All articles by antonica jones
antonica jones
Keys to the kingdom: Saudi Arabia
As the kingdom looks to diversify its assets and boost employment, Saudi Arabia’s hotel sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, with the country’s hospitality industry forecast to be valued at $93 billion within the next five years. But where is the demand coming from and what is driving investment? Oliver Hotham speaks to Elie Milky of Carlson Rezidor and Deloitte’s Grant Salter about why the state is catching up with its historically more hospitality-oriented neighbours.
Win the MICE: INHOCO stronger than ever
With industry predictions indicating that the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) sector has great growth potential, INHOCO CEO Rupprecht Queitsch explains how, after recuperating from the recession, it is coming back stronger than ever.
The search for the middle ground
Once thought of exclusively as a playground for the rich, the GCC region is rapidly emerging as a vibrant destination for budget and mid-market tourists from across the area. Greg Noone talks to Laurent Voivenel, CEO of Hospitality Management Holdings, David Vely, senior vice-president for Middle East development at Whitbread, and Christophe Landais, managing director for Accor Middle East, about how their companies are adapting to the newfound diversity in the Gulf’s hospitality market.
Designs on youth: the millennial brand
An unprecedented number of international operators, including Jumeirah, Hilton, Carlson Rezidor, Hyatt and Steigenberger, have recently announced plans for new, design-led lifestyle brands specifically targeting millennials. Ross Davies takes a look at what these offerings will entail, and asks whether they can finally create a semblance of brand allegiance among what is fast-becoming a lucrative guest demographic.
A considered approach: a local lifestyle
As Morgans Hotel Group prepares to make its debut in the Middle East, with the long-awaited Mondrian Doha due to open this year and a recently announced Delano Dubai to follow in 2017, Tony Machado, vice-president design and construction, speaks to Sarah Williams about fusing local lifestyle with the creative communities at the heart of its hotels.
Pop culture: pop-up amenities
Upscale exclusivity has long been synonymous with Dubai’s hospitality scene, but the
rise of pop-up culture in the emirate and beyond is creating something quite different. Chris Godfrey speaks with hotel operators and concept pioneers to see whether hotels should see this growing trend as a threat or an opportunity for traditional business models.
General consensus: Middle Eastern management
In recent years, perhaps no role within the hotel sector has undergone more transformation than that of general manager. How is the post evolving and what specific challenges are there for GMs working in the Middle East? Michael Martin of the new InterContinental Dubai Marina and Stefan Fuchs of Jumeirah at Etihad Towers discuss the demands and opportunities inherent in the role.
What’s in a name? Dining in the Middle East
Although in-house-developed dining options have matured considerably over recent years, there’s still plenty of scope for the import of celebrity chefs and established restaurant concepts, as Elly Earls discovers from IHG’s Pascal Gauvin and Hilton Worldwide’s Simon Lazarus.
To protect and serve together: hotel security
How does an operator best go about entrenching security and safety across a hotel’s entire operation? A solid strategy should be based on interdepartmental collaboration, training and technology, as Ross Davies reports.