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Issue 05 • September 2012 • www.cpidubai.com

News and analysis for the Middle East’s hospitality professionals

Feature: rAK ready! hilton chooses ras Al Khaimah to debut two new brands

Interview: Jw Marriott Marquis’ rupprecht Queitsch talks us through his vision for dubai’s biggest hotel

Q&A: local or imported? Are sourcing processes across theregion changing? f&b directors and Executive chefs talk

Trends: The future of long distance learning; Are technology collaborations the way forward?; how effective is the PIc scheme?

Tenders: 31 new tenders for the MEnA region inside this issue

globAl hoTEl IndEx: Asia Pacific 68.3% - Americas 70% - Europe 71.7% - Middle East/ Africa 56.7% (Average room occupancy July 2012)

248

nUMbEr of hoTElS In oM

An 2012

00 Sept Cover final.indd 1 9/2/12 2:56 PM

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cpidubai.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 1SEPTEMBER 2012

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S LETTER

NEWSTOURISM INDICATORS, SHARE PRICES AND OPENINGS

DATA WATCHTHE LATEST DATA FROM THE REGION’S CONSULTANTS

TENDERSWE SHARE DETAILS ON 31 NEW PROJECTS ACROSS THE REGION

OPENING SOONTHE RITZ CARLTON, ABU DHABI

COVER STORYACCESS ALL OMAN - THE SULTANTE IS BLOOMING

GOING ‘GLOCAL’MERCURE’S FRANCHISE NETWORK RELIES ON A LOCAL FEEL

RAS AL KHAIMAH READYHILTON WORLDWIDE REVEAL THEIR EXPANSION PLANS FOR THE COASTAL EMIRATE

SUPPLY & DEMANDLEADING BRANDS INVESTIGATE NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN MATTRESS TECHNOLOGIES

Q&AHOW IS INGREDIENT SOURCING CHANGING ACROSS THE UAE?

GM FEATURERUPPRECHT QUEITSCH INTRODUCES US TO THE NEW JW MARRIOTT MARQUIS

DUIS YOUR DATA SECURE?

TRENDSEVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW FROM YOUR SUPPLIERS

JOBS BOARDYOUR NEW TOP LINE POSITION

COMMENTHOW VIABLE IS THE OUTSOURCING OF STAFF?

04

34

06

11

15

20

23

30

34

38

42

50

52

59

20

38

50

59

72

70

COMMENT / EDITOR’S LETTER

PUBLISHER: Dominic De SousaGROUP COO: Nadeem Hood

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERSAlex BendiouisCarol OwenGeorgina Wilson-Powell

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

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

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONSMarizel [email protected]

WEB DEVELOPERLouie Alma

PRODUCTIONProduction manager: Devaprakash

DISTRIBUTIONRochelle Almeida

SUBSCRIPTIONSwww.cpievents.net/mag/magazine.php

PRINTED BYPrintwell Printing Press LLC, Dubai, UAE

PUBLISHED BY

Head Office, PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAETel: +971 4 440 9100Fax: +971 4 447 2409Group Office, Dubai Media CityBuilding 4, Office G08, Dubai, UAE

A publication licensed by IMPZ

© Copyright 2012 CPI. All rights reserved.While the publishers have made everyeffort to ensure the accuracy of allinformation in this magazine, they will notbe held responsible for any errors therein.

4 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST SEPTEMBER 2012

Editor’s letterDubai’s not the only destination determined to find success

Ras Al Khaimah is blossoming with a raft of new properties about to come online

We’ve noticed this month, that times they are a’ changing. In a city renowned for reinvention,

sometimes it’s easy to forget that everywhere outside of Dubai doesn’t quite grow and develop at such a rapid pace. But places are changing, evolving and progressing.

No one can have failed to notice Oman’s bubbling potential is now near to boiling over, and with our cover story this month, we turn our focus to the Sultanate. This once sleepy backwater looks set to become the next tourism hotspot and will help push environmental travel further forward. Read all about it on page 23.

But it’s not just other countries that are pushing on, in the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah is blossoming with a raft of new properties about to come online, including two new brands to the country, from Hilton. Learn about why the global company is choosing RAK to debut the Waldorf Astoria and DoubleTree brands on page 34.

Our General Manager interview this month also focuses on progress. Rupprecht Queitsch is the man in charge of debuting Dubai’s biggest hotel in the final quarter of

GEORGINA WILSON-POWELL GROUP EDITOR

2012, which will change the city’s landscape forever (p.50).

Progress isn’t just measured in bricks and mortar though, and this month F&B Directors and Executive Chefs from across the UAE, discuss the changes in ingredient sourcing, with a move towards buying local or becoming more sustainable (p44).

Suppliers are measured by how much they can help any hotel progress, so we’ve talked to hospitality school Glion about their online MBA courses, helping hotels’ top line staff to evolve (p62), while Lutron tell us about the value of technological collaborations to offer tomorrow’s solutions (p64). So from destinations to dining, the pace of progress is rampant.

Last issue, ESADORE International’s name was cut off in our spa feature. It should have read ESADORE International.

Apology

+971 (0) 4 361 7976 +971 (0) 4 431 0854 [email protected] www.esadore.com

NEWS WATCH

cpidubai.com6 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST SEPTEMBER 2012

UAE NEWS JUMEIRAH APPOINTS NEW CEO

Gerald Lawless who was previously the brand’s executive chairman, has been named as the new CEO, replacing Guy Crawford who stepped down in June. Dubai Holding announced the move along with new additions, Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai, and Dubai Holding’s COO Fadel Al Ali to the hotel brand’s board as it enters an agressive international expansion phase.

RAK AIRWAYS LAUNCH DOMESTIC

UAE ROUTE

RAK Airways will launch a return flight between the emirate and the capital, starting on October 3. It will be the first national carrier to operate domestic flights within the UAE.

MEYDAN OPENS BEACH RESORT

Meydan has extended its operations to include a new, luxury beach resort on JBR beach, Dubai Marina. The facility will include two infinity pools, a chill out lounge, spa, gym and pampering options as well as Giannino, the first outlet of famed Milanese restaurant outside of Italy. Meydan CEO, Saeed H Al Tayer said: “We are pleased to announce the launch of Meydan Beach which has been carefully designed to complement Meydan’s existing leisure offering.”

AIR ARABIA HAS RECORD MONTH

July saw Sharjah based Air Arabia carry near half a million passengers, up 10 per cent up on the same period last year. The first half of 2012 saw the airline add new routes to Salalah in Oman and Taif in Saudi Arabia. Turnover has also reached a record Dhs729m, up 23 per cent on the same period in 2011.

JET AIRWAYS START MUMBAI-

SHARJAH ROUTE

The emirate will gain its first direct , daily route to Mumbai as Jet Airways link the cities from October 18, using its Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

NEWS IN BRIEF

1.6 m TOURISTS VISIT SHARJAH EACH YEAR (source: Shurooq)

Abu Dhabi Airport’s passenger traffic will grow to 14 million by the end of 2012, a 13 per cent increase on 2011, James Bennett, CEO of Abu Dhabi

Dhs500,000 to be invested in Sharjah’s new tourism projectsSharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has revealed that half a million dirhams is to be invested between the eco-tourism projects: The Chedi Khor Fakkan, Al Hafya Educational Reserve Centre and the new Al Hisn Island development. Al Hisn will offer a new destination for leisure and entertainment. HE Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq said: “The new project will include a big water canal and a number of cafes and restaurants, parks, children’s areas, and various other facilities.”

Al Hafya Educational Reserve Centre will offer a chance to see local animals and birds and will also include a recreational water park. Both projects have been approved by HH Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. Sharjah plans eco-friendly tourism projects

Abu Dhabi airport traffic on increaseAirports Company (ADAC) has predicted. 53 airlines operate through the capital’s terminal, that number will also increase.

Abu Dhabi airport to handle more and more tourist traffic

NEWS WATCH


81% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN JEDDAH IN 2012 (source: Ernst & Young)

DOWNS

UPS

VISITOR NUMBERS FALL IN JORDAN

The Kingdom of Jordan’s figures for visitors are down six per cent on the first half of 2011, while numbers to

Petra were down severn per cent.

UAE ADVISES AGAINST LEBANON TRAVEL

Travel to Lebanon isn’t wise for Saudis, Qataris and Emiratis, respective

governments have warned, after a spate of kidnappings, as the fighting

in Syria spills over.

KUWAIT OCCUPANCY FALLSKuwait’s occupancy has decreased by three percent to 53 per cent in the first

half of 2012, compared to last year, according to Ernst & Young.

WYNDHAM REWARDS NOW AVAILABLE IN MIDDLE EAST

Wyndham Hotel Group has made its loyalty programme available in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabian Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Jet Airways are all new partners.

INDIAN TOURISTS GET MORE FLIGHTS

IndiGo, the low cost airline from India will launch four new daily flights from Dubai, to Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi

and Kochi from October.

SHARJAH’S ROOM INVENTORY INCREASES

Portfolio will rise from 9,000 to 13,000 said Mohammad Ali Al No’man, Director

General of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority.

DOWNS

Sharjah plans hotel classification schemeSharjah plans to use a new hotel classification scheme according to the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA). SCTDA is currently promoting the idea amongst key players in the local hospitality industry and asking for feedback. It is hoped the scheme will help to offer guests better services and attract more international tourists.

Will Sharjah’s hotels become standardised?

Qatar Airways links with Millennium Hotels

Millennium & Copthorne partners Qatar AirwaysGuests of Millennium & Copthorne hotels will be able to earn 500 Frequent Flyer miles for every qualifying stay at any of the brand’s 120 hotels around the globe, which can be redeemed for complimentary flights and upgrades, extra baggage and priority boarding.

NEWS WATCH


SAUDI TOURISM INDUSTRY WORTH

SR59.5 BILLION

Saudi Tourism Information and Research Centre has released figures showing that the tourism industry in the Kingdom accounts for 3.2 per cent of the country’s GDP and 11.8 per cent of the private sector’s GDP. The industry as a whole was worth SR59.5 billion in 2011, up 6.8 per cent on 2010. 2012 is expected to see another healthy increase as inbound tourist numbers hit nearly 19 million.

BEST WESTERN OPENS FIRST HOTEL

IN RIYADH

Best Western International has opened a ten storey, 86 key property in the Saudi Arabian city. The brand will expand to open nine more hotels in the Kingdom, with a portfolio of over 1,500 rooms. Glenn de Souza, Best Western International’s Vice President International Operations, Asia and Middle East said: “With a fast-growing economy driving the business travel sector and pilgrimage traffic that is going from strength-to-strength, demand for hotel accommodation will grow exponentially in the next decade. With more than 1,500 hotel rooms expected coming on line by 2015, we will be at the forefront of this boom.”

$2 BILLION INVESTED IN OMANI

TOURISM PROJECTS

The Sultanate of Oman has announced that the level of investment into the country’s tourism projects is just under $2billion. Out of 41 tourism projects, three have been operated, nine are under implementation, three are starting, 19 haven’t commenced yet, five are cancelled and two are opening soon.

JABAL OMAR TO INVEST $3.2

MILLION IN MAKKAH

Jabal Omar Development Company will develop 2.2 million sq m in Makkah, opening 10 hotels in the city, along with the country’s largest shopping mall. It will capture some of the 10 million tourists every year, and will be managed by Marriott International, Hyatt Hotels, Hilton and Sheraton.

NEWS IN BRIEFMENANEWS

53.9 PER CENT PROJECTED GROWTH OF SAUDI’S HOTEL INDUSTRY (source: STR Global)

Oman: popular Eid getawaySalalah saw over 94,000 visitors over the recent Eid weekend, according to the Ministry of Tourism. 30 per cent of that number was made up of Emiratis, while 65 per cent came from domestic tourism. While hotels were

running at 100 per cent occupany or overbooked, the high numbers did cause problems with food and fuel shortages, would suggest Oman’s infrastructure needs to be improved to cope with increasing tourism.

Saudis tourists flock to Abu DhabiAround 40,000 Saudi tourists visited Abu Dhabi in the first half of 2012, an increase of 37 per cent on 2011, the Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism & Culture has revealed. Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah have all seen significant tourism promotion through roadshows and workshops by ADATC.

Abu Dhabi: popular with Saudi tourists

What will Jeddah’s new metro be like?

Jeddah to see Metro system introducedSaudi Arabia is in the final stages of studying the possibility of a metro system in Jeddah. The project would encompass three lines, 46 stations, cover 108 kilometres and be worth around $9.3 billion. It follows plans to build comprehensive public transport networks in Makkah and Riyadh.

Plenty of Emiratis choose Salalah as their Eid break destination

NEWS WATCH

cpidubai.com

IHG TO OPEN 11 MENA HOTELS

IN 2013

Before the end of 2013, InterContinental Hotels Group will have opened 11 new properties across the MENA region. These will include three locations in Saudi Arabia with the Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn brands, and two properties in Oman with those same brands. There will also be a Staybridge Suites in Ras Al Khaimah.

GOLDEN TULIP HOTELS TO RAMP UP

LOCATIONS ACROSS THE REGION

Golden Tulip Hotels aims to open 46 new hotels across the MENA region before 2017. A subsidiary of the Louvre Hotel Group the mainly four star brand will double its current portfolio of 44 properties, with 14 hotels set to open before the end of 2012. The pipeline consists mostly of its three star brand Tulip Inn, some of the four star Golden Tulip, and one Royal Tulip, a five star imprint, in Jordan. DEWAN TO DESIGN DAMMAM HOTEL

FOR ARAC

Arab Resort Areas Company (ARAC) has appointed DEWAN Architects & Engineers to design and oversee a new five star hotel and hotel apartment property. The project will feature 200 hotel rooms and 120 apartment keys, a 600 pax banquet hall and four F&B outlets. The hotel will be 45 minutes from Saudi Arabia’s Dammam International Airport.

100 TOWERS TO GO UP IN MAKKAH

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has reported that 100 towers are under construction in Makkah, representing an investment of over $18.3 billion. Just two of the projects, Jabal Al –Ka’bah and Jabal Omar will consist of 16 towers between them and require 4,000 new staff.

CROWNE PLAZA OPENS IN QATAR

The first Crowne Plaza – The Business Park has opened in Doha, with 378 keys and 90 resident suites.

NEWS IN BRIEFMENA NEWS

495 MENA REGION HOTEL PIPELINE (source: STR Global)

Manama sees its first Holiday InnThe budget chain from IHG has opened its first property in Manama, Bahrain, close to the international airport. Owned by Ishraq Gulf Real Estate Holding Company and Dubai

International Capital and costing $40 million, the hotel features a 24 hour self service business centre and lounge bar, free internet connection and a gym.

Healthy growth and demand for Middle East airlinesIn the first half of 2012, Middle Eastern airlines reported a strong increase in demand, up 18.2 per cent in June on last year and 18.1 per cent up on the first six months of the year, according to data released by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA). Month on month there has also been an increase, with June up

Bahrain’s first Holiday Inn is now open

1.9 percent on May 2012.“Middle East carriers recorded

an 18 per cent increase in demand against a 14.2 per cent increase in capacity. The airlines have been adding capacity to meet the need for moving goods between the Middle East and Africa and also toward Europe and Asia,” IATA said.


DATA WATCH

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 11HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 11cpidubai.com SEPTEMBER 2012

DATA WATCH

Data watchGlobal hotel data review for July 2012 from STR Global

JULY 2012 VS JULY 2011

ASIA PACIFIC

OCC% ADR PERCENTAGE CHANGE FROM JULY 2011

2012 2011 2012 2011 OCC ADR REVPAR

68.3 69.8 136.06 135.82 -2.2 0.2 -2.1

REVPAR

AMERICAS


2012 2011 2012 2011 OCC ADR REVPAR

70.0 67.2 109.61 106.15 0.5 3.3 3.8

REVPAR

EUROPE


2012 2011 2012 2011 OCC ADR REVPAR

71.7 73.4 134.33 147.23 -2.3 -8.8 -10.9

REVPAR

MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA


2012 2011 2012 2011 OCC ADR REVPAR

56.7 59.6 140.67 137.80 -4.9 2.1 -3.0

REVPAR

2012 2011

92.86 94.81

2012 2011

2012 2011

2012 2011

KEY FIGURES

3.3% INCREASE IN ADR FROM JULY 2011

-2.1% DECREASE IN REVPAR FROM JULY 2011

-10.9% DECREASE IN REVPAR FROM ULY 2011

-4.9% DECREASE IN OCCUPANCY FROM JULY 2011

76.74 73.95

96.27 108.00

79.72 82.15

68.3% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN ASIA

PACIFIC IN JULY 2012

70% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN

AMERICAS IN JULY 2012

70.1% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN EUROPE

IN JULY 2012

56.7% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN MIDDLE

EAST IN JULY 2012

Gg

Ao

EW

“DATA WATCH

12 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST SEPTEMBER 2012 cpidubai.com

DATA WATCH

43.2% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN CAIRO

IN JULY 2012

82.3% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN DUBAI

YEAR UP TO JULY 2012

$149 AVERAGE ARR IN ABU DHABI 12

MONTHS UP TO JULY 2012

59.7% AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN RIYADH

12 MONTHS UP TO JULY 2012

Hotstats briefing dataMiddle East and North Africa chain hotels - performance report from TRI Hospitality Consultants

