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Transcript of Hospitality Business ME
Save energy, save money: Green Globe help light the way to creating a sustainable future
St Regis Saddiyat Island on creating Abu Dubai’s ‘first true beach resort’
Are Dubai’s diners still swayed by a celebrity chef?
The latest home furnishing trends from the States; how to market a jazz club; Jumeirah’s new fitness concept; the design tricks that make a menu work
23 tenders you can’t afford to miss out on
In association with...
GLOBAL HOTEL INDEX: Asia Pacific 65.5% - Americas 63.4% - Europe 70.5% - Middle East/ Africa 60.4% (Average room occcpancy May 2012)
Publication licensed by IMPZ
Majid Sager Al Marri, Director of Hotel Classification at DTCM, shares his vision for the hotels of Dubai
DESIGNER ARTWORKS FOR HOTELS AND COMMERCIAL PROJECTS
TEL: 050 5382067 E: [email protected]
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 1JULY 2012
CONTENTS
EDITOR’S LETTER
NEWS WATCHEVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE UAE AND MENA
DATA WATCHTHE LATEST STATS FROM THE REGION’S ANALYSTS
TENDERSTHE REGION’S NEWS PROJECTS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
OPENING SOONFRASER SUITES, DOHA, QATAR
COVER STORYCLASSIFIED! MAJID SAGER AL MARRI EXPLAINS THE NEW HOTEL CLASSIFICATION SCHEME
SAVE ENERGY, SAVE MONEYGREEN GLOBE’S SUSTAINABILITY AUDIT CAN HELP HOTELS’ BOTTOM LINE, AND THE PLANET
GM INTERVIEWMAX WIEBERINCK DISCUSSES THE NEW ST REGIS SAADIYDAT ISLAND’S POPULARITY
SUPPLY & DEMANDWE LOOK AT BOTH SIDES OF THE CLEANING SUPPLIES CHAIN
Q&AIS A CELEBRITY CHEF STILL A DRAW FOR DUBAI’S DINERS?
HOW CAN WE MAKE DINING OUT MORE AFFORABLE?DANIEL DURING FROM THOMAS KLEIN MULLS THIS OVER
DUENJOY BANDWIDTH ON DEMAND
TRENDSTHIS MONTH’S BOLDEST AND BEST IDEAS AND PRODUCTS
COMMENTDISCOVER THE POWER OF INTEGREATED SECURITY
0420
06
11
15
20
23
29
32
48
32
23
35
40
48
50
57
72
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 2884Contributors: Dave ReederSenior 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] [email protected]
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONSMarizel [email protected]
WEB DEVELOPERLouie Alma
PRODUCTIONOperations Director: James RawlinsProduction manager: Devaprakash
DISTRIBUTIONRochelle Almeida
SUBSCRIPTIONSwww.cpievents.net/mag/magazine.php
PRINTED BYAtlas 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 JULY 2012
Editor’s letterThe future is set to be an exciting time here in Dubai
Paving the way to ensure Dubai sits up there with the world’s best cities is the DTCM
This month we’re looking to
the future. So far the year’s
been one of high hopes and
excitement with a flurry of
new launches and openings but the
future’s even more exciting. Paving
the way to ensure Dubai sits up
there with the world’s best cities
is the Department of Tourism and
Commerce Marketing (DTCM),
who have revamped the tired Guest
Accommodation Classification
Scheme and come up with something
far reaching and comprehensive,
which will help Dubai flourish as a
destination for all kinds of traveller.
Read more in our exclusive interview
on page 23 and as part of our future,
we will be working closely with
DTCM to bring you their latest news
every month.
Looking to a bigger future is
Green Globe, a global sustainable
certification programme, that hopes
to ensure properties don’t just save
money but also help to save the
planet (p28). Daniel During, from
Thomas Klein, wonders how we can
help shape the future of eating out
by reconsidering alcohol licenses on
page 48, whilst two panels of expert
restauranteurs and Executive Chefs
debate whether there is still plenty of
mileage in the celebrity chef concept.
GEORGINA WILSON-POWELL GROUP EDITORGEORGINA WILSON O GROUP OR
Elsewhere in the magazine, Du,
our exclusive telecoms partner,
explores the potential opportunity
for increased bandwidth as hotels
struggle to cope with guests’ needs for
higher and higher capacity internet
connections (p50), whilst we take a
look at prospective interior design
trends on page 60. We find Accor
and Jumeirah are also both investing
in their futures, with comprehensive
staff training (p62) and rolling out
holistic updated fitness concepts
(p68) respectively.
As the summer reaches its peak
and Ramadan is nearly upon us once
again, take some time to think about
what you want for your future, here
at Hospitality Business, we know we’re
really excited about ours.
Enjoy the latest issue.
Follow us for daily updates on the global hospitality industry at HospitalityBME.
On Twitter?
NEWS WATCH
cpidubai.com6 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
UAE NEWS FOUR SEASONS TO OPEN IN DUBAI
IN 2014Canadian brand Four Seasons has
announced it will debut in the UAE in
Dubai on Jumeirah Beach by mid 2014.
The property is owned by Bright Start and
developed by H and H Investment and
Development. It will be called Four Seaons
Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach.
MARVEL THEME PARK PLAN RESURRECTED AT CITY OF ARABIAA good superhero never dies, and neither
does it seem a plan for a superhero based
theme park. The Marvel theme park
(Spiderman, The Avengers, X-Men) will
open Q4 2013 as part of the delayed City of
Arabia development on Emirates Road. The
indoor family entertainment centre is set
to span 350,000 square feet and is owned
and operated by Ilyas and Mustafa Galadari
(IMG) Group.
4,000+ HOTEL ROOMS ADDED IN DUBAI THIS YEARAccording to Ernst & Young’s latest report,
Dubai has 19,000 hotel rooms (excluding
hotel apartments) in the pipeline, or 32.8
per cent of the existing supply (according to
STR Global), with 4,000 to come online this
year. Openings this year will include the JW
Marriott Marquis and Movenpick JLT.
DUBAI TOURISM INDUSTRY TO GROW 6.5% UNTIL 2021The World Travel and Tourism Council
has released a report showing that the
UAE’s tourism and shopping sector should
grow by 6.5 per cent annually until 2021.
This expansion is aided by new shopping
developments in the UAE, outside of the
traditional axis of Dubai and Abu Dhabi,
such as Al Shaab Village in Sharjah.
AIR ARABIA LAUNCHES DIRECT FLIGHTS TO SALALAHAir Arabia debuted a direct route between
Sharjah and Salalh recently. The new flights
have launched just in time for ‘Khareef ’, the
popular month of cooler weather.
NEWS IN BRIEF
30% REVENUE INCREASE IN Q1 FOR ELAF
GROUP, SAUDI ARABIA
Emirates Palace awarded Certifi-cate of Excellence by TripAdvisorThe leading Abu Dhabi hotel has
been recognised by popular online
site TripAdvisor, for its sumptuous
suites and outstanding service.
The award is a result of ® training
programmes that have developed
the VIP guest service.
“TripAdvisor® is pleased to
honour exceptional businesses for
consistent excellence, as reviewed
by travellers on the site,” said
Christine Petersen, President of
TripAdvisor® for Business. “The
Certificate of Excellence award
gives highly rated establishments
the recognition they deserve.”
Emirates Palace General
Manager Bugra Berberoglu
also added, “Emirates Palace
strives to set new standards
of excellence for both service
and facilities and is delighted
to have once again received
the international acclaim it
deserves. The TripAdvisor®
Certificate of Excellence is
extremely important to our team
as it recognises the voice of the
guest and rewards our continued
efforts to ensure Emirates Palace
remains the world’s leading,
luxury destination hotel.”
Spicejet takes off from DubaiIndia’s Spicejet, a low cost carrier
service, will now operate between
Dubai, Delhi and Mumbai. The
Boeing 737-800s will operate from
Terminal 1, and more routes will be
added in the future.
“Dubai is a good market for our
airlines, which is rare to find. There
has been more tourism to India
besides the large Indian population in
UAE who visit their homeland,” said
Neil Mills, the CEO of SpiceJet.SpiceJet launched in June
Oetker HOTEL Group debuts in Abu DhabiEuropean high-end luxury brand
Oetker has announced its first steps
into the Middle Eastern market with a
new property in Abu Dhabi. Le Bristol
Abu Dhabi will open in 2013. It follows
on the heels of the latest Oetker launch
in Marrakech, Palais Namaskar, which
launched in April this year. Oetker to open in 2013 in Abu Dhabi
NEWS WATCH
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 7JULY 2012
$700 AVERAGE VISA TRANSACTION OF
CHINESE TOURISTS IN DUBAI
(source: Visa)
DOWNS
UPS
BOMB MAKING IN BAHRAINThe US government has expressed
concern at the finding of bomb-making
equipment in the Kingdom, which
could escalate local tension further.
QATAR’S OLYMPIC BID FAILSQatar’s dream of hosting the Olympics
alongside the FIFA World Cup has
ended. It will now focus on bringing the
Olympic rings to Doha in 2024.
HERBIELAND CANCELLEDA theme park based around Herbie, the
sentient Volkswagen Beetle has failed
to attract any interest from investors.
The project will be relocted to Arizona.
UAE NO.6 FOR MILLIONAIRE HOUSEHOLDS
Boston Consulting Group has found that
the UAE has the sixth most millionaire
households in the world, having over $1m
cash, excluding property and businesses.
ABU DHABI SPENDING AT RECORD HIGH
The IMF has recorded the UAE capital’s
spending at an all time high to around
Dh314.7 billion in 2011, up from
Dh260.2 billion in 2010.
HILTON HOTELS & RESORTS WIN AGAIN
Named Leading Choice Hotel Brand for
Business Travellers in the Middle East
by BDRC Continental for the fifth
year running.
A recent report from Visa called
‘Tourism Outlook:UAE’ compared
tourism receipts to see who spent the
most in the Emirates. Saudis spent
the most in the UAE, clocking 1.1m
transactions on Visa debit and credit
cards in 2011, with a total spend
of $336.3m. $127m of this was on
accommodation (up over 80 per cent
on last year).
Saudis spend $127m on hotels in UAEAhmed Gaber, Country Manager
for Visa in Saudi Arabia, said: “This
report highlights the ongoing appeal
of the UAE as a destination for Saudi
travellers, as well as underlining
the importance of Saudi as a source
market of considerable income for the
UAE tourism industry. Visa ensures
travellers can make purchases and
payments securely and conveniently.”
Huge sums of Saudi rials are spent in the UAE every year
DOWNS
NEWS WATCH
cpidubai.com8 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
MARRIOTT OPENS TWO HOTELS IN RIYADHThe Marriott Group has opened luxury
projects in Riyadh. Marriot Executive
Apartments recently launched for longer
stay high end guests, whilst the Courtyard
Riyadh by Marriott will open in time for
Ramadan, and is based near the city’s
Diplomatic Quarter.
OMAN TO GET THREE STAR HOTELOmran, the government company
which looks after tourism development,
investment and management, has approved
an agreement with Duqm Special Economic
Zone Authority (DSEZA) to build the
country’s first ever pre-fabricated three star
hotel. The hotel is a result of the increased
economic activity around Duqm Port and
Dry Dock.
30 MORE HOTELS IN ABU DHABI BY 2015The Abu Dhabi Hoteliers group has reported
that there will be no fewer than 30 new
properties over the next few years including
two new Marriotts, a huge Ritz-Carlton
which is due to open next year and a new
Edition hotel, which is another Marriott
brand and five new openings from Rotana’s
portfolio of brands.
SAUDI’S HOTEL PORTFOLIO TO GROW BY 58%STR Global have reported that number
of hotel rooms within the Kingdom will
increase by 58 per cent as international
brands look to compete for the millions
of annual pilgrims. InterContinental
will increase its share by 50 per cent to
7,300 rooms by 2015, while as reported
previously, Hyatt is to add eight properties,
and Accor will open a 1,315 room Pullman
in Makkah. In addition Starwood will
increase its portfolio by five hotels.
NEWS IN BRIEFOTHERNEWS
Thursday 52 - Week
Closing share price as at: 28-June-2012 High Low
Accor (Euro) 23.3 32.0 17.0
Hyatt Hotels (US Dollar) 35.8 44.5 29.2
Intercontinental Hotels Group PLC (British Pound) 15.1 15.8 9.4
Marriott International (Euro) 37.5 40.5 24.0
Melia Hotels International 4.2 8.7 3.5
Millenium & Copthorne (pp) 475.0 526.0 368.6
NH Hotesl (Euro) 2.1 5.4 1.7
Rezidor Hotel Group (KR) 23.4 41.9 16.3
Starwood Hotels & Resorts (US Dollar) 50.3 60.8 35.8
Whitbread PLC (British Pound) 20.2 20.6 13.4
Source: Reuters
ABSOLUTE SHARE PRICE PERFORMANCE: 24-28 JUNE 2012
Hospitality consultants, HVS, impart
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OFFER IN SAUDI ARABIA (source: STR Global)
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NEWS WATCH
cpidubai.com10 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
LEBANON LAUNCHES TOURISM AWARENESS CAMPAIGNLebanon has kickstarted a major
promotional campaign across both Western
and Arab countries to help increase
tourism, which contributes 20 per cent to
the country’s GDP and employs 250,000
people. However the World Travel and
Tourism Council puts its GDP contribution
at half this amount, 10 per cent or $4.3
billion. Visitor numbers dropped to 1.6m in
2011, from 2.2m in 2010 as the country’s
tourism was indirectly affected by the Arab
Spring turmoil.
SWISSOTEL MAKKAH COMMENCES OPERATIONSThe Swissotel Makkah is located a few
steps from the Grand Mosque and offers
1,487 rooms and suites, it will be the
biggest property in the chain’s portfolio.
Opening in time for Ramadan, Mohammed
Arkobi VP & MD, Fairmont Raffles Hotels
International Makkah is buoyant about the
property’s upcoming performance, “With
the most convenient location in Makkah,
we anticipate Swissotel Makkah to be the
preferred destination not only for pilgrims
and Umrah performers but also for business
travelers, who will be visiting the holy city
of Makkah.”
ELAF GROUP TO BUILD FOUR MORE HOTELS IN SAUDIElaf group of companies will construct four
further properties in response to a strong
first quarter performance. The additional
hotels will be located in Jeddah, Makkah
and Madina, resulting in an investment
of around SAR400 m. The properties will
be completed between 2012 and 2014.
“These projects are part of our continuous
efforts to address the demands of the
increasing number of tourists visiting the
Kingdom. We will remain steadfast in our
commitment to support the government’s
move to promote Saudi Arabian tourism
and help the sector become a major
contributor to the country’s economy,” said,
Ziyad Bin Mahfouz, President of Elaf Group.
NEWS IN BRIEFMENA NEWS
$98m REVENUE BROUGHT IN BY ABU DHABI HOTELS IN MAY 2012 - UP
THREE PER CENT (source: Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority)
Economy chain to go into SaudiWyndham Hotel Group, the largest
hotel company in the world has
announced a franchise with the
Saudi Automotive Services Company
(SASCO) for 20 Super 8 hotels in
the Kingdom over the next five
years. The economy branded hotels
will be close to highways and offer
convenient access to food outlets,
mosques and petrol stations.
“Super 8 is a convenient and
trusted highway hotel brand, which
makes it ideal for the long highways
and the volume of car journeys in
this market,” said Wyndham Hotel
Group’s Regional Vice President
for Middle East and Africa, Bani
Haddad. “With expertise in
automotive and roadside services,
SASCO is the ideal collaborator to
bring the brand into this market, and
we believe the relationship between
Super 8 and SASCO will ultimately
be of benefit to road travellers
throughout the Kingdom.”
These hotels will also feature Super
8’s new room concept for the MENA
region which includes large family
rooms with adjacent living spaces to
reflect local market needs.
Al Jebel al Akhdar, Oman to be ready end 2013The Omani resort hotel at Hail
Misbhat will open in December 2013,
its owners Omran have announced.
Dawood Contracting has overseen the
construction of the property, working
to international LEED requirement
SASCO signs the Super 8 deal with Wyndham Hotel Group
to protect the local environment. The
hotel resort will be one of Oman’s first
environmentally friendly properties.
Operators Alila have planned a cliff-
side restaurant and a pool, 2,000m
above sea level.
