< PreviousTrending hoteliermiddleeast.com October 2020 10 Foodservice, machinery and ingredient supplier exhibition Gulfood Manufacturing has been moved to 2021 due to COVID-19. The event will now take place from November 7 to November 9 2021. Though physical events across the region have been resuming, with others such as AHIC, supplemented with digital events, Gulfood Manufacturing organisers said they could not deliver the event. In a statement, organisers said: “Whilst this decision will disappoint many who have come to rely upon the event as an important showcase of the latest manufacturing business improvement tools, the forward planning and advance logistics necessary to deliver an international event of such scale is not possible for many partners and exporters given current uncertainty surrounding travel and quarantine restrictions.” Following the news that of Q43 in Dubai’s Media One Hotel was set to permanently close its doors, operator Solutions Leisure has revealed its replacement. Bar and lounge Baby Q is now open, with a fresh new menu and redesigned interior. Solutions Leisure sales and marketing director Spencer Hartwell said, “We were blown away with the response when we broke the news announcing the closure of Q43. We knew the 43rd oor had created more than just memories for a lot of people over the years but we never expected the news to create such a ripple.” The new venue is open six days a week, offering everything from breakfast bites, ladies nights, Coffee Planet drinks, and much more. There will be 50 percent off food, drinks, and pool between 4pm and 8pm from Sunday to Friday during ‘Golden Hour’, and ladies can enjoy four drinks and a dish for AED100 between 6pm and 1am each Tuesday. When it comes to music, customers at the lounge-bar will enjoy all their favourite classics with a mixture of house, jazz, funk and soul. Baby Q replaces Q43 at Dubai’s Media One Hotel Gulfood Manufacturing exhibition postponed to 2021 FOOD & BEVERAGE NEWSTrending 11 October 2020 hoteliermiddleeast.com The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced it will not completely lift its air travel restrictions until January 2021. That is according to the interior ministry, which said an exact date would be announced in December. However, the ministry added that Gulf citizens and non-Saudis with valid residency permits will be allowed to enter the country from September 15 provided they are not infected with the coronavirus. “Completely lifting the restrictions on citizens leaving and returning to the Kingdom, and allowing the opening of ports for the crossing of all means of transport through land, sea and air ports, after January 1, 2021, while adhering to the current coronavirus precautionary procedures,” SPA reported. “The speci c date and time for lifting the suspension will be announced 30 days prior to January 1, 2021. The Ministry of Health may, should it be required, request to put in place certain preventative health requirements for travellers and carriers during travel, and in the halls of airports, ports, and stations.” Saudi Arabia international ights to fully resume in 2021 AVIATION NEWS Abu Dhabi’s national carrier, Etihad Airways, will extend the period of reduced pay for its staff until the end of the year as it continues to cope with COVID-19. Salaries were cut by 10 percent from September, though Etihad has reintroduced staff allowances, according to Reuters. Etihad Airways continues cuts while Emirates returns to full pay Dubai’s Emirates Airline, meanwhile, has announced its staff will return to 100 percent basic pay from October, albeit with reduced allowances. The Dubai-based carrier rst cut salaries in March in reaction to the pandemic, with reductions gradually lowering. Now staff are at full pay, but will have reductions to their accommodation education and transport allowances. Both carriers have been forced to lay off thousands of their staff amid the pandemic as aviation demand dries up. However, tourism is now returning across the UAE. hoteliermiddleeast.com October 2020 12 As a result of the pandemic that has plagued the globe during the last six months, most of us have had a chance to reconsider our priorities and efforts In short, we have analysed our Ikigai— the Japanese concept for ‘what gets us out of bed everyday’— and we are trying our best to focus on a renewed sense of purpose while leaving behind preconceived ideas that no longer serve us. For me, as for many other people that I know, one of these matters is sustainability. It has become undeniable that we need to take better care of our environment and become aware that while we each matter enormously as individuals, we are, in fact, not ‘just one’. Looking back at the Just One campaign that we launched during last year’s Dubai Design Week (as well as at the bar installation that we designed for Downtown Design), we were educated on some eye-opening insights into the behavioural consumption of single-use plastics. In the past, we may not have thought twice about ordering a coffee at Starbucks without bringing our own mug or rejecting plastic straws in favour of paper straws, but that slowly began to change in the mindsets of individuals across the globe. Unfortunately, however, these measures seem to have become erased as COVID-19 has spread throughout the world. Suddenly responsible habits have been thrown out the window to give way to a new massive shift towards single-use plastic consumption again in order to make hotel guests or restaurant patrons feel safe. In recent months, I’ve noticed an excessive use of plastic wrappers used on single-use plastic utensils alone, never mind the introduction of plastic gloves being used in our everyday lives. This shift has unfortunately taken us back a decade in the effort towards saving Let’s not go backwards By Isabel Pintado Talking HeadsTalking Heads October 2020 hoteliermiddleeast.com 13 About the author Isabel Pintado is Wilson Associates’ SVP Africa, China, Middle East, Thailand and regional MD, Bangkok, Dubai, Shanghai. She is a seasoned interior architecture professional with an invaluable familiarity of the region’s culture and business landscape combined with an in-depth knowledge of the industry. As senior vice president and regional managing director, Isabel leads the Dubai design studio, oversees the design direction for each project, and generates opportunities for Wilson’s global design studios. our planet. Before the pandemic, some hotel operators eliminated single-use toiletries, replacing them with