ABU DHABI

CAIRO

DUBAI

JEDDAH

RIYADH

SHAM EL SHEIKH

THE MONTH OF JULY 2012

OCC% ARR RevPAR TrevPAR Payroll GDP PAR

57.1 104.95 59.90 44.69 34.7% 24.33

43.2 113.35 49.01 96.69 22.8% 29.89

70.0 138.51 131.90 244.06 31.3% 45.18

83.9 229.39 192.47 296.79 20.9% 143.82

46.5 224.46 104.34 167.11 28.1% 58.59

66.9 44.97 30.10 57.75 17.1% 18.52

THE MONTH OF JULY 2011


61.6 114.58 70.54 164.85 29.4 40.83

41.4 125.09 51.72 108.72 17.8 55.79

80.9 177.25 143.48 265.79 25.8 65.09

80.8 206.47 166.81 248.94 21.7 109.91

49.7 222.50 110.53 165.51 23.7 66.21

72.3 41.01 29.63 58.18 16.0 21.22

ABU DHABI

CAIRO

DUBAI

JEDDAH

RIYADH

SHAM EL SHEIKH

MOVEMENT FOR THE MONTH OF JULY


-4.5 -8.4% -15.1% -12.2% -53 -40.4%

1.9 9.4% 5.2% 11.1% 5.0 46.4%

-11.0 6.4% 8.1% 8.2% 5.5 30.6%

3.1 11.1% 15.4% 19.2% 0.8 30.9%

-3.2 0.9% -5.6% 1.0% -4.3 -11.5%

-5.3 9.7% 1.6% -0.7% -1.1 -12.7%

PERCENTAGE CHANGE

CALENDAR YEAR TO JULY 2012


68.5 142.39 97.58 214.13 25.6 79.67

45.6 108.81 49.56 100.49 21.8 42.31

82.3 286.04 235.43 410.42 19.4 184.59

81.1 220.27 178.72 285.38 21.7 134.20

63.9 252.45 161.28 264.92 18.3 145.71

59.3 45.41 26.91 51.84 18.6 16.96

ABU DHABI

CAIRO

DUBAI

JEDDAH

RIYADH

SHAM EL SHEIKH

TWELVE MONTHS TO JULY 2012


69.3 149.86 103.86 222.28 24.1 86.39

42.6 112.14 47.77 97.79 22.2 40.52

80.1 284.73 228.17 399.48 19.6 172.24

78.2 216.17 168.96 271.79 22.0 124.73

59.7 254.40 151.91 250.77 18.2 135.32

61.5 47.36 29.15 55.26 17.5 19.58

CALENDAR YEAR TO JULY 2011


68.1 166.49 113.38 237.08 21.7 100.09

38.1 123.71 47.12 91.52 22.3 41.50

82.4 264.65 218.19 384.44 18.8 166.66

74.4 201.48 149.81 242.02 22.7 104.74

64.8 265.63 172.01 267.54 17.2 150.37

47.5 49.63 23.55 43.72 20.3 13.97

TWELVE MONTHS TO JULY 2011


66.7 179.24 119.57 241.63 21.0 105.61

51.4 119.97 61.61 116.46 16.8 60.82

79.6 264.54 210.48 372.34 19.3 157.36

73.9 201.04 148.49 240.30 22.6 105.91

59.0 263.52 155.36 244.63 17.9 133.13

63.6 59.62 37.93 66.55 13.9 31.24

MOVEMENT FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR TO JULY


0.4 -14.5% -13.9% -9.7% -3.9 -20.4%

7.5 -12.0% 5.2% 9.8% 0.5 2.0%

-0.1 8.1% 7.9% 6.8% -0.6 10.8%

6.8 9.3% 19.3% 17.9% 1.0 28.1%

-0.9 -5.0% -6.2% -1.0% -1.0 -3.1%

11.8 -8.5% 14.3% 18.6% 1.7 21.4%

MOVEMENT FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS TO JULY


2.6 -16.4% -13.1% -8.0% -3.2 -18.2%

-8.8 -6.5% -22.5% -16.0% -5.4 -33.4%

0.6 7.6% 8.4% 7.3% -0.3 9.5%

4.3 7.5% 13.8% 13.1% 0.6 17.8%

0.7 -3.5% -2.2% 2.5% -0.3 1.6%

-2.1 20.6% -23.1% -17.0% -3.7 -37.3%

2012

2011

Glion Institute of Higher Education’s 100% online programs are dedicated to developing executive talent for the global hospitality and wider services industry.

As a market leader in international hospitality management education and with close ties to the industry, Glion off ers tailor-made online programs for corporate partners.

Email: [email protected]: www.gliononline.com

Mark Jones is Senior Director, Hotel Development EMEA for World Hotels and a current Glion online MBA student.

“ The Glion Online MBA is my key to seizing opportunities and adapting to change”

BUDGET FOR MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT,

JORDAN

$1b

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 15SEPTEMBER 2012

TendersEverything you need to know about the latest new and existing hospitality projects

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

NEW SUPPLY AND SERVICE TENDERSProject name: Royal Saudi Naval Forces City: Riyadh 11495 Postal/Zip Code: 22494Country: Saudi ArabiaPhone: (+966-1) 477 6777Website: www.moda.gov.saNature of work: Provision of catering services for marine forces employees of a defence authority.Cost of Tender Documents ($): 1,870 Last date of submission: September 19, 2012

Project name: Royal Saudi Air Force Address: III, Building No. 670, King Abdul Aziz Airbase, Dhahran International AirportCity: Dhahran Country: Saudi ArabiaPhone: (+966-3) 879 2963Nature of work: Provision of cooked food for shift personnel and operating restaurants for a government authority.Cost of Tender Documents ($): 400 Last date of submission: September 17, 2012

Project name: Ministry of Interior (Saudi Arabia)Address: General Diwan, Airport RoadCity: Riyadh 11134 Postal/Zip Code: 2933Country: Saudi ArabiaPhone: (+966-1) 401 1944 / 401 1111Fax: (+966-1) 403 1125Website: www.moi.gov.saNature of work: Supply of cooked food for a ministry.Cost of Tender Documents ($): 1,070

Last date of submission: September 15, 2012

Project name: Public Authority for Minor Affairs - PAMA City: Safat Country: KuwaitPhone: (+965) 2245 6100

Fax: (+965) 2245 8367Nature of work: Provision of messenger

and hospitality services for a Government authority.Cost of Tender Documents ($): 790 Last date of submission: September 4, 2012

Project name: National Guard Address: KhaldiyaPostal/Zip Code: 17010Country: KuwaitPhone : (+965) 2481 1633Fax: (+965) 2481 2831Nature of work: Preparing and supply of meals, hot

and cold drinks for a defense authority.Cost of Tender Documents ($): 78,930 Last date of submission: September 18, 2012

NEW TENDERS

Project Name: Kempinski Hotel Project - Jeddah Corniche Description: Construction of 65-storey five-star Kempinski Hotel, consists of (242) hotel rooms and (104) serviced apartments.Client Name: AMIAS Real Estate Company Ltd. Country: Saudi Arabia Status: New Project

Project Name: Abraj Towers Project - Abraj Quartier Development Description: Construction of (2 Nos.) 40-story Abraj Towers.Client Name: United Development Company q.s.c. Country: Qatar Status: New Project

Project Name: Marsa Zayed Mixed-use Development Project - Phase 1

Description: Design and construction of 3.2 square-kilometre Marsa Zayed mixed-use development comprising a 33-storey tower, 263 village flats that will be serviced by a neighbourhood retail and community centre, a grand mosque that will accommodate 2,000 worshippers, 146 townhouses and all infrastructure works - Phase 1.Client Name: Al Maabar Abdoun Real Estate Development Company (Jordan) Country: Jordan Consultant: Hill International Middle East Ltd. Budget (USD): 10000000000 Status: New Project

Project Name: Al-Risafa Sports Stadium Project Description: Construction of Al-Risafa sports stadium with capacity of 30,000 seatsClient Name: Ministry of Youth & Sports Country: Iraq Consultant: Hill International, Inc. (USA)Budget (USD): 100000000 Status: New Project

Project Name: Jasmine Residential & Commercial Complex Project

16 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST SEPTEMBER 2012 cpidubai.com

TENDERS

BU

BUDGET FOR AL FORSAN HOTEL, UAE

$140m

Description: Development of Jasmine Complex comprising residential and commercial facilities.Client Name: Taameer Investment Company Country: Oman Consultant: Arab Engineering Bureau (Qatar)Contractor: United Golden Construction CompanyBudget (USD): 39000000 Status: Current Project

Project Name: Smash Tennis Academy Construction Project Description: Construction of Smash Tennis Academy.Client Name: Qatar Olympic CommitteeCountry: Qatar Consultant: EHAF Consulting Engineers (Qatar)Contractor: Hamad Bin Khalid Contracting Company - HBK- (Qatar)Budget (USD):18000000 Status: Current Project

Project Name: ADISC Residential, Leisure & Commercial Compound Project Description: Construction of ADISC residential, leisure and commercial compound.Client Name: Private Property Management Country: UAE Consultant: WS Atkins & Partners Overseas Contractor: Fibrex Industrial & Construction Group (Abu Dhabi)Budget (USD): 50000000 Current Project

Project Name: Dragon II Shopping Mall ProjectDescription: Construction of two-storey Dragon II shopping mall comprising retail mix, cinemas, hypermarket, food court, kids’ amusement, gymnasium, stores, cafes, etc.Client Name: Nakheel PJSC (Dubai) Country: UAE Consultant: Dar Al Handasah (Shair & Partners) Contractor: Kele Contracting L.L.C (Dubai)Status: Current Project

Project Name: JW Marriott Hotel Construction Project - Bahrain Bay Waterfront Development Description: Construction of 50-storey JW Marriott Hotel on a waterfront development.Client Name: Remza Investment Company (Bahrain) Country: BahrainStatus: New Project

Project Name: Kingdom Riyadh Land Mixed-use Development Project Description: Development of a multi-purpose scheme, focusing on tourism and housing involving construction of mixed-use residential and commercial buildings, hotels, retail spaces, parks, car parks, private leisure and equestrian clubs, and serviced bungalows.Client Name: Kingdom Holding Company Country: Saudi Arabia Consultant: Omrania & Associates Architecture & Engg. Consultants (Saudi Arabia)Budget (USD): 7000000000 Status: New Project

Project Name: Ghantoot Green City Project

Description: Design and construction of Green City comprising commercial

centres, hotels, offices, residential area, warehousing and light industrial areas.

Client Name: International Capital Trading L.L.C (Abu Dhabi)

Country: UAE Consultant: KEO International Consultants Budget (USD): 10000000000 Status: New Project

Project Name: King Abdullah International Gardens Project Description: Design and construction of King Abdullah International Gardens covering a site area of 1.6 million square metres comprising a leisure dome of 400 million years of history of earth plants, trees and flowers.Client Name: Riyadh Municipality Country: Saudi Arabia Consultant: Natural History Museum (UK)Budget (USD): 504000000 Status: New Project

Project Name: Le Meridien Hotel Mina Seyahi Refurbishment Project Description: Carrying out refurbishment of Le Meridien Hotel Mina Seyahi.Client Name: Wasl Asset Management Group Country: UAE Consultant: Brewer Smith Brewer Gulf (Dubai)Contractor: Golden Wing Contracting L.L.C (Dubai)Status: Current Project

Project Name: Nile Ritz Carlton Hotel Refurbishment Project Description: Carrying out refurbishment/

modernising of the existing 13-storey Nile Ritz Carlton Hotel.Client Name: Misr Hotels Company Country: Egypt Consultant: Hill International Ltd. (Egypt)Contractor: Orascom Construction Industries (Egypt)Status: Current Project

Project Name: Al Forsan Hotel Project Description: Construction of 5-star Al Forsan Hotel comprising a basement level, a ground floor and (6) additional floors which will offer (400) rooms, including restaurants, a swimming pool, a sauna, a gymnasium, high speed elevators and 24-hours security.Client Name: Private Property ManagementCountry: UAE Consultant: Atkins & Partners Overseas (Abu Dhabi)Contractor: Fibrex Industrial & Construction GroupBudget (USD): 140000000 Status: Current Project

Project Name: Fujairah Commercial Complex Project Description: Construction of a commercial complex including a 5-star Millennium Hotel comprising a ground floor and 22 additional floors and a shopping mall comprising a basement level, a ground floor and 4 additional floors, with amenities such as an ice rink, 6 cinemas, restaurants, swimming pool, carrefour, high speed elevators and 24 hours security.Client Name: Aswaq Management & Services Country: UAE Consultant: Architectural Consulting Group - ACGContractor: Commodore Contracting Company L.L.CBudget (USD): 116000000 Status: Current Project

Project Name: Grand Continental Flamingo Hotel Project Description: Construction of 5-star Grand Continental Flamingo Hotel comprising (5) basement levels, a ground floor, a mezzanine floor, (18) additional floors that will offer (150) apartments and a roof, including amenities such as restaurants, a swimming pool, a sauna, a Jacuzzi, a gymnasium, high speed elevators and 24-hours security.Client Name: Grand Continental Flamingo Hotel Country: UAE Consultant: Syrconsult Consulting Engineers Contractor: Square General Contracting Company L.L.C (Abu Dhabi)Budget (USD): 145000000 Status: Current Project

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 17SEPTEMBER 2012cpidubai.com

TENDERS

BUDGET FOR NILE TOWERS HOTEL,

EGYPT

$153m

Project Name: Jeddah Frozen Food Plant Construction Project Description: Construction of a 2,000 tonne per year (t/y) capacity frozen plant in Jeddah.Client Name: Al-Kabeer Foods (Dubai) Country: Saudi Arabia Budget (USD): 13500000 Status: New Project

Project Name: Gypsum Board & Plaster Board Plant Development Project Description: Carrying out development of a plant with capacity to produce 8-million square metres of gypsum board a year and 200,000 tonnes a year (t/y) of plaster of paris.Client Name: Zawawi Minerals (Oman) Country: Oman Budget (USD): 60000000Status: New Project

Project Name: Basra Power & Steel Plant Project Description: Construction of a power and steel plant in Basra.Client Name: State Company for Iron & Steel Country: IraqBudget (USD): 3000000000 Status: New Project

Project Name: Mixed-Use Development Project - Project Number: 56850Territory: Obhur District Description: Design and construction of a 2.4 million square metre mixed-use development in Obhur, which includes (240 Nos.) residential towers, (1,200 Nos.) villas, a five-star hotel, hospital, clinics, mosques, commercial district, schools and municipal buildings. Territory: Saudi Arabia Client Name: Company Name: Rayadah Investment Company (Saudi Arabia)City: Riyadh 11564Country: Saudi ArabiaPhone: (+966-1) 205 9911Fax: (+966-1) 205 9922Email: [email protected]: www.raid.com.sa Consultants: Infrastructure Consultant, Saudi Consulting Services (SaudConsult) - Saudi Arabia, KEO International Consultants (Saudi Arabia) Status: New Tender Last Updated: July 11, 2012 Tender Categories: Construction & Contracting, Hotels, Medical & Healthcare

Remarks: This project is at Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Client has received prequalification entries for an infrastructure package on the residential scheme and is planning to issue tender documents for the contract by July 2012. Local office of KEO International Consultants has been appointed as the project manager on this development. Client has invited contractors to submit bids for the first infrastructure and earthworks package on this scheme. Client has set a deadline of August 13, 2012 for the tender. Local Saud Consult has been appointed as the infrastructure consultant on this scheme.

Project Name: Jabal Omar Area Development Project Number: 56968Description: Development of Jabal Omar area involving construction of five-star hotels, residential towers, retail concourse and a car park. Budget ($): 5100000000 Territory Saudi Arabia ClientCompany Name: Jabal Omar Development Company (Saudi Arabia)City: MakkahCountry: Saudi ArabiaPhone: (+966-2) 553 3898Fax: (+966-2) 559 3395Consultants: Design Consultant Associated Consultants Engineers (ACE) InternationalDesign Consultant-1: Hill International Middle East Ltd. (Saudi Arabia)Financial Consultant: Al Rajhi Banking & Investment Corporation (Saudi Arabia)Master Plan Consultant: T.R. Hamzah & Yeang International (Malaysia)Project Manager: Hill International Middle East Ltd. (Saudi Arabia)Contractors: A/C, Chillers & Heating Systems Supplier, Saudi Tabreed (Saudi Arabia), Cement & Concrete Products Supplier, Saudi Readymix Concrete Company Ltd. (Saudi Arabia), Cement & Concrete Products Supplier(1), Precast Manufacturing Co. - PREMCO Main Contractor: Rio Trading & Contracting Company (Saudi Arabia) Main Contractor(1): Saudi Oger Limited Main Contractor(2): Saudi Binladin Group Main Contractor(3): Saudi Arabian Baytur Construction Company L.L.C (Saudi Arabia)Main Contractor(4): Azmeel Contracting & Construction Corporation (Saudi Arabia), Safety Products Supplier , Combisafe (UK)Status: Current Project Last Updated: July 22, 2012 Tender Categories: Prestige Buildings, Leisure &

Entertainment, HotelsRemarks This project will be developed around the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. To be built over 230,000 square metres, the scheme will entail construction of (40) hotels, (15 Nos.) 35-storey residential towers, a four-level retail concourse and a car park to accommodate (12,000) vehicles. The project also includes commercial developments, roads, gardens, schools, medical centres, air-conditioned plazas for 100,000 worshippers and open courtyards for prayers. The scheme will be handled by a newly formed company, Jabal Omar Development Company, which is expected to soon issue a tender for the position of project and construction manager. Malaysia’s TR Hamzah & Yeang has carried out the original master plan.

Project Name: Nile Towers Project Description: Construction of 22-storey Nile Towers consisting a five-star hotel tower and a residential tower. Budget ($): 153000000 Territory: Egypt Client: Saudi Egyptian Construction Company: (SECON) - EgyptAddress: GanaklisCity: AlexandriaCountry: EgyptPhone: (+22-03) 5820699/5827011Main Contractors: Arabtec Construction L.L.CMain Contractor(1): SIAC Industrial Construction & Engineering Company (Egypt)

Status: Current Project Last Updated: July 23, 2012

Tender Categories: Hotels, Leisure & Entertainment, Prestige BuildingsRemarks: This project is in Egypt. The scheme will have a total built up

area of 105,000 square metres. First tower will be a fiver star hotel managed

by Hilton International, with a total of (256) rooms and the second will be for residential use and will consist (114) hotel apartments. A joint venture of Dubai-based Arabtech Construction and local SIAC Industrial Construction & Engineering Company has been awarded the main construction contract on this scheme. Work is scheduled to commence in 2012 and completion expected in 2015.

