< PreviousHow to spend it hoteliermiddleast.com January 2020 50 Tell us about your company? Established in 2001, Exterity is a market-leading developer and manufacturer of end-to-end IP video, digital signage and guest experience technologies that aim to help organisations around the globe to engage, inform and entertain their audience. Exterity has grown rapidly in recent years and now has over 120 staff - 80 based at our Headquarters in Scotland, and a further 40 sales and technical staff in offi ces around the globe: London, New York, Paris, Johannesburg, Dubai, Riyadh, Singapore and Sydney. We recently opened the Exterity Software Innovation Centre in Porto as an extension to our core engineering team based at our headquarters. How is the company performing? Exterity’s revenue has grown by 86% over the last f ive years. What are your core products/ services for the hospitality industry? Exterity solutions enable hospitality providers to offer a unique guest experience with end-to-end integrated IPTV, Video on Demand, interactive services and digital signage. ArtioGuest enables the simple creation of customisable portals that offer an enhanced and intuitive in-room viewing guest experience, opening up a wide range of revenue- CONTACT T: +971 (4) 447 0604 E: info@exterity.com W: www.exterity.com generation opportunities for your organisation. ArtioSign is Exterity’s Digital Signage solution. Seamless integration with our IP video technologies enables live TV and video to be quickly incorporated into impactful signage screens that engage, inform and entertain. Our extensive range of headend products and media players round out our product range to provide a complete, end-to-end solution for the hospitality industry. What sets your company apart from its competitors? We offer a complete end-to- end IP video solution that enables our customers to capture TV/video content directly from any source and manage its delivery, as channels or within digital signage screens, to any connected device via an existing network. Have you launched any products or services recently? We are continually evolving our product range and expanding the functionality of both ArtioGuest and ArtioSign. For example, we recently added loyalty levels to ArtioGuest, providing the ability to personalise viewing interfaces and features to acknowledge and reward guest loyalty; TV-based ordering and excursion booking; reporting and analysis of channel viewing statistics and more. Is your company involved in any sustainability initiatives? Using sustainable, eco- friendly design principles, we aim to minimise overall environmental impact, through lower power consumption, fl ame- retardant housing, more effi cient packaging and better recyclability, all of which not only reduce environmental impact, but also lower operating costs. Our range of media players also support Power over Ethernet which results in signifi cant effi ciencies and cost savings. How does your service or product add value to a hotel’s offering? Exterity hospitality and leisure solutions are used worldwide to provide tech-savvy guests with a "better than home" premium experience, while enabling hoteliers to drive additional revenue, reinforce branding and increase customer loyalty. SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW Exterity Colin Farquhar, chief executive officer, Exterity details how the company’s solutions add value to a hotel’s offeringHow to spend it 51 January 2020 hoteliermiddleast.com Tell us about your company? The Laufen Bathrooms AG is a Swiss company specialising in premium complete bathroom solutions. Established in 1892 in Laufen/Switzerland, it operates internationally manufacturing bathroom ceramics and faucets and distributing bathroom furniture, accessories for the bathroom, bathtubs and shower trays. Laufen employs a workforce of 2,500 with eight factories located in Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland and produces 3 million ceramic items per year. What is your annual turnover? Consolidated turnover: €280,000,000 What are your core products/ services for the hospitality industry? Laufen is well-known for being a highly innovative company with more than 125 years of expertise in ceramics. It is no coincidence, that Laufen invented the revolutionary SaphirKeramik, which possesses all the hygienic advantages of traditional bathroom ceramics, but is thinner, more defi ned, and extremely robust. What sets your company apart from its competitors? Laufen has never forgotten its roots. The products combine Swiss quality with a free spirit and the idea of extracting new forms from the traditional CONTACT E: Lee breeds@laufen.ch M: +44 (0) 7712 326 197 ceramic material to new and independent bathroom concepts. Furthermore the bathroom specialist has solutions and modern materials at its disposal to realise the made-to-measure bathroom. For example to fulfi ll the exacting requirements of architects, planners and engineers who design high- quality private residences as well as public and semi-public buildings, such as hotels. Have you launched any products or services recently? ‘The New Classic’, presented at ISH 2019 is a bathroom collection by Laufen designed