DATA WATCH
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 11cpidubai.com JULY 2012
Data watchGlobal hotel data review for May 2012 from STR Global
ΜAY 2012 VS MAY 2011
ASIA PACIFIC
OCC% ADR PERCENTAGE CHANGE FROM MAY 2011
2012 2011 2012 2011 OCC ADR REVPAR
65.5 64.0 135.85 134.56 2.3 1.0 3.3
REVPAR
AMERICAS
OCC% ADR PERCENTAGE CHANGE FROM MAY 2011
2012 2011 2012 2011 OCC ADR REVPAR
63..4 61.4 107.64 104.38 3.4 3.1 6.6
REVPAR
EUROPE
OCC% ADR PERCENTAGE CHANGE FROM MAY 2011
2012 2011 2012 2011 OCC ADR REVPAR
70.5 71.2 134.93 149.19 -1.0 -9.6 -10.5
REVPAR
MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA
OCC% ADR PERCENTAGE CHANGE FROM MAY 2011
2012 2011 2012 2011 OCC ADR REVPAR
60.4 53.3 146.32 148.68 13.3 -1.6 11.5
REVPAR
2012 2011
88.94 86.12
2012 2011
2012 2011
2012 2011
KEY FIGURES
6.6% INCREASE IN
REVPAR FROM MAY
2011 IN AMERICAS
2.3% INCREASE IN
OCCUPANCY FROM
MAY 2012 IN ASIA
-10.5% DECREASE IN REVPAR
FROM MAY 2011
IN EUROPE
13.3% INCREASE IN OCCUPANCY
FROM MAY 2011 IN
MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA
68.30 64.04
95.11 106.27
88.39 79.30
DATA WATCH
DATA WATCH
12 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 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
Occupancy % April 2011 - April 2012100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Occu
panc
y %
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
75.2 76.7 75.980.8
52.6
74.1
82.387.4
8387.9 87.7 89.3
85.7
AVERAGE ROOM RATE DUBAI - OVERALL HOTELS (US$)
Average Room Rate April 2011 - April 2012350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Aver
age
Room
Rat
e
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
249
193
156 158 147
189
255
217
254274 268
280290
REV PAR IN DUBAI - OVERALL HOTLES(US$)
Room Yield April 2011 - April 2012300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Room
Yie
ld
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
187
148
119 128
77
140
210189
211
241 235250 249
KEY FIGURES
Dhs290 AVERAGE ROOM RATE IN
DUBAI IN APRIL 2012
6.7% INCREASE IN ADR IN
MUSCAT FROM 2011
10.6% INCREASE IN
OCCUPANCY
IN DUBAI
FROM 2011
DATA WATCH
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 13HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 13cpidubai.com JULY 2012
DATA WATCH
VARIOUS MARKETS MONTHLY PERFORMANCE (US DOLLAR)ERNST & YOUNG MIDDLE EAST HOTEL BENCHMARK SURVEY
MONTHLY PERFORMANCE: 4/2012 CURRENCY: US$
KEY FIGURES
13.3% INCREASE IN ADR IN
DOHA FROM 2011
22% INCREASE IN
OCCUPANCY IN
MANAMA FROM 2011
Dhs208 AVERAGE ROOM RATE IN
ABU DHABI
OCCUPANCY AVERAGE ROOM RATE ROOMS YEILD
CURRENCY 2012% 2011% CHANGE IN
% POINTS
2012 2011 CHANGE 2012 2011 CHANGE
Bahrain
Manama US$ 38.0 16.0 22.0 272 180 51.2% 106 30 255.4&
Egypt
Cairo — City US$ 49.0 26.0 23.0 92 117 -22.0% 45 31 45.9%
Cairo — Overall US$ 50.8 30.2 20.6 96 120 -19.4% 49 36 35.6%
Hurghada US$ 73.0 56.0 17.0 32 33 -1.7% 24 19 29.0%
Sharm El Shaikh US$ 77.0 50.0 27.0 50 55 -8.4 39 28 40.4%
Jordan
Amman US$ 85.0 50.0 35.0 145 144 1.0% 124 72 70.7%
Kuwait
Kuwait City US$ 54.0 46.0 8.0 275 268 2.5% 149 126 18.7%
Lebanon
Beirut US$ 66.0 61.0 5.0 208 196 6.1% 138 120 14.9%
Oman
Muscat US$ 73.0 65.0 8.0 226 211 6.7% 165 138 19.6%
Qatar
Doha US$ 66.0 57.0 9.0 283 250 13.3% 188 143 32.1
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah US$ 79.0 75.0 4.0 226 227 -0.7 180 172 4.8%
Madina US$ 79.0 85.0 -6.0 162 139 16.4% 129 119 8.7%
Makkah US$ 90.0 92.0 -2.0 195 234 -16.7% 176 216 -18.5%
Riyadh US$ 65.0 63.0 2.0 232 219 5.9% 153 139 10.1%
UAE
Abu Dhabi US$ 77.0 74.0 3.0 208 204 1.8% 161 153 5.7%
Al Ain US$ 76.0 60.0 16.0 144 152 -5.4% 110 91 20.5%
Dubai — Apartments US$ 88.0 86.0 2.0 120 119 0.7% 106 102 3.4%
Dubai — Beach US$ 87.0 73.0 14.0 461 404 14.1% 401 298 34.6%S
Dubai — City US$ 84.0 74.0 10.0 201 181 11.2% 170 135 25.8
Dubai — Overall US$ 85.7 75.2 10.6 290 249 16.3% 249 187 32.7
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Tel: +9712-6348495Web: www.EmiratesTenders.com
BUDGET FOR AL BAYAA TEACHING HOSPITAL,
BAGHDAD, IRAQ
$210 m
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 15JULY 2012
TendersAll the essential information on this month’s
new and existing projects
Project name: Sheikh Khalifa Medical City - SKMC
(Abu Dhabi)
City : Abu Dhabi
Postal/Zip Code: 51900
Country : United Arab Emirates
Phone : (+971-2) 610 3699 / 610 2177
Fax : (+971-2) 610 4532
City : Abu Dhabi
Nature of work: Provision of catering and food
services for a hospital.
Cost of Tender Documents ($): 820
Last date of submission: July 12, 2012
Project name : Royal Saudi Air Force (Saudi Arabia)
City : Dhahran
Country : Saudi Arabia
Phone : (+966-3) 879 2963
Nature of work: Provision of food catering services
for a college.
Cost of Tender Documents ($): 535
Last date of submission: July 16, 2012
Project name: Shaqra University (Saudi Arabia)
Country : Saudi Arabia
Nature of work: Operation of Restaurants and
Canteens at a university and its colleges.
Cost of Tender Documents ($): 1,335
Last date of submission: July 16, 2012
Project name: King Fahd Medical City (Saudi
Arabia)
City : Riyadh 11525
Postal/Zip Code : 59046
Country : Saudi Arabia
Phone : (+966-1) 288 9999 ext:1449
Fax : (+966-1) 461 4006 / 467 4006
/ 1458
Nature of work: Provision of food
catering services to patients for a
medical city.
Cost of Tender Documents ($):
13,335
Last date of submission: August 5, 2012
Project name: Ministry of Health (Saudi Arabia)
City : Riyadh 11176
Postal/Zip Code : 21217
Country : Saudi Arabia
Phone : (+966-1) 401 5292/ 401 2220/ 401 5555
Ext. 1277
Fax : (+966-1) 402 6944/ 402 9876
Cost of Tender Documents ($): Provision of
catering services for a health authority.
Cost of Tender Documents ($): 2670
Last date of submission: July 23, 2012
Tel: (+971) 2 634 8495www.EmiratesTenders.com
NEW TENDERSProject Name: Al Bayaa Teaching Hospital Project
Project Number: WPR010-IQ
Territory: Iraq
Client Name: Ministry of Higher Education &
Scientific Research (Iraq)
Address: Kirkuk Road, Erbil
City: Kurdistan
Country: Iraq
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.mhe-krg.org
Description: Construction of Al Bayaa Teaching
Hospital comprising (600) beds, which will be used to
train physicians and other medical professionals.
Budget: $210,000,000
Status: New tender
Remarks: This project is in Baghdad. The new
teaching hospital will help improve healthcare
services in Baghdad and throughout Iraq. US’
Hill International has been awarded a contract
worth an estimated $5.2 million to provide design
management and construction management services
on this scheme. Duration of the contract is
three years.
Project Manager: Hill International, Inc. (USA)
Tender: Categories, Construction & Contracting,
Medical & Healthcare
Tender Products: All products selected
Project Name: Le Meridien Hotel Mina Seyahi
Refurbishment Project
Project Number: OPR566-U
Territory: Dubai
Client Name: Wasl Asset Management Group
(Dubai)
City: Dubai
Postal/Zip Code: 23073
Country: United Arab Emirates
Phone: (+971-4) 398 6666
Fax: (+971-4) 398 8111
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.wasl.ae
Description: Carrying out refurbishment of Le
Meridien Hotel Mina Seyahi.
Status: Current project
Remarks: This hotel is located on Plot No. 3925304
in Dubai Marina. Local Golden Wing Contracting has
been appointed as the main contractor.
Main Consultant: Brewer Smith Brewer Gulf (Dubai)
MEP Consultant: Mario Associates Engineering
Consultants (Dubai)
NEW SUPPLY AND SERVICE TENDERS
16 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012 cpidubai.com
TENDERS
BUDGET FOR DREAM TOWER, DUBAI MARINA
$460m
Structural Consultant: Brewer Smith Brewer
Gulf (Dubai)
Interior Design: Consultant Brewer Smith Brewer
Gulf (Dubai)
Quantity Surveyor: Sweett Group (Dubai)
Main Contractor: Golden Wing Contracting
L.L.C (Dubai)
MEP Contractor: Bin Shafar Electromechanical
Engineering L.L.C (Dubai)
Civil Engineering Contractor: Honest
Construction L.L.C (Dubai)
Tender Categories: Construction & Contracting
Hotels
Tender Products: Civil Works Construction &
Addition Works Hotel Construction Modification,
Repair & Refurbishing Services
Project Name: Al Mohanna Trade Centre Project
Project Number: OPR560-Q
Territory: Qatar
Client Name: Private Investor (Qatar)
Description: Construction of Al
Mohanna Trade Centre comprising a
hotel and offices tower consisting of
three basements, a ground floor and
(57) upper floors.
Status: Current project
Remarks: This tower will be located in
Corniche street, near Sheraton Doha Hotel in Qatar.
Local Noor Al Huda Trading & Contracting has been
awarded the main construction contract. Earthworks
have commenced on the development. Local Al
Gazeerah Consulting Engineering Office is acting as
the consultant.
Main Consultant: Al Gazeerah Consulting
Engineering Office (Qatar)
Main Contractor: Noor Al Huda Trading &
Contracting (Qatar)
Tender Categories: Hotels Prestige Buildings
Tender Products: High-rise Towers Hotel
Construction
Project Name: Headquarters Building Project
Project Number: MPP2659-SAnm
Territory: Saudi Arabia
Client Name: Al-Abdulkarim Holding (Saudi Arabia)
Description: Construction of headquarters building
comprising 105-metre-high, 35-storey office tower.
Status: New tender
Remarks: This project will be located at Dammam
in Saudi Arabia. The commercial office tower will
have a built-up area of 54,846 square metres. Part of
the (27) office floors will be designed for the client’s
headquarters and remaining floors will be rented
to external companies. Size of the office floors will
range from 1,130 square metres to 1,344 square
metres. The facility will have parking spaces in the
basement and (7) podium levels. One of the podiums
will be used for retail facilities. Tower is scheduled
to open in 2014. Dubai-based Dewan Architects &
Engineers has been awarded a contract to design
the tower.
Design Consultant: Dewan Architects & Engineers
(Saudi Arabia)
Tender Categories: Prestige Buildings
Tender Products: High-rise Towers
Project Name: Delta 1 Residential Tower Project -
Dubai Marina
Project Number: OPR567-U
Territory: Dubai
Client Name: Delta Properties L.L.C (Dubai)
City: Dubai
Postal/Zip Code: 172360
Country: United Arab Emirates
Phone: (+971-4) 376 7555
Fax: (+971-4) 386 9001
Description: Construction of
21-storey Delta 1 residential tower.
Status: Current project
Remarks: This tower will be located
on Plot 2Q, No. 392-259 in Dubai Marina.
Local Engineering Contracting Company has
been awarded the main construction contract. Work
is yet to commence on the development due to some
negotiations ongoing with the client. The project is
expected to be completed within (14) months after
commencement of work on site.
Main Consultant: National Engineering Bureau
(Dubai)
Main Contractor: Engineering Contracting
Company L.L.C. - ECC (Dubai)
Tender Categories: Prestige Buildings
Tender Products: High-rise Towers
Project Name: Dream Tower Project - Dubai Marina
Project Number: OPR564-U
Territory: Dubai
Client Name: Private Investor (Dubai)
Description Construction of Dream Tower
comprising four basement floors, a ground floor, (40)
upper floors, a mechanical floors and roof.
Budget: $460,000,000
Status: Current project
Remarks: This tower will be located on Plot No. 392-
287-9E in Dubai Marina. Local S.S. Lootah Contracting
Company has been appointed as the main contractor.
Work has commenced on the development.
Main Consultant: Al Ajmi Engineering
Consultants (Dubai)
Financial Consultant: Emirates Islamic
Bank (Dubai)
Main Contractor: S.S. Lootah Contracting Company
(Dubai)
MEP Contractor: MAG International Electrome-
chanical Works L.L.C (Dubai)
Dewatering Contractor: National Dewatering &
Land Drainage Company L.L.C (Dubai)
Tender Categories: Prestige Buildings
Tender Products: High-rise Towers
Project Name: MY Tower Project
Project Number: OPR565-U
Territory: Dubai
Client Name: Worldwide Project Management
(Dubai)
Address: No. 2901, Saba Tower, Jumeirah Lake
Towers, Sheikh Zayed Road
City: Dubai
Postal/Zip Code: 74023
Country: United Arab Emirates
Phone: (+971-4) 427 0596
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.worldwidepm.com
Description: Construction of MY Tower comprising
five basement floors, a ground floor, two mezzanine
floors, a podium, (30) upper floors, a mechanical
floor, a health club floor and roof.
Status: Current project
Remarks: This project will be located in Dubai
Marina. Local Dubco Construction has been appointed
as the main contractor. Work has commenced on
the development.
Main Consultant: Dimensions Engineering
Consultant (Dubai)
Main Contractor: Dubco Construction L.L.C (Dubai)
Foundations: Enabling & Piling Contractor
International Foundation Group L.L.C (Dubai)
Tender Categories: Prestige Buildings
Tender Products: High-rise Towers
Project Name: Al Duaa Marina Tower Project
Project Number: OPR562-U
Territory: Dubai
Client Name: Al Duaa Holdings (Dubai)
City: Dubai
Postal/Zip Code : 282560
Country: United Arab Emirates
Phone: (+971-4) 341 7955
Fax: (+971-4) 341 7956
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.alduaaholdings.com
Description: Construction of Al Duaa Marina Tower.
Status: Current project
Remarks: This tower will be located on Plot No.
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 17JULY 2012cpidubai.com
TENDERS
STOREY JW MARRIOTT TO BE BUILT IN BAHRAIN BAY
50
392-481-31 in Dubai Marina District 3. Local Kele
Contracting has been appointed as the main
contractor. Work has commenced on site.
Main Consultant: Dimensions Engineering
Consultant (Dubai)
Main Contractor: Kele Contracting L.L.C (Dubai)
Foundations: Enabling & Piling Contractor, Geo
Foundation Group LLC (Dubai)
Tender Categories: Prestige Buildings
Tender Products: High-rise Towers
Project Name: Mixed-Use Development Project -
Obhur District
Project Number: MPP2633-SA
Territory Saudi Arabia
Client: Rayadah Investment Company (Saudi Arabia)
Phone : (+966 1) 205 9911
Email : [email protected]
Website: www.raid.com.sa
Description: Design and construction of a 2.4m
sq 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.
Status: New tender
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.
Project Manager: KEO International Consultants
(Saudi Arabia)
Tender categories: Construction & Contracting,
Hotels, Medical & Healthcare
Tender products: Hospital Consumables, Hotel
Construction, Mixed-use Developments
Project Name: Dubai Modern Art Museum & Opera
House District Project - Downtown Dubai
Project Number: MPP2624-U
Territory: Dubai
Client Name: Emaar Properties PJSC (Dubai)
Phone: (+971 4) 367 3333
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.emaar.com
Description: Construction of Dubai Modern Art
Museum and Opera House District comprising a
modern art museum, opera house, cultural facilities,
including two hotels, studios and leisure facilities.
Status: New tender
Remarks: This project will be located next to Burj
Khalifa development in Downtown Dubai area. The
Cultural District is part of Dubai’s efforts to expand
the cultural infrastructure.
Tender categories: Leisure & Entertainment,
Hotels, Construction & Contracting
Tender products: Hotel Construction, Museums/
Art Galleries
Project Name: Premier Inn Hotel Project -
Education City
Project Number: MPP2614-Q
Territory: Qatar
Client Name: Qatar Foundation
Phone: (+974) 4454 0000
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.qf.edu.qa
Description: Construction of three-star Premier Inn
Hotel comprising four storeys, including (200) rooms.
Status: New tender
Remarks:This project will be located within the
Education City development on the western edge
of Doha in Qatar and cover a total area of 14 square
kilometres. UAE-based Dewan Architects & Engineers
has been awarded a consultancy contract to design
and supervise the construction on this scheme. The
hotel is set to open in 2013.
Design Consultant: Dewan Architects & Engineers
(Qatar)
Tender Categories: Construction & Contracting
Hotels: Tender Products, Hotel Construction
Project Name: JW Marriott Hotel Construction
Project - Bahrain Bay Waterfront Development
Project Number: MPP2597-B
Territory: Bahrain
ClientName: Remza Investment
Company (Bahrain)
Phone: (+973) 1782 2122
Email: [email protected]
Description: Construction of
50-storey JW Marriott Hotel on a
waterfront development.