Project Name: Muscat Convention & Exhibition Centre Project Number: 479Description Construction of Muscat Convention & Exhibition Centre. Budget ($): 1800000000

C

TENDERS


BUDGET FOR MSHEIREB DOWNTOWN,

DOHA PROJECT

$500m

Territory: Oman Client: Company Name: Oman Tourism Development Company S.A.O.C (Omran)City: Muttrah PC 114Country: OmanPhone: (+968) 2477 3700Fax: (+968) 2479 3929Email: [email protected]: www.omran.om Design Consultant: RMJM (UK)Environmental Consultant: Geo-Resources Consultancy (Oman)Main Consultant: RMJM (UK)Master Plan Consultant: WATG (UK)Project Manager: AEG Ogden (Australia)Quantity Surveyor: Hanscomb & Company L.L.CContractors: Foundations, Enabling & Piling Contractor Al-Awazi International L.L.C (Oman)Status: Current Project Last Updated: July 22, 2012 Tender Categories: Construction & Contracting, Hotels, Leisure & EntertainmentRemarks: This project is in Oman. The convention centre will be located in Muscat, about 4 kilometres from the airport. The client has invited firms to submit proposals by June 04, 2007 for various consultancy contracts, which covers project management services, mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering, construction engineering and civil engineering. Bids have been submitted on July 16, 2012 for the packages 5.2, which include construction of a primary substation on this scheme. Construction contract is expected to be awarded in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Project Name: Msheireb Downtown Doha Development Project Description: Development of Msheireb Downtown Doha (Formerly Heart of Doha City) mixed-use scheme comprising several districts, including a residential and mixed-use quarter, a retail quarter, a heritage quarter and a commercial area. Budget ($): 5,500,000,000 Territory: Qatar Client: Company Name: Msheireb Properties (Qatar)City: DohaCountry: QatarPhone: (+974) 4459 0459Fax: (+974) 4421 6125Email: [email protected]: www.msheireb.com Design Consultant: Aedas (Hong Kong)Design Consultant-1: Burns & McDonnell Engineering (USA)

Design Consultant-2: Mossessian & Partners Ltd. Main Architect: John McAslan & Partners (UK)Main Consultant: Gensler Associates InternationalMain Consultant-1: HOK International (Qatar)Master Plan Consultant: Adjaye Associates (UK)Master Plan Consultant-1: Allies & Morrison Architects (UK)Project Manager : Turner Projacs (Qatar)Contractors: District Cooling Systems Supplier, Drake & Scull International (Qatar), Foundations, Enabling & Piling Contractor, Bauer International L.L.C (Qatar), Foundations, Enabling & Piling Contractor(1), Ammico Contracting Company (Qatar), Foundations, Enabling & Piling Contractor(2), Swissboring Overseas Corporation Ltd. (Qatar)Infrastructure Works Contractor: Contracting & Trading Company - CAT (Qatar)Main Contractor: Hyundai Engineering CorporationMain Contractor(1): HBK Contracting (Qatar)Main Contractor(2): Carillion plc (UK)Main Contractor(3): Qatar Building CompanyMedia Contractor: Crystal Media (Qatar)MEP Contractor: Drake & Scull International PJSCRaft Foundation Contractor: Redco InternationalWaste Collection System Contractor: Envac W.L.L (Qatar)Status: Current Project Last Updated: July 17, 2012 Tender Categories: Construction & Contracting, Hotels, Industrial & Special ProjectsRemarks: This project will be located behind Emiri Diwan administrative centre on Doha corniche in Qatar covering a development area of 750,000 square

metres. The development will contain hotel, retails, residential, mosques, culture,

heritage, school and government buildings ranging from 3 to 30 storeys. More than 100 buildings will be constructed to offer housing,

workspace, cultural and community facilities, while preserving key heritage

buildings. The Mushiereb site is bordered by Al Rayyan Road to the North, Jassim Bin Mohammed street to the East, Musheireb Street to the south and Al Diwan Street (part of Ring Road) to the West. The mixed-use scheme includes an interchange for Doha’s proposed metro system, a shopping mall, hotels and a commercial district. The commercial area will be called Headquarters Gateway. The client has invited contractors to pre-qualify for the building construction contract on this scheme. The estimated $220 million package for which contractors are being invited to pre-qualify involves the construction of a national archive building, an annex to the Diwan Centre, and a building for the Emiri Guard, which is

part of the country’s armed forces. All buildings are designed according to environmentally sustainable building standards, with the aim of receiving a platinum rating, the highest available, from the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) rating system developed by the US’ Green Building Council. The total built-up area of the buildings is about 144,000 square metres. An award for the main contract is expected by the end of this year and construction is expected to commence by the first week of January 2010. US’ Turner Construction International is acting as the project manager.It is understood that client has once again extended the deadline to submit commercial bids for phase 2 on this scheme until July 30, 2012.

Project Name: Mixed-Use Development Project - Nad Al Qasimia Description: Construction of a mixed-use develop-ment including (2) residential towers, (1) office tower and a hotel tower, each comprising (2) basement levels, a ground floor and (36) additional floors. Budget: ($): 210000000 Territory: Sharjah Client: Company Name: Sheraton Four Points HotelAddress: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Group 1111, Westchester Avenue, White Plains City: New York 10604Country: United States of AmericaPhone: (+1-914) 640 8100Email: [email protected]: http://www.fourpoints.com Consultants: Design Consultant: QHC - Architects & Engineers L.L.C (Sharjah)Main Consultant: QHC - Architects & Engineers L.L.CMEP Consultant: QHC - Architects & Engineers L.L.CContractors: Aluminium Products Supplier, Al Fayha Aluminium Factory (Dubai)Elevators Supplier: Mitsubishi Electric (Dubai)Elevators Supplier(1): ETA-MELCO Elevator Com-pany L.L.C (Dubai)Main Contractor: Al Tharwaniah Building Contract-ing (Sharjah)MEP Contractor: Technical Engineering Services Paints Supplier: Jotun UAE Limited L.L.C (Dubai)Paints Supplier(1): National Paints Factories Company Ltd. (Sharjah)Safety Products Supplier: Combisafe Gulf FZEStatus: Current Project Last Updated: July 17, 2012 Tender Categories: Hotels, Prestige Buildings, Remarks: This project is at Nad Al Qasimia in Shar-jah. Dubai’s Four Point Sheraton is the owner-opera-tor. It will also include a shopping mall comprising a ground floor and 2 additional floors.

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OPENING SOON

Having taken over from JW Marriott as operators, Ritz-Carlton has had its first Abu Dhabi hotel on the books for

a long time, but finally the seven year project is on the home stretch. General Manager Pep Lozano explains what makes his hotel special,

“This Ritz-Carlton is unlike any other. We are unique because no one has the same view or close location to the Grand Mosque as we do. The layout of the hotel, which is ten buildings in a crescent style with a huge swimming pool at the front, has a very restful feeling, you don’t feel

Owners: Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH)Architects: Otak International (USA)Interior design: SFA DesignSignature restaurants: Super Potato

Key players

50%EXPECTED AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN THE

FIRST YEAR

The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi aims to create a destination with a destination

like you’re in a tower, you feel like you’re part of a resort.”

The hotel has been inspired by Renaissance architecture and Venice, and is spread over 230,000 sq m,

featuring water sculptures, a huge main pool, kids’ area, a retail

area called Venetian Village and landscaped gardens. The hotel has required 700

staff, who will all be trained for 200 hours each.

Lozano sees many demographics as his target markets. The hotel will be aimed at both the MICE and business traveller markets as well as local residents and international tourists. Lozano explains

“We have the third largest ballroom in the UAE, and we’re working with Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority to get major conferences here next year. We have a number of weddings booked already. The local community is very important to us, we are right next to the Mosque, and there are plenty of facilities to cope with locals’ needs such as separate entrances and a majlis. We have one of the largest kids’ clubs in Abu Dhabi where they can not only play and learn but they can understand more about the local culture and we can also help them with their homework.”

Lozano expects around 50 per cent occupancy in the hotel’s first year,

Above

The resort style hotel will have unique views

of the Grand Mosque

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST / 21cpidubai.com SEPTEMBER 2012

OPENING SOON

The Ritz-Carlton Abu DhabiThe Grand Canal, Abu Dhabi

T : (+971) 2 818 8888

www.ritzcarlton.com

and whilst the property is aimed at various demographics, he expects to see a 60/40 split between local and international guests.

ACCOMMODATION

The luxury property includes 447 keys, split between guestrooms and suites. The hotel also features 85 private one and two bedroom villas, which are aimed at long term guests.

“The villas have a private entrance and they’ll have special services like housekeeping and added value like restaurant discounts which make them attractive to long term guests,” explains Lozano.Guest rooms include some of the following facilities:

In mirror televisions Wireless technology or high speed internet access In room safe with outlet to recharge laptop computers, and mobiles Ritz Carlton branded bath products (Bulgari for Club level rooms, suites and villas) Spacious balconies

F&B OUTLETS

The Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi features ten F&B options, all of which will open at the same time the as main hotel and villas. The Forge – a traditional signature steakhouse built round a story of the

knife used for steaks Li Jiang – a stunning Asian restaurant with open kitchens and interactive cooking experiences Mijana – a traditional Arabic eaterie, offering good value Giornotte – a rustic Italian restaurant with a huge olive oil display Dolce – a café for ice cream, cakes and sundaes Alba – a lobby café serving ‘high tea’ Sorso – a chic and elegant cocktail bar within the main building Pool bars – serving Mexican and Mediterranean style light meals Al Fresco – a light and breezy outdoor restaurant

SPA

The stand alone spa sits at 2,000 sq m and will come under the Espa brand. It will include 15 private treatment rooms, outdoor plunge pools and a private beach. The spa will open later in Q2, 2013.

FACILITIES

1600 sq m pool Fully equipped fitness centre Meeting rooms with satellite conferencing capabilities Limo service Twice daily housekeeping attention Concierge and valet services 1,550 Roma ballroom with backdrop of Grand Mosque and audio/visual equipment and technicians

WEDDING FACILITIES

The Ritz-Carlton has impressive facilities for weddings including: Separate entrance Direct elevator access to ballroom from the Bridal Suite Private majlis Wedding specialists

Left and below:

Li-Jiang restaurant; one of the luxury bedrooms

DOMESTIC VS INTERNATIONAL GUESTS

60%MIDDLE EAST MARKET

40%INTERNATIONALMARKET

Nov 12OPENING DATE

OMAN REPORT


The previously sleepy Sultanate is ramping up its hospitality developments ACCESS ALL OMANW

ithin the next three years Oman will see significant hotel openings, it will also be home to a new national

museum (2013), and a new airport in Muscat (2014) and the enormous Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (2015), which alone will cost around $1.8 billion, in addition to the Royal Opera House which opened last year.

HVS has projected a pipeline of 2,555 rooms by 2016 in their recent ‘Zoom into Muscat’ report, and the same study saw an increase of 21 per cent in arrivals to the Sultanate in Q1 this year, compared to the same period in 2011. An increase in flights between Salalah and Dubai and

Most of Oman remains undeveloped, but it is starting to change

Sharjah have also aided the country’s recent tourism figures, with an average of 94 per cent occupancy over the Eid weekend, in Salalah.

The country is also seeing a growth in locations outside Muscat, with Salalah, Khasab and Duqm all receiving significant investment into the hospitality pipeline. Operator Golden Tulip alone is looking to increase its portfolio in the country by nine properties.

“According to STR Global data, Oman and Muscat achieved occupancies of 37.8 per cent and 38.1 per cent respectively in June 2011 and 46.7 per cent and 51.6 per cent respectively in June 2012. Therefore when comparing the two months in

both years, occupancy levels have risen around 10 per cent in Oman and 13 per cent in Muscat. Credit goes to an overall improvement in the tourism market compounded by the effects of the Arab Spring, the general growth in Oman’s economy and the continuation/restart of tourism and infrastructure projects which support corporate demand particularly into the summer months. I would expect occupancy figures in Oman to continue to improve, albeit at a slower pace until the new supply of hotel stock comes online together with the new opening of the new Muscat International airport in 2014,” says Gavin Samson, Managing Director, Christie + Co, MENA.

248 NUMBER OF HOTELS IN OMAN 2012


OMAN REPORT 16,670IATA DATA SHOWS 16,670 PASSENGER MOVEMENTS BETWEEN DUBAI AND SALALAHBY END OF APRIL 2012

Above right,

opposite and below:

Salalah Beach development from

Omran; Jabal Akhdar rending; Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort

& Spa

But it hasn’t all been plain sailing for Oman. Out of 41 projects commissioned between 2006 and 2010, 19 were not started, five were shelved and only three are currently operating. A lack of infrastructure, the global economic crisis and nervous investors have all hampered developments, but as the Minister for Tourism, Ahmed bin Nasser Al Maehzri said recently, “we also found that we need to have a vision for the tourism sector, and in order to have integrated planning, we need the involvement of several agencies, like hotels, tour operators and airlines.”

Samson sees this starting to change, especially through local investments which are kickstarting previously stalled projects,

“During the economic boom, many of the large GCC real estate

development companies were granted concessions to develop large mixed-use tourism projects but some of these companies have since been disbanded and the projects either put on hold

or dropped altogether. Some of the large projects such as Yiti Beach are currently being re-master planned and seeking investment once again and others such as Ras Al Hadd have seen


OMAN REPORT

Market Performance

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Year to June 2011 Year to June 2012

Occupancy (%) Average rate (US$) RevPAR (US$)

Source: HVS Research

commitment reaffirmed by Qatari Diar. Although there is a good level of outside interest in Oman’s tourism and hotel projects in general, what we are seeing are significant levels of local Omani investment by one or two entities who are taking majority stakes in some of the stalled hotel projects thus allowing development to continue. This is a very positive approach as the commitment and financial backing tends to be stronger. ROIs are marginally lower than other markets such as UAE due to lower RevPar projections but operating assumptions and development costs are similar.”

He adds, “Oman’s potential is there for all to see but it will take a coordinated approach between the Ministry of Tourism, Oman Air, hotels and other responsible entities to grow the tourism industry effectively, particularly with the new airport coming online.”

These elements are starting to come into play, low cost airline services are becoming more regular and both foreign and local investment partners are coming back to Oman, especially for niche sectors like adventure and eco-tourism.

One of the main drivers behind the new surge in hospitality and tourism developments is OMRAN. OMRAN was set up by the Government of Oman to deliver major tourism projects and manage investments and

assets, it’s the largest tourism-related company operating in the Sultanate and its portfolio includes luxury hotels and resorts, sports venues, business destinations and mixed-use, joint venture developments.

“OMRAN plays a very important role in the investment and development of the tourism industry. Its role is to help deliver the government’s vision of tourism being a major economic driver of the future,” says Samson.

The Grand Hyatt, Muscat is one of the oldest hotels in Oman (it opened in 1998), that sees an average of 80 per cent occupancy during the winter. Sharif Al Bakry, Hotel Manager, sees huge change in the once sleepy city.

“More and more people are taking note of Muscat as an upcoming shoppers’ destination, thanks to glitzy malls like City Centre Muscat and Qurum City Centre. The shopping scape of the Sultanate has undergone a sea change in the last few years.”

Despite other destinations receiving significant investment, Al Bakry, regards this as positive for the country as a whole,

“Exposure of the new areas in return increases interest towards Oman as a whole which in return would be beneficial to the hospitality industry in Oman.”

The next two years’ supply, Al Bakry believes will only be enough for now,

“It will be enough but only for a short term period, due to Muscat being awarded the Arab Tourism Capital for 2012. Most of these rooms will be filled by the business and leisure segments.”

Hoteliers speak…on leisure travel


OMAN REPORT

Seasonality

Source: Ministry of Tourism/ HVSArrivals 2011 Arrivals 2010 Occupancy 2011 Occupancy 2010

Arriv

als

Occupancy

0

10,000

20,000

30000

40,000

50,000

60,000

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

OMRAN is heavily involved in several major projects across Oman, the biggest being the new Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in Muscat, which will include 22,000 sq m of exhibition space, an auditorium for 3,200, four hotels, a business park,

serviced apartments and a mall. It broke ground in January 2011 and is expected to open in 2015. Wael Al Lawati, the CEO of Omran shares his company’s role in building Oman’s tourism future.

“The project will be a focus for

business and tourism, creating hundreds of local jobs and attracting visitors from all over the world. OMRAN’s role is to take the tourism industry a step further. It does this by developing strategic projects which will bring substantial benefits to the

The Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa has the biggest room inventory and the most comprehensive MICE facilities in the Sultanate. Peter Donlevy, Director of Sales & Marketing, sees the MICE business as a key growth market.

“Oman is a preferred destination for incentive travel, and most of our MICE business comes from the GCC countries but we are developing new source markets in Russia, Eastern Europe and India.”

While the business segment is still smaller than leisure tourism at the moment, the Sultanate is looking to grow this aggressively with better business infrastructure like improved airport and convention facilities.

“There is concerted effort in both the private and government sectors across various industries to improve Oman’s infrastructure and facilities that will definitely impact on the tourism industry.”

Hoteliers speak…on MICE businessRight and opposite

page: Fort Hotel rendering from Omran;

Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa


OMAN REPORT

UAE VISITORS UP 30 PER CENT, AND GCC IN GENERAL UP 26% GDP

30%

OMRAN’s role is to take the tourism industry a step further. It does this by developing strategic projects which will bring substantial benefits to the Oman economy, as well as regional developments that might not happen if left to the private sector aloneWael Al Lawati, CEO, OMRAN

Oman economy, as well as regional developments that might not happen if left to the private sector alone.”

True to its word, OMRAN is helping to develop the regional port town of Duqm.

“OMRAN’s interest in developing the Duqm Special Economic Zone (DSEZA) signifies the commitment to position Duqm as the largest logistical hub in the Middle East. The area’s strategic geographic location coupled with the DSEZA’s forward planning and leadership will make Duqm a key driver of economic diversification.”

