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In-depth news and analysis for the Middle East’s hospitality professionals, wrapped up a in an intelligent, well designed monthly magazine.
Citation preview
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
36
59
72
70
04
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
Group Office, Dubai Media City
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
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 7OCTOBER 2012
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
cpidubai.com8 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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)
10 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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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OTELS
share prices for the leading global
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OTELS
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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
OCC% ADR PERCENTAGE CHANGE FROM AUGUST 2011
2012 2011 2012 2011 OCC ADR REVPAR
67.9 66.1 109.05 105.06 2.8 3.8 6.7
REVPAR
EUROPE
OCC% ADR PERCENTAGE CHANGE FROM AUGUST 2011
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
OCC% ADR PERCENTAGE CHANGE FROM AUGUST 2011
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
$139 AVERAGE ADR RATE IN ASIA
PACIFIC IN AUGUST 2012
67.9% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN AMERICAS
REGION IN AUGUST 2012
71.3% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN EUROPE
REGION IN AUGUST 2012
53.8% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN MENA
REGION IN AUGUST 2012
74.08 69.43
96.32 97.95
83.37 72.28
DATA WATCH
DATA WATCH
12 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012 cpidubai.com
The hotel benchmarkThe Earnst & Young hotel benchmark report provides a monthly performance overview of leading hotels
in the Middle East. It includes five star and four star international branded and operated properties.
DUBAI OVERALL MONTHLY PERFORMANCE
DATA WATCH
% OCCUPANCY DUBAI - OVERALL HOTELS
AVERAGE ROOM RATE DUBAI - OVERALL HOTELS (US$)
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
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
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 %
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
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
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Solutions for Government,
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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
Cost of Tender Documents ($): 0
Last date of submission: October 10, 2012
Nature of work: Supply of meals, including
popular cooking services, normal buffets and
VIP meals during events and races for the year
2012/2013 at a Club.
Project name: Emirates Heritage Club
(Abu Dhabi)
Address: Behind Bus Station, Next
to Zayed Girls University, Muroor
Area
City: Abu Dhabi
Postal/Zip Code: 41464
Country: United Arab Emirates
Phone: (+971-2) 445 6456
Fax: (+971-2) 445 1444
Cost of Tender Documents ($): 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
Postal/Zip Code: 393
Country: Oman
Phone: (+968-24) 602 177
Fax: (+968-24) 602 647
Website: www.moh.gov.om
Cost of Tender Documents ($): 70
Last date of submission: October 21, 2012
Nature of work: Provision of catering services for
a hospital.
Project name: Health Affairs Directorate
City: Riyadh
Country: Saudi Arabia
Phone: (+966-1) 406 6695
Website: www.riyadhealth.med.sa
Cost of Tender Documents ($): 1335
Last date of submission: November 10, 2012
Client name: National Guard (Kuwait)
Address: Khaldiya
Postal/Zip Code: 17010
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.
Cost of Tender Documents ($): 8930
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)
Country: 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
Country: 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)
Status: Current Project
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
Status: Current Project
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
Status: Current Project
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
Status: Current Project
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
Budget (USD): 30000000
Status: Current Project
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
Budget (USD): 60000000
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)
Country: Saudi Arabia
Consultant: Jacobs Engineering (Saudi
Arabia)
Status: New Project
Project Name: King Faisal Medical Complex
Construction Project
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
Status: Current Project
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)
Country: Saudi Arabia
Consultant: Arup Gulf (Dubai)
Contractor: Besix Group SA (Belgium)
Budget (USD): 4000000000
Status: Current Project
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
Status: Current Project
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
Construction Project
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
Country: Saudi Arabia
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
Company (Saudi Arabia)
City: Makkah
Country: Saudi Arabia
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
Company (Saudi Arabia)
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)
Status: Current Project
Last Updated: July 22, 2012
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
cpidubai.com18 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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)
Status: Current Project
Last Updated: July 23, 2012
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 ($): 1800000000
Territory: Oman
Client: Company Name: Oman
Tourism Development Company S.A.O.C
(Omran)
City: Muttrah PC 114
Country: Oman
Phone: (+968) 2477 3700
Fax: (+968) 2479 3929
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.omran.om
Design Consultant: RMJM (UK)
Environmental Consultant: Geo-Resources
Consultancy (Oman)
Main Consultant: RMJM (UK)
Master Plan Consultant: WATG (UK)
Project Manager: AEG Ogden (Australia)
Quantity Surveyor: Hanscomb & Company L.L.C
(Oman)
Contractors: Foundations, Enabling & Piling
Contractor Al-Awazi International L.L.C (Oman)
Status: Current Project
Last Updated: July 22, 2012
Tender Categories: Construction & Contracting,
Hotels, Leisure & Entertainment
Remarks: This project is in Oman. The convention
centre will be located in Muscat, about 4 kilometres
from the airport. The client has invited firms to
submit proposals by June 04, 2007 for various
consultancy contracts, which covers project
management services, mechanical, electrical and
plumbing engineering, construction engineering
and civil engineering. Bids have been submitted on
July 16, 2012 for the packages 5.2, which include
construction of a primary substation on this scheme.
