is typically designed locally Russell Sharpe, Citymax hotels

Q&A


to bring software and hardware to

the hotel, because they understand

our vision. It is very important when

it comes to design, that it reflects the

Anantara vision.

HBME: What are the biggest challenges in procurement when opening a new hotel or overseeing a refurbishment?RS: There are very few options when

it comes to reputed suppliers in the

market today. This kind of a market, in

turn, restricts cost efficiency.

RSK: The biggest challenge for any

procurement team is getting a holistic

understanding of the vision and goal

and translating this into a reality

by making available a large array

of options both in terms of quality,

design and price to the ultimate

decision makers.

ND: The delivery dates. Unfortunately

in our business we have learnt that

we cannot always rely on the delivery

dates given to us.

HBME: How does the Middle East compare in this to other regions?RS: Middle East’s supply chain is

stronger since it’s a transport and

trans-shipment hub. Also the Middle

East has the advantage of having a

high frequency of vessels and good

connectivity with other countries.

RSK: Unlike most other countries, the

Middle East relies heavily on all goods

being outsourced (imported) which

means quality control is dependent

on the local distributor or supplier as

you can’t physically inspect your goods

until they arrive.

ND: Our choice as operators who

have been established in the Middle

East for five years, ensures that we

choose the right suppliers with enough

power to set up supply chains with

our hotels. We are very lucky in the

Middle East being in such a central

location for global suppliers, most

of the companies we deal with have

established logistics in place to make

our purchasing processes seamless. We

have many advantages in this region

over others, the number one being

that many international companies

are prepared to be flexible in order to

enter this market.

5YEARS IS THE AVERAGE

LIFE CYCLE OF HOTEL FURNITURE

Q&A


HBME: Has new technology or more sophisticated systems made life easier?RS: Absolutely. Whether it is online

data availability or tracking of

consignments or even virtual designs,

new technology has definitely made

life simpler and faster.

RSK: With the advent of the web in

the last decade information is now

available at our finger tips and the

world has become a big global market

place and simply a click away.

ND: With new technology and

systems in place, our jobs have

definitely been simplified.

HBME: What programmes, initiatives or technologies would your ideal sustainable hotel of the future employ?RS: We at Citymax hotels follow best

practices in energy conservation

by bringing down operation costs,

thereby passing on the cost benefit

to our customers. For instance in

the past 12 months we have lowered

power consumption cost, through

the usage of auto-switch off light

sensors, by 30 per cent. These

initiatives along with green building

norms will help us follow a cost

model that will also be sustainable in

Quality is something we never compromise on. As such, we value the relationships we have with our suppliers who are equally committed to delivering the highest quality

Ram Chhetri Khadka, Le Méridien Dubai

the future for our brand.

RSK: Le Méridien Dubai prides itself

in having sustainability programmes

all across the hotel. All efforts

are made to be environmentally

friendly especially as Le Méridien

Dubai was the first hotel to get an

ISO 14000 certification.

ND: With the new system in place,

FMC, went paperless. The system is

like your own personal assistant. It

receives the information, combines

it for you and then presents it in

order for you to make a decision.

HBME: What would make your job in procurement easier?RSK: The procurement division is

the backbone of a hotel’s operation

and constant market updates on new

products and suppliers around the

world will enable us to make better

long term decisions.

ND: One initiative we would like

to see the use of something like

the Rain Forest Alliance, which

can enable hotels to attract or use

suppliers that put sustainability

programmes in place.

HBME: Do hotels in different regions have different priority criteria?RS: Yes, every region bases its criteria

on the customer’s requirement, the

demographics of the hotel and the

region it is located at.

ND: We have seen other regions

embracing advanced initiatives, such

as Corporate Social Responsibility


Abve and below: The

new signage shines

bright at Radisson

Blu Doha; the hotel’s

contemporay bedroom

THE FUTURE IS BLU...Just nine weeks ago, the award-winning Ramada Plaza Doha was rebranded as a Radisson Blu hotel. We speak

to Gordon MacKenzie, its long-standing GM about what the future holds for Doha’s largest hotel

With a turnover of QR280m

and 20 F&B outlets, the

Radisson Blu Doha, has

been a fixture on Doha’s

hospitality scene for the last 33 years.

Gordon MacKenzie has been General

Manager at the 583 key property since

1989, making him invaluable for his

local experience and understanding of

the Qatar market.

“Doha has changed dramatically

and everyone asks if it will be another

Dubai. I don’t think it ever will be,

Doha has many local traditions

and customs which it values in its

ethics. As Doha is mainly a business

destination its hotels are geared up

accordingly; like ourselves, we have 14

conference and meeting rooms,”

he explains.