OMRAN is responsible for a three hospitality projects in Duqm including the first ever prefabricated three star hotel.

Another area it is also helping to energise is Salalah, where the company has partnered with Muriya to develop Salalah Beach, which will include luxury villas, shops, a golf course and a marina. A smaller hotel, called Juweira Boutique hotel opened just before the monsoon season.

Salalah is crying out for additional room inventory over holiday periods. While this was fantastic for

local operators to have almost full occupancy over the recent Eid holiday, it did also point to an issue over the Sultanate’s existing infrastructure, as the area suffered food and fuel shortages with such a maximum capacity. While Oman has plenty of hotels up and coming, it will also need to make significant investment into its roads and other domestic logistics.

Samson adds, “The key to the development of tourism offerings outside Muscat is improvement in infrastructure and connectivity, together with the marketing of such offerings. Oman will attract niche elements from emerging markets with a preference for cultural, adventure and eco-tourism.”

Oman wants to see 10 per cent growth in tourism’s contribution to GDP this year, despite tourism stalling for the last few years, Al Lawati is confident Oman is entering a new phase,

“Many projects are well into their construction phases, with many due for completion in the next 24 months. Every rial invested in tourism has a high knock on effect in job

creation, directly and indirectly, far higher than many other industries. OMRAN strongly believes in not limiting developments to the Capital area but to reach out and encourage tourists to enjoy the various unique landscapes and characteristics the Sultanate enjoys.”

Samson sees the current pipeline as being sufficient for now, “Based on historic annual occupancy levels in Muscat, this pipeline would appear to be sufficient. Oman suffers from acute seasonality issues and hotels are full at certain times of the year and drop to 20 per cent during other periods. The huge increase in capacity at the new airport would suggest that demand be created for more hotel rooms but Oman’s tourism is developing slowly and surely and I there would not expect the new airport to create immediate demand over and above the supply suggested before 2016. It is


OMAN REPORT

2013 2014 2015 2016 TBC

Crowne Plaza Duqm IHG Golden Tulip Muscat

Louvre Hotels Group

InterContinental Muscat Hills

IHG Fort hotel OMRAN Westin Starwood

Holiday Inn Muscat Airport

IHG Missoni Carlson Rezidor

W Starwood

Radisson Carlson Rezidor

Kempinski Kempinski Element Starwood

Rotana Salalah Rotana Intercontinental Muscat Hills Golf Resort

IHG Four Seasons Starwood

Juweira Boutique Hotel Muriya Jabal Akhdar Resort Hotel

Ailia

Jabal Akhdar Resort HLG Duqm City Hotel TBC

Anantara Al Madina A’Zarqa Resort & Spa

Anantara

Khasab hotel Omran

UPDATED OMAN HOTELS PIPELINE

2.4mARRIVALS RECEIVED AT MUSCAT AIRPORT (IATA) IN 2011, UP 14 PER CENT.

Right: Grand Hyat Muscat

There is a good level of outside interest in Oman’s tourism and hotel projects in general, what we are seeing are significant levels of local Omani investment by one or two entities who are taking majority stakes in some of the stalled hotel projects thus allowing development to continue Gavin Samson, Director MENA, Christie + Co

also important to remember that the development pipeline in Oman tends to be pushed way out beyond initial estimations meaning that hotels generally come to market much later than initially forecasted.”

Oman is also one of the most forward thinking GCC destinations when it comes to considering the environmental damage of the hospitality industry, at planning

and construction stage. This is something Al Lawati feels passionate about sharing,

“OMRAN is the first tourism company in Oman, and one of a only a handful across the GCC, to achieve ISO I4001 accreditation for our environmental management system. We want to ensure that future tourism in Oman is both responsible and sustainable.”


REFURBISHMENT

Mercure, the midscale brand from Accor, is halfway through a global refurbishment which will

see 10,000 rooms refurbed this year (ten – fifteen per cent of the total portfolio). But with 75 per cent of its network operated under franchises or management contracts, how does the chain retain its sense of self, and expand successfully? Mercure’s Senior Vice President, Frederic Fontaine, has the answers.

Going ‘glocal’With predominantly franchised properties, how does Mercure intend to improve its market position?

HBME: What are the challenges of having

a coherent global network when 75 per

cent of your hotels are franchises?

Frederic Fontaine: Mercure has a coherent global network because it federates the hoteliers around strong brand identity hallmarks (for example, the Dédicaces room concept, the dedicated inspiration and style book, a quality contract that guarantees the uniqueness of the customer promise) and the acknowledged expertise of the Accor group (E-commerce,

procurement, technical expertise, training, etc.).

HBME: How are these franchises managed

and assessed?

FF: The franchisees are managed through a Franchise Federation in France and Directors of Franchise Operations which are the key contact points between all aspects of the brand and the owners. The brand runs quality audits and online guest satisfaction surveys that ensures that consistent brand experience is delivered to guests irrespective of the ownership mode of the hotel.

HBME: What happens if a franchise drops

below the required standard?

FF: Based on the above mentioned audits and surveys, the information is shared with the franchisee and everything is done to take corrective measures in a timely manner.

HBME: How do you balance a local appeal

with global standards?

FF: Today, the midscale market is perceived as undifferentiated, rational, functional and not fun. But consumers are seeking service, personality, pleasure, authenticity with contemporariness, all this without losing the high level of quality that global brands have made them discover. Mercure has extraordinary

Clockwise from top:

Mercure Dabab Bay; Mercure Al Khobar’s

bedrooms; Mercure Al Khobar’s pool; Mercure

Jebel Hafleet


FRANCHISING

Mercure are trialling a new renovation concept in France, its largest market. Dédicaces reduces cost, time and noise by 40 per cent by increasing component management (inspired by the auto industry) and offers hotels an extensive combination of choices as they refurbish bathrooms and bedrooms by module. A trend book and e-design device allow operators to preview their choices in 3D first. Having renovated 1,000 rooms so far, the brand will roll out the concept across other European markets.

Dédicaces - a renovation concept

assets with its diversity, personality and flexibility to meet guests’ needs but also to attract teams and partners. Being ‘Glocal’ is the strategy to set Mercure apart from its competitors in line with what consumers, partners and teams want. ‘Glocal’ means ensuring the same high level of quality and service in our entire network while being locally inspired, encouraging local cultures and specificities (design, decor, culinary specialties and local knowledge and advice of our teams) in each hotel.

HBME: How long will the global

renovation take?

FF: In 2010, the brand kicked-off the refurbishment programme. Today, close to 50 per cent of the brand’s rooms have been renovated or are in line with the brand’s new vision. Mercure confirms this renovation pace which ensures that 10 per cent to 15 per cent (10,000 bedrooms) of its establishments are refurbished each year – depending on the geographic regions – and that the renovation programme will be completed within four to five years.

HBME: Do you plan more hotels in the UAE

or GCC?

FF: Mercure is already well established

in the Middle East region with currently 19 hotels operating, but we feel that the potential for its growth is still enormous. We observe that in emerging and developing markets, the first segment that is the focus of

investors is the five-star segment. After a certain period, and

after the market matures, the need for high-quality midscale four-star

products appears, which is currently the case in most of

regional market places.Mercure moreover presents

opportunities for the overtake of existing hotel assets, which was the case of our latest Mercure opening; the Mercure Gold Mina Road, Dubai. This hotel was previously operated

under another brand, and its owner elected to partner with Accor under a franchise agreement.

HBME: What’s your market segment of the

midscale market worldwide?

FF: Mercure is the world’s third largest hotel chain, excluding North America, in the midscale segment and the largest in Europe where it has 500 hotels. It is the leader in France, Germany, Brazil and Australia and is expanding its network in the countries where it already operates, notably in the United Kingdom and Italy.

HBME : For franchisees what does Mercure

offer that is unique?

FF: For business or leisure, Mercure offers a real alternative to hotel chains and independent hotels. As each hotel is different, Mercure is unique as a brand. It gives owners the opportunity to have a say in the design and service of their hotel whilst benefiting from the strength of Mercure/Accor. As long as they comply with the brand’s product and service requirements which are more about guest experience and quality than merely the aesthetics (such as choosing certain defined colours, tables and chairs for the F&B outlets). It is the only midscale hotel brand that combines the strength of an international network, offering reassuringly the same quality standards with the experience of refreshingly different hotels, rooted in their local community.

HBME: What are the core brand values

that Mercure embodies?

FF: Values are the beliefs that drive the behaviour of Mercure teams. Unique to each brand, they are shared by guests, teams and partners. For Mercure, the guiding values in everything we do and offer are: authenticity - we are true, warm, convivial and sincere; curiosity: we are open and reaching out to people and personal commitment: we are committed, people centric and quality driven.

19HOTELS IN MERCURE’S

MIDDLE EAST PORTFOLIO INCLUDING ONE

IN DUBAI


FRANCHISING

HBME: What is your five year plan for the

Mercure brand?

FF: Being authentically attractive and attentive to our stakeholders will drive brand recommendation and boost our performance indicators for which we want to be recognised. Our ambition is to reach 900 hotels in the Mercure network before 2015.

HBME: Is each hotel’s location important

to your brand?

FF: Mercure continues to expand in large cities and on average opens

establishments in two new countries a year. In 2012, the

brand opened its first hotels in Russia and South Korea, respectively the Mercure

Arbat Moscow and Mercure Seoul Ambassador Gangnam

Sodowe. In 2013, the brand will continue to expand in Eastern Europe and will also develop its network in Latin America.

Location is part of the Mercure strategy. The expansion is based on building an extensive domestic network in each country where the brand is present. Major cities and

then secondary cities are Mercure preferred locations. To cater to both business and leisure travellers, more than 50 per cent of network hotels are located in city centres, capitals and large regional cities. The brand also features hotels located by the seaside, mountains, near golf courses and in resort destinations.

HBME: How do you meet rising

expectations in customer service?

FF: We do our best to propose products and services with unique advantages that guests will experience throughout their journey and which will contribute to the brand’s overall attractiveness. To do that we try to:

dimension of our hotels as each hotel has its own style and personality and hotel teams local knowledge and advice

Provide brand clustered offers: e.g. clustering our network by type of hotel (business, leisure breaks, and mountain) and offer specific products and services that match clients’ expectations. Implement our brand quality commitment: by having brand audits, the Mercure quality guarantee, renovating. Work on our friendly professional dimension: we are available, customer-centric. Put forward the network size (725 hotels, 49 countries) and diversity of locations (city centres, resorts, mountain-side)

Right and below:

Mercure Dabab Bay; Mercure Gold Mina

Road, Dubai

725MERCURE HOTELS WORLDWIDE, IN

49 COUNTRIES

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INTERVIEW

With Ras Al Khaimah’s Tourism Development Authority investing in tourism projects to the

tune of $500m, the emirate is seeing an influx of substantial projects from international brands. Hilton Worldwide is ahead of the game, with three distinctly branded properties set to open before the end of 2014 in Ras Al Khaimah, including the region’s first Waldolf Astoria. Mohab Ghali, Country Manager Ras Al Khaimah for Hilton Worldwide, tells us more about their developements and why it’s only the tip of the iceberg for the brand in the region.

HBME: Why is Ras Al Khaimah receiving so

much investment from Hilton?

Mohab Ghali: Ras Al Khaimah is fast becoming one of the region’s top destinations for both leisure and MICE, primarily for the quality of

Above and right:

Al Hamra Fort Hotel & Beach Resort; Mohab Ghali

Ras Al Khaimah? Ready!Ras Al Khaimah is a hive of development, and Hilton Worldwide looks set to make a buzz in the emirate

its tourism and hospitality industry. Overall visitor numbers are steadily increasing as the industry and government work in tandem to promote Ras Al Khaimah as a global destination, attracting niche segments like adventure and cultural tourists and the MICE industry. Ras Al Khaimah is a growing upscale and leisure area in the UAE, an alternative

international holiday destination, as well as a destination of choice for the expatriate community of the UAE. Moreover, the RAK government is investing heavily in commercial and infrastructural developments to attract industrial and business enterprises, resulting in a strong international business traveller community here.

HBME: What percentage of Hilton’s UAE

portfolio does Ras Al Khaimah make up?

MG: Currently, there are 10 Hilton properties operating in the UAE and four in Ras Al Khaimah, catering to both international and domestic leisure guests.

HBME: You plan to open the first Waldorf

Astoria in Ras Al Khaimah – why was this

location chosen?

MG: The Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah with its majestic design is located in the newest and most


RAK EXPANSION

Ras Al Khaimah is a growing upscale and leisure area in the UAE, an alternative international holiday destination

RAK TOURISM NUMBERS ARE ON THE INCREASE

(Source: RAK Tourism Development Authority)

523, 568TOURISTS FIRST H1 2012

835,200TOURIST FOR WHOLE 2011

upscale area of Al Hamra, west of Ras Al Khaimah and approximately 40 minutes away from Dubai International Airport. It will be part of a mixed-use development that includes an 18-hole championship

golf course, a 600-metre private white sandy beach and convention centre with capacity for 1,300 people theatre style. The hotel will provide an ideal location for guests looking for a calm and secluded oasis of relaxation.

HBME: What will the Waldorf Astoria offer

the UAE that we haven’t seen before?

MG: The Waldorf Astoria brand is synonymous with timeless luxury and sophistication and guests to the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah can expect a truly luxurious experience, with the highest level of service and comfort, with spectacular and tranquil surroundings.

HBME: How many keys/what facilities the

Waldorf Astoria will have?

MG: The Arabian-themed palace hotel has 346 oversized rooms that boast of a 65 to 170 sq metres space, and is also the ideal place for hosting a full range of spectacular private celebrations, conferences, parties, product launches and business meetings. Each of the spacious meeting rooms is complemented by experienced staff and state-of-the-art equipment and offer top of the line modern facilities which includes a number of outdoor temperature controlled swimming pools, a huge kids’ area with its own swimming pool, a helipad, tennis courts and watersports activities. The hotel will also feature a varied

choice of 10 restaurants and bars, of which four will offer fine dining. A bespoke spa experience has also been developed for the property.

HBME: What will the hotel offer the

domestic market?

MG: The Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah is the perfect hotel to mark the brand’s entry into the UAE and further marks the footprint of Hilton Worldwide in Ras Al Khaimah. The hotel is expected to be popular to the domestic market appealing to the wealthy and affluent expatriate community of the UAE during weekends and vacations for more luxury in RAK’s offerings. Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah will also capture the high end individuals and high level executives from the GCC on corporate city trips or holiday excursions to the UAE and Ras Al Khaimah city. Furthermore 50 per cent of the guests will comprise of luxury and leisure travellers and holiday makers coming from European countries.

HBME: Is there enough international

tourism to increase occupancy?

MG: The global economy is improving and the hotel industry is starting to

Below:

The Waldorf Astoria, RAK


RAK EXPANSION

benefit from this. As the occupancy continues to go up all around, the hospitality industry is inherently dynamic and coupled with the individual Emirates’ potential and ambitions, the industry will expand and diversify. The industry has changed over the past years, and there is now a demand for more choices: in price, in products, in services and in brands. I am confident about the strength and the long term future of the Emirates and what it has to offer the hospitality industry.

HBME: Can you explain the renovations

happening at Hilton Al Hamra Golf &

Beach Resort?

MG: The Hilton Al Hamra Golf & Beach Resort started its $100m renovation in July 2012 with the main building, guest rooms, restaurants

and bars, and the Spa and Fitness Centre. After the renovation, the hotel will offer 266 rooms and villas completely refined and refurbished, fully-renovated restaurants and bars, improved fitness centre and spa, enhanced swimming pools and leisure facilities, fully renewed main building with expanded lobby and additional restaurants. The hotel will keep its Arabic fort-style villas but the extensive renovation will enhance and update facilities. Hilton Al Hamra

Resort & Spa will feature eight food and beverage outlets including Trader Vic’s, an all-day dining restaurant and Mai Thai lounge. Recreational facilities will include an executive lounge, private beach, water sports facilities, swimming pools, kids’ club, mini-golf facilities, tennis courts and a health club and spa. In terms of events facilities, the adjoining convention centre offers a multipurpose ball-room with a capacity of 1,300 person theatre style capacity, and six meeting rooms.

HOTEL NAME 2013 2014 TOTAL

Hilton Al Hamra Golf & Beach Resort 266

Waldorf Astoria RAK 346

DoubleRee Resort by Hilton Marjan Island 424

1,036

Below: Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa

Number of rooms Hilton Worldwide will add to the Ras Al Khaimah portfolio

51HOTELS IN HILTON’S PIPELINE FOR MENA


RAK EXPANSION

HBME: Who is responsible for the o

ngoing renovation?

MG: Designed by Paul Beavis Associates, a renowned design company based in the United Kingdom, the new Hilton Al Hamra Golf & Beach Resort will offer guests spacious 50 sq metre rooms fully fitted with Hilton furnishings and fixtures, including Hilton Serenity Beds, flat screen televisions, high speed internet connection, and facilities catering to needs and tastes of the affluent leisure guests. Paul Beavis Associates has been working with Hilton for over 12 years, and it is also the same company that designed the award-winning 475-room Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa, which is currently the favorite destination in the Emirate.

No work is being done at the villa

areas at the moment, where guests are currently accommodated. Phase 2 of the renovation will commence in Q2 2013, which will include mainly the villa buildings.

HBME: What is the ethos behind the new

DoubleTree brand you will debut in Ras

Al Khaimah?

MG: DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Marjan Island guests will benefit from the characteristic qualities found at a fast-growing collection of more than 270 DoubleTree by Hilton hotels and resorts in 23 countries, including the warm welcome of the brand’s legendary chocolate chip cookie presented to every guest upon check-in; an array of upscale amenities and guest services; the rewards of the Hilton Honors guest loyalty programme; and a unique and caring team member commitment to the local community.

HBME: When and where will it open?

MG: The DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Marjan Island is expected to open in 2014 and will enjoy a prime location on the trunk of Marjan Island, a cluster of five man-made islands in the upscale area of Al Hamra.