under the creative leadership of superstar designer Marcel Wanders. The idea behind is to re-interpret classical styles in a contemporary way using our ultra-modern ceramic material ‘SaphirKeramik’. The range encompasses washstands, washbasin bowls, toilets, a bidet and bathtub, faucets, mirrors and accessories, as well as furniture – perfect for equipping complete hotel bathrooms with a classic edge, that are calling to mind the poetry and romance of bygone times. In addition to ‘The New Classic’, we presented novelties for the ‘Sonar’ collection (designed by Patricia Urquiola), ‘Val’ (designed by Konstantin Grcic) and ‘Kartell by Laufen’ (designed by Ludovica + Roberto Palomba). Is your company involved in any sustainability initiatives? Laufen places priority on environmentally-friendly production, using the resources (energy, raw material and water) in the most effective way throughout the whole manufacturing process. This optimisation of resources needed for manufacturing starts during the development of new product concepts and their technical development. At Laufen, innovation is all about treating the environment and its resources responsibly. This maxim is refl ected in innovative, resource-friendly design, production processes and products. How does your service or product add value to a hotel’s offering? From the numerous projects we have realised worldwide, we have the specifi c know- how needed to create a hotel bathroom attractive, comfortable and enjoyable for the guests - and highly functional and as a safe investment for the hotel management. And, of course, our Global Projects Team is committed and passionate about bringing the highest level of professionalism through logistics and project management that is needed to support our partners optimally. SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW Laufen Luc Siezenis, export sales director, Laufen Bathrooms AG tells us about the company’s legacy and new launchesHow to spend it hoteliermiddleast.com January 2020 52 Tell us about your company and when it was founded? Versapak is a worldwide manufacturer of tamper evident solutions for the security and the medical industry. Versapak is a wholly owned, family organisation, established in 1973 and was the fi rst to manufacture a reusable, tamper evident solution. How many people are employed by your company and where are they based? Our organisation, headquartered in the United Kingdom, is complemented with offi ces in Europe and a wholly owned manufacturing facility with more than 100 employees. Our company also boasts a worldwide network of distributors, especially selected for their profi ciency in operational security. CONTACT A: 4 Veridion Way, Erith, Kent DA18 4AL, UK T: +44 (0)208 333 53 00 E: info@versapakinternational.com W: versapakinternational.com How is the company performing? Versapak has established itself as a leader in tamper evident reusable solutions and we deliver double digit growth per annum thanks to our ability to react and innovate within new sectors such as security solutions for protecting personal data, held on lost electronic devices. What are your core products? Within the hospitality industry we are a leading supplier of reusable tamper-evident cash bags and document wallets, used when securing sensitive and valuable items in cash offi ces or lost property. What sets your company apart from the competition? We are proud holders of a Royal Warrant by appointment to Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. This is thanks to our provision of tamper evident Versapaks and security seals to the royal household. What are your new launches? Versapak’s latest pioneering achievement is its most secure locking system, the patented T2 security mechanism. At the heart of this is our T2 seal which is a 21st century technology in the fi eld of tamper evident tracking and security. Its most recent iteration is a seal made purely from recycled material, minimising the impact of plastic-waste in our world. Is your company involved in any sustainability initiatives? Versapak is 100% committed to sustainability as part of its 2020 vision. We are increasingly manufacturing from recycled plastics, we also encourage our customers to switch to our solutions rather than use single-use polythene cash bags. A Versapak can be reused over 2,000 times and we calculated that it saves enough single-use plastic waste to cover an entire football fi eld. We are certifi ed with ‘The Planet Mark’ thanks to our efforts to monitor and reduce our carbon footprint and we offset emissions with a rainforest replenishment initiative in collaboration with ‘Cool Earth’. How does your product add value to a hotel’s offering? We offer unrivalled security and peace of mind when it comes to the movement of cash and documentation as well as the safekeeping of guests’ valuables. In a recent testimonial, our customers said they were able to make a 35% cost saving and a 100% environmental saving, thanks to using Versapak. SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW Versapak International Ltd Stephen Págány details Versapak’s sustainable and cost-saving credentialsHow to spend it 53 January 2020 hoteliermiddleast.com