Doha is going through a period of

great change, so perhaps now is the

perfect time for his hotel to update

its operators. It wasn’t a decision that

anyone took lightly,

“In conjunction with his Excellency,

Sheikh Ghanem Bin Ali Al Thani,

we deliberated over the possibilities

of using different operators. After

exciting and successful meetings with

both Rezidor’s President and CEO,

Mr Kurt Ritter, and his Regional

Business Development team, we

settled on the best possible outcome,”

MacKenzie says.

It is a decision he is already seeing a

benefit from,

“We are seeing an increase in

referred business into the hotel and of

course, an increase in average rates.

Now that we have joined the Carlson-

Rezidor Hotel group we can already

see new guests arriving at the hotel

thorugh its loyalty programme, ‘Club

GM INTERVIEW


Clockwise from top:

Pier 12; the outdoor

pool; renderings of the

new style bedrooms;

new business class

lounge; Gordon

Mackenzie.

Carlson’ and of course those who

value the Radisson Blu hotel chain

worldwide, where they can expect

great service, reliable service concepts

and amazing facilities time and

time again.”

Under his long term management,

MacKenzie has seen the hotel’s

turnover has risen from QR13 to

QR280m last year, and part of his

success has been not to sit on his

laurels or his awards success. The

large property has seen impressive

expansions in 2007 and is currently

undergoing a $22m refurbishment of

its 324 west wing rooms.

“We are always growing and looking

at ways to increase our revenues as

well as improve our customer service

through the Raedisson Blu ‘Yes I Can’

service culture. With this in mind we

are looking to refurbish some of our

F&B outlets as well as leisure facilities

over the next few years. Of course,

our target market is to breach that

QR300m mark.”

The hotel currently sees an annual

average occupancy of 65 per cent,

with 70 per cent of its guests coming

from non GCC markets and staying

for business. 25 per cent of guests

are GCC while just five per cent are

local. And with Doha’s surge in hotel

construction continuing, repeat

business and loyal consumers will

play a more important part in the

property’s future. MacKenzie explains,

“Looking at our competitive set over

the last year, we can see trends where

both occupancy and ADR is dropping

slightly year on year due to the current

economic trends overseas. Doha’s

market is predominantly the business

traveller, with a smaller percentage

of tourism. Having said that we are

predicting 2013 to be a very positive

year. So many properties are stating

to be announced with the 2022 World

Cup finals approaching.”

To keep its market position,

slightly above competitor properites,

MacKenzie is well into his most recent

refurbishments which will finish in

Q1 2013.

“Our new rooms will feature the

We are seeing an increase in referred business ...and of course, an increase in average rates Gordon Mackenzie

latest technologies with universal

sockets, a media hub linked to a 40

inch LED TV, king size beds and a

new bathroom layout incorporating a

seperate walk in shower. We will also

be upgrading and renovating our All

Day Dining concept in 2013.”

Having seen his property expand

and refresh over the last 23 years, he

has solid recommendations for GMs,

also looking to update and upgrade,

“From the start you must create at

least four Mock Up Rooms (MUR)

on the property. Test and occupy

these vigorously with your team as

well as having your regular guests

stay overnight both from a male and

female perspective and obtain their

feedback. Where possible install the

latest technologies and look at your

energy saving devices.”

Not one to ever rest easy, next year

MacKenzie’s focus will fall to the

hotel’s much loved F&B outlets to

make sure they’re as fresh in the as

they were when launched,

“We will look at our F&B offerings

and revamp these to offer new

concepts. It is one of the key strengths

that Radisson Blu Doha continues to

revitalise and reassess our product

offered to the customer as well as

setting new trends into the market

place,” he explains.

“We try to engage the expat

communities in our F&B products,

whether that be running special offers

or introducing special themed menus.

We provide great food, great beverage

options and great service, which is

always kept up to date and finally, it is

affordable, giving great value for money”

582NEW HOTEL

ROOMS 15METTING AND

EVENTS SUITES

11RESTAURANTS

6BARS

2LEISURE

COMPLEXES

1NIGHTCLUB

IN NUMBERS

53ADVERTORIAL FEATURE BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Hotel chains in the region are turning to their telecoms operator for in-hotel telepresence suites that offer business guests a unique opportunity to conduct effective international video conferencing meetings from the comfort of their hotel. These solutions are set to boost the personal and business productivity of hotel guests, and open up an untapped revenue stream for hoteliers.

Telepresence: A new view on business

A

The history behind the virtual meeting room


Understanding the features that make the difference

End-to-end managed services

56

Business omnipresence – as real as it can get?


The changing state of the managed videconferencing market


TRENDS

The latest products, launches and services to make a difference to your business

Trend watch: October 201260 Product Watch

This month’s must haves

include a Swedish tipi.