Status: New tender
Remarks: This project will be located in Bahrain Bay
Waterfront Development. It is being implemented by
local Khaleej Capital a joint venture of Qatar-based
Business Trading Company and the local Remza
Investment Company. The scheme will consist of
a 50-storey tower on top of a five-storey podium,
with three floors of underground parking. The
development will cover a total area of 97,000 square
metres. East side of the tower will contain 276
hotel rooms and related facilities and the west side
will contain 96 serviced apartments. Five-storey
podium will contain the banquet hall and meeting
facilities, lobbies and common areas, in addition to
200 car parking spaces. The underground car park
will contain 220 car parking spaces. Contractors have
been invited to pre-qualify for the main contract on
this scheme. Local YDA & Associates is acting as the
design consultant.
Design Consultant: Yousif Dawood Al Sayegh
Consultants (Bahrain)
Tender categories: Hotels, Prestige Buildings,
Construction & Contracting, Leisure & Entertainment
Tender Products: High-rise Towers and
Hotel Construction
Project Name: Seef Lusail Multi-use Development
Project
Project Number: ZPR610-Q
Territory: Qatar
Client Name: Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment
Company (Qatar)
Phone: (+974) 4497 4444
Fax: (+974) 4497 4333
Website: www.qataridiar.com
Description: Development of Seef Lusail multi-use
scheme covering an area of 600,000 square metres.
Status: New tender
Remarks: This project is in Qatar. A new company
known as Seef Lusail Real Estate Development
Company (SEEF) has been established, which is a
joint venture between Masraf Al Rayan and Qatari
Diar. Seef Lusail will be located at the waterfront of
Lusail, a distinctive 21st century iconic city, which
celebrates the special cultural and geographical
heritage of Qatar and the Gulf region. The scheme
will feature an interactive 2.3-kilometre waterfront
promenade that includes multiple world-
class attractions catering to various age
group and families. The design will
take into consideration the climate
in Qatar, in order to have a lively and
active waterfront all year long. The
hotels in Seef Lusail will cater to family,
business and luxury leisure segments.
One of the hotels will be a fully integrated
resort and spa providing guests with a unique
leisure experience. Discussions and negotiations are
currently underway with global hotel brands that
will bring new concepts and ideas to Qatar. UK-based
Broadway Malyan has been awarded a contract to
design and manage the delivery of headquarters
and a presentation centre in this development.
Aimed at visitors, the presentation centre contains
an interactive display of the project, as well as a
model of Doha with future projects planned for the
city and an F&B outlet. Broadway Malyan’s design
team will deliver architecture, landscape and interior
design services for the presentation centre, which
will comply with the Qatar Sustainability Assessment
TENDERS
cpidubai.com18 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
System (QSAS). Design work is due to be delivered
by mid-2012, with the project aiming for completion
soon after.
Design Consultant: Broadway Malyan (Abu Dhabi)
Master Plan Consultant: DP Architects Pte. Ltd.
(Singapore)
Tender Categories: Leisure & Entertainment,
Hotels, Construction & Contracting
Tender Products: Hotel Construction, Public
Buildings, Retail Developments
Project Name: Mondrian Doha Hotel Project
Project Number: OPR557-Q
Territory: Qatar
Client: Name : Al Hamla Holding (Qatar)
Description: Construction of Mondrian Doha Hotel
comprising two basements, a ground floor, a podium
and (25) upper floors.
Status: Current project
Remarks: This hotel will be located in Lusail area
of Qatar. Local SEG Qatar has been appointed as the
main contractor. Construction is already underway.
Almost six floors have been completed. Local South
West Architecture is acting as the design and
supervision consultant. The hotel will be operated by
Morgans Hotel Group.
Main Consultant: South West Architecture (Qatar)
Design Consultant: South West Architecture (Qatar)
Main Contractor: Societe d Enterprise & de Gestion
- SEG W.L.L (Qatar)
Aluminium Products Supplier: Alumco Qatar WLL
Steel Products Supplier: Blue Steel Factory W.L.L
Foundations, Enabling & Piling Contractor: Navayuga
Engineering Company W.L.L (Qatar)
Tender Categories: Hotels, Prestige Buildings
Tender Products: High-rise Towers, Hotel
Construction
Project Name: Ramada Hotel Tower Project
Project Number: MPR1388-U
Territory: Sharjah
Client: Private Investor (Kuwait)
Description: Construction of Ramada Hotel Tower
with two basement levels, a mezzanine level, three
parking levels and 34 storeys of hotel rooms.
Budget ($):55,000,000
Status: Current project
Remarks: This project will be built on Buhaira
Corniche in Sharjah. Local Al-Hamad Contracting
Company has been awarded the main construction
contract on this scheme and the work has
commenced. Local Bin Dalmouk Consultants is acting
as the main consultant.
Main Consultant: Bin Dalmouk Consultants
Main Contractor: Al Hamad Contracting Company
Tender Categories: Construction & Contracting,
Hotels
Tender Products: Hotel Construction
Project Name: Assila Towers Project
Project Number: NPR002-SA
Territory: Saudi Arabia
ClientName: AMIAS Real Estate Company Ltd.
Description: Construction of 60-storey Assila Towers
comprising a five-star hotel with (242) rooms and
(104) serviced apartments.
Status: Current project
Remarks: This project is in Jeddah and will cover
a built-up area of 46,949 square metres. The tower
will consist of two basement levels below ground.
It is understood that the hotel will be managed and
operated by Rocco Forte Hotels. Local construction
company Al Saad General Contracting has been
awarded the main construction contract on this
scheme. Dubai-based construction firm Drake & Scull
International (DSI) has been awarded an estimated
$37 million turnkey contract to carry out the
mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works.
Main Architect: Mohammed Harasani Architects
Design Consultant: Perkins & Will (USA)
Main Contractor: Al Saad General Contracting
MEP Contractor: Drake & Scull International
Tender Categories: Prestige Buildings, Hotels
Tender Products: High-rise Towers, Hotel
Construction
Project Name: Al-Habtoor Palace Hotel Project
Project Number: MPP2570-U
Territory: Dubai
Client Name: Al Habtoor Group L.L.C. (Dubai)
Phone: (+971 4) 343 1111
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.habtoor.com
Description: Construction of 36-storey Al-Habtoor
Palace Hotel comprising a 226-room luxury hotel, a
fashion hotel with (424) rooms and a 996-room hotel,
including a five-star spa, a sports academy, multiple
theme restaurants, meeting facilities, a shopping
arcade and a theatre showing productions from
Broadway and Las Vegas.
Budget ($):130,000,0000
Period: 2016
Status: Current project
Remarks: This hotel will be located on Sheikh Zayed
road in Dubai. It will be built on the property that is
currently housing the Metropolitan Hotel, opposite
Al Safa Park. The new hotel will comprise two
basement levels, a ground floor, mezzanine floor and
four-level podium with a 36-storey tower covering a
total built-up area of about 372,000 square metres.
Once completed, the complex will be one of the
region’s most luxurious hotel and entertainment
developments. The landmark development will
include:
1,600 hotel rooms, spread between three hotels
(lifestyle, luxury and main);
An iconic Las Vegas-style ‘aqua’ theatre;
A French provincial-inspired garden; and
Food and beverage venues.
Local/Australian joint venture Habtoor Leighton
Group (HLG) has been awarded a $515 million
contract on this scheme. Under the agreement, HLG
will be responsible for construction of the integrated
hotel complex comprising a five-level podium, a
36-storey tower and a 25-storey tower within a total
gross floor area of 350,000 square metres. Early works
are likely to begin in June 2012. The development is
scheduled for completion in second half of 2016.
Design Consultant: Khatib & Alami Consolidated
Engineering Company (Dubai)
Main Contractor: Al Habtoor Leighton L.L.C (Dubai)
Tender Categories: Hotels, Prestige Buildings
Tender Products: High-rise Towers, Hotel
Construction
Project Name: Dusit Thani Hotel Complex Project
Project Number: SPR564-U
Territory: Abu Dhabi
Client Name: East & West Properties (Abu Dhabi)
Address : Muroor Road, Opp. Al Jazira Club
Phone: (+971 2) 813 0000
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.eastandwest.ae
Description: Design and construction of a mixed-use
complex comprising three buildings: the five-star
hotel, commercial and residential buildings.
Budget ($):200,000,000
Status: Current project
Remarks: This project will be located in front of
Al Jazeerah Sports Club in Abu Dhabi. The 5-star
hotel building comprises three basement levels, a
ground floor and 39 additional floors. The commercial
building comprises three basement levels, a ground
floor and 36 additional floors. The residential building
comprises three basement levels, a ground floor and
35 additional floors. Amenities in the project include
modern food and beverage outlets, a health club,
a spa, a swimming pool, and a dedicated club floor
with an executive lounge. Dubai-based Al Habtoor
Engineering has been appointed as the main contrac-
tor to carry out this scheme.
Main Contractor: Al Habtoor Engineering
Enterprises L.L.C (Dubai)
Tender Categories: Hotels, Prestige Buildings
Tender Products: Hotel Construction
T: +971 4 420 1088 E: [email protected] W: WWW.SPYRODUBAI.COMP.O.BOX: 113268 - DUBAI - UAE
ACRYLIC GUEST ROOM ACCESSORIESSPECIAL OFFER ON STOCK CLEARENCE
HOSPITALITY SOLUTIONS
TEST TUBE STAND QUANTITY AVAILABLE: 100
SOAP DISH QUANTITY AVAILABLE: 200
ICE BUCKET QUANTITY AVAILABLE: 464
MEMO PAD HOLDER QUANTITY AVAILABLE: 1300
BATH SALT CONTAINER QUANTITY AVAILABLE: 504
COFFEE POD SETQUANTITY AVAILABLE: 304
AMENITY TRAY SET QUANTITY AVAILABLE: 72 WASTE BASKET QUANTITY AVAILABLE: 340
TISSUE BOX QUANTITY AVAILABLE: 340
AMENITY HOLDER QUANTITY AVAILABLE: 936
WATER TRAY QUANTITY AVAILABLE: 200
cpidubai.com
Singaporean company, Fraser
Suites, had the official opening
of their first serviced apartments
in Qatar, last month. The 138
room property is fully furnished
and suited for long term guests
or large families wanting
an apartment stay with
multiple bedrooms, rather
than a hotel. Long term
guests may stay as long as
one year, before renewing
their contract.
The dry property is owned by the
Al Hitmi Group and although each
owner can style their own Fraser
Suites as they see fit, the
brand (which now has 64
properties all over the
world), offers a global
‘gold standard’ in
hotel services.
Since opening the
property has seen
repeat business to
the tune of 40–50 per
cent, with 22 per cent
of guests staying for
one year or longer.
To meet the needs of its
primarily business guests
the hotel apartments will
be converting the
entire first
GM: Mustapha Henini
Architects: NORR Group Consultants Ltd.
Interior designers: Badri & Bensouda
Contractors: Al Hitmi Property Development
Key players at Fraser Suites Doha
OPENING SOON
Sweet suitesFraser Suites offers five star luxury serviced apartments five minutes from Doha airport
floor into a series of multi-purpose
meeting rooms, to add to the current
offering of two, which have been
converted from suites. It will also be
offering a variety of courses to its long
term guests such as painting, cooking
and yoga.
The hotel will then convert the top
two floors (14 and 15) to a premium
executive experience which will
include its own check in/out, butler
service and more.
ACCOMMODATION 42 studio apartments
There are two types of studio
apartments, Deluxe or Premier,
between 50 and 86 sq m. All come
with a small kitchen and living space,
double bed and dining table for two.
A large bathroom with shower and
bathtub is standard throughout every
apartment and studio.
54 one bedroom apartmentsThese vary between 100 and 120 sq m,
depending on the Deluxe or Premier
variation. Each has a large bathroom,
fully fitted kitchen, living room,
double bedroom and work space.
28 two bedroom apartmentsAround 165 sq m, with a double and
a twin room and a fully fitted kitchen.
93%AVERAGE OCCUPANCY LEVELS IN JUNE 2012
20 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
Main pic: Exterior of
the Fraser Suites Doha
OPENING SOON
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 21cpidubai.com JULY 2012
Also comes with a large storage room/
maid’s room.
14 three bedroom apartmentA 215 sq m space which can sleep six
people, with three bedrooms and three
bathrooms. Fully fitted kitchen, large
dining and living room area and a
maid’s room with its own en-suite.
Each apartment includes: Kitchen, complete with washing
machine and/or washer dryer.
Dishwasher (in everything above a
studio suite)
Wi-fi
One or two flatscreen TVs
DVD player
Dining area (for between two and
six, depending on room)
Work station (above a studio suite)
In room safe
Direct dial telephone with voicemail
F&B
The property offers the following:
The Restaurant The ground floor eaterie serves a
buffet breakfast and a la carte lunch
and dinner with a range of Arabic
and international dishes.
The Café Offers juices, teas, coffees and
pastries, the lobby café is a space
for those staying at the hotel to host
guests or meet others.
In room dining offered between 7am-
midnight.
FACILITIES Rooftop pool overlooking the Islamic
Museum of Modern Art with small
kids’ pool
Large gym
Spa, sauna and steam rooms
Two meeting rooms
24 hour concierge
Three atrium lounges where guests
can conduct meetings
Kids’ club
Occupancy demographic
70% LONG TERTM
Long term stay (over one month) vs short term stay (under one month)
30% SHORT TERTM
EUROPEANS
80% GCC
20%
Clockwise from top:
One of the atriums at
the hotel; the gym;
one of the apartments.
Fraser Suites Doha48675 Al Meena Street,Corniche Road,P.O.Box # 29444DohaQatarTel: +974 442 43444www.doha.fraserhospitality.com
COVER STORY
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 23cpidubai.com JULY 2012
CLASSIFIED!Majid Sager Al Marri, Director of Hotel Classification at DTCM,
shares his vision for the hotels of Dubai
The Guest Accommodation
Classification Scheme from the
Department of Tourism and
Commerce Marketing (DTCM)
was launched at this year’s ATM,
but it has been a couple of years in
the making. The department’s team
travelled to international and local
destinations to gather ideas, perform
benchmark studies and collate
industry feedback. The result is an
all encompassing system, with eight
accommodation categories from
hotel resort to budget, through to
timeshares and youth hostels, which
reflects Dubai’s more mature and
diversified hospitality industry.
“We started the previous
classification, which was the first in
the region in 1998. The department
of tourism was started in 1997. So
Majid Sager Al Marri
COVER STORY
24 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012 cpidubai.com
this is the first time the classification
has been revised since then and
Dubai has changed so much. It was
time we had a more comprehensive
system that includes more options.
We need to raise the bar a little bit,
a lot of hotels have a large portion
of the guidelines we’re requesting,
by raising the bar we’ve said these
are the services we’re focusing
on,” says Majid Sager Al Marri,
Director of Hotel Classification at
the Department of Tourism and
Commerce Marketing (DTCM).
As well as changing the overall
categories, the new scheme goes into
much more detail, and is much more
precise, to bring tangible standards
to Dubai’s hotel landscape. John
Podaras, Director of Christie + Co
explains further,
“Dubai has been using a star
system to grade properties, ranging
from one to five to which it now adds
a new lower end, ‘Budget’ category.
These grading systems which
traditionally deal with the hotel
hardware (size of rooms, bathrooms),
number and types of facilities etc., are
now quite specific in the hardware
requirement (down to the presence
of an internal lock for cloakrooms,
There’s a long history of hotel classification,
says John Podaras, Director Christie + Co.
“Hotel classification systems are not
especially new or uniform across the world,
but they do owe their existence to the need
of the consumer to rate the product so that
others will have an idea of the experience
before using it. Hotel classifications in
Europe originated with cycling clubs at the
turn of the last century that classified the
inns and guests houses that the various
cycling clubs would use at that time.
The WTO (World Tourism Organisation)
and IH&RA (International Hotel and
Restaurant Association) have been running
surveys on world hotel classification systems
and one of the conclusions of their 2004
survey was that ‘to be sustainable, tourism
should seek to consolidate its diversity
and not seek uniformity’. Consequently it
makes a great deal of sense for classification
systems to focus on the requirements
of the specific destination and the main
stakeholders of its hotel industry.”
HOTEL CLASSIFICATION HISTORY
table seat height ratio for restaurant
seating, meeting room equipment
etc.). These have been further
enhanced by the addition of ‘soft’
service related touches such as the
requirement for cultural awareness,
staff uniform requirements,
stipulations as to telephone manner,
guest greetings and so on.”
“We have 579 hotel properties
in Dubai, with a capacity of 75,
546 rooms so it’s time to focus on
increasing and enhancing services.
We have worked closely with the
hotel operators and management
teams, across all types of categories in
the draft plan, getting their feedback,”
adds Al Marri.
The development of the categories
for hotels has been a reaction to
Dubai’s wider welcome in the last
few years to a broader selection of
business and leisure travellers, in not
just the five star market.
“It’s a big difference and it works
towards our vision for Dubai 2015,”
says Al Marri. “We’re looking into the
sustainability of tourism and focusing
on the development of what we have
as well. We’re looking at new products
and avenues for tourism such as
sports tourism or health tourism as
we have Sports City and Healthcare
City, so we need to have a system in
place that can reflect all these things.”
“Hotels in Dubai, until fairly
recently, tended to cater to everyone.
A limited supply meant that no
matter what the purpose of visiting,
guests had a limited choice of hotels
and, for example, it would not be
unusual for a corporate guest with
business in Jebel Ali to be staying
at the Forte Grand (as Le Royal
Meridien was called) looking out
of the club room to the beach full
of holiday makers. This may not
necessarily be a bad thing, but it
doesn’t always address the specific
needs of that market segment.