Construction contract is expected to be awarded in
the fourth quarter of 2012.
Project Name: Msheireb Downtown Doha
Development Project
Description: Development of Msheireb Downtown
Doha (Formerly Heart of Doha City) mixed-use
scheme comprising several districts, including a
residential and mixed-use quarter, a retail quarter, a
heritage quarter and a commercial area.
Budget ($): 5500000000
Territory: Qatar
Client: Company Name: Msheireb Properties (Qatar)
City: Doha
Country: Qatar
Phone: (+974) 4459 0459
Fax: (+974) 4421 6125
Email: [email protected]
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)
Status: Current Project
Last Updated: July 17, 2012
Tender Categories: Construction & Contracting,
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.
cpidubai.com24 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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
26 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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
cpidubai.com28 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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.
cpidubai.com30 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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
cpidubai.com34 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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.”
cpidubai.com36 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
DTCM
“PARIS SEES 15 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR AS ONE OF THE TOP DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD, WE’RE NOT FAR FROM THEM”
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 37cpidubai.com OCTOBER 2012
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
cpidubai.com38 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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”
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 39cpidubai.com OCTOBER 2012
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
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 41OCTOBER 2012cpidubai.com
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.
cpidubai.com42 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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.
HBME: What are the latest trends in
bathroom fittings and fixtures?
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
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 43cpidubai.com OCTOBER 2012
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.
HBME: What are the latest trends in
bathroom fittings and fixtures?
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
HBME: How have guests’ expectations of a
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.
HBME: How have guests’ expectations of a
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
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 45OCTOBER 2012cpidubai.com
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
46 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012 cpidubai.comcpidubai.com
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
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 47OCTOBER 2012cpidubai.com
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
48 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012 cpidubai.comcpidubai.com
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
cpidubai.com50 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 51cpidubai.com OCTOBER 2012
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
52
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Telepresence: A new view on business
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The history behind the virtual meeting room
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Understanding the features that make the difference
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The changing state of the managed videconferencing market
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 59OCTOBER 2012
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?
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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
cpidubai.com60 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 61OCTOBER 2012
BEST OF THE REST
cpidubai.com62 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 63OCTOBER 2012
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
cpidubai.com64 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 65OCTOBER 2012
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...
cpidubai.com66 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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.
cpidubai.com68 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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.
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26-28 November 2012, ADNEC
Co-located with:Culinary partners:
cpidubai.com
JOB WATCH
70 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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
Level: Top Management
Location: UAE
Salary Description: Attractive
Posted: 24/09/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: CHA International
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
Level: Top Management
Location: UAE
Salary Description: Attractive
Posted: 24/09/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: CHA International
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
Level: Top Management
Location: Abu Dhabi
Salary Description: Attractive
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
Level: Top Management
Location: Abu Dhabi
Salary Description: Attractive
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:
Level: Top Management
Location: Doha, Qatar
Salary Description: Attractive
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
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HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 71cpidubai.com OCTOBER 2012
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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
Level: Top Management
Location: UAE
Salary Description: Attractive
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
cpidubai.com72 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER 2012
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