Human ResourcesDusit Thani leads the way with

innovative Emiratisation.

F&BWe round up the Q4 new

restaurants about to open.

CSRCarlson-Rezidor’s Box Appeal

helps the poor and the brand.

Front of HouseHow do news services compete

with today’s gadgets?

68

62

66

64

62

686460

66

Product watchThe world’s most useful and innovative new designs, delivered to

you, every month

TRENDS / PRODUCT WATCH

The New Wave collection is redefining itself. The

previous New Wave swell reminiscent of a flag

waving in the wind has been taken a step further,

with a fresh dash of esprit. The result? It’s now

boldly untwisted, the wave has been transposed

to the round format. New Wave is made from

premium porcelain, and is dishwasher and

microwave safe. Cutlery and glassware collections

are also available to match.

villeroy-boch.com

MEET U® TABLE SYSTEM

The Meet U Table System from Burgess in the UK

has been two years in the making and includes

simple features to allow for agile working and

to accommodate modern technology needs.

Carefully designed with the user in mind, a variety

VILLEROY & BOCH

ELEMENTAL HERBOLOGY

Luxury Hotel Cosmetics have added an award

winning skincare and spa brand to its portfolio.

Elemental Herbology combines the finest grade

bio-active ingredients with pure essential oils to

offer an out of this world guest experience. The

products are 100 per cent free from sulphates,

parabens, mineral oils and synthetic fragrances

and can revive tired travellers and restore harmony.

luxuryhotelscosmetics.com

of top shapes including rectangles, squares,

triangles and quadrants that link together,

minimising the number of table legs, to form the

perfect layout for any meeting room environment.

burgessfurniture.com


PRODUCT WATCH / TRENDS

IMAGILIGHTS

SWEDISH TIPIS

Want something different to the traditional

Majlis? How about a Swedish tipi? Canvas &

Wood’s Swedish tipis can be used for events as

varied as corporate hospitality or weddings. Made

in Sweden from all natural materials, they are

the same as those used by Prince William and

Kate Middleton for an intimate New Year’s Eve

gathering. The brand have seen great response so

far in the Middle East, so be prepared to see more

tipis amongst Dubai’s skyscrapers.

canvas-and-wood.com

P.J. BRIDGMAN & CO

For quality woven furniture, P.J. Bridgman

& Co have been extremely popular

amongst Dubai’s hotels, because of the

long lasting quality of its products. They

feature the Hularo® weave, the best

of the market as it’s resistant to high

temperatures, chlorine, won’t split or fade.

Bridgman’s furniture will look good, be

comfortable and last for years, even in the

harsh climate of the UAE. Ranges come

with Dining, Sunbathing and Lounging

options, with matching tables available.

bridgman.co.uk

MERIDIANI BELMONDO

Meridiani’s new Belmondo collection

brings us armchairs, sofas and ottomans

with removable covers and non-

deformable polyurethane padding to

the fore. The seat cushions also feature

reinforced feathers for extra comfort. You

can even specify ‘soft’ or ‘firm’ seat cushions

when you place an order. The collection is

available in fabric and in leather.

meridian.it

Lifestyle brand distributor, Desert River, has

signed an exclusive deal to supply the region with

Imagilights, Belgian-made, funky, cordless LED

lights. The multi-coloured lights are unbreakable,

have no metal parts that can rust and come in a

range of sizes and shapes, so are suitable for both

indoor and outdoor. Imagilights gives hoteliers

multiple fresh lighting concepts, to really make

venues stand out from the crowd.

desertriver.com


BEST OF THE REST


TRENDS / HUMAN RESOURCES

August saw the five star hotel

recruit four Emiratis, to join

its existing three local staff

in departments including

Finance, Sales & Marketing and F&B.

Mike Audrain, Director of Human

Resources, tells us more.

HBME: What’s the Sawadee programme?Mike Audrain: The focus of this

programme has been to add value

for UAE nationals, helping them to

develop within their chosen careers

and to help them to align to the

opportunities provided at Dusit Thani

Dubai. The Sawadee programme offers

UAE nationals the chance to learn by

applying theory to working conditions

and prepare them for key positions

within a reasonable time. UAE

What appeals to our Emiratis is our Thai culture, our IIP certification, as well as the expansion of the company is undergoing over the next few years

MIke Audrain, Director

of Human Resources

Sawasadee success!With four new Emirati staff members, the Dusit Thani Dubai is leading the way in Emiratisation. We talk to Mike Audrain about its DTCM-supported, Sawadee programme

nationals that are identified as having

leadership skills and the desire to

grow within Dusit Hotel and Resorts

group will be required to complete an

intensive 12 month programme.