HBME: What will it offer guests and who is

its target market?

MG: The newly built DoubleTree by

Hilton Resort will be one of the first hotels to open on the prestigious Marjan Island, an area covering over 2.7 million sq metres of premium offshore tourism development land. Once completed, Marjan Island will feature luxury waterfront homes, floating villas, resorts, sporting facilities and numerous beaches.

Aimed primarily at the leisure traveller, the 424-key DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Marjan Island will feature 11 suites in the main building and 160 luxury chalets located directly on the resort’s private beach. Other features include two pools; a kids’ club; a health club and spa with five treatment rooms and water sports

facilities. In addition, the hotel will boast two restaurants, a

lobby lounge and two bars.

HBME: How many properties

will Hilton Worldwide open in

the Middle East in the next

five years?

MG: Hilton Worldwide currently operates 56 properties in the Middle East & Africa, totalling more than 16,000 rooms across 19 countries. Hilton Worldwide has a signed development pipeline of an additional 51 properties across Middle East & Africa in the U.A.E, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Uganda, Nigeria and, finally, Cape Verde

$100mCOST OF THE HILTON

AL HAMRA GOLF & BEACH RESORT RENOVATION

Above:

Plans for the Double-Tree Resort Marjan Island by Hilton


INTERCOIL Founded in 1974, Intercoil is a pioneer in polyurethane foam manufacture, and distributes PU foam, furniture, and orthopedic sleep products under two brand names, Intercoil and Therapedic. Hassan Al-Hazeem, MD of Intercoil puts his case forward.

HBME: What technology or manufacturing

processes have you employed to create a

more sustainable business?

Hassan Al-Hazeem: In line with our efforts to achieve sustainability, Intercoil has invested Dhs2 million in new technologies and machinery, to reduce production waste, and preserve energy in the polyurethane foam division. We have allocated Dhs5 million to be in invested in the second half of 2012 to complement the above machinery and achieve similar results in other divisions.

HBME: With mattress technology what has

been the most effective development to

the market?

HAH: We have the latest technology in foam production, including a silicon air mixer which significantly upgrades the foam quality. Recently we have invested in new machinery and technology which make our plant on par with the ones in the US and Europe. The company plans to introduce new tanks, metering units, chillers, racks, cranes, new compressor machines coupled with fully automatic product systems using world-class European technology.

HBME: What are the latest developments

from your R&D department?

HAH: We now produce high quality special foams such as high resilience (HR) and VISCO memory. Intercoil’s R&D deptartment has introduced an eco-friendly mattress called ‘Green Mattress’, and has implemented a host of environmental-friendly initiatives such as using recyclable paper, ink cartridges, changing to water-based glue and other waste management processes.

How do bed manufacturers in the Middle East aid your guests in getting a better night’s sleep?


SUPPLY AND DEMAND

HBME: What is your hero or star product?

HAH: We have recently launched an Ultra Premium range from Simmons called Beautyrest Black. The Beautyrest Black collection boasts world-class technology, with its Advanced Pocketed Coil Springs, which offers true seclusion with virtually zero partner disturbances, and Transflexion Comfort Technology designed to ensure consistent comfort is the firmest kind of mattresses which provides more resistance against pressure from the sleep surface. We are the first to introduce zero motion transfer mattresses in the region

through the Simmons BeautyRest Black product.

HBME: When it comes to quality

assurance – are there any new procedures

to test your products?

HAH: All the raw materials that we use for production go through inspection and testing process. Intercoil invested in a Zwick testing machine which can test compression, tensile strength of the material. Materials samples are taken out in each lot and tested in our in-house test laboratory. For finished mattress products, we send the sample material to a third party testing company.

HBME: Who is each brand aimed at?

HAH: All of our brands cater to the hospitality market, however each has its own innovative technologies and processes. Simmons is the most expensive brand in our portfolio, Intercoil, and Theripedic are medium to high.

HBME: What expansion in your market

share are you hoping to see over the

next few years?

HAH: Since most of the bedding manufacturing companies are privately owned, it’s difficult to assess our market share precisely. However we want to grow by an average of 20 per cent over the next five years.

HBME: What do you offer that your

competitors don’t?

HAH: By developing a learning organisation that will easily adapt to changing market conditions, Intercoil plan to be proactive in providing our customers with superior quality products and services based on their feedback and requirements.

DON’T MAKE

THE SAME

MISTAKE…Both Sealy and Intercoil agreed that the biggest mistake hoteliers can make is to choose price over specifications, quality, and production standards. A better mattress means a better night’s sleep which gives you a happier guest.

Left and below: A range of BeautyRest Black beds from Intercoil


SUPPLY AND DEMAND

SEALY Sealy Middle East is the exclusive distributor for the number one mattress in the world in this region, Sealy. Sealy has been the market leader, for three decades. Rabah Sakr, Regional Director of Sales, puts us in the know.

HBME: In terms of mattress technology

what is the most effective development

you’ve seen to change the market?

Rabah Sakr: The Sealy Posturepedic Titanium SS Innerspring: which combines the strength of titanium with patented sense and support coil design. They are twice tempered to retain 98 per cent of their support characteristic for the life of the mattress.

HBME: What technology have you brought

in to create a more sustainable business?

RS: We have brought to the market the UniCased™ XT Edge & Base technology. UniCased™ XT Edge surrounds and locks in to the entire perimeter of the mattress innerspring system and is thermo-bonded to the UniCased™ XT Base with 2-stage deflection providing: enhanced support and comfort performance of the Posturepedic innerspring; greater sleeping surface and uniform comfort edge-to-edge; motion dampening and enhanced stability.

HBME: What is your hero or star

product?

RS: The Sealy Posturepedic model. Due to the Posturepedic innerspring base, UniCased™ XT edge system and Comfort layers (that includes a plushlayer of SealyFoam®, zoned Pressure Point Materials with Memory Foam, and an additional layer of Memory Foam). These layers cradle the body and provide proper support as well as reduce stress points. HBME: What new developments have

Sealy R&D department made recently?

RS: The Orthopedic Advisory Board (OAB) – a group of the finest

WHAT MAKES

A REALLY

EXCELLENT

HOTEL BED?Sealy says, “A

durable comfort and proper

supported bed is an excellent hotel

bed that pleases the guest with a

better night’s sleep and offers the hotel

owner a brilliant investment.”

doctors, clinicians and orthopedic surgeons who play a critical role in the design process, have worked hand in hand with our R&D department to create the Pressure Mapping Lap Centre of Excellence, a first-of-its-kind facility where all Sealy Posturepedic mattresses are scientifically tested to ensure that they provide maximum

comfort by eliminating the uncomfortable pressure points that cause tossing and turning. Sealy Posturepedic is the only mattress brand in the industry that has strict pressure-relieving standards for every mattress.

HBME: How do you appeal to different

Left and below: A range of Sealy beds


SUPPLY AND DEMAND

DUBAI FURNITURE MANUFACTURING COMPANYDubai Furniture Manufacturing Company produces up to 1,000 mattresses a day at its facility in Dubai Investment Park and has been in the market since 1993. It manufactures and markets King Koil and SERTA luxury beds under license and has 100 retail outlets.

HBME: What makes you different to

your competitors?

DFMC has total control over the supply chain, right from its hi-tech manufacturing facility to its own, company owned retail outlets which host designer collections, differentiated from the products sold by its dealers.

HBME: How do you stand out in the

market? DFMC looks ahead to strengthen its leadership position in the bedding industry and exceed customer expectations through its focus on quality and innovations. The state of art machinery gives the company and its manufacturing unit a distinctive edge, facilitating adoption of unique construction designs in the mattresses.

HBME: What new technology has

revolutionised your industry?

Our DFMC manufacturing facility produces the revolutionary megafoam. This contemporary megafoam technology is German in origin and combines a new plant concept, adopts special manufacturing processes and uses specifically formulated raw materials for producing conventional as well as a wide variety of high quality specialty foam. Environment friendly standards are a prime concern at DFMC, the megafoam manufacturing process eliminates the use of those chemicals that can affect the environment. With this capital-intensive technology, DFMC is the first in the region to implement this revolutionary new technology.

hospitality clients who have

varying budgets?

RS: We provide a wide range of products, from the top luxury mattresses which is built with extraordinary attention to detail, to the budget-priced mattresses. We believe that even a budget-priced mattress can have quality features and materials to ensure durability. They’re also put through the most rigorous quality and durability testing in the industry, ensuring that Sealy Brand mattresses will allow budget-focused hospitality clients to offer a better sleep for their guests.

HBME: How do you guarantee quality

control at Sealy?

RS: We have high tech labs where all the materials we use are examined to meet Sealy high standards: high density foam, high gauge wires and

the fabrics are fire retardant, meets cigarette ignition test for mattress ticking that complies with British standard BS7177, simultaneously with ignition source BS 6807. In addition it includes antimicrobial protection against development of fungal and bacteria.

HBME: What expansion in your market

share are you hoping to see over the

next few years?

RS: We are currently expending our market share widely in the MENA region, our plan is to be the leading bedding manufacturer.

HBME: What do you offer that your

competitors don’t?

RS: Our commitment to helping the world sleep better keeps us focused. We are the only bedding manufacturer that spends more than $30 million a year on R&D.

Q&A

42 / HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST SEPTEMBER 2012 cpidubai.comcpidubai.com

the Dubai F&B industry for the past 14 years and it’s great to see the way the importing/outsourcing of goods has improved with the 21st century globalisation. For example we are now purchasing seasonal produce from both hemispheres and Dubai’s location as a hub between Asia and Europe has helped us improve our offers and gives us many more options for diverse ingredients. On the same note, the infrastructure development here in Dubai and the UAE along with the improvement of importation has resulted in ability to retrieve ingredients in from most places in a maximum of 48 hours.

We’ve gathered foodie experts from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain to see whether going local really is a

viable option for the UAE’s hoteliers. Although there’s a long way to go, there is a movement towards local over global when quality and quantity can be guaranteed. Three F&B Directors and three Executive Chefs tell us how they choose their ingredients…

HBME: How difficult is it to source all the

ingredients your restaurants need?

Hans M. Gfrei: In general there is a good variety of suppliers here in Dubai who can supply or source all necessary

items. It is a little more challenging with seasonal products as they are limited to certain times of the year and the demand is big all over the world. But if you plan well in advance even those items are ok to get.Khaled Shaweesh: It’s not difficult at all as there are major reliable suppliers in the country that we use, however we have to choose carefully the right ingredients for every restaurant that we have, without compromising on quality or missing any ingredients. This is to make sure that we deliver our promise and our guests experience the five-star taste.Peter Avram: I’ve been working in

F&B Directors and Executive Chefs discuss how global and local suppliers cater to their needs

Q&A


HBME: Do you use any organic or local ly

grown produce?

HG: Yes we try to work with organic products as most restaurants and hotels do. Organic products are as popular in Dubai as they are in the rest of the world. People in general are getting more conscious about what they eat especially as they have less time for exercise and sports activities due to increasing workload. It is a little more difficult with local products as they are limited and from time to time not of the quality we want. There are a few new companies on the market like, a local Italian cheese producer who we have recently started using, who utilise fresh milk from UAE farms to produce fantastic Italian cheese.KS: Yes we do use organic and local produce products, as they are very flavoursome ingredients and healthier obviously, plus they’re easy

to order and deliver. PA: Consumers here in Dubai are becoming more aware of the benefits of organic produce and they are gradually developing an appetite for organically raised products. With this, farmers, retailers and restaurateurs alike are seeing greater opportunities and potential from supplying goods grown according to a natural philosophy. The organic/local produce farms are still in at the trial run stage thus there is not such a wide selection of produce however we do purchase organic herbs, tomatoes and dairy products. However with some local produce it is difficult to receive the quality and volumes we need required for our operations.

HBME: What are the drawbacks with this?

HG: Local products are not always consistent in quality.KS: There aren’t any drawbacks in this, it is still affordable and it’s perceived and impacted positively.PA: The most important factor is the cost of food purchased, as a large percentage of our ingredients are imported to enable us to deliver the quality of food and ingredients expected by our guests, so they are more expensive than buying locally grown ingredients.

HBME: Is it getting more expensive or

cheaper to import ingredients?

HG: In general it is more expensive.KS: It depends; we have different suppliers who are committed to deliver the products we need with no change in quality. We are conservative in the quantity we order yet big enough so there isn’t any significant high cost impact. Overall the prices are affordable especially when considering the high quality products received. PA: Given the high quality of the goods imported, it is still more beneficial to import ingredients.

Restaurants in Hyatt hotels are encouraged to utilise sustainable practices while selecting their food productsHans M. Gfrei, F&B Director, Park

Hyatt Dubai

Hans M. Gfrei

F&B Director, Park Hyatt

Dubai Before moving to Dubai, Gfrei worked at Grand Hyatts in both Beijing and Shanghai before joining the Park Hyatt last year.

Peter Avram, Director

of Food & Beverage for

Jumeirah Beach Hotel

Avram has been with the Jumeirah Group since 2008, at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray and Jumeirah Beach Hotel.

F&B DIRECTORS PANEL

Khaled Shaweesh

F&B Director, Al Ain

Rotana Shaweesh moved to Al Ain a few months ago, after being stationed in Egypt at the Grand Rotana Sharm El Sheikh.

Q&A


HBME: Do you have any schemes in place

or plans to balance the air miles flown by

the food with any carbon offsetting?

HG: Not at this stage.KS: Yes we do have a scheme in place based on the standards of both our brand and the Abu Dhabi food control authority. The fact that we receive the products we need through established major reliable suppliers, is an essential part in this process.PA: Not at this time, however we have other CSR programmes in place locally to reduce the amount of food waste for example.

HBME: Do customers respond positively

when seeing organic or local produce

on the menu?

HG: Yes, people are getting more and more health conscious, and more aware of what they are putting into their bodies.KS: Yes, they respond positively and rather appreciate it especially today as the trend in hospitality is towards the organic produce and it is growing in popularity.PA: Yes, as mentioned, guests are becoming more aware of the benefits of organic produce and therefore react in a positive way when they have these options available in restaurants.

HBME: Do Dubai’s diners enjoy

experimenting with food and tastes or

are they quite conservative?

HG: Dubai’s restaurant market is very competitive and you can get a wide variety of good quality food. Dubai’s diners are constantly looking to discover new concepts and innovative ways to present and serve food and beverages. They very much enjoy experimenting as everyone in Dubai is eating out much more frequently than in other parts of the world.KS: Considering the size of Dubai’s hotels, the huge option of restaurants and the high demand, I’m certain that diners are experimenting with tastes and

food provided. However, there are some diners who are still conservative and would like to taste the traditional food that they have grown up with, which I think is normal and understandable.PA: I believe diners here are fairly knowledgeable and adventurous when it comes to food and flavours, therefore yes, I’d say most of our guests do like to experiment with new flavours.

HBME: How often do you revamp your

restaurants’ menus?

HG: We offer seasonal menus in our restaurants and therefore change at least once a quarter.KS: We are change the menus every six months but now we do have a plan in place to revamp the

Independent, neighbourhood quick bite outlets and interesting and tasty street food style places would make excellent additions to the growing culinary scene in Dubai! Hugh Sato Gardiner, Corporate Chef, Okku

Restaurant & Lounge

Q&A


restaurants’ menus every quarter and the changes made are based on a proper menu engineering worksheet, guest feedback and market survey PA: Our venues change the menu at least twice a year and we have restaurants which change 30 per cent of their menu on a monthly basis.

HBME: Does your brand have any

procurement policies regarding

sustainability or anything similar?

HG: Hyatt International has rolled out a programme worldwide, entitled: ‘Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served’. Restaurants in Hyatt hotels are encouraged to utilise sustainable practices while selecting their food products. They are also encouraged

to roll out healthy food menus for kids, emphasise portion control on all dishes, utilise as many local products as possible in order to support the community (local farmers, fishermen, etc). We are currently looking at ways to get more involved in this programme so watch this space for some exciting announcements coming soon.KS: Our brand is enforcing a sustainability initiative and we do have an Environment Health and Safety Manager on the management board, who makes sure we are not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance. PA: Not yet in place, but we are currently initiating such activities. We

do, however, have other sustainability programmes in place such a Bokashi Compost programme to eliminate food waste from off-cuts by converting it onto compost which is used on our gardens, along with other similar CSR initiatives we undertake.

HBME: Do you use customer feedback to

guide any menu/ingredient changes?

HG: All our chefs and restaurant service staff are constantly talking and listening to regular guests to find out what products they are interested in, in order to design future menus and to be able to cater to our guests’ dining preferences.KS: Absolutely, we always seek and source our guests’ feedback on what they like and what they dislike, and every comment is considered. This is from where we start building up a new menu and circumspectly selecting the right ingredients. PA: Customer feedback is the most important tool we use to assess our menu’s offering and it plays a major role in menu changing along with seasonality of clientele/produce.

HBME: What would you like to see more of

in Dubai’s restaurants?

HG: There is a large variety in the market currently. In some Asian restaurants I miss the authenticity of the served dishes. Here, they seem to be altered to fit the Western taste. I spent six years in mainland China and have not yet been able to find an authentic Chinese restaurant that is able to serve me the flavours I experienced there. PA: One thing I would love to see more of here is sustainable and simple food…too often everyone in food industry here refers to food as a luxury instead of focusing on the flavours, ingredients and simplicity of a good quality, delicious meal. I would also like to see more local cuisine which does not have a large representation here in the Dubai dining scene, and there are great opportunities to preserve old culinary traditions.

Q&A


UAE I have visited all the fish markets, getting to know the suppliers and using their expertise to ensure that we receive the freshest seafood and best fish for the season. They also assist in ensuring that the fish selected is not an endangered species in the UAE, as we endeavour to help protect these species at all times. SB: The market in Dubai allows for a large variety of fish and seafood items, which we very much take advantage of. We also bring these items in from Oman. We have very close ties with a local supplier who keeps us in the loop on seasonal products. Special fish or crustaceans which are in demand by our guests come from the Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, North Atlantic or Pacific Oceans. In these cases we also ask our supplier to give us more background information regarding the fishing methods. i.e. was the fish line caught or net caught with a trawler, or is it a farmed fish? We are trying to be as sustainable as possible with our selection. There are also large organic fish farms for freshwater fish located in Liwa or organic fish farms in Saudi Arabia near Jeddah we use.