Tell us about your company? Zieher was founded in 1986 and manufactures luxurious food presentations and wine glasses worldwide. We develop, create and design new items. How many people are employed by your company? Zieher has 42 employees at its headquarter in Germany where most of the creation is done, and where sales and services are located. The actual production of the high class design articles is done by highly specialized partners who can provide the mandatory quality Zieher stands for. What is your annual turnover? Zieher started in 1986 as a sales company and introduced its fi rst own design in 2006. Since then we steadily increased the percentage of Zieher design items in our product range and specialized our market to the luxury sector worldwide. Today we deliver to over 90 countries. What the core products that you offer to the hospitality industry? Ever since we invented the fi rst highly fl exible “Skyline” in 2009, buffet system have been the core product of Zieher, including bowls and plates to be used on said systems. Since 2015 the vision wine glass series is of great importance too. What sets your company apart from its competitors? For Zieher the key to success CONTACT T: +49 9273 9273 – 40 E: info@zieher.com W: www.zieher.com is extraordinary design often manufactured with high quality craftsmanship in small series. Our quality standards require a certain skill level and production of our designs is sometimes complicated or time consuming. All of this prevents mass production and therefore exclusivity as well as some protection against cheap copies. The Skyline design is by far the most copied buffet system, so I guess we did something right there. Of course if you check the quality you will know the difference. What are your new launches? Zieher usually presents novelties twice a year, last release was in September including fascinating novelties like an LED-ring for our decanters, an extraordinary buffet stand as well as the “Food-Trees”. Is your company involved in any sustainability initiatives? We try and optimise energy and paper consumption, split waste to recyclable materials and some employees have even dedicated themselves to transporting organic waste to a compost box. How does your service or product add value to a hotel’s offering? We support our customers and partners by providing extravagant items to make it easier for them to stand out from the crowd. Guests are very well informed due to online research. Especially food and food presentation are a highly sensitive area. So if our customer can show extraordinary highlights in that sector they might be preferred to others with standard equipment. Additional value is added by social media where food tends to be shared – if it is presented in a fascinating way, the chances of your buffet going viral increase. SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW Zieher Nikolan Dietz, marketing manager, Zieher outlines what sets the trailblazing company apart from its competitorshoteliermiddleast.com January 2020 54 THAT FIGURES The Egyptian markets such as Cairo, Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh and Alexandria continue to experience strong growth in performance levels. These markets saw an average RevPAR growth of 14% during the fi rst 10 months of 2019 compared to the same period last year. Travel sentiment from most source markets is now relatively relaxed resulting in a surge in demand. Forecasts for the Egyptian markets continues to be strong. The major Egyptian markets are forecasted to see an average RevPAR growth of 22% in 2019 in comparison to last year. Beirut hotel market continues to see strong growth in performance with double digit growth in RevPAR in the first 10 months of 2019. Increase in performance levels can be attributed to the growing number of European tourists. French tourists top the list followed by Germans and British. The lifting of travel warning from Saudi Arabia is also expected to have a positive impact. The market is forecasted to see a RevPAR growth of 13% in full year 2019. The Manama hotel market has seen a positive performance trend, achieving a RevPAR growth of 8%. This performance can be attributed to the increase in the number of visitors by approximately 3%. Continuous investments in tourism infrastructure is expected to increase the country’s visibility on the global map. The market is forecasted to see a RevPAR growth of 7% in full year 2019. Outlook 2020 The UAE markets are expected to achieve relatively stable performance levels in 2020, with the fi rst three months of Expo 2020 falling in the fourth quarter. Saudi markets will continue to benefi t from tourist visa changes and other initiatives. Although new supply might put a downward pressure on rates, recent initiatives are expected to have a positive impact on occupancy levels. MENA Hotel Forecast November 2019 Christopher Lund, head of hotels, Colliers International MENA HOT SPOTSSURE & STEADYWORK IN PROGRESS Sharm El Sheikh Hotels in Sharm El Sheikh have experienced the strongest growth in performance levels. The market is expected to continue benefi ting from positive security perception and return of chartered fl ights from traditional