HBME: Why has the Dusit Thani Dubai been so successful in recruiting nationals?MA: As a hotel we have partnered with

a number of schools and colleges in

Dubai, including the Dubai Women’s

College. We have also been working

very closely with DTCM and built

a very good relationship with them.

Our managers regularly attend their

workshops to create awareness on

how they can lead the incoming UAE

nationals. At their Star Programme

Graduation we were able to recruit

a number of our UAE national

colleagues. When we asked our UAE

nationals as to why they joined us, the

majority say that our IIP Certification

played a large part in their decision.

HBME: What is the IIP programme?MA: The IIP Programme provides a

benchmark for organisations of all

sizes to assess whether they have in

place the key elements which form

the basis of business development and

success. The standard is a rigorous

one and requires organisations to

show that they are committed to

developing all their people to achieve

business objectives, plan how the

skills of individuals and teams can

be developed to achieve these goals,

take action to deliver effective training

for new and existing employees and

evaluate the effectiveness of their

investment in training – in terms of

its effect on individual teams and the

achievement of business results.

HBME: What are some of the challenges to overcome when recruiting nationals?MA: One of the challenges that

hoteliers face when recruiting UAE

nationals is when it comes to the

salary. The hospitality industry is

known not to be as high as if you

were working for the government. To

counteract this and create interest we

explained to prospective applicants

about the possible development plans

and opportunities working with us

would provide.

HBME: What departments within a hotel have been most popular amongst locals looking to enter the hospitality industry?MA: At first, we noticed a large number

interested in Security, however with

the STAR Programme, it has opened

their eyes to other areas. We have

Emirati employees speak…

“I have been interviewed by all the local hotel chain groups. Among all these hotels I chose Dusit Thani Dubai because I found them really friendly and highly professional and also I would like to mention that IIP programe also attracted me for further development.” Diana Jan, Accounts Specialist

“I chose Dusit Thani Dubai because I have been to other hotels and none of them are as friendly and family like. I am working in the kitchen because I would like to have a wide experience in the culinary field and know how to prepare the different types of cuisines and hence be unique.” Saif Matar Abdullah Saif, Chef

“Dusit Thani Dubai is different from other hotels. It’s something new for me but I really like it, people are very friendly and supportive.”Maryam Khalifa, Events Sales Executive


HUMAN RESOURCES / TRENDS

now two UAE nationals under Sales

& Marketing which is really a unique

thing too. The most interesting

position that we created was for our

first UAE national who is working in

the kitchen. He actually chose that and

was so excited in joining us.

HBME: What does the Dusit chain offer that is appealing to Emiratis?MA: We have found that what appeals

to our Emirati colleagues is our Thai

culture, our IIP certification, as well

as the expansion of the company

which will be taking place over the

next few years. On top of this, when

speaking to our UAE nationals

who have joined us they have all

commented on how friendly our

colleagues and managers are and

that they can see career advancement

within the hotel.

HBME: How can other hotels learn from this?MA: One key learning point that I

believe would help other hotels is

creating a more structured UAE

National Programme. The hospitality

industry will always be challenged

by the salary level, however if we

give UAE nationals a structured

programme that can lead to detailed

development plans – this will attract

and retain talent.

Emirati recruits

at the Dusit

Thani Dubai


LI-JIANG, RITZ-CARLTON, ABU DHABIOne of the hotel’s signature dining

experiences, Li-Jiang was designed

by Super Potato from Japan and

brings to life the cuisine of South-

east Asia with an open kitchen and

interactive cooking displays, under

the watchful eye of master Chef Sam

Teck You Peong.

Chef de Cuisine: Sam Teck You Peong

Covers: 108

PIRI PIRI, FOUR POINTS BY SHERATONPiri Piri will debut Portuguese cuisine

with plenty of stylish and innovative

seafood dishes in this new eaterie

at the Four Points by Sheraton in

Bur Dubai. Chef Luis’s home-styled

cooking and intimate, warm ambience

aims to bring to life a touch of the

Algarve in Dubai.

Chef de Cuisine: Luis Salgueiro

Covers: 120 indoor and outdoor

LATEST RECIPE, LE MERIDIEN MINA SEYAHI BEST RESORTThe revamped Le Meridien Mina

Seyahi will open an all day dining

restaurant, Latest Recipe. With an

international buffet for breakfast and

a la carte menu for lunch and dinner,

the stylish and contemporary space

will also have a large terrace.