As the market has matured and
Dubai has grown in size, there will be
a growing need for more specialised
hotels catering to specific market
needs,” adds Podaras.
The classification scheme then
allows for 18 designators, which
hotels can apply for to differentiate
themselves from their competitors,
Dubai’s visitor numbers
VISITORS IN 2011
9.3m VISITORS IN 2012
10-11m
COVER STORY
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 25cpidubai.com JULY 2012
COCOCCOCOOCOCOCOCOCOCC VEVEVEVEVEVEVEEVEVEVEER R RRRR R RR STSTSTSTTSTSTSTSTTOROROORORORORRRROROOOOOO YYYYYYYYYY
We wanted to create something unique, where everyone can benefit, which will help hotels sell their product internationally and help visitors choose the right place to stayMajid Saber Al Marri, Director of Hotel
Classifications, DTCM
such as beach, desert, golf or
conference hotel. These are also an
essential aid for consumers when
booking. Again they reflect the move
to a more mature market within
Dubai as the hotel landscape has
become more secure and stable, and
each property has a distinct idea of its
unique offerings and its place within
the market.
“More importantly,” says Podaras,
“Designators provide tangible
statistics for the amenities that Dubai
as a whole can offer to particular
segments of the market and help the
authorities to target specific sectors
of the market, or to plan their hotel
stock to meet anticipated demand in
certain sectors.”
The DTCM have had an
overwhelming positive reaction from
Main picture:
Majid Saber Al Marri at
his office in Dubai.
26 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012 cpidubai.com
COVER STORY
hoteliers on the designators, as they
aid in promoting each hotel properly
and in a focused manner.
“We meet with the industry a lot,”
says Al Marri. “They are our partner
in this and we appreciate their
feedback. Every star category has its
own co-ordinator.”
“Imposing regulatory controls
is always difficult, especially when
dealing with such a complex
entity. The latest version of DTCM
classification has gone further than
any other system that we have seen
to bring about a quantified quality
system that offers benefits to all
stakeholders and accommodates their
needs,” says Podaras.
In addition to all of this, the
DTCM have responded to the high-
end of the market’s requests on how
to make anything above a five star
hotel stand out,
“The argument has always been on
how to recognise hotels which are
demonstrably a class or more above
the standard (5-star). The industry
has argued for at least two levels
above the “standard 5-star” level,
leading to self-appointed 6 and 7-star
classifications,” says Podaras.
So DTCM will introduce two
Accolades, at gold and a platinum
level, which will distinguish the
variations at the top end of the scale.
Any five star hotels, or part of a hotel
within a larger five star resort can
apply for these, an inspection will
be done and each Accolade is valid
for two years. As with all categories
and designators in the new scheme
the check list is comprehensive. For
instance a hotel wanting a Platinum
Accolade, would have to have in
room check in, a daily gift at evening
turn down, a la carte offered at all
meals, complimentary poolside
soft drinks or water and full size
internationally recognised luxury
bathroom amenities.
”This is something new for
Dubai which makes it stands out
internationally. With the industry
feedback, we wanted to create
something unique, where everyone
Above and right:
Dubai has grown
massively since the
original classifications
were introduced;
one of 2012 biggest
openings, the JW
Marriott Marquis.
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 27cpidubai.com JULY 2012
COVER STORY
Airport, All-suites, Boutique, Beachfront, Beachside, Business,City, Convention, Desert, Family, Golf, Heritage, Shopping, Sport, Spa, Theme Park, Wellness
Designators
NEW ROOMS COMING ONLINE THIS YEAR
11,700
can benefit, which will help hotels sell
their product internationally and help
visitors choose the right place to stay,”
explains Al Marri.
In terms of bringing this new
classification scheme online, the
DTCM are keen to get started. The
new law should be passed this year.
There will then be a six month
grace period for all new hotels or
conversion hotels to bring their
properties in line with the new
standards. After this six month
grace period, all existing hotels will
have one year to improve or add any
services and facilities they need to hit
their categories and designators.
“We will work on a case by case
basis to help the hotels make this
happen. A lot of them have what they
need already but by 2014 everything,
for everyone should
be in place,” explains Al
Marri. “We expect a lot of hotels to start
implementing this before the grace
periods expire, because the quicker
they can get accredited, the quicker
they can start to use the new categories
and classifications to market the hotels.
They can position themselves correctly
ahead of their competitors, which is a
good incentive.”
Another move forward for the
department is to implement new
software which connects the DTCM
directly to every hotel in the emirate.
The software was launched at ATM
and has seen positive uptake.
“All the services for the
classifications are electronic, so the
owners, GMs and PRs will all benefit
as everyone has access to the hotel
Hotel classfication development over time
profile on the shared platform on
DTCM,” explains Al Marri. “Each
hotel has a separate page like on
Facebook, where they can apply and
amend their classification application,
get feedback, book inspections
and have photos there. So all the
communication between DTCM
and each hotel will be easy and we
are able to send round news or press
releases instantly to everyone.”
Adapted from “Hotel Design Planning and Development By Walter A. Rutes, Richard H. Penner and Lawrence Adams
HOTEL
RELATED
RESORT
TIME
GUESTHOUSE
BOARDINGHOUSE
ROYALCOURT
HOUSING
GRECIANSPA
ROMANBATHS
AIRPORT HOTEL, EXCLUSIVE TRAINING CENTRE, UNIVERSITY CONFERENCE CENTRE,
SUBURBAN CONVENTION CENTRE, SUBURBAN COMMUNITY HOTEL, OFFICE PARK HOTEL,
SHOPPING MALL HOTEL, ROADSIDE MOTEL, LIMITED SERVICE/BUDGET, COUNTRY INN,
DOWNTOWN BUSINESS HOTEL, DOWNTOWN CONVENTION HOTEL, MIXED USE
ENTERTAINMENT, HI-RISE MEGATEL, BOUTIQUE HOTEL, ADAPTIVE HOTEL, CITY CLUB, WELLNESS CENTRE, ASSISTED-LIVING RESIDENCE, SENIOR
RESIDENCE, EXTENDED-STAYS, ALL-SUITES HOTEL, RESIDENTIAL HOTEL, CONDO HOTEL,
FULL SERVICE CONDO HOTEL
CASTLE HOTEL, SUPER-LUXURY HOTEL,
CONDO, BED & BREAKFAST, VACATION OWNERSHIP,
ALL-VILLA RESORT COMMUNITY
CONVENTION RESORT, RESORT THEME PARK, MEGA-HOTEL, CASINO RESORT, NATIVE AMERICAN CASION RETREAT,
ECOTOURIST RESORT/RETREAT, SCENIC MOUNTAIN/BEACH RESORT, MARINA
HOTEL, VACATION, VILLAGE, SKI LODGE, MULTIRESORT COMPLEX, GOLF-TENNIS
RETREAT, CRUISE SHIP, MEDICAL/MINERAL SPA, FITNESS SPA, COUNTRY CLUB
GREEN GLOBE
28 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012 cpidubai.com
Everyone wants to go green, but how clear is the way forward? Green Globe, the international certification scheme, intends to light your way to increased occupancy and reduced costs. Oh and it can help save the planet too
80% OF TRAVELLERS WOULD
RATHER STAY IN A
SUSTAINABLE HOTEL
Going green’ might be a useful
phrase to pepper marketing
tools and social media with,
but how much has your
hotel been doing to actually become
sustainable? Green Globe, a worldwide
certification for the hospitality
industry, reckons that 75 per cent of
travellers are skeptical of operators’
green claims and 80 per cent would
rather book into a sustainable
compliant property. Which means if
haven’t got a sustainable plan in place,
you need one.
Green Globe’s representative in
the Middle East, Avireal, are seeing a
change towards embracing a greener
future, although the region lags some
way behind Europe,
“Independent hotels, regional chains
and owning companies are all showing
increased interest,” says Sandrine
Le Biavant, Division Manager –
Consulting, Farnek Avireal. “With
the ever increasing DEWA tariff,
the governmental pressure towards
a more sustainable country, and the
public image of a high CO2 emission
per capita, we feel the industry is on
the move to change their approach
to be more conscious about the
environment and the potential savings
it could bring with it.”
Avireal are finding more and more
managers wanting to implement
sustainable policies to attract eco-
conscious corporate bookings and
individual travellers, and the UAE as
a whole is seeing more support from
within from local groups, says
Le Biavant,
“There are also a number of
sustainability groups in the region,
such as CSR Arabia, who are heavily
involved with sustainability, the
Emirates Environmental Group,
UN Global Compact and the Abu
Dhabi Sustainability Group. In 2012
alone these groups had over 200 new
companies join as members, all of
which are looking to improve their
sustainability efforts within their
respective organisations.”
And the green traveller and tourism
sector is growing,
“We are moving from the eco-
warrior tourists to the eco-value
travellers who do not make a
statement about their choice but for
whom it is an obvious expectation.
Corporate clients and tour operators
incorporate in to their RFPs what
green initiatives or certifications the
GREEN GLOBE
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 29JULY 2012
MÖVENPICK’S WATER SAVINGS EVERY WEEK OF THE YEAR EQUATE TO THE VOLUME OF ONE OLYMPIC SIZED SWIMMING POOL
After the initial investment, sustainability starts to pay back straightawaySandrine Le Biavant
30 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
GREEN GLOBE
cpidubai.com
We are moving from the eco-warrior tourist to the eco-conscious travellerSandrine Le Biavant
11,765 TONNES OF CO2 EMISSIONS
SAVED ACROSS MÖVENPICK’S
MIDDLE EASTERN HOTELS
IN 2011
hotel provides. A recent study by the
European Institute for the Meetings
Industry discovered that 38 per cent of
companies have a sustainability plan
which includes a strict supply chain
process across the globe.”
But doing more than ‘going green’
can be a grey area. Operators who are
serious about sustainability have to
have a long term plan. Green Globe
lays out a plan which includes 337
compliance indicators which are
applied to 41 criteria. A hotel has to
pass 51 per cent of these to become a
partner. Once qualified a certification
is valid for one year the hotel has to
improve its energy saving by three per
cent for it to be renewed. Avireal work
as the Middle East trainers and guides
to help prospective hotels
pass inspection.
“Anyone can say that their hotel is
sustainable and that they use energy
efficient light bulbs but trust me
that is only the tip of the iceberg,”
explains Le Biavant. “Our first step is a
Sustainability Plan, which our auditors
need to view so they can see the
hotel has a vision and a strategy for
achieving it, which will be turned into
processes integrated into the SOPs.
The simplest things can help, planning
aids sustainability because once it’s
embedded in the SOPs, it becomes
part of the DNA of the hotel or chain.”
“In terms of technology, what we
see is hotels installing aerators and
reducing the water flow per minute
in shower heads, changing LED
lights, adding sensors in key areas,
adding electricity or water meters,
using solar panels and integrating a
procurement team to source green
compliant suppliers. I was amazed
to hear that one engineering team
in Dubai developed a home-made
thermal envelope solution to reduce
the air-conditioning consumption,”
says Le Biavant.
Remember that having a
sustainability plan, is about saving.
Saving water, saving energy, saving
money. So ROI shouldn’t be forgotten
when talking about environmental
policies. Avireal reckon their partner
hotels recoup their ROI between 18-
24 months, with 20 per cent annual
energy saving on specific items.
MÖvenpick for example (see
boxout) saved 8.2 per cent on their
water usage in 2011 which equates to
52 Olympic–sized swimming pools.
This work with MÖvenpick has just
landed Avireal, Green FM Company of
the Year by FM Middle East magazine.
“After the initial investment,
sustainability starts to pay back
straightaway, whether it’s solar panels
on the roof, or energy saving light
bulbs,” explains Le Biavant. “Also
you gain a competitive edge and can
attract environmentally conscious
travellers, a major trend today and,
most importantly it is our duty to save
energy and natural resources for the
next generation.”
How much will travellers pay for a sustainable stay?
(source: Travel Weekly)
44% WILL PAY 5-9%
MORE
23% WILL PAY 10-
15% MORE
14% WILL PAY 15%
MORE
19% WILL NOT PAY
MORE
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 31cpidubai.com JULY 2012
GREEN GLOBE
GREEN GLOBE CASE STUDY - MÖVENPICK HOTELS, MIDDLE EAST
Martin Molloy VP of Technical Services at
Mövenpick talks us through the effects of Green
Globe on his 25 hotels in the MENA region.
How much energy and water have you
saved across the group after following
Green Globe’s plans?
We have saved in 12 months approximately
11,765 tons of CO2 emissions, and 129,346 m3
of potable fresh water, whilst our occupancies
rose by 8.3 per cent over the same period.
This is equivalent to the utility usage of a 200
bedroom hotel for a one and a half year period.
The wate savings every week of the year
equate to the volume of one Olympic-sized
swimming pool and the energy equivalent of
five round-trip flights from Dubai to London.
How much investment have you put into
making your hotels sustainable?
We have not overly invested; each introduced
a system to ensure reduction of our carbon
foot print was calculated with an attractive
return of investment. Moreover, processes
where introduced to ensure alignment with
international best practices, as set out in the
Green Globe guidelines.
What have been the most successful
policies you have implemented?
Our resort in Jordan at the Dead Sea achieved
during 2011, the highest Green Globe ranking
out of all Global Green Globe’s certified
property partners – a huge achievement for
our resort and for our company.
How long has it taken to bring all your
hotels into line?
All our Middle East hotels are now Green Globe
certified and this milestone was achieved in
2011. By year end 2013, our aim is inspiring:
to Green Globe certify all the 72 Mövenpick
properties worldwide.
What are the benefits for Movenpick as
a group?
It is important as a company and as individuals
that we all contribute to reducing the planet
we live on carbon foot print emissions. Our
sustainability contributions and commitments
within the various regions in which we operate,
include the local communities and business
partners. We enjoy seeing that our presence and
contributions benefit those we work with and
those communities which are our neighbours.
How do you promote this to consumers?
We promote it through our social media tools,
advertising, public relations and on our website.
How do you know your guests are aware of
all these policies?
When guests visit our website will find our
sustainability section, describing our companies’
vision commitments and contributions towards
sustainability. In addition, we have material in the
rooms informing guests about our programmes.
How have you got your staff involved? How
have you motivated them?
All our hotels have energy committees made up
of the Mövenpick ‘energy champions’, who
meet regularly to brain storm new ideas
and to study and review savings and system
improvements. All our hotels have staff notice
boards where the engineering department
posts daily the hotel’s performance vs the
same period the previous year.
What’s the best thing for a hotel
financially in taking permanent steps to
insure sustainability?
We have witnessed very good financial
returns on investment e.g. through LED bulbs
which operate at around 80 per cent less
power consumption vs. incandescent bulbs
and that they operate at near cold condition
which helps to reduce the air conditions
consumption. Likewise tap water savers
contribute greatly to water reductions. Both
with near zero inconvenience.
By year end 2013, our aim is inspiring; to Green Globe certify all the 72 Mövenpick properties worldwide
Martin Molloy VP of
Technical Services
cpidubai.com
Settling in on SaadiyatSt Regis Saadiyat Island has overcome its opening period to become a busy resort full of Emiratis, expats and international guests. Max Wiegerinck, Hotel Manager, fills us in on what makes the 377 key resort tick
It’s Friday afternoon and the St
Regis is bustling. Large groups of
locals are taking tea in the lobby,
laughing and joking, the family
pool is packed with excited children
and the beautifully designed adult
pool complex is full of people soaking
up the sun, recovering from a hard
week at work. For a hotel that’s under
a year old, there’s an impressive sense
of confidence buoyed by its healthy
occupancy. The property comes across
as slick and professional, St Regis is
going to give other luxury brands a
run for their money.
HBME: What are the biggest challenges for new hotels in Abu Dhabi?Max Wiegerinck: The biggest challenge
for any new hotels in Abu Dhabi is
making our potential guests aware of
the great offerings available in Abu
Dhabi. Especially the hotels targeting
leisure guest’s need to make an extra
effort to highlight what a great leisure
destination it is e.g. Saadiyat Island
with its pristine beach and white sand.
32 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
HBME: How buoyant is the local market?MW: The Abu Dhabi Tourism
Authority has an aggressive calendar
of events outlined for the year. These
certainly help raising awareness on the
destination and assist through the year
and most definitely during the quieter
months. The ‘Summer in Abu Dhabi’
is one such example.
HBME: How will the large amounts of rooms coming online affect occupancy?MW: Abu Dhabi is an evolving market
with an evolving clientele. The several
openings in the recent past have been
staggered and now offer discerning
residents and visitors a wider choice
be it for a weekend getaway, spa
treatment or even dining. Saadiyat
Island as a destination I believe offers
something very new and exciting
to Abu Dhabi. The amazing beach,
the world class golf course and the
renowned St. Regis Butler service
experience at our resort differentiates
us from the rest. The occupancy for
our first five months of operations
has been very positive and the guest
feedback has been very encouraging.
HBME: What plans do you have in place to combat this?MW: The intuitive St. Regis Butler
Service affords guests the rarest of all
privileges — time – it’s a hallmark of
all that we believe in. Accessible to
guests via in-room phones or email
from either inside or outside the hotel,
the team of St. Regis Butlers bring
to life the Allow Me philosophy and
assist guests with every need during
their stay. Additionally, our leisure
facilities are unrivaled – the two-level
family infinity pool caters to all guests.