source markets. Manama The market has seen a positive performance trend in the fi rst ten months of 2019. This performance can be attributed to the increase in the number of visitors by approximately 3%. Continuous investments in tourism infrastructure is expected to increase the country’s visibility on the global map. Khobar Although the market has seen strong growth in occupancy levels, a combination of new supply and rate compression is resulting in a dip in RevPAR.Hotel Forecast 55 January 2020 hoteliermiddleast.com Nov em b er 2019 | ME N A H o te l F o recasts Colliers In te rnation al 1 MENA HOTEL FORECASTS Occupancy, ADR & RevPAR Full-Year Forecast 2019 MENA | Hotels November 2019hoteliermiddleast.com January 2020 56 CHECKING OUTCHECKING OUTCHECKING OUTCHECKING OUT57 January 2020 hoteliermiddleast.com Opened in December 2019, the Anantara Tozeur Resort in Tunisia marks the brand's North African debut Design The resort blends modern and Moorish architecture with a series of keyhole archway spaces, a mosaic infi nity water feature and a deconstructed chandelier dominating the reception area. The rooms feature a subtle interweaving of Berber patterns, North African furnishings, materials, textures and desert colours Every detail, from marble fl oor patterns, to inlaid timber screens and traditional fret-cut lighting, highlights Tunisia’s rich heritage. Rooms Set in clusters along weaving pathways and amongst landscaped courtyards, the 93 guest rooms and villas include Deluxe Sahara View Rooms, One- and Two-Bedroom villas and Pool Villas. Two private three-bedroom Royal Villas welcome families, friends and groups to regal exclusivity. Each entrance leads to more than 800 square metres of indoor living space with an open plan lounge, sunken dining room and private majlis, The outdoor terrace with an infi nity pool and dining area is perfect for alfresco meals, with endless panoramas of the region’s famed Chott el Djerid. Culture The resort puts travellers in touch with local culture and history with excursions to Tozeur’s Medina and the abandoned 14th century Berber villages of Chebika, Tamerza and Mides. Commenting on the launch, Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Anantara’s parent company, Minor Hotels, said: “We are so proud to debut our luxury Anantara brand in North Africa with the launch of this spectacular resort in the desert in Tunisia. Anantara Tozeur is truly a world- class resort and will bring new levels of Arabian hospitality and luxury to this stunning country.” Anantara Tozeur Resort Box Smart Star Wars fans will be very fa- miliar with some of these pan- oramas, as the southern Tu- nisian desert around Tozeur served as the fi lming locations for numerous scenes of the epic space trilogies created by George Lucas. Guests have the opportu- nity to visit some of the fi lming locations from the fi rst and second trilogies, when they book the resort’s Tatooine Journey package.hoteliermiddleast.com January 2020 58 Secret Concierge I started my journey away from home more than 10 years ago. My fi rst job was with a big hotel chain. I moved around departments a lot and, after a while, steered away to a different direction. A year ago, I was offered a role within a hotel, and I decided to come back to the industry. There are defi nitely things that I have missed about working with a big team and some that were not my favourite ones, but this time around I got to learn more about both aspects. I’m referring to “hotel politics”. I, of course, have heard of it and understand the strategy. I guess you can’t escape the politics at work, but in my personal opinion way too much time and effort is spent on “hotel politics” and fi guring out relationships, and colleagues’ likes and dislikes. In my opinion everyone should have one goal in the hotel and do their best to achieve it, but at times I feel that a lot of people in the industry are here for different reasons. In my perfect work world there would be less politics and more creativity and new initiatives. Another point that I wanted to share my opinion on and maybe spark a conversation about, is the “hotelier mindset”. Being away from the hospitality industry for a while and working with smaller stand-alone companies made me forget that it’s an actual thing. Coming back from a free mind set world where everything and anything is possible, to a hotel where bureaucracy unfortunately leads the way and whenever a good idea is thrown out there, there are way too “…too much time and effort is spent on hotel politics” many reasons that it can’t be executed. If you try to execute it, you’ll be stopped by hotel politics. But not everything is so dark. Things are changing with technology and a new generation of hoteliers. I’m sure in the very near future some of the long standing rules of hospitality will dissolve and we will fi nd ways of being more fl exible. I’m sure other industries have even more issues than a hospitality world. One thing I know for sure is that my passion is to create memories and smiles for others, and the hospitality industry is all about that. Do you have something to say? Want to voice your opinion anonymously? Contact Claudia.debrito@itp.comNext >