Chef de Cuisine: Stephane Buchholzer

Covers: 90 inside / 80 on the terrace

Rolling out the restaurantsQ4 will see a whole raft of new F&B outlets opening their doors, we’ve rounded up the main contenders

TORI NO SU, JUMEIRAH EMIRATES TOWERSContemporary Japanese cuisine has

a new home at Jumeirah Emirates

Towers in Abu Dhabi, and it includes

a Teppanyaki counter, Robatayaki

area, sushi bar, beverage bar and

more. Headed up by a kaiseki-trained

chef, the restaurant will offer an

‘omakase’ course, a bespoke menu of

the day’s best dishes as well as its a la

carte offerings. The restaurant can be

accessed off the lobby or through a

separate entrance.

Executive Chef: Chef Ando

Covers: 130


FOOD & BEVERAGE / TRENDS

Jumeirah Restaurants roll out international expansion

RANG MAHAL, JW MARRIOTT MARQUISBringing a new taste sensation to the

world of fine dining Indian cuisine

is Rang Mahal by Atul Kochhar.

The Michelin-starred chef will fuse

modern flavours with traditional

cooking methods, in a stylish and

modern venue, on the fourth floor of

the Dubai’s tallest hotel.

Executive Chef: Atul Kochhar

Covers: 167

LA MER, SOFITEL ABU DHABI Elegant seafood dining comes to the

capital with La Mer. The fine dining

operation will serve the freshest

local seafood, with a twist of modern

French cooking. Offers include Prawn

Night with a set menu or the monthly

Seafood Night with a tasty buffet. It

will also serve an a la carte business

lunch menu.

Executive Chef: Matthew Bilinski

Covers: 44

RHODES 44, ST REGIS ABU DHABIGary Rhodes’ first dining outlet in

Abu Dhabi will take pride of place at

St Regis Abu Dhabi. The all day dining

restaurant will have a terrace, private

dining room for 25 and a café, Café

44. The a la carte menu will combine

Arabic and European flavours, there

will be a set menu and business lunch.

Executive Chef: Paul Laupton

Covers: 110 inside / 100 outside

TOMO, RAFFLESRaffles are turning Japanese with a

restaurant change. What was Noble

House will now be TOMO, an

authentic Japanese from Takahashi,

operators who were at Khaleej Palace.

The restaurant will include a sushi bar

and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner,

with traditional Japanese dishes.

Executive Chef: Chef Takahahsi

Covers: 120 inside / 80 outside

FREVO, THE FAIRMONT, THE PALM Bringing the authentic Brazilian

Churrascaria experience to Dubai,

Frevo will sizzle when over 15 different

cuts of meat are brought to guests’

table on skewers. The restaurant will

have the largest collection of cachaça

and specialise in South American

cocktails. The Brazilian theme will also

be reflected with live music.

Executive Chef: Chef John Cordeaux

Covers: TBC

Home grown brands Urbano and the noodle

house are set to take the rest of the world

by storm over the next few months. Italian

restaurant Urbano will open in Kuwait,

Bahrain, Oman and Turkey. Thenoodlehouse

will expand to open new outlets in Russia,

Lebanon, Great Britain, Morocco and Bahrain.

Badia Golf Club

of the Emirates

Hyatt

Meridien Dubai

Mall of the

Emirates

Also revamping...


TRENDS / CSR

Carlson-Rezidor are in the midst

of their fifth Box Appeal, an

international charity drive aimed

at providing provisions for

labourers. The hotel group is known

for its strong emphasis on CSR and

has been voted one of the Most Ethical

Companies by the Ethisphere Institute.

Mark Willis, Area Vice President,

Middle East and Sub Saharan Africa,

explains how a strong ethical focus

improves his business.

HBME: What’s the main drive behind the Box Appeal?Mark Willis: The Box Appeal was

originally created in 2008 by our

Radisson Blu Hotel in Dubai, Media

City as part of our annual Responsible

Business Action Month, over the last

five years it has steadily grown. Now

all nine hotels in the UAE join in as

well as our Radisson Blu hotels in

Cairo and Bahrain. The Box Appeal’s

primary objective is to give back to the

surrounding community, to those less

privileged then ourselves.

HBME: How does engaging in charity

As a responsible business you have to give back to the community, it helps build a stronger relationship and brand awareness

Mark Willis,

Area Vice President

Carlson-Rezidor prove CSR aids both the local communities and its own company morale

A helping hand

drives affect your reputation and overall staff morale?MW: It’s a great way to bring our hotels

together; the campaign takes a lot of

team work, from the delivery to the

packing of boxes. They spend two

months visiting schools, churches

and so on, to drum up support; they

spend their free time in supermarkets

encouraging people to take part. In

2011 we collected over 10,000 boxes

and hope to do so again in 2012!

HBME: How does an activity like this fit into your larger CSR policies?MW: Taking responsibility for the

environment and local community

has been an important part of

our development since our first

environmental policy in 1989. Our

Responsible Business programme

consists of three main pillars:

guarantee the health and safety of

our guests and employees; respect for

social and ethical issues and minimise

our environmental footprint.