Complemented with an adult-only
pool for those looking to escape the
heat and buzz of children, a 25 metre
outdoor lap pool as well as a 25 metre
indoor pool at the St. Regis Athletic
Club. For the children we have a
dedicated facility – the Sandcastle
Club – which features an indoor
children’s pool and activity based play
areas as well a outdoor climbing wall
Above: The impressive
pool area at the
five star hotel.
INTERVIEW
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 33cpidubai.com JULY 2012
The St. Regis Abu Dhabi will complement us with its location and positioning. We are Abu Dhabi’s first true beach resortMax Wiegerinck
and sand play area. And lastly, the
unspoiled beach of Saadiyat where
bottlenose dolphins are often seen
playing along the shore and Hawksbill
turtles take refuge. The fact that we
don’t have any motorised watersports
only adds to the pristine blue water.
HBME: How will the new St Regis Abu Dhabi complement or challenge your own property?MW: Abu Dhabi today is as much a
business destination as much as a
leisure destination offering visitors
choices to suit a palette of different
travellers. The St. Regis Abu Dhabi
will complement us with its location
and positioning. We are Abu Dhabi’s
first true beach resort.
HBME: What have been the biggest challenges and successes in being the first of a new chain to the market?MW: The response so far has been
very encouraging. Whilst we have
introduced the St. Regis experience
to new audiences, with us being part
of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, it is
great to get feedback from SPG guests,
members of the group’s global loyalty
programme, on their delight and
excitement to have a St. Regis in the
Middle East. We also have received
very positive feedback on The Regal
Ballroom which can cater for a gala
reception for 1,800 guests. This is
becoming the venue of choice for
grand events and weddings. And last
but not the least, our leisure facilities
including the pristine beach. Most
guests are pleasantly surprised
at our gymnasium which is
spread across 3,500sqm
that includes an indoor
lap pool and is one of the
most comprehensive and
impressive facilities I have
come across as a hotelier.
HBME: What occupancy levels have you seen this year so far? Is it on target?MW: Occupancy
for the first five
months has
very promising. I am proud to report
that we continue to meet and exceed
targets, especially at weekends.
HBME: What effect will Eastern Mangroves by Anantara have on your business?MW: We are in two different
destinations with two distinct
products and we are catering to
unique audiences.
HBME: You’ve been here nearly a year, what have you learnt?MW: Moving to Abu Dhabi
from Dubai introduced me
to the beauty and serenity
of Saadiyat Island, of which
I had no prior knowledge.
It has been a delight to be
associated with such a project
of this scale and an
honour to be able to
launch the brand
in the region.
HBME: What skills are needed to run a resort on this size in a city such as Abu Dhabi?MW: No other skills then you
would need in any luxury resort
in the Middle East. An excellent
understanding of all the cultures that
represent our guests and staff, patience
during an opening and a positive
attitude towards the future.
HBME: Does it feel like St Regis Saadiyat Island is part of the Abu Dhabi community or does Saadiyat feel like a different destination?MW: St. Regis is part of the blossoming
Saadiyat community, which is
providing a new dimension to the
destination of Abu Dhabi. The hotel
itself is part of a larger complex which
has a residential component of 259
residences, with almost 200 already
occupied. The Collection, featuring
shops and cafes, is due to launch later
this year and will further strengthen
the sense of a community.
HBME: How has the delay on the Louvre and Guggenheim affected the hotel’s future plans?MW: With the fact that people are
moving in and around Saadiyat Island,
it is becoming a living and breathing
community. The beachfront is taking
shape and surrounding properties
are operational. Once the cultural
district is completed, it will further
complement the overall Saadiyat
Island experience and stay true to its
original vision
Left: The entrance of
the hotel resort.
Below: Max
Wiegerinck.
Precor welcomes the following Premier Brandsas tness artners in of
o nd o t how we can deli er a s erior tness e erience that ilds lo alt to o r rand contact the team at P
B B B of ce ra monds ort com B www ra monds ort com
r stal otel ha i iation l ha i he m man
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 35JULY 2012
Supply and demand: we talk to experts
on both side of the cleaning supplies
chain to discover what hotels need and
what suppliers can offer
cpidubai.com36 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
SUPPLY & DEMAND
What are your most popular products?We are highly specialised in Italian
hygiene tissue paper products, air
care, floor care, skin care, non-woven
products and state of the art dispensers.
What new ranges or new products will you be introducing to the market this year?We have launched a campaign called
Cut Back, which aims to educate
people on the effective use of tissue
paper, reducing excessive consumption
in line with organic dispensers which
were launched four months back. This
award-winning product will cut the
amount of paper used by 22 per cent,
saving money and carbon emissions.
This year we have launched stainless
steel washroom accessories which
includes complete solutions for the
washroom such as soap dispensers,
interfold paper towel dispensers,
stainless steel bin, toilet brush,
and other accessories for disabled
washrooms, in the mid-range and
premium range category.
How important are the markets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for you?Very important as the UAE is still
a growth market, and with all the
new openings it will continue to be a
growth market, especially thanks to all
the big projects on Saadiyat Island and
many more.
What are your leading brands?Our leading brands are as Celtex from
Italy, Carind from Italy, Opahrdt from
Germany, Nofer from Spain, Chicopee
from Holland and QTS from Italy.
Do hotels pay enough attention to the quality of their hygiene care?Hygiene is an everyday learning
process and no one achieves 100 per
Chandan Singh, Deputy General Manager of Dhofar General Trading, the cleaning suppliers who won the Best Green Investment Project at the 2nd Annual Arab Investmnet Summit last year talks to us about how his company operates.
cent but we need to try to achieve
that 100 per cent. However, credit
goes to the Municipality and all their
awareness work over this issue. Hotels
are really inclined towards hygiene
and working hard to achieve the 100
per cent success rate.
How have you seen the market change since you started in 2001?The market has obviously changed up
and down during the recession. People
tend to go for cheaper products and
only look at prices not quality – and
the market is still going down.
What area of your business would you like to see expand?The market still very unorganised
and it needs to be more organised,
which we are striving towards. There’s
also areas which are untapped such
as industrial, spas, gymnasiums,
hospitals and many more and as a
company we wish to be a complete
solution provider.
How can you help hotels bring their costs down?It’s important to use the right
dispensers and the right tissue to
reduce the cost and consumption. We
are working to educate people and
save their costs by at least 20 per cent.
How do you satisfy your customers?As a company we always believe in
satisfying customers and giving them
a consultation so they can reduce
their cost and consumption with our
different mechanisms. Which means
we work on ‘demo modalities’ to prove
that we are the supplier that they can
trust. We work on an annual contract
basis and reckon we can save their costs
by at least 20 per cent through our
environmentally friendly products.
SUPPLY & DEMAND
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 37cpidubai.com JULY 2012
How do you arrange your contracts with cleaning suppliers?Nadaf Allabaskh: Contracts with
cleaning suppliers are done yearly
and we stick with the same supplier
unless there are challenges with
quality. Some suppliers are corporate
suppliers and some suppliers are of
our own choice.
Laetitia Lasry: As much as we can,
we aim not to change the cleaning
suppliers to keep consistency for
better results and higher guest
satisfaction, especially in the long
term. The cleaning supplier we work
with currently we have worked with
Nadaf Allabaksh, Executive Housekeeper, Movenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate
Laetitia Lasry, Executive Housekeeper, The Palace, Old Town
for the past three years.
How do you go about choosing which companies you’re going to use?NA: We study the market, ask around
our colleagues in the industry who
are the best suppliers and get several
quotations to compare, and after
consulting our higher management
we make the decision accordingly.
LL: We look into the reputation of the
company in the market and check
out what other hotels in Dubai are
doing and what their the feedback
on them is. Customer service is very
important; someone who is flexible
How important are word of mouth referrals from your clients?We have become a market leader in
a short span of time due to word of
mouth referrals as we have the best
service ethics in the market, we deliver
every day of the week and will support
our clients to get whatever they need.
An ioniser to refresh and clean the air is another product which will add value to the cleaning processLatitia Lasry
and understands the function and
operations of a hotel is a key factor in
choosing the best supplier.
As Dubai is one of the most
cosmopolitan cities in the world, it
has its own trends from all around
the globe, which makes it crucial
for us to choose a company that
has experience within the region,
especially Dubai.
What products do you use most of?NA: Chemicals, bathroom amenities,
linen, paper supplies.
LL: We mostly use cleaning supplies
(sponges, mops, chemicals).
SUPPLY & DEMAND
38 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
Right: The enormous
challenge that Ibn
Battta Gate hotel poses
to cleaning staff
Do you have an environmentally friendly policy? Does this affect which companies you use?NA: Yes we do have a policy in place for
example on pest control and recycling.
Our hotel has a Go Green committee
where we focus on how we can
improve and what we can recycle.
LL: Yes we have and this is something
that we are focusing on more and
more every day. Some of the activities
that we do in this regards are: linen
getting changed only on request; the
segregation of garbage; using eco-
friendly chemicals.
What products or hardware would make your cleaning teams lives easier?NA: Quality and durability because
these two criteria ultimately save
money. We choose chemicals that are
environment friendly because they are
less harmful to the environment and
our staff.
LL: To have software which is linked to
our management system, and to have
a chemical free system is very ideal
for us. Also a deep cleaning machine
especially for beds and curtains would
be something that will save time
and get better quality results, not to
mention sustaining the product for
longer. An ioniser to refresh and clean
the air is also another product which
will add value to the cleaning process.
How do you look to reduce costs in the cleaning bill?NA: We use the right chemicals and
follow the proper directions of using
the cleaning agents.
We use the right shampooing
machines for cleaning upholstery.
Quality checks are done regularly and
correct action and through training
for our employees.
LL: We look into the long term with
new technologies and processes such
as no chemical usage and introducing
microfiber cloths.
What cleaning policies would you like to implement at your hotel?NA: That we categorise the cleaning
policies between the ones that need to
be done daily, weekly, monthly
and yearly.
LL: One of the main policies for the
future that we would like to run is no
more chemical usage. This will not
only help the environment but will
result in a better quality and sustain
the product for a longer period.
Designer artworks for hotels and commercial projects.working closely with clients and interior designers we create the perfect
artistic balance exclusively for your projects.
consultancy
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TEL: 050 5382067 E: [email protected]
Q&A FEATURE / CELEBRITY RESTAURANTS
Mark Patten, Vice President Culinary for Atlantis,The PalmPatten has worked in Asia, the Caribbean and Europe. He is now responsible for a team of over 400 chefs and manages the 18 major restaurants, and smaller F&B outlets across the resort.
Marc Matar, F&B Director, Sofitel Abu DhabiMatar joined the Sofitel Abu Dhabi in Ocotober 2011. He has previously worked for the InterContinental Group and also in Canada, in Montreal for Marriott Hotel Group and at Hotel Le St James.
Restaurant operator experts
Stefan Breg, CEO, Tribe Restaurant CreatorsBreg set up TRIBE in Dubai in 2003, as a F&B strategy and design house. It has helped create over 275 F&B brands and Its clients include Yas Island, Cavalli Club, Jamie Oliver, Buddha Bar, Aldar and the Abu Dhabi Royal Family.
40 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012 cpidubai.com
Dubai and Doha are seeing healthy openings in association with celebrity chefs – are they still a draw for diners?Mark Patten: I believe that with the
correct concept for the current
pace of Dubai’s F&B market any
connection with a celebrity chef
could be a positive step, as long as the
concept itself is strong, it has a great
foundation, background and is also in
high demand.
Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre
White, Gary Rhodes, Sanjeev
Kapoor, Pierre Gagnaire…
the Middle East isn’t short of
a famous name or two when it comes
to choosing a place to dine. But is that
association worth the financial risk,
when diners elsewhere in the world
seem to be moving towards quality
and substance over flair and fame?
Our experts share their thoughts.
Stefan Berg: Yes, clearly from how busy
the individual restaurants are. Then
again, the associated companies spend
a huge amount on PR & Marketing so
there had better be a return!
Marc Matar: Yes, people are generally
drawn towards things that are popular
What’s in a name?Does having a celebrity chef on board really make a difference when it comes to fine dining?
and things that are branded. Chefs
that have reached celebrity status have
branded their names very well.
Is a tie up with a ‘name’ chef still financially viable?MP: As long as you’re not selling the
shop, so to speak, in an overall big
picture within a property with many
restaurants so perhaps you have one
or two celebrity partners. This adds
value to your overall portfolio, as long
as the business levels achieve and
exceed expectations and the business
is being managed and driven. It will
have a very positive impact on your
overall F&B strategy. However it needs
to be managed correctly and the tie
up needs to be done carefully so both
parties are in a win-win situation.
SB: Unless I see the P&L’s, I can’t tell
you but I can say with confidence that
a celebrity chef will put a premium
on revenue but is it enough to get a
successful return with the high capex
costs and marketing? Then again,
to some business owners, prestige is
more important than profit…
MM: Yes, because it is all about getting
famous through good food.
What makes a successful venture with a celebrity chef?MP:’ It is not only having the right
people on the bus so to speak it is
also have the right people in the right
seats on the bus,’ Jim Collins said in
Good To Great. It is important to read
the market trends and understand
what the customers and footfall is
telling you. You also don’t need to
complicate the process and in many
cases a celebrity chef or concept is not
required at all. We just opened TBJ
The Burger Joint in our avenues at
Atlantis and in a 25 sq foot space I am
turning over an average of 500 burgers
You don’t need to complicate the process and in many cases a celebrity chef or concept isn’t needed
Mark Patten
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 41cpidubai.com JULY 2012
Q&A FEATURE / CELEBRITY RESTAURANTS
42 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012 cpidubai.com
a day in an area that only cost money
before. Just last month we converted
another relatively small space into a
very upmarket casual Asian restaurant
which has been a great success in
its first month of operation. Neither
required outside involvement as
we have the skill set already within
our team and an entrepreneurial
philosophy to drive the new concepts.
SB: Essential elements include tying in
the chef to visit as often as required.
The tricky thing is that celebrity chefs
are individuals and their priorities will
change over time.
MM: Good design and layout of the
F&B outlets and a unique restaurant
theme along with a celebrity chef ’s
recipes and procedures is essential.
Do diners expect better value nowadays than these celebrity type of restaurant tend to offer?MP: Most definitely. The shift is
towards more casual and fun F&B
experiences without fuss and hype.
SB: Value is a very subjective measure,
even in tough times, the high end
restaurants seem to hold their own just
like luxury retailing in this area.
MM: Yes, because restaurants under
the flagship of celebrity chefs are
expensive and people expect quality
food and service.
Compared to London, New York, Paris etc., how sophisticated is the Dubai market when it comes to new restaurants capitalising on new trends?MP: Dubai also is very quick to
capitalise on what’s new and
happening from new street food,
casual restaurants or upmarket lounge
bars with cool food.
SB: Let’s get real, whilst we should be
proud of our achievements in the UAE
there are few restaurants of Michelin
standard (if you choose to use that
measure). If there were a quality
league, we would be behind London,
Paris, NY and the Michelin ‘leader’,
Tokyo. In terms of trends, the UAE
is still a follower and it would take a
sea change in the way businesses are
structured here to change that.
MM: Dubai is a land of competitors,
every week a new restaurant with new
concepts, new chefs, new pricing is
launched. The ones that succeed have
very strong marketing.
What would your advice be to an owner or operator considering employing a celebrity chef for an F&B outlet?MP: I would recommend having a
sound plan and philosophy for the big
picture. A celebrity chef will not fit
your market and is not required at all.
MM: You need a lot of investment and
to plan the marketing strategy well.
Is hiring a celeb chef an easy road for operators wanting a high end F&B outlet? MP: It can be very difficult as unless the
concept and demand is high and the
restaurant can diversify its offerings.
If it is a high end product with a very
high cost associated with it, the risk
of course will be much higher. As
well as a good strategy and business
plan with a good marketing budget,
you also have to blend the owners’
philosophy with the celebrity chef ’s to
ensure they are on the same path. This
is imperative, I know a lot of chefs that
will not allow involvement in regards
to the food from the operators and
that needs to be made clear early on in
the discussion process.
SB: It is anything but easy. There are so
many different elements each of which
could jeopardise your business derived
chiefly from doing a deal with a person
instead of an orthodox franchise with
a corporation. Individuals can change;
corporations providing franchises tend
to sustain themselves.
Does having a celeb on board really make a difference to the day to day offerings of a fine dining outlet?MP: It adds value to an overall F&B
strategy and when the quality is tip
top already, it adds huge value and
reputation to any establishment.
MM: No, I think would depend again
on quality of food and service of the
individual restaurants.
Individuals can change, corporations providing franchises tend to sustain themselvesStefan Breg
CELEBRITY RESTAURANTS / Q&A FEATURE
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 43cpidubai.com JULY 2012
What celeb chef restaurant do you think works in Dubai? Why?SB: It’s an impressive list ranging from
Locatelli, Nobu, Jean-Georges, Rhodes
to Sandoval and Marco Pierre White
but the one that stands out for me is
Pierre Gagnaire, recognized in San
Pellegrino world’s top 50 in 2011.
MM: Gary Rhodes at Le Royal
Meridien Dubai, it has a good
marketing strategy.