HBME: Where do you source your

vegetables from?

HG: Our vegetables are sourced from

Europe, the USA and various locations within Asia. We have just completed a trial shipment of exotic fruit and vegetables from all over Japan, including Kyoto and look to have them here soon. At OKKU we’re really working hard to set up a direct line directly with farmers in Japan to not only help supply more produce to the Middle East, but also to ensure that they are getting a better price for what they actually grow. CB: We currently source as much as many vegetables as possible from the local markets or regions, for example we source all of our mushrooms from Oman. This year we also created our own herb garden where we source a lot of our herbs, and following this summer, hopefully some of our vegetables. We have recently developed a relationship with a farm that is just 30 minutes away from Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort and we are looking to receive all basic vegetable items from there moving forward. On our recent inspection of the farm we found that the produce was of high quality and it’s always great to tell guests that what is on their plate comes from just over the next dune.SB: Due to demographics it is difficult to find a local supplier who can farm a large amount of high quality

HBME: Where in the world do you source

your meat from?

Hugo Sato Gardiner: Our meat comes from top suppliers in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.Christopher Baker: We source our meat from all over the world to ensure the finest quality in our outlets, starting with fresh lamb from local farmers in Hameem and camel meat from Abu Dhabi. However, we also source some of our meat from overseas where necessary. For example, we have now sourced what I believe is one of the best quality types of beef on the market, from Blackmore Farm in Australia. For functions held at our resort, such as weddings, conferences or religious feats, we source lambs from local farms in addition to importing from Wales. The majority of our chicken is organic and sourced from Austria, while spring chickens are generally imported from France. Stefan Borchardt: We are always in contact with our suppliers here in Dubai, who keep us updated on special meat items and general meat items. At this point we have been bringing in beef from the North and South American markets, poultry items from the regional and European markets, and lamb is sourced regionally or from Australia. We order either fresh or frozen products and of course they are Halal certified in their country of origin.

HBME: Where do you source your fish

products from?

HG: From RSPCA approved sustainable suppliers in Canada and Scotland, for our black cod and organic Scottish salmon for example, as well as some from the Mediterranean, Pacific and Nordic seas. CB: Our preference is to use local sustainable fish for the hotel and we have designed our new menus around using such fish. We have recently begun to look at the local fish farms in the region and will be working closely with them in the future to source the fish for all of the menus in our F&B outlets at the resort. In the

Hugh Sato Gardiner

Corporate Chef, Okku

Restaurant & Lounge

Before wowing the crowds at OKKU, award-winning Gardiner worked in NYC, London, LA and Las Vegas.

Stefan Borchardt

Executive Chef,

Movenpick Jumeirah

Beach Residence Borchardt has over 20 years experience, heading up kitchens across the world.

EXECUTIVE CHEF PANEL

Christopher Baker

Executive Chef, Qasr Al

Sarab Desert Resort &

Spa by Anantara Baker worked all over the MENA region for Marriott and Jumeirah before Anantara.

Q&A


vegetables all year around, so our vegetables are being harvested in closer regions or are brought in from markets worldwide.

HBME: Do you source anything from

local suppliers?

HG: We get a lot of fresh herbs and fish locally such as basil, mint, red snapper and faskar.CB: Yes we are always endeavouring to source as much produce as possible from local suppliers. We source lamb and camel meat locally, and are currently working closely with local suppliers to increase our use of local vegetables and fish. Camel milk products are also sourced locally from Abu Dhabi and its surrounds. Currently, we serve four different flavours of camel milk during breakfast, along with camel milk chocolate, ice cream, and our latest addition to our camel fayre is cheese. We are also looking at sourcing fresh honeycombs from Al Ain to use at our F&B outlets at Qasr Al Sarab.SB: Mainly fish of course, as there is a large variety of sustainable fish available in the sea, followed by local dates from the various oases in the UAE, milk and dairy products, such as

Italian style pizza cheese or specialty cheese items, toast bread, specialty local breads and, of course, a large selection of typical Arabic sweets.

HBME: Are there any local ingredients

that you can’t use because of quantity or

quality issues?

HG: We are always very careful with local produce due to the weather as this can cause various ingredients to perish very quickly and they don’t always travel well. CB: Generally speaking, the produce we receive is of a high quality. Quantity and quality issues can be overcome the majority of the time by following good practice. For example, it is important to communicate with farmers to let them know in advance what our supply needs are. This ensures that we receive the right quantity and that is of the quality that we expect. It also helps to reduce heat abuse of the produce we order and means that we store only what we need, guaranteeing freshness in the ingredients. SB: Fish for sure is a product which has limits on some of the species in this region, so we are very cautious as to what we buy and how much. In order

to stay up to date we regularly refer to the UAE`s information website choosewisely.ae.

HBME: Is organic food something that will

ever become sustainable in Dubai?

HG: I think that this will happen sooner than we think and the UAE is really trying to produce more organic produce that is soil and hydroponically grown. I really admire the local independent groups that are trying to champion local organic produce and we are of course huge supporters of this becoming more prevalent in our local restaurants and supermarkets.CB: There is most certainly an increase in demand for organic food in the UAE, and to some degree I believe that the market will be dictated by this demand. However its sustainability very much depends on your definition of the word organic, for example how the products are grown and how they are watered. It would be great to think that one day we could buy local organic products in the UAE and at the same time reduce our overall carbon footprint. SB: Yes, these items are already available in supermarkets and I hope the farmers will be able to increase their harvest per year in the near future. Guests always read carefully what is offered on the menu and the description ‘organic’ is important. Hopefully it won’t be abused and the prices will remain fair. Hotel operating companies in Dubai would definitely prefer a shorter way of transportation in order to reduce carbon footprint.

HBME: How workable are seasonable

menus for you?

HG: There are very workable as we are able to source seasonal produce from all over the world and diners are becoming much more savvy and interested in ingredients that are season specific.CB: Seasonal menus are definitely workable and we aim to change our menus twice a year. As we have already recorded temperatures at the resort well in the 50s, we have

Q&A


adjusted our menu to feature lighter, more suitable dishes to reflect the temperature increase. Our winter menus reflect the lower evening temperatures and we will launch new menu packages at end of August (Eid), with it running until April. We keep our Emirati dishes on the menu all year round as they have become a must have for many international visitors. We have now introduced five local Emirati breakfast dishes to the menu with the latest being Chabaab - a big hit with our guests. The other dish, which is featured throughout the year, is the Arabic mixed grill, which again is very popular with guests.SB: The weather is pretty much the same here year-round, except for the summer months of course, but seasonal products are being introduced to us regularly and we incorporate them in specials. i.e. dates and other fruits from this region, or white asparagus from Europe. Regular market visits of course show the seasonal organic products from this region with produce which we don’t find in Europe at all.

HBME: Do you grow anything yourself?

Would you like to?

HG: Not yet, but I would really enjoy the opportunity to have an herb garden with fresh shiso, benitade, or kaiware sprouts.CB: We started a garden in January of this year and planted different herbs, fruits trees and chillies to see if they would grow in the Empty Quarter Desert. The garden has thrived and within a month we harvested fresh coriander, chilies, lemongrass and thyme, all of which we use in our restaurants at the resort. Following that, we planted tomatoes and potatoes with great success and European basil and rosemary has also flourished. At the moment it is too hot but once the weather starts to cool toward the end of September, we are looking to expand the garden and will be planting for mangoes,

strawberries and squash.SB: We are in the process of starting a small herb garden after the summer season and hopefully we will be able to maintain it throughout the year. Other ingredients we leave to the farmers to grow for us.

HBME: What flavours go down the best

in Dubai?

HG: The city is such a melting pot of cultures and tastes, but I’ve noticed that hot and spicy and sweet and tangy are very popular. This is great as our menu offers lots of subtle variations of these flavours.CB: Dubai has such a rich and diverse culture, so it is hard to determine exact flavours that work the best. If you look at Dubai’s top venues it is more about the quality of the product and the atmosphere of the venue. Modern Japanese and Mediterranean always stand out in Dubai and this is because they are based around great fresh produce. Emirati and Arabic dishes always work well for us at the resort as it allows guests to sample the unique flavours of the local cuisine including the herbs and spices which they may not find elsewhere. SB: With our food, definitely fresh

herbs. Guests tend to expect meat items and exotic ingredients. Mild curries are always a hit, and vanilla is an ingredient which people always will like.

HBME: How can you bring costs down in

procuring ingredients?

HG: I always push the suppliers to deal directly with farmers as this not only brings out costs down, but cuts out the middle men and offers farmers a better price for their produce.CB: The best way to bring down costs is to try and work with local producers and look at selecting ingredients that are in season. Not only do you save on costs, but you are also helping the local community and receiving the freshest of ingredients. Generally speaking, if you take the time, you will often find less expensive produce, such as meat, that is of the same high quality as the more expensive options. In addition, at Qasr Al Sarab we make a lot of our own jams and pickles in-house which helps to reduce costs while adding to the unique culinary experience offered. SB: By negotiating corporate deals or yearly contracts for our property. But it is important to let the supplier know that we are loyal to him and then he will get us the best deals on a long-term basis.

HBME: What would you like to see more of

in Dubai’s restaurants?

HG: Independent, neighbourhood-style quick bite outlets and interesting and tasty street food style places would make excellent additions to the growing culinary scene in Dubai!CB: I would like to see more quality over quantity and a move towards using local ingredients where possible. This would encourage more seasonal menus in restaurants across Dubai and promote sustainability for our local farmers and the wider UAE environment. SB: I would like to see many more open kitchens with a smiling and engaged culinary team.

There is most certainly an increase in demand for organic food in the UAE, and to some degree I believe that the market will be dictated by this demandChristopher Baker, Excutive Chef, Qasr Al

Sarab Desert Resort & Spa by Anantra


There’s been a buzz around the impending opening of the JW Marriott Marquis, the first such hotel outside the States, for

most of 2012. Scheduled to open Q4, the wait has been a long one, but the industry seems to be gearing itself up for the world’s tallest hotel to come online. In a city full of hotels, the JW Marriott Marquis will be the biggest.

That Dubai was chosen as the first site for the JW Marriott Marquis brand after the USA, goes to show the region’s importance to Marriott, which is also committed to doubling its inventory in the Middle East within five years. New projects in Healthcare City and Motor City are already well into development.

Rupprect Queitsch, GM behind the new JW Marriott Marquis, talks us through his vision for Dubai’s largest and biggest hotel

You’d expect the GM in charge of this ‘high priority’ project for Marriott to be slightly stressed or even a little nervous, but what comes across from Rupprecht Queitsch, is confidence, strength and a passion for his industry. An old hand at hotel openings (he has seven under his belt) and a Marriott

man since 1986, the brand obviously feels comfortable with him taking the reigns as all of Dubai’s eyes start to gaze over to Business Bay, ready for the launch.

Coming online at the end of a buoyant year feels like the right time for the large property, which might have caused more problems than it solved had it launched a couple of years ago. Its target market are the travellers Dubai’s looking to attract more of – the corporate clients and the experienced business traveller.

“Our differentiator is we define luxury, as approachable luxury,” explains Queitsch. “Charged businessmen who expect efficient service, easy functionality and a hotel

Above and right:

The JW Marriott Marquis will dominate

Business Bay; the roomy bedrooms

GM INTERVIEW


Accommodationwhich makes it easy and fun for them to do business. We want to make it comfortable and easy because time is a luxury.”

Having worked in the hotel industry for the last four decades, Queitsch has seen large shifts in the way business travel is conducted, at one time becoming less formal but similarly becoming more encompassing, as connectivity and efficiency take precedence.

“Today’s business traveller is much more driven and focused, business is quicker. You might make 50 decisions in a day where as years ago, you would think things over, and take your time. Our hotel has to be at the same speed as our business travellers, to give you what you want, before you’ve even thought about it.”

Queitsch has been on a mission to hire over 4,500 staff, and has required a mix of international and locally experienced people but in an effort to improve and evolve his industry he’s looking beyond traditional avenues.

“We want innovation and new thoughts. I like meeting people from different worlds because they have crazy ideas, which usually are the best ones,” he explains. “Guests like a change and they’re becoming more adventurous. I think you can swap some things around and guests will learn something.”

To this end, Queitsch has been looking at hiring people who have not previously worked in hospitality. Once such hire is an Emirati women on hand to advise guests on local customs, make local introductions and provide UAE-based information that can’t be found in any guide book.

“She knows nothing about hotels, but she’s the most wonderful resource and she makes us stand out!” he says. “People now move around a lot more, both within our industry and outside it. It’s quite acceptable for people to change career, so we’re keeping an open mind, it could be anyone. It could be a scientist!”

But the scale of staff needed has posed an issue,

“We have done mass hirings within the region and have teams going out to destinations like South Africa to attract more staff. Our business isn’t rocket science, it’s hard yes but not complicated. I can train someone to make a bed or serve a meal but you have to like people. Some people after years of working in our industry, work out they really don’t like people.”

Queitsch isn’t just looking to do something different with his staff. He’s also looking at creating unusual F&B outlets. there will be 18 outlets in total (including a Lebanese, steakhouse, Thai, Japanese, Indian, Italian, music and sports bars). A couple of which will be opening later than the rest of the hotel.

“We can’t wait to get everything open as we want to surprise people and provide them with new experiences. In a gentle way we’d like people to learn something, whether it’s a new wine pairing or a trying a new cocktail. Our staff will be trained to educate and inspire our guests. We have a huge wine cellar, which is available in all our restaurants so we can suggest pairings for customers.”

The hotel looks set to become a major player in the luxury market in Dubai, and although Queitsch was unaware of it when Marriott took over the hotel, it is in the process of being registered as the tallest hotel in the world by the Guinness Records.

“It’s a nice thing to have and a great hook for the media, but it’s not something we set out to do,” he explains. “Someone else will build something bigger or taller, but for now we have amazing views of The World and The Palm and one of our bars will be the second highest in Dubai.”

The hotel will become a key feature in the Business Bay area which has been slow to take off. With The Metropolitan making way for several new five star developments a stone’s throw from the JW Marriott Marquis, is it a threat?

“The landscape is always changing here, but we’re a business focused hotel, that’s our bread and butter and by 2015 there will be more business travellers in Dubai than leisure. Between us and other new projects there will be a 3,000 room inventory all together, with huge conference facilities, in one place – no other city has that. I think it will cement Business Bay as a destination.”

1608R00MS AND SUITES

882KING SIZE ROOMS

486DOUBLE/DOUBLE ROOMS

236CLUB SUITES

4ROYAL TWO-LEVEL SUITES

Left: The high-tech and spacious bathrooms on offer

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T he last thing a hospitality company wants to deal with is a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. For companies that transact their businesses online and depend on the Internet, online reservations, booking status,

special offers and other marketing information would be

affecting schedules for days or weeks. But the impact of Denial of Service (DoS) and DDoS attacks on long-term brand loyalty could be even more costly.

While DDoS attacks may have been driven by non-economic reasons in the past, they now have major monetary drivers including extortion, competitive advantage and corporate revenge.

It is essential for hospitality companies to have a DDoS protection strategy to ensure their business and brand equity is safe from attack. Enterprises and their IDC operators are more concerned about DDoS than ever before, and ISPs can help them combat these threats.

How du is well-positioned as your ISP in the war against online attacks

How secure is your data?

53ADVERTORIAL FEATURE BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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Growing the managed security market from ISPsAccording to research by Frost & Sullivan, the managed security service provider (MSSP) market is expected to grow to around $4 billion in North America alone by 2016. It is expected that the managed security and security monitoring services segment will continue to yield the highest percentage of total revenue in the MSSP market.

Enterprises will spend more on network-based security services from ISPs, as they become more comfortable with them providing these services. Many factors, such as better support, more mature options, improved service control and faster services, will increase this comfort level.

The evolving DDoS threatThe demand for managed security services is real and growing. Service providers have some inherent advantages that enable them to capitalise on this demand because they own the pipes that transmit data across the Internet. This allows ISPs to be uniquely well-positioned to deliver a comprehensive solution that can combat the two primary types of DDoS attacks – ‘volumetric’ and the newer ‘application layer’ DDoS attacks.

The ‘volumetric’ DDoS attacks are those generated by Internet bots, or compromised personal computers that are grouped together in large-scale botnets. This simple concept can be frighteningly effective in bringing down huge sites.

Examples include the DDoS attack against UK-based online betting sites, where the hackers extorted the

against the Georgian government. They are generally high-bandwidth attacks and originate from a large number of bots that are geographically distributed. Because of the high-bandwidth and geographically-dispersed nature of these attacks, the congestion might occur upstream in the provider’s network and cannot be stopped at the enterprise or data-centre edge.

In addition to the ‘volumetric’ attacks, a new type of ‘application layer’ DDoS attack has emerged that threatens the business viability of service provider customers.

Enterprise customers are very concerned with the availability of critical services running in their data centres. At the same time, attackers view these Internet-facing data centres as new prime targets and are launching DDoS attacks to wreak havoc on these companies. The convergence of volumetric and application-layer DDoS

more customers looking for better solutions.

Only ISPS can provide a comprehensive solution to protect data centres from DDoSDespite the threat, there’s still an effective way to protect your network against these attacks – ISPs. They can gain a unique advantage by providing a layered network – an edge-based managed solution to combat both volumetric and application-layer DDoS attacks. The best place to stop volumetric DDoS attacks is in the ISP cloud (via a network-based DDoS protection), because the saturation happens upstream and can only be remediated in the provider’s cloud. The best place to perform application-layer DDoS detection is in the data centre itself, because the attack can only be detected – and immediately stopped – at the data-centre edge.