Throughout the year our hotels

participate in a range of activities

from blood donations and beach

cleaning, to planting trees. All of this

accumulates in one dedicated month

each September called Rezidor’s

Responsible Business Action Month.

HBME: What do the most successful CSR policies have in common?MW: From my experience, initiatives

which are simple to implement and

take part in are the most successful.

Using The Box Appeal as an example,

it’s easy to take part if you want to

donate one box or a 1,000. The cost

implications are pretty low to the

individual but it’s also something large

groups or whole companies can take

part in, building a unique sense of

community spirit.

HBME: Does CSR aid staff retention?MW: Yes it does, as our CSR initiatives

aren’t just aimed at the environment

and our surrounding community. One

whole section is dedicated to everyone

who works at Rezidor Hotel Group.

The staff benefit from feeling part of

something and working in a respectful

safe environment but they also

physically benefit from No Smoking

Days, to fresh, healthy food being

served in the staff canteen.

HBME: Why is it important to involve hotels in their local communities?MW: Every company should be

involved with its wider community. As

a responsible business you have to give

back to the community, it helps build

a stronger relationship and brand

awareness with your local community

who are potential guests and it builds

the local economy. By looking after

the local community and environment

you are securing a brighter future for

your company.


TRENDS / FOH

Read all about itHow does a traditional news service compete with today’s technology?

The days of leisurely reading

a paper over breakfast are

becoming fewer and fewer as

business people and leisure

travellers check in with their own

technology and content platforms.

Roy Court, Head of Hotels & Leisure,

Headland Media, a global news

service for the hospitality industry,

tells us the future lies in adapting.

HBME: Can you give a brief outline of the services you supply to the Middle East? Roy Court: Headland Media provide

daily news via email, which is then

printed out, so that hotels can give

Our main challenge has been creating the right mix between technology driven apps without removing the essence of a real paper

Roy Court, Head of

Hotels & Leisure,

Headland Media

their guests news from home in their

own language.

HBME: How important to your business is the Middle East market? RC: The Middle East is a very

important market due to the vast

number of nationalities arriving from

all over the world.

HBME: In a market where most guests have smart phones or tablets, how do you keep your service relevant and attractive? RC: In an electronic world, Headland

Media have to stay one step ahead of

the game and provide our news in all

media forms but we have found the

majority of our end readers still prefer

to have a newspaper in printed form

and at breakfast time.

HBME: Can you tell me about your news app service? RC: The iPhone/iPad app allows guests

to read the news, on the go. Each hotel

has the ability to give their guests

permanent or time specific access

to seven editions including UK, US,

Latin America, Australian, Spanish,

Canadian and an International edition

in English.

HBME: What challenges has going digital had for you? RC: Our main challenge has been

creating the right mix between

technology driven apps without

removing the essence of a real paper.

HBME: Does the type of news content you supply vary between region? RC: Our content varies between regions

(currently 22) because the news is

created from those regions and not

translated. But of course a world story

is still likely to take up the front page.

HBME: Who are your biggest hotel clients? RC: Headland Media provides its

service to most of the world’s hotel

chains but Accor is the world leader

in providing its guests with free daily

news, in their own language.

HBME: What’s the added value to a hotel chain in using your service? RC: Headland Media help hotels

around the world offer a value added

service as a standard to the hotel

guests. In addition, we can advertise

their in-house services to all hotels on

the same day.

HBME: What makes your company unique? RC: Headland Media are unique

because they provide each hotel the

means to brand their daily newspapers

with their logo and hotel name as well

as promote their in-house activities

through a newspaper that they know

their guests are reading.

1,000 F&B COMPANIES LOOKING FOR BUYERS

at SIAL Middle East

Under the Patronage of H. H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al-NahyanDeputy Prime Minister of the UAE, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority

Strategic partner:

at SISS AII L Midii ddd ldd e ll EaEE saa t

SIAL, a subsidiary of Comexposium Group

1,000 FOOD & BEVERAGE COMPANIES LOOKING FOR BUYERS

at SIAL Middle East Order your entry badge at

www.sialme.com Fast-track entry is available for all pre-qualified and

pre-registered visitors.

26-28 November 2012, ADNEC

Co-located with:Culinary partners:

cpidubai.com

JOB WATCH


Job watchTime to move on? We can help. All jobs can be applied for throughthe Hozpitality websiteGROUP HR MANAGER

Industry: Hotel

Department: HR

Level: Top Management

Location: UAE

Salary Description: Attractive

Posted: 24/09/2012

Start Date: ASAP

Recruiter: CHA International

Group HR Manager is required for a UAE based

company with nine international branded

hotels. Successful candidates must have:

operators

qualification. Only successful candidates will

be contacted.