What do you think the association of a celebrity chef can add to a fine dining restaurant here?Frederic Kulczak: Fine dining
restaurants can definitely benefit
from the expertise and vision
that a celebrity chef brings to his
team. The responsibility as well is
expanded and widens as a result
with this perspective. We represent
distinct culinary institutions and
I am personally convinced that it
creates positive memories and builds
expertise, having worked for ten years
in three Michelin stared restaurants.
Giles Bosquet: Having a name like
Gordon Ramsay helps enormously
here, the hotel and myself, because
people are curious about what will be
on offer. We had Maze before, which
is now shut, so there’s a lot of interest
in the local market. They want to see
if it will be the same. We’re not, it’s
a different concept. For me Gordon
Ramsay has done fantastically well
and he has a style of cooking that is
well known around the world. His
restaurants have a similar way of
working and it helps because people
know what’s going to go on and what
they can expect.
David Hemmerle: Having a celebrity
chef associated to a fine dining
restaurant adds identity to the hotel.
It also complements the luxuriousness
of the hotel in which the restaurant
is located. Celeb chefs already have a
high recognition on the market which
makes the restaurant more exciting.
Q&A FEATURE / CELEBRITY RESTAURANTS
44 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012 cpidubai.com
Frederic Kulczak, Executive Chef, Meliá Dubai Kulczak has worked at Sofitel JBR, Le Meridien Bora Bora and Hotel Sainte Anne Resort & Spa in the Seychelles. He has eight years working at three star Michelin restaurants in France.
David Hemmerle, Executive Chef, One & Only The PalmHemmerle began his career in France and has worked at the three-star Le Jardin des Sens, in Moscow and Brazil. In 2010, he was selected by Yannick Alléno to join the pre-opening team at One&Only The Palm.
Executive Chef panel
Gilles Bosquet, Chef de Cuisine of Gordon Ramsay restaurants, St Regis Doha Bosquet has overseen the launch of two Gordon Ramsay concepts at the St Regis, Doha. He has his own Michelin star earnt in France and has worked at Michelin star restaurants in France.
How much extra pressure does the association of a famous name add to the actual chefs in the kitchen?FK: The pressure is translated into
responsibility, to deliver a constant
standard that the guest expects.
It is that pressure that has to be
considered when you take into
account the requirements and
character of daily tasks in the kitchen.
GB: You have pressure anyway, Ramsay
doesn’t put pressure on us but it’s
the guests. We want to achieve their
expectations and to be as close to 100
per cent as we can. No one is ever
100 per cent perfect, but that’s the
pressure. We want to get better. At the
end of the day, there’s always small
things that can be worked on, which
is more of the reason for pressure.
People pay a lot of money to come
here to eat and they expect to be
blown away, whether Ramsay’s name
is there or not, so we feel the pressure
to give them what they want and what
they’d paid for.
DH: There is definitely more pressure
when working in a restaurant
associated to a famous name, however,
all our key resources in the team
have worked with Yannick Alléno
for years all around the world and
were personally trained by him. We
are convinced that our entire brigade
is able to learn, grow and keep
consistency of the high quality cuisine
required when working for a ‘name’.
Do you think people are more concerned about the quality and sustainability of their food in Dubai, or are diners swayed by a name?FK: In Dubai, we do have fine dining
restaurants which are well established.
The comparison in terms of quality/
price is of course to be considered. I
don’t think that customers come only
for a name, I am 100 per cent convinced
that they come for an experience.
DH: People are still looking for high
quality food and are getting more and
more demanding when it comes to
quality. Food quality is what diners
keep in mind and compare, not only
the name of the celebrity chef.
Do Executive Chefs get enough recognition for bringing celebrity chefs’ visions to life?FK: Chefs are brought up to develop
various elements and in this particular
case, we need to understand
the philosophy of whom we are
representing. The recognition is
in the fact of satisfying the guest,
sharing and experiencing memorable
gastronomic moments and journeys.
I think personally it is necessary to
explain the philosophy of the one we
represent and the feeling that gathers
around the identity of a kitchen.
GB: Chefs are happy to be in the
background, I’d rather be in the
kitchen. I have to go and talk to the
guests sometimes and it’s a pressure
because I don’t really have time and if
I go and speak to one table then I feel
CELEBRITY RESTAURANTS / Q&A FEATURE
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 45cpidubai.com JULY 2012
like I need to speak to them all.
DH: We get a lot of recognition directly
from the guests. We are shining under
the star of the celebrity chef associated
with our restaurants.
Operationally, what makes a successful venture with a celeb chef?FK: In our job, we need to and are
bound to take risks. The work drives
us to create and try new combinations
constantly. Once I met Marco Pierre
White and I proposed to him certain
existing products available in Dubai.
He was surprised and interested,
I believe it is our role to share our
knowledge also with the celebrity chef.
GB: With Gordon Ramsay it’s the
management programme he’s put
in to his restaurant to manage the
people, the food, the techniques–that’s
more important than what people see
on their plate, that’s what makes it a
Gordon Ramsay restaurant. It’s how
you can manage the restaurants to the
same standards across the world. The
same way of cooking pastas, the same
way of cooking sauces…to make sure
that no matter what Gordon Ramsay
restaurant you go into, the standard
will be the same.
DH: The most important factor is to
understand what the celebrity chef
wants and what his vision is. In order
to make the concept successful, the
collaboration between the restaurant
team and the celeb chef is continual.
Even if the celeb chef is not on site, we
work as a team.
How can you bring something new to a fine dining and a celebrity chef tie up?FK: We need to experience the
sensation, the well-being of the
individual and be convinced to 200
per cent. If at the beginning itself there
is not all the combination of the above,
it’s difficult to cope as the celebrity
chef is not a product but an identity.
DH: Depending on the location and
requirements of the restaurant, we can
We want to achieve their expectations and be as close to 100 per cent as we canGilles Bosquet
Q&A FEATURE / CELEBRITY RESTAURANTS
46 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012 cpidubai.com
always bring something new to the
restaurant – it’s all about our creativity.
What would your advice be to an owner or operator considering employing a celebrity chef for an F&B outlet?FK: It is not all based on the celebrity
chef, we also need to bring together
people who have experienced the same
culinary thoughts and been brought
up to go in the same direction. This is
not an easy task to explain.
GB: You need to have open
communication between the chef and
the celebrity. A good balance between
their food and your food. I’ve cooked
for Gordon Ramsay many times, so I
know he’s happy. He doesn’t want me
to copy and paste everything he does,
he wants our own personalities to
influence what we do, but to do it in
his style.
DH: Having a restaurant associated
with a celeb chef automatically brings
a certain spirit to the hotel; however, it
is important for an owner to consider
if the celebrity chef ’s vision is in line
with the hotels concept and flair.
Is hiring a celebrity chef an easy road for operators wanting a high end F&B outlet? FK: I think that everybody could be
a celebrity chef on certain days, it is
not reserved to certain persons only.
However, being a celebrity chef implies
that each and every day spent in the
kitchen becomes more demanding
and it is the reason why we have to
consider them as elites with all their
talents and vision.
DH: It depends on the chefs’ style and
flexibility as well as his popularity.
The most important thing is that the
operator chooses the right chef for the
concept he is looking for.
What celeb chef restaurant do you think works in Dubai? Why?FK: A celebrity chef for me, is not only
a name but a person who lives his
“cuisine”. Whether he is popular or
not, he has his own style.
DH: There are many international
chefs in Dubai and they all bring
their own touch and art of life to the
gastronomic scene. Dubai is really a
crossroad between Europe, Asia and
Middle East and therefore one of the
best places for the chefs to create and
to be inspired.
I don’t think customers just come for a name, I am a 100 per cent convinced that they come for an experienceFrederic Kulczak
48 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012 cpidubai.com
While out dining with a
group of friends last night,
we once again ended up
forking out over Dhs2,000
for our meal.
The meal was OK, and between the
five of us we shared three appetisers,
selected five main courses, drank eight
cocktails and two coffees. No wine.
No dessert. That’s US$110 per head,
plus tip.
We didn’t complain about the cost,
after all, it was an enjoyable evening
out with friends and the intention was
simply to enjoy a bite, a glass of wine,
some interesting conversation and
share a laugh.
Challenging the status quo of affordable diningDaniel G During, principal and managing director of Thomas Klein International asks whether the UAE will ever realise the commercial potential of the lower priced licensed restaurants
AFFORDABLE DINING
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 49cpidubai.com JULY 2012
An Argentinean native, During has been
working in Dubai for over 15 years. He
founded Thomas Klein International in 2001,
following the successful development of
the Wafi Pyramids complex. Thomas Klein
International offers both complete business
services and design services, forming a
hospitality consultancy that establishes
businesses that are innovative and profitable.
DURING’S DEEDS
The issue is, that unless you have
no problem with spending this kind
of money every time you choose
to dine out in Dubai, it’s not the
intention to fork out a sizeable amount
for a pleasant, but not especially
memorable, experience where alcohol
is part of the equation.
You can eat extremely well for
that amount of money in most
metropolises, including London and
LA. You can also eat really well for
a lot less than US$110 per head. A
regular meal in a non-luxury, non-
branded restaurant will set you back
between US$30-45. We’re not talking
‘fancy’ we are talking ‘eating well’.
Unfortunately, we just don’t have
that ‘luxury’ of choice in the UAE,
with liquor only allowed in hotels
(with a few notable exceptions).
Here, we have two choices. You
either eat in a mall restaurant for
Dhs100-150 per head, or you dine in
a licensed restaurant where you are
going to pay Dhs300 and above.
So, this begs the question, will we
ever be able to dine out, with a glass of
wine or a beer, for Dhs100?
I’m not talking about introducing
liquor to the restaurants in malls, but
reducing the ridiculous prices charged
by hotel restaurants. If prices fall,
it’s only logical to assume that, faced
with more affordable dining, these
restaurants will get more customers
and it will encourage people to eat out
more often.
But principally this also has the
benefit of enabling the local restaurant
scene to cater to the growing market
of well-educated, well-travelled, young
expats with salaries in the lower
Dhs6,000-9,000 bracket who currently
can’t afford to enjoy a decent meal and
glass of wine very often, if at all.
The Emirates and Dubai especially,
are undoubtedly becoming younger,
with the expat crowd moving here in
search of a better life. But although
they may be earning more than in
their home countries, they can’t
afford the lifestyle they may have
had elsewhere and this is a major
contributor to attrition across all
industry sectors.
There are three major factors that
make the UAE’s dining and drinking
experience so expensive: restaurants in
hotels are costly to fit out; restaurants
are predominantly owned by the
actual hotel owner or investor who
are looking for a quick return on
investment as opposed to independent
chef-owners or manager-owners who
see the long-term benefits; and the
occasional independent restaurant
operating from a hotel or licensed
zone such as DIFC, is faced with
extremely high rental/leasing rates
which impacts menu pricing.
In my opinion, the way forward is
for hoteliers to create concepts that
offer good quality food at good value.
Interiors don’t need to be all onyx
and oak, nor do we need foie gras and
wagyu on every menu. We are equally
happy with a good pizza and a beer.
On the independent restaurant
front, not everyone has to be Zuma,
nor does every restaurant in the city
need to be located in DIFC.
Good licensing exceptions here are
The Irish Village and Century Village,
which are both great examples of
affordable dining. Will we ever see
other similar initiatives spring up in
the area or, is there the possibility
that we follow the Bahraini example,
where independent restaurants could
be licensed? I’d be happy to see more
Century Villages
Interiors don’t need to be all onyx and oak, nor do we need wagyu on every menu
50
Bandwidth on demand
L ook on TripAdvisor, Expedia, Yelp, or any other of the hundreds of ‘reputational’ websites where consumers make recommendations based on their experiences, and it is all too apparent that the quality of the internet connection provided
to guests at hotels or customers in cafes and restaurants that frequently draws most of the criticism – or praise, as the case may be.
More than the quality of the room-service food, the comfort of the bed or the si e of the in-room at-screen
plasma TV, online polls show that 40 per cent of hotel guests see Wi-Fi availability and Internet access as a deal-breaker when choosing where to book a stay.
Broadband wireless internet access is no longer a ‘nice to have’ option, but an absolute necessity in the hospitality industry, and businesses in the sector are nding it hard to keep up with soaring demand. Hotel guests now expect a replication of their in-home internet experience when they travel, and want to access their preferred applications with the same speed and quality of service.
Enhancing the guest experience with affordable high-speed internet
51BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Bandwidth consumption by meeting groups in hotels and convention centres is also growing signi cantly faster in Dubai than perhaps anywhere else in the world, creating the need for an internet solution to ensure the connection remains consistent no matter what the demand may be.
A service provider like du can supply bandwidth on demand as a managed service, in a way that guarantees availability and temporarily increases bandwidth dynamically. It helps optimise the utilisation of available bandwidth, and makes sure that access services are provisioned at maximum speed to the hotel’s staff and guests at all times. du has a customer base of hotels that use Bandwidth on Demand as a managed service to give their guests a richer experience and helps them managed their bandwidth more ef ciently.
Internet access can be prioritised for the right users at the right time, in accordance with speci c rules set by the hotel. This results in direct cost savings for the hotel, and a better experience for the guest.
Business case overviewWith the introduction of smart phones and tablets, people have begun to arrive at hotels with multiple wireless devices in hand, putting considerable stress on hotel internet access networks. In fact, studies show that over 15% of guests are now carrying a trio of smartphone, tablet and PC devices into their hotel rooms.
Many hotels have only a few megabytes of capacity to share amongst hundreds of potential users in their guest rooms, restaurants, cafes and administrative of ces. This may be suf cient when occupancy rates are low, and is adequate for light use such as e-mail.
However, hotel guests now want fast internet access to watch high-de nition streaming video on their laptop, tablet or smart-phone. Teenagers want to be free to run a broadband-hungry gaming or le sharing application from their hotel bedroom, while someone on a business trip may need to participate in a video conference.
The picture gets even more complex because demand for broadband in hotels changes with the time of day. Back-of ce usage normally peaks during the day and in some properties after midnight, with the electronic closing of the previous business day.
Meeting rooms are normally busiest during the day. Meanwhile, the guest rooms have the highest bandwidth demand typically in the morning and the evening.
This varied and upward demand for broadband in hotels is pushing up the need for bandwidth at an accelerating pace. A study carried out for infrastructure and networking supplier Cisco in 2010 suggested that the underlying rate of growth was around 4.4 per cent per month. This is equivalent to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 60 per cent.
In terms of the ways in which bandwidth is used in the hotel industry, various studies have revealed a uctuating pro le among guests most bandwidth is now used by guests watching streamed media of lms, TV programmes and music videos.
The chart below, taken from a Cisco study, indicates a typical usage pattern seen in hotels (these were across the US, but the picture will be very similar in the UAE) is a peak download of around ve megabytes per room from 10pm to 11pm, with uploads broadly constant at about
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0.75 megabytes per hour per room. Studies also reveal that most hotel chains are seriously under-provisioned.
When the available bandwidth (average connection speed averaged across all US hotels samples) is divided by the average total number of rooms in the hotel there is a broad distribution, with a mean service per room of just 220 Kbps and a median of around 22 Kbps. This median connection speed is unlikely to result in a consistently excellent customer experience.
Bandwidth in computer networking refers to the data rate supported by a network connection or interface. Bandwidth represents the capacity of the connection. The greater the capacity, the more likely that greater performance will follow (though overall performance also depends on other factors, such as latency).
Understanding the nature of the problemKempinski, Crowne Plaza, Renaissance and Marriott are among many big name hotel chains leading the way forward with technology that ensures they provide the highest quality of internet services to guests. They have installed dedicated internet traf c management devices that combine multiple ISP services to boost connectivity and increase overall bandwidth.
In the UAE, bandwidth-on demand is one solution provided by du and being used by an increasing number of hotels, which describes a connection in which a hotel’s (or restaurant’s) available bandwidth can be increased for short periods of time on an as-needed basis. It prevents internet services from slowing during periods of high use. By increasing the capacity available in a burst to address a spike of usage, hotel and restaurant premises can provide the highest speed Internet access to guests – without having to commit to the expense of a bigger broadband pipe.
Currently, most bandwidth is sold on an access time basis, with little regard to the value of quality of service or quantity used. With bandwidth on demand, a hotel or restaurant chain would no longer buy huge amounts of bandwidth upfront; it would be bought only as their customers need it.
A hotel’s guest experience can be constrained by xed bandwidth broadband provision, but thanks to du’s
Bandwidth on Demand, it is possible to provision a xed base-line service, on top of which the hotel can take extra bandwidth capacity on demand to suit its uctuating business needs, guest requirements, occupancy rates and the hosting of in-hotel special events.
It provides the hospitality industry with a reliable and cost-effective way to balance the commercials of broadband provision with a rich guest experience.
It allows the hotel guest to subscribe to an internet service that meets their budget and expectations. One guest might want to subscribe for the duration of their stay to a premium in-room service that gives them access on a pay-as-you-go basis to a dedicated 10MB line. Another may prefer a more budget-friendly shared-access to 50MB
53BROUGHT TO YOU BY
services. All the while they and all other guests can enjoy free in-lobby Wi-Fi access.
Such a solution provides hotels and their customers with the choices they want. It provides new revenue generation opportunities for the hotel, helps it build differentiation from the competition, while at the same time proving to be more reliable in the context of the high-speed access that hotel guests now take for granted. Internet access for business meetings can be better managed.