Only ISPs can provide both a network-based service


component to stop volumetric DDoS attacks and a CPE-based service component to stop application-layer DDoS attacks, representing a distinct competitive advantage.

layer virtual private network (SSL VPN), an intrusion detection system (IDS), an intrusion prevention system (IPS) and other security measures, adding a managed DDoS protection service can be relatively straightforward

Why traditional security products fail to address the evolving DDoS threat

customers’ security strategy, these solutions are designed to provide security functions that are fundamentally different from dedicated DDoS detection and mitigation products.

enforcement points that are usually deployed at the network or data centre perimetre. Their role is to establish

and destinations. Internet-facing data centres are open to

session established between a client on the Internet and

themselves are commonly the targets of DDoS attacks. On top of this, they are also potentially the single point of failure that disables the data centre during large-scale DDoS attacks. In these cases it is best to provide DDoS

56

protection in the ISP network or cloud before it reaches the data centre, by which time it will be too late.

and remove network-based malware through signature matching. Many times, however, DDoS attack traffic

devices are deployed in-line and suffer from the same resource and memory exhaustion problems that plague firewalls, they are also a potential single point-of-failure on the network and increase network latency. In these cases, the detection and removal of DDoS attack traffic is best done in the ISP’s network either before it reaches the data-centre edge or through off-ramping the malicious traffic.

detection using techniques such as statistical anomaly

detection or malformed protocol detection. But since

on a per point basis, they have a very myopic view of the network. The very nature of a ‘distributed’ denial of

different sources. Therefore, the solution must be able to recognise this

as possible. This is another reason why the distributed detection and mitigation of DDoS attacks are best done in the ISP network.

The platform for comprehensive managed DDoS servicesA complete DDoS protection solution must support the following:


deployment to avoid being a single point of failure on the network

requires broad visibility into the network (not just from a single network perspective) and the ability to analyse

statistical anomaly-detection, customisable threshold

all sizes, ranging from low-end (such as 1 Gbps of mitigation, deployed in the data centre) to high-end (such as 60 Gbps of mitigation, deployed in the ISP network).

The solution must also feature managed security service enablers. These include application programming interfaces (APIs) for integration with existing systems, the ability to launch a customer portal easily, provisioning templates, fault tolerance, and redundancy. Lastly, the solution must be proven and backed by a company that is a known industry expert in Internet-based DDoS threats.

What next?The number of DDoS attacks is on the rise. With both public and private data centres now prime targets, more and more data centre operators are seeking solutions to this pressing problem. We offer a unique opportunity to respond to this challenge by offering valuable network and edge-based services that protect our customers’ data centres against DDoS attacks.

For more information on how we can help, please contact [email protected]

Our solutionOur solution is a complete platform that delivers managed DDoS services for customers. It meets the key requirements of a comprehensive DDoS solution by providing:

The ability to stop both volumetric and application-layer DDoS attacks: We provide the tools to diagnose, and stop, both high-bandwidth DDoS attacks as well as targeted application-layer DDoS targets

True ‘distributed’ DoS attack detection: We offer true distributed anomaly detection rather than simple point-based detection

Multiple methods of threat detection and mitigation: We provide multiple attack detection techniques, ranging from statistical anomaly

Scalability to handle all-size threats: We can

technology in existing network infrastructure equipment. The solution can also stop threats of any size and provide surgical mitigation ranging from 1 Gbps to 40 Gbps

Multiple deployment options: Our solution can be deployed out-of-band, in-line or passively


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Kenyon International has released the next generation of cooktop design, which features subtly textured black glass, beveled edge design and an easy to clean surface. The Mediterranean series comes as one or two burner models, with push to turn controls, infinite heat control, a quick to heat radiant element burner and a hot burner indicator light for safety. The products come with a three year replacement warranty.cookwithkenyon.com

PALOMBALaufen, the Swiss manufacturer of luxurious bathroom solutions has added several statement pieces to its Palomba collection. Water inspired soft curves can be seen on a bathtub, eight washbasins and accessories that can be mixed and matched to create unique formations. The

MEDITERRANEAN SERIES CERAMIC GLASS COOKTOPS

FRITZ HANSEN OXFORD CHAIR40 years ago the Oxford chair was designed by Ame Jacobsen for St Catherine’s College at Oxford University, it’s now a staple across conference rooms all over the world. To mark the 50 year anniversary, the Republic of Fritz Hansen have taken the chair back to its original form, with an oak or walnut veneer, featuring back rest and front upholstery,. It is available in three colours (light blue, dark blue and orange) from October.fritzhansen.com

best piece? A freestanding bathtub or ‘water nest’ has been ergonomically sloped to fit the body’s contours to create incredible comfort and the experience can be enhanced with massage or light functions.laufen.com


PRODUCT WATCH / TRENDS

MODA PARTY SET

DEMISTA™ Help your guests get rid of steamed up bathroom mirrors, with the introduction of heated pads which will keep mirrors steam free. UK brand, Demista™ has been used in both the Burj Al Arab and Emirates Palace, and is the first choice of architects, specifiers and property developers across hotels, private properties and leisure centres. Pads come in a variety of sizes and comply with international standards.demista.co.uk

KRISKADECORKriskaDECOR is a metal curtain with infinite options. Logos, patterns, artwork reproductions and more can be customised, whilst colour and size can be made completely bespoke. It is made from small interlinked pieces on anodised aluminium which forms a versatile mesh. The metal is water, sun and rust resistant as well as being recyclable and non flammable.kriskadecor.com

AT10 COMPACT BOILERMarco has launched an energy efficient, cost effective water delivery system intended for bulk orders with OEM branding. It features a powder coating finish, stainless stell tank, heat fill technology maintains constant temperature. The 10 litre is available in bespoke colours and is perfect for restaurants, canteens and cafes.marcodubai.comarcodubai.com

The colourful MODA collection from NAKKASH Gallery features unique and practical items perfect for sprucing up hotel outdoor areas. It comes in 14 different Batyline colours. NAKKASH has been a provider of high quality indoor and

outdoor furniture and accessories since 1983 and has a flexible approach when meeting the individual demands of each client. The store carries a global range that is attentively selected.nakkashgallery.com



Executive education and organised learning are two of the highest-ranked factors in retention globally, and particularly in the hospitality and services industry

Mary Farmer,

Programme Director

TRENDS / HR, RECRUITMENT & TRAINING

Glion’s Programme Director, Mary Farmer, has taught and designed online programmes for the last 12 years. She

has worked with with the faculty at Glion since the school launched the first online MBA in Hospitality and Services Industries Management in 2010. She talks us through the benefits of encouraging further learning at top level, for employees, operators and the region as a whole.

HBME: How can your programmes help the

overall standard of staff in the hospitality

industry in the Middle East?

Mary Farmer: At Glion we are justifiably proud to have been educating international hospitality management for 50 years. Throughout that time as the industry has grown, diversified and become increasingly refined, so has the education we provide. With a learning ethos that combines half a century of knowledge and the very latest industry trends, we are recognised as one of the top three hotel management schools in the world and annually teach students from over 90 countries. Our programmes are helping to improve the standard of hospitality staff globally, including the Middle East.

HBME: How do your courses differ from

other programmes from other companies?

MF: In keeping with Glion’s desire to keep pace with an ever changing

Long distance learningHow can you develop executive staff without losing them to full time study? Renowned hospitality management school, Glion, might have the answer

industry, and cater for those that work in it, in 2010 we launched the first online MBA in Hospitality and Services Industries Management. By creating an online classroom we are giving our students the opportunity to continue to grow professionally without putting their career on hold. Our interactive learning approach means students debate with classmates from around the world and can apply the concepts and skills learned immediately into their working environments, offering far more to both students and employers than a more traditional distance learning programme.

HBME: What kind of take up have you seen

so far?

MF: We’re very proud of our steadily growing community of online students. The nature of virtual learning means that we’re attracting hospitality professionals who already have established careers but recognise the need for continual development. We have also forged partnerships with a number of major hotel groups who are keen to put employees into our programmes. To date we have enrolled 250 students from across 70 countries learning online, with an average age of 37 and over 15 years work experience each. With that sort of cohort, we are creating an environment where students can use the experience of those around them

as a valuable learning resource.

HBME: What’s the benefit for a hotel

organisation or chain to encourage these

kinds of additional staff training?

MF: At Glion we regularly consult with major hospitality organisations to ensure our programmes reflect the needs of the industry. We therefore know from experience that an organisation which encourages its employees to pursue education receives loyalty in return from staff. In a more practical sense, an MBA-level academic degree creates leaders from managers. In regions such as the Middle East where there is an exciting amount of growth, leaders are irreplaceable for companies to continue to develop and be successful.

HBME: How important is continued

learning throughout a person’s career?

MF: Lifelong learning has become an essential part of professional development and is here to stay. In a fast-paced industry such as hospitality, the need to remain current and


HR, RECRUITMENT & TRAINING / TRENDS

Representation of regions

40% ASIA

21% ME & AFRICA

16% AMERICAS

23% EUROPE

relevant has certainly never been as important. Many leaders and managers from the Middle East don’t have sufficient formal training, so the course gives them an important framework to help them hang their experience on, so they can develop success strategies. We have a lot of ‘a-ha’ moments!

HBME: For hotel operators, what are the

key benefits of investing in staff’s future?

MF: Investing in your staff ’s future aligns the goals of employees with those of your organisation, it creates loyalty and acts as a fantastic motivator, and that is before they have even begun to put the new skills they are learning back into the organisation. Executive education and organised learning are two of the highest-ranked factors in retention globally, and particularly in the hospitality and services industry. By enrolling and learning online, brands get to take advantage of an employee’s new skills immediately and it’s both cost-effective and time-effective,

rather than losing staff to Switzerland to take up the course in person.

HBME: What is the actual online process

and how long does the MBA take?

MF: Students learn in an online environment that has been specifically designed to fit around the demanding schedule of hospitality professionals. Weekly debate and discussion takes place in an asynchronous manner, meaning our multinational cohort can access the class when their schedule is free. In addition to highly trained faculty, we use webinars and a team of support staff to assist each class from enrollment through to graduation. The Glion Online MBA takes around 2.5 years to complete.

HBME: How would you like to expand in

the Middle East?

MF: We understand that the hospitality industry, perhaps more than any other, is based upon professional networks. At Glion we have a network of some 8,000

alumni around the globe and our students use this database to forge professional relationships and find job opportunities. Extending this through the Middle East would simultaneously help our students work in an exciting market and help to facilitate talent development in the region. Furthermore, we have numerous partnerships with hotel groups in the region and would always consider expanding this with the right group or organisation.

HBME: How does the Middle East market

compare to other regions?

MF: Right now the Middle East is one of the most exciting markets globally; we’ve seen a fantastic amount of growth and huge ambition and innovation within the industry in the region. The speed of development has also been astonishing, the key now is to invest in the people who make the industry tick and ultimately decide its long term success. In doing so the Middle East can become the premier hospitality destination for employees, organisations and customers.

HBME: What hotel groups are you

working with?

MF: Currently, we have students from Accor, Hyatt, Rotana, Taj Hotels, Ritz, Banyan Tree and the IHG group. These brands are among those currently expanding across the UAE market.

Lifelong learning has become an essential part of professional development and is here to stay.

TRENDS / IT SYSTEMS

Last month Lutron, a global leader in light and shade solutions announced an alliance with VingCard ElSafe to bring

hoteliers and facilities managers a one stop solution for guests’ in-room needs with a fully integrated light control and energy management system. Collaborations like this can help reduce the hoteliers’ TCO through energy savings and pass on benefits to

A star allianceIn an increasingly tough technology market, collaborating to offer integrated product solutions can create an attractive package to both hotel clients and their guests

the end user, explains Shadi Karouf, Sales Manager at Lutron.

HBME: You’ve formed an alliance

with VingCard Elsafe – how much are

integrated product solutions the future

for the hospitality industry?

Shadi Kharouf: It is important that you work with companies who are world leaders in their industry. Our alliance with VingCard Elsafe brings the global

leader in hospitality security together with the world’s leading manufacturer of light and shade control solutions for commercial and residential applications. As the use of technology increases in the hospitality industry, integrated solutions will need to be provided by multiple companies.

With hospitality being an industry which relies on aesthetics, values and perfection, it becomes an optimum solution for companies to work with each other so that all these parameters are exceeded, providing maximum comfort for the customer.

HBME: How hard is to form the right

technological alliance?

SK: One key to finding the right alliance is identifying a company that has produced solutions that compliment your product offering.


IT SYSTEMS / TRENDS

When implementing energy saving solutions the guest experience must not be compromised, and ideally, it becomes enhanced

Shadi Karouf, Sales

Manager at Lutron.

In this alliance relationship, both companies have very strong product solutions in their respective areas but when combined they are an even more powerful solutions for the customer. Other important factors with selecting the right company are industry reputation and quality.

HBME: What should you look for in an

alliance partner?

SK: We look for leaders and pioneers in their respective fields. The relationship should be mutually rewarding. An effective alliance should enhance our respective product lines and reputations; at the same time provide excellent value to the customer.

HBME: What is the benefit to the hotel

clients?

SK: The system allows the hotel to not

only save energy costs but maintain the comfort and convenience for the guest which is a critical facet when implementing a technically advanced room solution. When implementing energy saving solutions the guest experience must not be compromised, and ideally, it becomes enhanced.

HBME: What are the key features of the

full integrated light control and energy

management solution?

SK: The integrated solution provides luxury hotels with improved guest comfort while saving 20-30 per cent of electricity used. The solution also improves the hotels operational efficiency by providing centralised monitoring of the system through the VingCard Elsafe Orion dashboard.

Hotels can now provide their guests with total in-room comfort and increase energy efficiency with the option to automatically turn lights on, adjust shades, and adjust the temperature when the room becomes occupied and automatically turn lights off, adjust shades, and setback the temperature when the room is vacant.

HBME: How important is R&D to your

overall business?

SK: Lutron reinvests a great deal of our revenues into engineering and research and development and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Our founder, Mr. Spira, has nurtured a company, the fundamentals of which lie in its ability to innovate with high quality, providing the customer with the highest value.

HBME: How important is client feedback?

SK: Taking care of the customer is Lutron’s first principal, and hence feedback from clients is the single most important tool that can help us to make and design product which offer excellent value to the customer. Client feedback provides us with first hand data, enabling us to better ourselves each time.

HBME: When it comes to energy saving,

how beneficial is it to form an alliance

with another company to offer a better

solution?

SK: Energy conservation is becoming more important with each passing day. There are a lot of steps and methods that can help you save energy, and you may not be equipped to provide a solution that addresses all of the energy consuming devices in a building. While Lutron has a comprehensive product portfolio that saves energy ranging from dimmers, automated window treatments, plug load controls, occupancy/vacancy sensors and thermostats we recognise there are other areas that our product offerings do not directly address. Hence, it can be beneficial for companies to work together to offer the maximum number of ways to save energy. Lutron expands this concept outside of the hotel industry with our ability to integrate with Building Management Systems to provide facility managers and property owners with a comprehensive picture of their entire building’s energy consumption.

HBME: Will companies who aren’t open to

collaborating find it difficult to survive?

SK: We believe that building strategic alliances plays an important part in our ability to provide a comprehensive solution the hospitality market which is why we have collaborated with VingCard Elsafe.

HBME: Does Lutron form alliances with

anyone else for other products?

SK: Today, Lutron has various alliances throughout many industries that extend across our product lines and global regions. Since our focus is centered on providing world class light control energy saving solutions we recognise the need and the importance of integrating with a multitude of companies in both the commercial and residential markets. We will continue to seek strategic alliances which expand the interoperability of our wired and wireless communication protocols in all global regions and across all of our product lines.



The Middle East Pool & Spa show returns with the latest products

The Middle East Pool & Spa show will be held from Sept 24 – 26 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition

Centre. Since 2004 the event has brought together project owners, architects, consultants, engineers, traders, dealers, distributors and contractors and promoted international manufacturers and service providers for the pool and spa industry. Tarek Ali, MD of the ME Pool & Spa show shares with us what we can expect this year.

HBME: What major innovations are will we

be seeing?

Tarek Ali: Some of the new products we’ll be hosting are: Dryden Aqua have developed a system that provides

a two day workshop will gather experts who want to equip participants with all the knowledge on the latest designs, innovation and technologies in building environment friendly pools systems.

expect presentations from Fluidra Middle East, Compass Pools and other exhibitors.

Awards 2012 – has been established to showcase the most outstanding pool and spa creations the Middle Eastern region has to offer.

senior partners from the event’s Construction Intelligence Partner, Ventures Onsite, will answer specific project related queries which will eliminate any doubts on the GCC construction industry.

On offer at the show

Splash downintegrated water treatment to give you crystal clear safe water with a low chlorine demand. Thermalac will debut a new Thermalac Zenith heater and OSF Hansjurgen Meier will introduce the water treatment, ‘Waterfriend’ which will contain a web server and makes remote diagnosis possible.

HBME: How important is the Middle East

to the global pool and spa market?

TA: With the economic downturn in most industries in the Eurozone, there has been a shift to the Middle East which has shown early recovery signs in the construction industry complemented by recent reports on the upswing of the region’s hospitality sector. A study conducted by Alpen

Capital, the GCC Hospitality Industry, reported hotel projects throughout the region, under construction and due for completion in 2013-14 are expected to be around US$ 7 billion.

HBME: You have a green pool conference,

do you have any statistics for how much

energy pools use in the Middle East?

TA: On the per capita basis, Saudi Arabia and the UAE consume respectively 91 per cent and 83 per cent more water than the global average and about six times more water than the United Kingdom, latest industry report showed. This topic will be highlighted during the Green Pool conference through presentations by academic and government representatives from Dubai Municipality and American University in Dubai.

HBME: You had 80 companies from 18

countries before, what do you expect for

this year?

The event will have more than 60 companies this year, despite the apparent decrease in number of exhibitors, the 2012 edition welcomes new exhibitors from other parts of the world who are first time exhibitors at the show.