CORPORATE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Industry: Hotel

Department: Finance


Location: UAE


Posted: 24/09/2012

Start Date: ASAP


Corporate Director of Finance based in Dubai

is required for a UAE based company with

nine international branded hotels. Successful

candidates will need:

operators

qualification. Please note only candidates

with matching profiles will be considered.

GENERAL MANAGER

Industry: Hotel

Department:GM


Location: UAE


Posted: 24/09/2012

Start Date: ASAP


flagged hotel in Dubai- Jumeirah, which

has had a complete renovation in 2011 with

international hotel chains. The candidate msut

matching candidates will be contacted.

SENIOR GENERAL MANAGER

Industry: Hotel

Department: HR


Location: Abu Dhabi


Posted: 24/09/2012

Start Date: ASAP

Recruiter: Hozpitality

for a new five star hotel opening in Abu Dhabi

by the end of 2012. European/American/

Australian nationals are preferred by the client

for this position. The candidate should have

years. Attractive salary plus benefits.

DIRECTOR OF ROOMS

Industry: Hotel

Department: Rooms Division


Location: Abu Dhabi


Posted: 23/09/2012

Start Date: ASAP

Recruiter: Confidential

a renowned international five star hotel

opening in Dubai towards the end of 2012.

branded five star hotels in UAE/Middle East.

Attractive salary and benefits offered.

DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING

Industry: Hotel

Department:


Location: Doha, Qatar


Posted: 23/09/2012

Start Date: ASAP

Recruiter: Hozpitality

Our client is a large leading international

in large leading international hotels in the

Middle East. This position is accountable for

managing the total sales efforts. This includes

the generation of all revenues consistent with

the company objectives; implementation of

sales performance management systems;

segmentation analysis for Group, Corporate,

Wholesale, and Transient. Additionally,

role in the business community by being

involved in the various trade organisations.

Requirements:

Degree.

which at least three years has been at the

advertising and promotional activities

to understand and interpret financial data

possessing a high degree of professionalism,

sound human resources and administrative

THE BEST WAY TO APPRECIATE YOUR JOB IS TO IMAGINE YOURSELF WITHOUT ONE.OSCAR WILDE

JOB WATCH


Arabic

(please include a recent photo)

Responsibilities and job functions include but

are not limited to the following:

achieve the revenue goals.

in the development, maintenance and

education of Strategic Rate Pricing, Strategic

Rate Selling and plays a lead role in the

development of the Strategic Plan and the

education of all members of the team to this

direction

opportunities and implementing strategies

to address them, develops action plans as

necessary

development is in place

and the activities of outside agencies

and internal staff on local and in-house

advertising campaigns

off property and has ongoing personal

involvement in community events

local tourism organisations

complement the sales effort

where applicable

Salary and Benefits include:

paid by the company

schooling up to $10,000 per academic year

country for vacation purposes.

COMPLEX IT MANAGER

Industry: Hotel

Department: IT


Location: UAE


Posted: 17/09/2012

Start Date: ASAP

Recruiter:Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort

Inc., one of the leading hotel and leisure

companies in the world with more than

1000 properties in over 100 countries is a fully

integrated owner, operator and franchisor of

hotels and resorts with the following

internationally renowned brands: St. Regis,

Points by Sheraton, W, Le Meridien, Aloft

Ownership, Inc, a subsidiary of Starwood

the premier developers and operators of high

quality vacation interval ownership resorts.

Location

best. Upon entering Mina Seyahi, we welcome

you to channel your energy and pursue your

career with passion, commitment and drive. A

new way of seeing

things awaits your discovery.

Department

Systems manage procedures and practices to

ensure the optimal operating effectiveness

and integrity of data in accordance with

Starwood’s Global and EAME IT- related

Policies and Procedures.

Job Description

running of Information Technology - whilst

actively displaying a proactive and

communicative leadership style.

role in positively supporting the operation

of the hotel, reinforcing a customer focused

approach to hotel operations at all times

while supporting all corporate technology

requirements and initiatives as appropriate.

staff to achieve high levels of job

satisfaction and productivity. Provide for the

professional development and training of

personnel that report to this position.

area/regional staff to ensure optimum

sharing of technology issues and solutions.

oftechnology service to all departments in

the hotel operation while actively

managing service level agreements with

technology projects and requirements

Starwood standard policies, systems

and procedures relating to technology

operations, including active capital and

contingency planning.

management programmes, schedules and

communications for all system changes.

systems including ensuring all systems are

data-privacy requirements are met to the

best level possible.

associates and assist in ensuring all guest-

facing technologies meet service level

planning process.