It allows overall usage by the hospitality business to exceed a speci ed threshold for brief periods of time, without the hotel or restaurant chain facing a huge bill. It effectively means hospitality businesses can deliver excellent customer experience without having to buy a more expensive higher capacity internet service. The plan provides a guaranteed high level of internet access that comes with additional bandwidth, delivered on demand and generally billed at a slightly higher rate.
Simply by installing a du management gateway
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alongside the internet ISP gateway, a hotel’s IT team can pull down burstable bandwidth on an as-needed basis. The advantages of such a service are numerous Always available high-speed connections. Ability to charge guests in different ways for different bandwidth packages. Works across DS , wireless or hybrid technology. Provides highly reliable business centre connectivity for videoconferencing applications.
Provides highly available Internet access for one-off events and/or ad hoc meeting room connectivity.
All internet access is password protected and secured. Caters also to lobby and common area Wi-Fi connectivity requirements.
Billing for usage brings business OPEX
As well as being able to better handle the normal peaks and troughs of everyday bandwidth requirements, bandwidth on demand opens a door to the introduction of high-de nition video links and conferencing suites for use in events and virtual business meetings. Quality
55BROUGHT TO YOU BY
videoconferencing can allow a conference to import a guest speaker who is unable to travel, while preserving or enhancing the audience interaction with a live speaker.
Commonly, hotels buy their internet services from a telco or ISP as a bundle or package that is speci ed according to the average consumption over a speci ed period of time, usually a month. The problem is that they can nd themselves left short at times, when demand exceeds expectations.
This is commonly seen when a hotel hosts an industry conference or large business event. Not only can the
process of provisioning the extra bandwidth needed for that event be slow, but if estimates of usage during the event fall short of demand the customer experience suffers as a result. If it is over-provisioned, the hotel and its client are charged for resources that are not utilised.
Usually an internet service provider will charge businesses a at rate for unlimited use, with the monthly bill set by the maximum speed band chosen by the customer – be that 4, 8, 16 or 24 MB per second. An alternative billing model is to pay for the total data transfer capacity used over a month, with a speci ed data transfer capacity delivered for free and with any extra bandwidth or data transfers over and above that incurring an additional charge. In both cases, the service might fall short of expectations at periods of very high usage, bandwidth could remain unused or charges may become painfully high during periods of over-utilisation.
The alternative presented by bandwidth on demand enables a hospitality business to request a boost in the available bandwidth for a short period to meet peaks in usage, without having to contract for any increased capacity that they will only need occasionally.
Both types of these quota and consumption-based billing options do not adequately address the problems of Internet traf c optimisation and congestion management, however. It can lead to latency, jitter, and round-trip-delay – technical characteristics of communications systems that affect their usability for particular applications.
Voice and video communications, and a variety of other applications such as online gaming and nancial trading, are particularly sensitive to high latency. A difference in latency of as little as 1 or 2 milliseconds can be signi cant.
itter re ects the timing variation experienced by users of a service. So-called load balancing technology helps ensure hotels can provide the very highest quality of internet services to their guests.
Rather than buying ever-bigger capacity connections, the systems installed by these leading hotels allows bandwidth-hungry applications to be automatically routed through the best internet service available, while email and non-critical web browsing traffic can be pushed across less-expensive connections. It is one other way of ensuring better internet experience for a hotel’s guests and diners.
If you are interested in du’s Bandwidth on Demand solution, kindly email managedservices du.ae.
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 57JULY 2012
TRENDS
The latest products, launches and services to make a difference to your business
Trend watch: July 2012Product watchEverything from the latest
door locks to cool wine cellars
Interior design & furnishings Take inspiration from
Highpoint Market exhibition
HR, recruitment & training Accor shares the details of its
global training academies
F&B How do you make a menu
really work for you?
IT ADVERTORIAL F1 Infotech share with us
their hospitality solutions
Marketing, advertising & branding How do you market a jazz club
in Doha? St Regis Doha tell us
how it will be done
Fitness Jumeirah rolls out a new
fitness concept, starting at
Jumeriah Emirates Towers
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cpidubai.com58 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012 cpidubai.com
Product watchWe round up the boldest and brightest new launches and ranges
from all over the hospitality world
TRENDS / PRODUCT WATCH
COTTON EMPIRE
Cotton Empire, a leading producer of home
textiles and institutional linen in the UAE has
released new ranges of towels. The Pool Towels
are exclusive to hotels in the UAE, are highly
durable when it comes to anti-chlorine and have
good washing results. The brand also supply
exclusive designs for five star hotels under their
White Gold collection.
ottonempire.net
PURE
Pure Inspired Design provides fabrics,
eco-friendly furniture, wool rugs and home
accessories, designed by Samantha Cobos. She
sources the finest materials from solely U.S.
providers to produce high quality, natural ranges
that provide a touch of style to any hotel. The
brand can also supply bespoke printed organic
fabric, inspired by nature and your own colour
and pattern development.
pureinspireddesign.cartoncms.com
LA RIC ORGANIC LINE
Five star cosmetic lines suppliers, La Ric has
introduced a new organic body care line, which
has already been used by Sofitel, Jumeirah and
Millenium hotels. In response for a desire of more
holistic, natural products the range includes
shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and shower
gel, can all be co-branded. The company also
makes luxurious manicure and pedicure products,
room fragrances and high end gift boxes.
laric.eu
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 59JULY 2012
PRODUCT WATCH / TRENDS
THE BEST OF THE REST
FOCUS WINE CELLARSFocus Wine Cellars create bespoke wine cellars
for commercial needs and have clients included
Marriott, Hyatt, Sheraton and Trump International.
Pictured is their latest project for Divan Hotel
Istanbul, making it a feature of its restaurant.
This particular cellar holds 2,000 bottles, with an
innovative air circulation system.
focuswinecellars.com
Dometic Door Lock systems combine
contemporary design with state-of-the-art access
control technology to satisfy the highest demands
on aesthetics, security and ease of use. Dometic
Door Lock systems are available in two styles and
four different finishes – chrome, stainless, brass
or gold – to match the interior design. Suitable
for microchip or advanced proximity transponder
technology, intelligent software allows easy,
intuitive programming by the receptionist staff
and total control by the hotel management.
dometic.com
BREWING GADGETSA new UAE company will change the way
coffee is made in restaurants and cafes.
Brewing Gadgets’ ‘pour over coffee makers’
involve various different ways of pouring
the hot water over ground coffee. The range
makes the most of the coffee’s aroma.
__brewinggadgets.com
ISOBOX® MOBILEHupfer, the kitchen logistic solutions
company, has launched a new trolley where
individual boxes can be stacked horizontally
or vertically to form one unit. The boxes
can be equipped with a heating or cooling
module, allowing ultimate flexibility for
kitchen and waiting staff. ISOBOX® Mobile
also comes in various designs to meet every
requirement.
hupfer.deDOMETIC DOOR LOCK SYSTEM
cpidubai.com60 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
TRENDS / INTERIOR DESIGN
A touch of homeWe look at upcoming furnishing trends from the United States
Artisan designs are coming to the forefront, with inspirational products
Add a cosy feel to any hotel with
some of these new trends,
highlighted by the latest High
Point Market exhibition.
Hand-craftedArtisan designs are coming to the
forefront, with inspirational products
that look hand-made, even if they’re
actually not.
Marrakech ExpressThe exotic arches, patterns, and
vibrant spice influence of Morocco
and North Africa have found a global
appreciation lately.
Buttoned UpIt’s all about the details, and buttons
make a strong return to the floor,
with furniture, especially sofas all
employing this design tweak.
Vintage MarketThe joys of bric-a-brac and an element
of kitsch are coming through to make
up a vintage trend that is gaining
ground across all budgets.
Stately ScrollsFor a more upmarket feel, the refined
scroll elements are inspired by ancient
motifs in both bold and subtle ways.
Vintage
HGTV Home
Marrakech Express
Eastern Accents
Vintage
Halo
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 61JULY 2012
High Point Market is the largest exhibition
for home furnishings, held in North Carolina,
America bi-annually. It has on average 2,000
exhibitors and 77,000 attendees and has over
350 categories. Buyers attend from over 100
countries. The next exhibition will be held in
October 2012.
www.highpointmarket.org
Highpoint Market
INTERIOR DESIGN / TRENDS
Stately Scrolls
Kincaid
Handcrafted
Currey & Company
Stately Scrolls
Christopher Guy
Hancrafted
Charleston Forge
Marrakech Express
Currey & Company
Buttoned Up
Dwell Company
cpidubai.com62 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
TRENDS / HR, RECRUITMENT & TRAINING
Academie Accor Middle
East is one of 17 dedicated
academies around the
globe, which provides
continual training opportunities
to Accor’s staff. The Middle East
academy, based in Dubai is known
as Tamheed. It offers courses and
informal learning for first line to top
line staff.
How important is constant training? The environment is changing and so
are the needs and demands of our
guests and employees. Only through
constant learning will we be able to
LONG TERM LEARNING
Valerie Brignone, Director, Tamheed Academie
Accor Middle East, talks about the investment
the brand is putting into its staff, by making
training an ongoing commitment
stay at a competitive level and attract
new talents. This is a crucial issue
for us. Hotel brands are regularly
reviewing their offers and
services and this keeps us on
our toes as they rely on us
to translate and transmit
the vision and skills to the
hotel teams.
What training methods do you use? We mostly use interactive ways
aimed at facilitating operational
application. All types of methods
linked to digital are also developing
fast. Mostly we adapt to the needs
depending on the country, the
hotel brand and the team. Learning
methods cannot always be the same
in Egypt, the UAE or Jordan.
As we strongly believe in
experimental learning,
these days we lean
more and more towards
informal learning and
making sure we offer our
employees the chance to
informally learn as much as possible
before, during and after their shift.
These are not through training
courses, but through staff ’s day-to-
day interactions.
2.5-4%OF LABOUR COST IS
INVESTED IN TRAINING
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 63JULY 2012
HR, RECRUITMENT & TRAINING / TRENDS
We also strongly believe in cultural specificity hence we are flexible and always give the possibility to adapt courses to take into account the local realities
Valerie Brignone,
Director, Tamheed
Academie Accor
Middle East
With a massive shortfall in trained staff for new hotel openings in the region, does Academie Accor play a role in recruiting new staff? It does indirectly as it allows hotels
to focus on attitude rather than
skills when recruiting, knowing very
well that the pre-opening training
organised with the Academie Accor
will help reach the expected level.
What are the ethos and concepts that your university and training programmes are built on? Our training programmes are built
on Accor values, participative and
interactive methods, operational
relevance and diversity. We also
strongly believe in cultural specificity
hence we are flexible and always give
the possibility to adapt courses to take
into account the local realities.
What does Accor do differently compared to other global chains? Apart from delivering training to all
levels directly in the hotels as well as
in regional courses, we also focus on
sustainable development (diversity,
cultural awareness, etc). We adapt our
courses to local realities and propose
tailor-made learning development
solutions to the hotels.
We are working closely with all our
employees to ensure that we achieve
the 21 commitments and quantifiable
goals outlined in our new sustainable
development programme PLANET 21
by 2015. These goals include employees
training in the prevention of diseases
in 95 per cent of hotels, the promotion
of balanced dishes in 80 per cent of
establishments, the use of eco-labelled
products in 85 per cent of hotels and
the reduction in water and energy use
of respectively 15 per cent and 10 per
cent in owned or leased hotels.
What are the most popular courses for hotel staff in the UAE? We have a few, among them:
communication and presentation
skills, cultural awareness and
managing diversity, proximity
management, finance for non-
financial managers, ibis Players and
Novotel Itineraries (both competence-
based development programmes for
first-level employees). All of these
courses are very much in demand as
well as courses dealing with attitude,
customer care and sales.
What are the most important courses in your opinion? Without any hesitation, any course
that deals with engaging teams,
enhancing customer care and
improving management skills. Revenue
management and sales courses are
also topping the list. In our industry,
considering our realities, these are the
topics most needed in all hotels.
How long should staff members be trained before a new hotel opening?
Hotels usually organise training
sessions over a period of 16 weeks.
Starting with team building for
managers to set and agree on their
ambition and objectives, continuing
with all specific brand courses and
customer care and quality for all
front lines. We do not stop when the
hotel opens – rather we continue
training the team throughout
the opening and after too. It is a
continuous process.
Can you give us some examples of how your staff can develop themselves after being with Accor for a time? We have numerous programmes aimed
at developing people in their own
area of specialisation such as revenue
management, sales, distribution and
training. We also have an International
Hotel Management Program (IHMP)
built to develop future general
managers for the EMEA region.
Do rising guest expectations and more well travelled guests make training harder? It does force us to be constantly
updated on new trends, demands
and methods. Training is not
harder because of this however the
investment in terms of time and
budget tend to be more important.
Do you teach staff to learn more languages? Why is this important in the Middle East? English is so important in the region
that we organise English courses.
Depending on the hotel and their
customer needs, we also organise
Arabic and French courses. However,
we are lucky in this region as our
employees for the most part already
speak more than one language and
learning another one more is easier for
them than for others in different parts
of the world.
How much does it cost per staff member to train? Our hotels are asked to provision
between 2.5 and 4 per cent of the
labour costs for their staff ’s
training investment.
cpidubai.com64 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
Many restaurants don’t give
much attention to their
menus, which is a real mixed
opportunity. Most are based
on cookie cutter designs, without any
thought put into maximising orders
and helping high-margin items to look
more appealing.
Strangely, this is a world where big
chains spend a lot of time and money
reseearching what works – they want
your mouth to water and your wallet
Many diners will just run down a list of items and choose the cheapest, so don’t make a big deal of the prices
Object of desireA menu that works is one of a restaurant’s best weapons. But how
do you design a good one? Dave Reeder investigatesto open! To first thing to realise is
that menu design is more about the
look and feel – crucially, it’s using
sceince and research in your favour.
For most people, for example, their
eyes naturally fall halfway down a
page - the hot spot. Maximise your
profits by putting high margin items
and signature dishes here – these are
the ones that make you most money
from and the ones that will get your
customers returning.
Traditionally, menus are desigend
with a hierachy that reflects the
way that a meal is served – starters,
mains, sides, desserts – but even here
designers can use tricks to maximise
sales. Research shows that people look
most often at the first and last menu
items in a section, so prioritise high
profit dishes here.
One area that needs careful
attention is the wording of your menu.
There’s a fine line to be drawn between
making dishes sound appealing and
completely over the top descriptions
that put off many diners. So, by all
means describe a fish as coming
from Omani waters but resist the
temptation to say it was ‘lifted at dawn
as the sun kissed the Omani white-
capped waves.’
That said, let’s look at a traditional
menu that works. The dinner menu
from French bistrot Balthazar in New
York City. It looks solid and standard,
but numerous tricks have been used to
make it really pop.
Before diners’ eyes fall on the hot
spots, they first gravitate to the top
right so Balthazar places a desirable,
hot ticket item them, an expensive
pile of seafood. It steps back from
using photography because of the
connotations with lower-rent outlets
and opts for a line drawing that creates
a bistro resonation. Note too that by
placing the most expensive dish on
the menu here it makes other dishes
nearby look like real bargains – such
as the smaller platter. What size is it? It
doesn’t tell you but at $70 as opposed
to $115, it must be a bargain, right?
Many diners will just run down
a column of dishes and choose the
cheapest, so don’t make a big deal of
prices. By listing the price as 85 rather
than Dhs85.00 you’re making the
diner focus more on the menu item,
not the price. The fancier the box, the
more you will shift high-profit items
like a cheeseboard. Use a simpler box
for daily specials. Look also at how
they play with portion sizes in the
hors’ d’hoevres section, if you don’t
specify the actual size, chances are
diners will trade up.
TRENDS / FOOD & BEVERAGE
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 65JULY 2012
T
Keeping up with
technology
F1 BRANDSInfor -Salto -Ruckus -Motorola -Altai -Psion - Interel -Trend (Honeywell) -iBAHN -Legrand -Gantner -
ADVERTORIAL
cpidubai.com66 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
Introducing jazz Jazz at Lincoln Centre will open in September at the St Regis, Doha.
Club manager, Isabella Murgu tells us how the hotel intends to
bring the improvised art form to the city
Jazz isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and
even if you’re a fan of the music,
chances are you won’t be able
to reel off a list of well known
contemporary jazz perfomers. The St
Regis Doha is looking to change that.
The hotel chain has partnered
with the original club, Jazz at
Lincoln Centre, New York, who will
programme set seasons of music,
sending out trios and quarters to
perform for two weeks at the Doha
outpost, which has been closely
modeled on its namesake.
“The artists will be brought in and
curated from New York, so they’ll be
world renowned artists which makes it
very exciting,” says Murgu.
“St Regis is connected to jazz
through our New York history and our
original home. Jazz is an integrated
part of the brand, in New York the
hotel always had jazz musicians and
worked with the Lincoln Centre on
a number of projects. St Regis has
partnered not just with Jazz at Lincoln
Centre for Doha but also for other St
Regis properties round the world, so
we’re the first, which is fantastic.”
Fast becoming the Middle Eastern
city to go to for high brow art and
culture, the jazz club will be another
string to Doha’s bow, but how does the
hotel plan to go about marketing this
niche night out?