Per capita, Saudi Arabia and the UAE consume respectively 91 per cent and 83 per cent more water than the global average

Tarek Ali

100 IN NUMBERS

LEADING BRANDS WILL EXHIBIT AT

THE SHOW

5,000TARGETED BUYERS

AND PROFESSIONALS

60EXHIBITORS


TV tutorialsWe go behind the scenes at one of LG’s training sessions for its Pro:Centric solutions

AUDIO/VISUAL / TRENDS

LG currently holds the world’s number one marketing share in the Hospitality TV industry, with a 27 per cent market share, globally.

Set in the brand’s B2B Solutions Lab, Commercial Display Sales Professionals from the MENA region gathered to learn about LG’s Pro:Centric product road map and the latest technologies available for hotels in RF and IP environments.

PRO:CENTRIC V INFORMATION GENERATOR

The PCS-150R is a stand-alone Linux data server that manages and controls

LED P:C P (Integrated Set-Top-Box) VS. LCD HITV

the Pro:Centric system, delivering unique digital content from the head-end to the hotel’s guest room via RF distribution network. It supports a data carousel of applications and services; and broadcasts these to Pro:Centric enabled TVs over a pre-configured communication channel. Guests can select customised content using the remote control, such as hotel amenities and the channel programming guide. The PCS150-R can be used for both Free-To-Guest (FTG) and Pay-Per-View head-end systems.

PRO: CENTRIC LT760H

The LT760H is the latest IP based Hotel TV technology. It features an integrated Set-Top-Box with a Pro:Centric platform supporting applications in HTML 5, Java and Flash. It also has smart share capabilities enabling the guest to stream content via WiFi, WiDi and DLNA. This model supports hybrid streaming by having both an RF and IP input. New Edge LED technology makes it a ‘Smart Energy Saving’ product.

REDUCING TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP (TCO)

The LED Pro:Centric TV can reduce the TCO by eliminating unnecessary additional hardware, cabling and civil works. There are intangible cost saving benefits as well since this solution can be managed from a centralised location, reducing the time spent on labour or trouble-shooting exercises.

Clockwise from top:

The training in session, Salwan Finj, Eric Lee and Akhil Johari , the Pro: Centric Server (PCS-150R)

Power consumption (1 year base)p

*Based on an assumption study of electricity costs in Dubai $.011/KWh

INCH LED TV LCD TV +STB GAP

32” $7.8 $33.7 $25.9

42” $11.6 $39.7 $28.2

47” $15.3 $49.4 $34.1


TRENDS / FOOD & BEVERAGE

Abdul Rashid, Director and General Manager of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health

ME, gives us an insight into the recently launched Person In Charge (PIC) scheme for F&B outlets.

HBME: Since its launch, how is the PIC

scheme having an effect on F&B outlets,

specifically those ones in hotels?

Abdul Rashid: There is more focus on food safety in F&B outlets since the implementation of the PIC programme. In the past the Hygiene Manager had sole responsibility for food safety in hotels, although the Hygiene Manager still has overall responsibility, he is adequately supported by key supervisory staff, i.e. trained PIC’s within individual outlets.

HBME: How is the Chartered Institute of

Environmental Health (CIEH) involved?

AR: The CIEH is an awarding body and the global leader in the provision of vocational qualifications for businesses around the world. In Dubai, the CIEH is accredited by the Dubai Accreditation Centre (DAC) to ISO

The PIC programme focuses on actively managing food safety risks that may arise in an operational environment

Abdul Rashid

17024 enabling us to provides PIC Level 2 and PIC Level 3 programmes through its registered training centres. This assists food businesses to meet Dubai Municipality regulatory requirements related to Food Safety and PIC training programmes. In addition the CIEH supports Municipal authorities by assisting and supporting the development of food safety, health and safety and environmental strategy and policy matters.

HBME: How long does it take to train a

Person In Charge?

AR: There are two Person in Charge (PIC) training programmes, PIC Level 2 which is a two day training programme and PIC Level 3 which is a three day training programme. There is a multiple choice examination which concludes the training sessions, successful candidates are awarded the CIEH PIC Level 2 or PIC Level 3 certificate which has a validity of five years, based on municipal stipulations.

HBME: What extra expenditure do hotels

have to invest?

AR: There is an additional investment

which the hotel will need to make, this would coverthe fees of participants who attend the PIC Level 2 and Level 3 training courses. These fees are set by Dubai Municipality approved consultancy and training companies and are determined by market factors based on supply and demand.

HBME: For a busy five star hotel with

various different restaurants, how many

people would they have to have trained

under this scheme?

AR: The specific requirements of the PIC scheme, including the number of PIC’s required for businesses, and outlets in five star hotels are set in the PIC Guidance document issued by Dubai Municipality. As a general rule of thumb, at least one trained PIC is required to be present whenever the food outlet is open for business.

HBME: What’s new under this scheme that

didn’t exist before?

AR: The key difference between the PIC and ‘traditional’ food safety training schemes, is that the PIC programme focuses on actively managing food safety risks that may arise in an operational environment. In addition to providing theoretical knowledge based on food safety principles, the PIC scheme focuses on how to apply this in a working environment to control critical elements of risk, implement corrective actions and apply preventative measures.

Keep it cleanIs the Person In Charge (PIC) scheme improving Dubai’s restaurants?

cpidubai.com

JOB WATCH


Job watchIs it time for a change? Let us help. All jobs can be applied for through the Hozpitality websiteOPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Industry: Hotels Clubs and SpasDepartment: General ManagementLevel: Top ManagementLocation: DubaiSalary Description: AttractivePosted: 26/08/2012Start Date: ASAPRecruiter: Hozpitality Consulting

We are looking for the following position for our client with a group of hotels in Dubai. The role of Operations Manager will include AED 15000/- per month, family status ( if married), housing allowance: AED 8,120/- per month, schooling for children ( up to two kids), medical and life Insurance, family annual leave tickets to the point of origin, meals and laundry provided. Candidates with rooms / sales background would be preferred.

MATERIALS/PURCHASING DIRECTOR

Industry: Hotels Clubs and SpasDepartment: Finances and AccountsLevel: Top ManagementLocation: DubaiSalary Description: AttractivePosted: 26/08/2012Start Date: ASAPRecruiter: Hozpitality Consulting

We are looking for Director of Materials, who would be having an area role and would be responsible for all purchasing / procurement for our client with multi properties in UAE. Basic salary that we would be offering is AED 12,000 to 14,000 (depending on calibre and experience of the candidate), housing allowance AED 9,770 per month and Transport allowance would be AED 1,300 per month.

DIRECTOR OF FOOD & BEVERAGE

Industry: Hotels Clubs and SpasDepartment: F&B

Level: Top ManagementLocation: DubaiSalary Description: AttractivePosted: 24/08/2012Start Date: ASAPRecruiter: Clover Creek Hotel Apartments

As Director of Food & Beverage, you will oversee the strategy, management, operations and team development of the Food & Beverage department to maxmise profitability and quality. Specifically, you will be responsible for performing the following tasks to the highest standards:

F&B strategy and management Support the overall F&B strategy for the whole group of GHM.

Ensures that food and beverage policies are known, understood and observed. Evaluate new F&B trends and competitors’ products offering, and update the offering accordingly.

Takes all steps to maximise profitability and to ensure that the F&B profit budget is achieved. Ensures that cost of sales is controlled and in line with business levels.

Monitoring and analysis of the labour cost at hotel level, according to business levels / activity / season Quality, Service Levels & Brand Standards.

Ensures the highest standards of quality in all aspects of the hotels’ F&B operations, guaranteeing that brand values and standards are never compromised.

To maintain contact with GM’s Executive Chefs and F&B Service Managers and ensure a smooth succession plan. Reinforces area learning and development F&B programmes to ensure well-trained employees.

Ensure that all F&B supplies are ordered and delivered against clearly defined specifications and within or better than agreed budget limits.

Supports key projects through data analysis, consultation of key operational issues within hotels and build financial models to assist

decision-making. Helps to establish the food and beverage department operation in new hotels.

Reviews food and beverage collaterals and promotional material for internal and external use.

Reviews menus and drink lists including merchandising, menu item selection, writing style, cover and arrangements.

Co-ordinates special events, festivals and joint promotions, as part of the area marketing plan.

Develops and implements new F&B concepts.

Qualifications needed: University degree or Associate Diploma in Hospitality Management.

A minimum of five years in F&B in a 4 or 5 star environment on the same capacity

Operational experience in hotels/restaurants.

Ability to build relationships. Excellent commercial awareness. Front and back of house experience. High quality service standards and meet guests satisfaction focus.

Excellent communications skills – communication with Area Executive Committee, VP/GM/DO and CEO.

PC self-sufficient (Word, Excel, Internet, Powerpoint as a minimum).

Self motivated and independent. Operationally hands-on.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Industry: Hotels Clubs and SpasDepartment: Finances and AccountsLevel: Top ManagementLocation: DubaiSalary Description: AttractivePosted: 14/08/2012Start Date: ASAPRecruiter: CHA International

We are looking for a CFO/ Chief Financial Officer who will be based in Dubai preferably of Indian nationality. Aged between 40-50 years old and has worked at international hotel chains and in charge of multiple properties or holding a cooperate role with Dubai/GCC Experience. Max. basic salary is AED35,000 per month+ and a family package. CPA holder is a plus.

WHATEVER YOUR

LIFE’S WORK IS,

DO IT WELL. A

MAN SHOULD DO

HIS JOB SO WELL

THAT THE LIVING,

THE DEAD, AND

THE UNBORN

COULD DO IT

NO BETTER

MARTIN LUTHER

KING JR

JOB WATCH


GROUP DIRECTOR OF SALES, LEISURE

Industry: Hotels Clubs and SpasDepartment: Sales & MarketingLevel: Group ManagementLocation: DubaiSalary Description: AttractivePosted: 12/08/2012Start Date: ASAPRecruiter: CHA International

We are looking for a Group Director of Sales - Leisure who is based in Dubai for a UAE based company with nine international branded hotels. The candidate will:

Report to Group Director Sales & Marketing Have a min of 10 years experience and five years in Dubai as DOS Leisure

Have an excellent understanding of the hotel leisure scene with established network to the segments major player in GCC and beyond

Leverage the synergy potential amongst the company’s portfolio of hotels’ multi brands

Concentrate leisure sales Attractive salary & package offered as per qualification

GROUP DIRECTOR OF F&B

Industry: Hotels Clubs and SpasDepartment: F&BLevel: Corporate/Group ManagementLocation: DubaiSalary Description: AttractivePosted: 12/08/2012Start Date: ASAPRecruiter: CHA International

We are looking for a Group Director of F&Bbased in Dubai for a UAE based company with 9 international branded hotels. The right candidate will:

Report to Chief Operating Officer Have a min of 10 years experience and five years in a corporate multi unit environment in Dubai

Have a good track record of leadership skills within international hotel operators

To enhance F&B offerings across all hotels and boost revenues Concentrate on F&B in all franchised hotels Develop F&B concepts

An attractive salary and package offered as per qualification.

GENERAL MANAGER

Industry: Hotels Clubs and SpasDepartment: General ManagementLevel: Top ManagementLocation: QatarSalary Description: AttractivePosted: 12/08/2012Start Date: ASAP

A General Manager is required for one of Qatar’s oldest and largest business entities encompassing several divisions across a spectrum of industries and a portfolio that includes several internationally acclaimed brands. This is a great opportunity to join an ambitious company with a growing portfolio of superb properties. The ideal candidate must have the following competencies:

Minimum of three years experience as Food & Beverage Manager / Director with a reputed 5 star hotel in Middle East.

Minimum of three years experience as General Manager with a reputed 5 star hotel in Middle East.

Preferably below 48 years old. Preferably EU Educated. Should have the operational expertise of handling the food and beverage.

Create an environment of affection to motivate both staff members and guests.

Provide training to the employees for the company and recruiting them.

Establish and maintain effective relationships with the clients.

Manage the team activities being a strong team player.

Responsible for handling financial budgets of the company.

Develop the strategies of marketing. Ensure there is enthusiasm and commitment towards the team.

COMPLEX DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Industry: Hotels Clubs and SpasDepartment: FinanceLevel: Top ManagementLocation: DubaiSalary Description: AttractivePosted: 7/08/2012Start Date: ASAP

The Finance Department has responsibility for planning, directing, and managing the

provision of accurate, timely, and objective financial data from which informed management decisions can be made. This department recommend remedial action when and where necessary. This position safeguards owner assets by creating and maintaining sound internal control systems.The Complex Director of Finance manages the provision of accurate, timely, and objective financial data from which informed management decisions can be made. Recommend remedial action when and where necessary. Safeguard owner assets by creating and maintaining sound internal control systems. Hire the most professional, service-oriented, dedicated highly skilled, trained staff available. Participate in total hotel management as a member of the hotel Executive Committee. Job responsibilities will include, but not limited to the following:

Direct preparation of annual budgets and monthly forecasts; establish or recommend to management major economic objectives and policies for Hotel.

Support General Manager and hotel financial goals by direct preparation of monthly and annual reports summarize and forecast

hotel’s revenues, expenses, and earning based on past, present and expected operations.

Ensure compliance with Starwood policies and procedures and all applicable laws.

Provide effective leadership of the Finance team in relation to goal setting, development and direction of activities.

Negotiate contracts with hotel’s vendors. Ensure the collection and payment of

applicable local, state, and federal taxes. Arrange for audits of hotel’s accounts. Prepare reports for regulatory agencies. Must be able to read, analyse, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals or governmental regulations.

To move into this position you should have: Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting Four years plus experience in similar role and five years’ experience in five star property.

Budgetary analysis capabilities required. Must be able to speak, write and converse freely in English

Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, SAP, and other

applicable computer systems. A passion for providing great service Excellent organizational skills Attention to detail and be proactive

I DO NOT KNOW

ANYONE WHO

HAS GOTTEN

TO THE TOP

WITHOUT HARD

WORK. THAT

IS THE RECIPE.

IT WILL NOT

ALWAYS GET YOU

TO THE TOP, BUT

IT WILL GET YOU

PRETTY NEAR.

MARGARET

THATCHER

Jobs supplied by:


COMMENT

Right people, right place, right timeMike Kitchen, head of Facilities Management at Transguard makes the case for outsourcing staff

Getting the human resources mix right is an ongoing challenge in any industry and in every market, but globally the hotel

sector suffers more than most, from a fluctuating demand for people and with seasonality a major influencing factor.

In an ideal world staff would be on call – and on the payroll – 365 days a year; company loyalty would be guaranteed, staff turnover would be minimal and customer service levels would be world-class. In the real world, where recruitment and budget go head-to-head against projected occupancies, yield and market uncertainty, in an unpredictable region, this remains an HR director’s pipe dream.

This part of the world also has its own unique recruitment challenges. While the UAE hotel sector is one of the fastest growing in the world, the absence of a flexible local workforce means that overseas recruitment has long been the sole source for the bulk of manpower requirements, and the highly regulated visa process is an additional consideration. In a relatively small market dominated by five and good quality four star hotels, customer expectations are also above average when it comes to service quality, yet the average salaries remain relatively low.

The negative consequences of seasonality and recruitment costs scream out for a simple solution – and that’s where outsourcing comes in. At Transguard we are witnessing a trend emerge with a conscious move towards creating flexible workforces and outsourcing predominantly back-of-house staff.

Globally, it’s been a given part of the human resources equation for decades, and the industry’s reliance on a flexible and diverse pool of seconded talent is significant; without it, leading hotel groups in resort locations and major conference venues, as well as major gateway cities, would find it very hard to function and maintain market share. If the UAE hospitality sector is

to maintain the high standards that visitors to the region expect, then it needs to adopt a similar approach to staff resourcing.

There is a pressing need, and a huge gap in the market, for entities like our sister company Transguard Themis, which was launched to address the need for short-term contract staff, as well as opportunities for Facilities Management (FM) companies to tap the growing hospitality market.

The benefits are obvious: economies of scale, specific expertise a phone call away, large scale recruitment capabilities and swift mobilisation of resources, no visa or payroll requirements and – most importantly – the ability to redeploy staff during those low seasons.

We understand that hotels are as much about the staff as about the product, (in fact guests’ service expectations are actually raised in line with increasing product quality) and inculcation of corporate culture from the General Manager down is a key success driver when it comes to customer perception, experience and – ultimately – loyalty.

For us, successful working relationships with our hospitality sector partners are founded on a mutual understanding of the core principles of delivering exemplary customer service, and the long-term financial benefits of implementing a flexible workforce solution. Both are difficult to ignore in today’s market. Mike Kitchen is head of FM services for Transguard Group, a part of the Emirates Group.

The negative consequences of seasonality and recruitment costs scream out for a simple solution – and that’s where outsourcing comes inMIke Kitchen, head of FM, Transguard

www.lg.com/ae

LG Smart Hospitality SolutionsInformation Generator PCS150R Modulator EmbededThe PCS150R is a stand-alone Linux data server that manages and controls the Pro:Centric system, delivering unique digital content from the head-end to the hotels’ guest rooms via the RF distribution network. It supports a data carousel of applications and services and broadcasts these to Pro:Centric enabled TVs over a preconfigured communications channel, enabling guests to select customized content for in-room viewing using the TV remote control, such as hotel amenities, daily weather, and the channel programming guide. The PCS150R can be used with both Free-To-Guest (FTG) and Pay-Per-View (PPV) head-end systems.

• SIMPLE INSTALLATION

• MINIMAL HEAD-END RACKSPACE

• RAPID CONTENT CREATION

• REMOTE SUPPORT

Please contact LG Electronics Gulf office for further details:LG ELECTRONICS GULF FZEAL NASR PLAZA OFFICE BUILDING #4, OFFICE 309OUD METHA RD., P.O. BOX 61445, DUBAI, UAETEL: +971-4-357 3466, FAX: +971-4-357 3460

Contact: Salwan Finj (+971-56-683 7424) Kishore Kini (+971-50-644 9973)

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