the opportunities of distributing

information available - and encouraging

ideas and participation from all team

members, through participation in team

briefings, daily morning meetings and daily

operations meetings.

technology systems to a high degree

The individual must possess the following

Fluent English required - Internet

technologies - MS Office applications highly

- effective planner, organisation and team

I AM AFRAID THAT THE PLEASANTNESS OF AN EMPLOYMENT DOES NOT ALWAYS EVINCE ITS

Jobs supplied by:

PROPRIETY.JANE AUSTEN


COMMENT

In search of new marketsHala Matar Choufany, MD at HVS Dubai reports back on the last decade of arrivals into Dubai, chartering a sea change from relying on traditional sources to new Far East and Asian feeder markets

Dubai’s hotel infrastructure and

tourism growth potential has

been the centre of discussion

for many years and despite the

negative sentiment that manifested in the

recent past, the success stories outweigh

the inevitable mistakes of any developing

city. Dubai has been successful in

marketing itself as a destination of choice

in the Middle East for tourism and

commerce.

Passenger traffic at Dubai International

Airport (DIA) showed a steady increase

between 2000 and 2011, registering a

healthy compound annual growth over

this period of 15.2 per cent. In 2011, total

passenger movements were reported to

have increased by approximately 8 per

cent when compared to 2010, surpassing

New York’s John F. Kennedy International

Airport for the second time. DIA

authorities reported roughly 51 million

total passenger movements in 2011, a

feat that had not been accomplished

since the airport’s inception. While the

airport ranked 13th globally in terms

of total passenger movements in 2010

and 2011, year-to-date figures for 2012

indicate that DIA is ranked 8th globally

in terms of total passenger movements,

solidifying the airport’s position as a

major player. The Year to July 2012 figure

shows growth of 16 per cent when

compared to the same period in 2011.

Dubai hotel guest arrivals between 2002

and 2011 increased by 180 per cent while

accommodated room nights increased

by more than 260 per cent. When figures

indicate the incomparable growth Dubai

has achieved.

2002-2011An analysis of changes in accommodated

room nights by source of visitation

reveals the following increases in the

key markets since 2002 and up to 2011.

Australasia & Pacific increased by 228 per

cent, Americas by 194 per cent, UAE by

149 per cent, Asia by 108 per cent, Europe

by 94 per cent, and Africa by 84 per cent.

Total growth for all markets between

2002 and 2011 averaged 91 per cent.

Specifically, visitors from China

increased by 865 per cent, from 20,000

to 194,000, Singapore (+518 per cent)

from 6,000 to 36,000, India (+134 per

cent) from 300,000 to 700,000, Sri Lanka

(+245 per cent) from 9,000 to 33,000,

USA (+345 per cent) from 104,000 to

463,000, UAE (+149 per cent) from

389,000 to 967,000, Australia (+200 per

cent) from 59,000 to 180,000, Russia/

CIS/Baltics (+98 per cent) from 258,000

to 511,000 and UK (44 per cent) from

447,000 to 643,000. Although visitors

from Taiwan and Indonesia increased

by more than 2000 per cent and from

Afghanistan by 1000 per cent, those

markets contribution to the total

remains insignificant.

2008-2011Total growth in accommodated room

nights in Dubai between 2008 and 2011

was 21 per cent. In 2011, excluding the

UAE, accommodated room nights from

Asia, Europe and Other AGCC/Arab

accounted for 27 per cent-29 per cent of

total visitation each, followed by USA at

six per cent.

The most significant growth between

2010 and 2011 was in the UAE segment

which grew at 121 per cent, Other GCC

(91 per cent), Asia (20 per cent), Other

Arab (16 per cent) Africa (+12 per cent).

Australasia and Pacific dropped by

eight per cent, while USA and Europe

segments decreased by seven per cent.

An analysis into the growth of the

key feeder markets between 2008 and

2011 reveals a strong positive growth

from China (100 per cent), UAE (121

per cent) and India (42 per cent), a

negative drop from Europe (-eight per

cent) driven largely by a drop from the

UK, Belgium and France markets, and

stagnation from USA and Russia/CIS/

Baltics.

Dubai has adopted a long-term

development strategy aimed at

diversification of its economy and has

succeeded in becoming the financial,

logistical and leisure centre of the region.

Dubai has been constantly under the

spotlight of the press and international

interest for its incredible developments,

luxury shopping, one-of-a-kind leisure

facilities, good service and safe and

stable government. The outlook remains

positive, given the brand name that the

destination has created for itself and

continues to constantly promote.

Hala Matar Choufany is Managing Director of hospitality consultancy and valutation firm, HVS Dubai.

Right: Dubai’s

International Airport has

seen arrivals from many

new countries’ tourists

hospitality business me | 2012 october

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