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 67JULY 2012
MARKETING, ADVERTISING & BRANDING / TRENDS
“Doha is very intrigued about what
we’re doing, it’s developing an art and
culture scene and we have a lot of
expats in Doha who are jazz lovers, so
we’re filling a niche. A lot of the locals
are keen to embrace new music and
new culture. Our Qatari owner is a
big jazz lover so that has helped. The
Qatari population are open minded
and they travel a lot to the States
so there is some awareness there,”
explains Murgu.
The hotel expects the uniqueness of
Jazz at Lincoln Centre to pull in GCC
guests as well as locals and expats.
“Beyond Doha, people will travel
from all over the GCC to have a
weekend experience at the hotel,
complete with live, real jazz.”
And it’s not just the guests who
they’re hoping to educate, the club’s
staff have been trained in the genre,
“The entire team has been trained
in jazz music and has been listening
to it for months as it’s important that
they’re all knowledgeable about it
as an art form and understand the
artists,” says Murgu.
The 98 seat venue will have a
permanent stage at the front, whilst
the seating will be split between
cinema style chairs and booths for
groups with a bar at the back. There
will be a dinner slot from 7-9pm,
serving up high-end jazz inspired
American classics for those that want
an entire evening. The focus will be
on the music as a performance, rather
than as background noise. Murgu
explains the how the programming
will work,
“We look at it as a season, so we’ll
have New York programming of a
few months at a time, so people will
be able to plan their trips and we
can communicate that information
months ahead. We don’t want to just
come and talk about next week.”
The hotel sees the club’s impact as
more than just nightly performances.
“We’re discussing possibly doing
a charity event around jazz, with
tickets to an open air event. We’re also
considering classes for children and
awareness talks in schools about jazz.
We would like the artists to do music
talks with afternoon tea, where people
can get to know more about the genre
and the individual artists who are
playing,” Murgu says.
The hotel is also considering
offering up the venue for rentals,
“We would consider renting the
space out, it’s a beautiful location with
a huge terrace. The club is only open
in the evenings so we could use the
space in the afternoon as it’s on the
sunset side, so a cocktail reception
or high end afternoon teas would be
possible. We could offer it for exclusive
meetings or presentations because you
have a ready made stage. This will add
something new to the hotel, for a more
high end option.”
St Regis has partnered with Jazz at Lincoln Centre not just for Doha but for other St Regis properties round the world as well
Isballa Murgu, Club
Director, Jazz at
Lincoln Centre, St
Regis Doha
Jazz at Lincoln Centre: the stats
2012OPENING SEPTEMBER
98PAX SEATED INSIDE
6DAYS A WEEK (CLOSED SUNDAYS)
cpidubai.com68 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012 cpidubai.com
TRENDS / FITNESS
What is Talise Fitness and how is it a new concept?Talise Fitness is an
extension of our global
wellness brand “Talise” that also
includes Talise Spa and Talise
Nutrition. The Talise Fitness
responsibility is to create an
environment that will support the
adoption of healthy lifestyles and
an environment that will make our
members feel part of the Talise family.
The diversity in fitness enthusiasts
has increased over the past few years.
People are becoming increasingly
more in tune with their personal
health and wellbeing and are looking
for new experiences and innovative
options. The only way forward was to
reconsider our approach and look for
a new direction.
Beside our new approach to space
design based on aspirational training
zones, innovative programmes
and services, Talise Fitness places
members and guests at the centre of
our business model. We recognise
that each person is unique and
we enhance our relationship with
members through the use of customer
relationship management tools to turn
aspirations into results!
How does the new fitness and spa centre at Jumeirah Emirates Towers differ from what was on offer before?In addition to being a brand new
facility with state of the art equipment,
Talise Fitness is also a much bigger
facility covering 1000sq/m with seven
separate exercise zones, including a
dedicated functional training zone.
Talise Fitness is also a fresh new
concept, which provides individuals
with a new approach to physical
Talise goes globalJumeirah are rolling out a new wellness concept, called Talise Fitness, starting with Jumeirah Emirates Towers. Sports and Leisure Manager, Tim Dorrington talks us through the changes
Talise will be cascaded to our properties in the GGC and globally from 2013 onwards
Tim Dorrington, Sports
and Leisure Manager,
Jumeirah Emirates
Towers
activity and wellbeing. By placing the
aspirations and motivation of fitness
enthusiasts at its core, Talise Fitness
offers ground-breaking solutions for
overall wellbeing and integrates fitness
into day-to-day life.
Why has it changed?The implementation of a new gym at
Jumeirah Emirates Towers has been
planned for over a year. With the
launch of the new Talise Fitness brand
and the opportunity to expand into a
bigger and better facilities, it was the
perfect time to change and upgrade
our health and fitness facilities.
Will this be rolling out to any other Jumeirah properties?Yes, Jumeirah Beach Hotel and
Madinat Jumeirah are scheduled to
implement the Talise Fitness concept
in September 2012, it will be then
cascaded to our properties in the GCC
and globally from 2013 onwards.
How has guest expectation changed concerning fitness within hotels?With the rise of chronic diseases such
as obesity and diabetes, health and
fitness is becoming a more prominent
aspect of peoples’ everyday lives. It is
important for hotels to recognise this
and offer facilities and services that
will live up to the expectations of the
guests. It’s not just about providing
the right equipment for the end user,
but offering solutions aligned with
member’s aspirations.
Do you think the Middle East has the same approach to fitness and the importance of keeping fit say as America or Europe?Managing and reducing lifestyle
diseases through eating right, exercise
and supplementation is becoming a
major preoccupation for individuals
and corporations around the globe.
Today the wellness industry enjoys
annual revenue exceeding billions
of dollars and is expected to grow
massively over the next few years.
Several wellness related businesses
are emerging at incredible rates
(supplement stores, fitness centres,
natural food markets, spas and so
many more).
cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 69JULY 2012cpidubai.com
FITNESS / TRENDS
There is a colossal existing demand
for advancements in pro-active health
but there is still discrepancy from an
educational point of view in different
part of the world. The Middle East
remains behind the America and
Europe, mainly because of cultural
differences. However, the region is
adapting fast, mentality is changing
rapidly and people are becoming
more and more aware of the benefits
of physical activity.
How important is it for a hotel to have a decent, authentic fitness facility to attract repeat business? Or new business?At Jumeirah Emirates Towers, many
of our hotel guests are repeat guests
therefore it is important that they see
that we are constantly innovating and
evolving as a hotel, especially with the
increase in competition over the past
few years. With the implementation
of the new Talise Fitness facility, we
hope to add value to the complex as a
whole, not just for the hotel guests but
also to our valued tenants in the Office
Tower and shopping Boulevard.
The next few years are a period of
major expansion for Jumeirah Hotels’
operations with many hotels in the
pipeline or under development around
the world. Therefore, it’s a necessity to
drive consistency in the operating and
service standards to ensure our guests
enjoy the same fitness experience in all
our fitness facilities.
Sept 2012: Jumeirah Beach Hotel /
Madinat Jumeirah
2013: Rest of portfolio
Rollout schedule
cpidubai.com
JOB WATCH
70 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
Job watchTime to move on? We can help. All jobs can be applied for throughthe Hozpitality website
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Industry: Hotels Clubs and Spas
Department: HR
Level: Top Management
Location: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Salary Description: Negotiable
Posted: 24/06/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: CHA International
Job Ref: 4420
We are looking for a Director of Human
Resources for a 5* hotel, newly open in Abu
Dhabi.
Experience of hotel opening and Arabic
speaking are a must. GCC and UAE (Abu Dhabi/
Dubai) exposure is recommended.
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND BUSINESS
SUPPORT
Industry: Hotels Clubs and Spas
Department: Finance and Accounts
Level: Department Head
Location: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Salary Description: Attractive
Posted: 24/06/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: Confidential
A luxury five star hotel in Dubai, is looking for
a dynamic finance professional to join their
growing, motivated team as a Director of
Finance and Business Support. The successful
candidate is expected to carry out the Finance
and Accounting functions for the company.
Their job responsibilities include achieving
long term and short-term objectives, and
ensuring that financial resources are effectively
utilised to realise these objectives. The duties
encompass managing the company’s financial
affairs, directing and facilitating the day to
day operations of the accounts department,
preparation and consolidation of the annual
and long-term Capital, Operating & Revenue
budgets and business plans, developing and
implementing corporate policies, systems and
procedures, liaising with the owning company,
following-up on joint venture accounts,
managing risk and cash flow and comparing
budget vs. actual balance sheet and providing
business support to the General Manager.
GENERAL MANAGER
Industry: Hotels Clubs and Spas
Department: General Management
Level: Top Management
Location: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Salary Description: Attractive
Posted: 24/06/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: Confidential
We are looking for a General Manager for
a renowned international hotel in Dubai.
Candidate should have 15-20 years experience
with minimum five years as General Manager in
branded hotels in UAE.
ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER
Industry: Hotels Clubs and Spas
Department: General Management
Level: Top Management
Location: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Salary Description: Attractive
Posted: 21/06/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: CHA International
We are looking for a Director of Operations
in Dubai, UAE for a four star modern stylish
hotel in Dubai (260 rooms, meetin facilities,
several F&B outlets). The ideal candidate
should be under 35 and stylish and trendy.
Experience in all areas of hotel operation,
managing all direct reports in a professional
and motivating fashion and will replace the GM
while travelling. Excellent package offered for
suitable candidate.
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Industry: Hotels Clubs and Spas
Department: Finance and Accounts
Level: Department Head
Location: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Salary Description: Attractive
Posted: 21/06/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: CHA International
Job Ref: 4325
A leading private/international business - group of
hotels organisation in the UAE, is seeking to recruit
a Chief Financial Officer/Corporate Director of
Finance. The candidate should must have a Multi-
unit or GCC experience. They also have to have
a CPA or equivalent. Past hotel experience with
international chains is a must. Fluent in English,
matured and wants to settle in Dubai. Any age but
no older than 55 years. Salary negotiable based on
experience and super expatriate benefits.
CORPORATE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN
RESOURCES
Industry: Hotels Clubs and Spas
Department: HR
Level: Department Head
Location: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Salary Description: Excellent package
Posted: 21/06/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: CHA International
Job Ref: 4365
One of the UAE’s leading private business groups
is looking for a Corporate Director of Human
Resources for the hotel division with the following
criteria :
property experience
The package will be determined as per a
candidate’s qualifications.
GENERAL MANAGER
Industry: Hotels Clubs and Spas
Department: General Management
RESEARCHERS AT HARVARD SAY THAT TAKING A POWER NAP FOR AN HOUR IN THE AFTERNOON CAN TOTALLY REFRESH YOU. THEY SAY THAT BY THE TIME YOU WAKE UP YOU’LL FEEL SO GOOD, YOU’LL BE ABLE TO START LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB JAY LENO
JOB WATCH
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 71cpidubai.com JULY 2012
Level: Top Management
Location: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Salary Description: Attractive
Posted: 27/06/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: Confidential
We are looking for a General Manager’s position
for a 355 key, hotel opening soon in Abu Dhabi,
offering a good package. European candidate
with UAE experience and currently working in a
reputed five star hotel chain with 10-15 years as a
GM preferred.
DIRECTOR FINANCE – DOHA
Industry: Hotels Clubs and Spas
Department: Finance and Accounts
Level: Department Head
Location: ME/GCC (Except UAE), United Arab
Emirates (UAE)
Salary Description: attractive
Posted: 06/06/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: Amari Doha
Amari Doha is part of ONYX Hospitality Group
based in Thailand. ONYX offers a wide portfolio
of hospitality brands, including the luxury
Saffron portfolio, the market-leading Amari
brand of hotels and resorts, Shama serviced
apartments, and the all-new select service Ozo.
As the Director of Finance you will oversee
the operational running of this Pre Opening
property from a finance perspective. You
will have extensive contact with the General
Manager and sitting on the executive team you
will be expected to deliver a robust financial
control function. It is also expected that you
will play a commercial part in the growth of
the business
GENERAL MANAGER
Industry: Hotels Clubs and Spas
Department: General Management
Level: Top Management
Location: Africa
Salary Description: Attractive
Posted: 21/06/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: African Management Services
Company (AMSCO)
A boutique four star hotel in Lagos is looking
for a General Manager. They must be able
to manage all facets of the hotel operation,
including the Rooms, Sales & Marketing,
Accounting, Human Resources, and Engineering
departments.
services and manage revenue management.
with the FC and business plan, implementing
initiatives, strategies and action plans to
achieve goals.
Marketing plan.
relations with key Community and Corporate
groups.
and implement programs to achieve these
objectives.
and progressive performance management for
all establishes personal development plans.
working environment.
programs, and ensures regulatory compliance.
GROUP DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
Industry: Hotels Clubs and Spas
Department: Finance and Accounts
Level: Department Head
Location: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Salary Description: Attractive
Posted: 20/06/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: Grand Belle Vue Hotel Apartments-
Dubai
Job Ref: GDOF
The ideal candidate should be responsible for
all financial accounting, ensuring accurate and
timely production of monthly management
information across the region. They should also
be responsible for the:
financial statements for hotels in the group and
that the accounts are prepared in accordance
with company policies.
maintained and appropriate accounting
processes, procedures and controls are in place.
business report to the board.
as required.
areas of problems and cost savings.
The candidate should have at least three years
of experience in a similar capacity in a well-
established hospitality organisation.
FACILITIES MANAGER
Industry: Hotels Clubs and Spas
Department: Engineering and Projects
Level: Department Head
Location: Doha, Qatar
Salary Description: Attractive
Posted: 18/06/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: Hozpitality Consulting
We are looking for a Facility Manager for a
renowned hotel company in Doha. This person
will be liaising with our hotel, but is for our
owners side, for their group. Salary will not be a
constraint for the right candidate. The candidate
should be of Engineering background, Arab and
Western educated.
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
Industry: Hotels Clubs and Spas
Department: General Management
Level: Top Management
Location: Saudi Arabia
Salary Description: Attractive
Posted: 18/06/2012
Start Date: ASAP
Recruiter: Hozpitality Consulting
We need to hire for the following key position
for our client, a five star hotel in Saudi Arabia:
Operations Director.
The right Operations Director candidate
should have the following:
preferably in UAE/ME
excellent guest relation skills
preferred.We prefer all the European
nationalities and also Canadian, Australian,
New Zealand or Americans with managerial
skills with at least seven to eight years
experience in the hospitality industry or five
star hotels. Attractive salary and benefits
offered to the right candidate.
THREE RULES OF WORK: OUT OF CLUTTER FIND SIMPLICITY; FROM DISCORD FIND HARMONY; IN THE MIDDLE OF DIFFICULTY LIES OPPORTUNITY ALBERT EINSTEIN
Jobs supplied by:
cpidubai.com72 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST JULY 2012
COMMENT
Discover the power of integrated securitySecurity demands vigilance, vigilance demands integration
Access control. Intrusion
detection. Video surveillance
and analytics. Fire and life
safety. What’s wrong with
these pictures?
Traditionally, these systems were
set up separately – with their own
hardware, software, installation,
oversight, service, maintenance,
administration and training. This
approach is no longer viable in a world
where security threats are increasing
and budgets are shrinking.
Over the decades the hotel has been
an attractive target for terrorism and
other acts of intimidation. With two
high profile incidents occurring in
this part of the world in recent years
the spotlight has again fallen on hotel
security. As systems become ever
more connected, combining optimum
security management systems and
integration expertise with best-in-class
technology is a critical process.
Integrated security solutions allow
you to control the entire security
landscape from a single user interface
providing faster response times,
improved overall security, reduced
costs, and valuably, peace of mind.
In order to understand the holistic
value of integrated security solutions,
it’s worthwhile recapping the evolution
of security. Among the changes that
have occurred over the past decades,
software integration has giving rise to
integrated solutions, and economic
factors have made demonstrating
return on security investment (ROSI)
a requirement rather than an option.
As a result security can now be
categorised as delivering three levels
of value: security effectiveness, risk
reduction and business efficiency
from the synergy between, people
and process and technology. This is a
compelling factor in designing security
management strategies.
The customer benefit of security
effectiveness is in CapEx and OpEx cost
reductions that result from integrating
multiple disparate technologies onto
a single, comprehensive security
network. Securing the people and
assets that make up a business reduces
risk, ensures business continuity, and
enhances reputation. Additionally,
the investments customers make in
security technology can be leveraged
to improve business processes, reduce
variable costs and increase revenues. In
all the cases the real financial benefits
are many.
Even in the most advanced hotels,
security threats remain real. By
integrating various security systems
such as Access Control, Building
Management Systems and Video
Surveillance Systems, an intelligent
Security Management System can be
created, which helps hotels improve
all round safety, ultimately making
everyone from staff to guests feel more
comfortable and reassured.
Whether serving as a visual deterrent
to crime or giving managers and
security professionals tools for dealing
with liability claims, employee theft
or other management issues, video
security offers the most practical and
cost-effective solution available. For a
system to meet the needs of a business
location – and to be counted on 24/7 –
only the most reliable equipment can
be used.
Integrated Security System can
also serve as a powerful management
tool, assisting hoteliers to assess traffic
flow, customer purchasing behavior or
helping to reconcile POS transactions
and so much more. No other form of
electronic surveillance provides for
real-time monitoring of situations,
both at the location and remotely, while
simultaneously providing indisputable
documentation of an event.
Anant Berde is Vice President Gulf
Countries, Buildings Business, Schneider
Electric
BREWING MOMENTS OFINDULGENCE SINCE 1890.
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