larger re llable bottles and reducing the use of plastic amenities such as plastic straws and plastic water bottles. However, if you visited a hotel this summer, you would nd these socially conscious changes reversed as, understandably, preventing the spread of COVID-19 has become the priority. While it’s dif cult to not fall back into the excessive use of single-use plastic, as we’ve seen over these last six months, we need to keep in mind the irreversible damages that this is doing to our planet and make a conscious effort to reduce our single-use plastic use wherever possible. The good news is that we are gradually seeing a return towards safe and sustainable approaches with cafes, for example, now allowed to serve you using proper crockery and unnecessary wrapping gradually disappearing. We are however, far from where we should be. As designers, we are in a privileged position to be able to use our skills to design and specify products that use plastic in a creative and responsible way such as limiting the use of timber and timber related products. Noted designers who have embraced ‘The Plastic Renaissance’ such as Formafantasma and Dick Vander Kooijss have shown us the art of the possible. It would be highly bene cial if our communities explored both the positives and negatives related to the use of plastic and how to incorporate these into our everyday lives. We should be proactive in learning more on the topic and actively share any opportunities and discoveries through our examples of new projects and concepts. Opening up dif cult conversations on this matter will help to expand our knowledge and it’s imperative that we each incorporate this newfound knowledge into our lives, leading by example through simple undertakings such as carrying our own cups when ordering coffee or requesting non-plastic cutlery and receiving unnecessary wrapping when ordering takeaway meals. The small things make a big difference. We are just one, although as a group we make the ‘one’. Please join us in our efforts to move forward rather than backwards, to make people aware of the importance of all of us progressing. Our planet is a gift given to us and we should leave it in a better state than we found it, for our children and the loved ones who come after us. Not just one cup, not just one straw, not just one plastic bag.... Wilson Associates Just One bar installationTalking Heads hoteliermiddleeast.com October 2020 14 This month’s issue acknowledges some of the most inspirational people in our sector, people who have shaped the industry in truly impressive and unique ways. They all have their own personality and leadership DNA, different ways to look at the business and create an inspirational vision for the rest of us. I’m writing this in a small break from writing my own masterclasses. I’ve looked back at the mentors and coaches I’ve worked with and how they have inspired me. I remembered one of my mentors gave me what has become my most loaned and gifted book to others by James A. Autry, The Servant Leader. While writing my classes I re ected on how I have built and developed teams around the world, and the principles that have remained constant, and now as I coach and mentor others today I try as much as possible to always loop back to Autry’s teaching Most businesses today are under pressure, many are in trouble, but I am blessed to be working with others who are managing their unexpected growth pains or are equally blessed with the privileged position that they have a growth opportunity, and when I drill down I see common principles again. These leaders are providing guidance during con ict and crisis, never before has this been more critical. They assure your continued growth and progress as a leader, they teach you the principles of servant leadership and all these impact to transform a company into a great place to work. Don’t fake authenticity, times like now reveal those people with lofty A celebration of inspiration By David Singleton ideals. Humility and high values have proved that authenticity, vulnerability, acceptance, presence, and ‘being useful’ are simply the only way not just to survive, but to establish belief and vision. Inspired employees are themselves far more productive and in turn, inspire those around them to strive for greater heights. Being vulnerable in dif cult times is a frightening concept for many, so with that I want to add bravery to this list of critical principles. Leaders have to be very strong, combining their strength to motivate equally bold teams, their bravery to empower, whilst avoiding a command and control approach. Have you had a boss or colleague say recently “I made a bad decision”, or “I think we should look again at what we’re doing”? I think it takes courage to suggest that they might have taken on About the author David Singleton has worked in the hospitality and retail industry around the world as a brand builder, creator, operator, franchisee, and franchisor for some of the world’s best known and respected brands. He moderates, speaks, writes, advises and mentors across the hospitality and service sectors globally. Find out more at www.sociusgroup.com, www.davidsingleton.work and @singletoncity too much or taken a wrong direction. Being ‘present’ is hard as a leader, you are the lightning rod for the rest of the team and no matter how distracted you are, your team need to see you, not a distracted you; be present and focus on the here and now being useful as the leader in the role you rst took on. Most of the leaders in this year’s 2020 Power List are on people’s lists of those they’d love to work for. Why? They are leaders who over many years have crafted teams and brands who in turn inspire their front lines with brands that lead our amazing industry at a time we need it more than ever. I’ve met many of those on this year’s list and know how much they deserve it. Congratulations to all of them and I thank them for making a difference. It really does matter. Talking Heads October 2020 hoteliermiddleeast.com 15 Historically, tourism has always played a pivotal role in the UAE’s growth story, the bene ts of which have been both direct and indirect. As per the WTTC, tourism contributed 12 percent of UAE GDP, 11 percent of total employment and ten percent of total exports in 2019, so it is reasonable to expect that the resumption of tourist activity will be a fundamental part of the economic recovery process that industry analysts anticipate will occur in the coming years. The nature of tourism in the UAE has changed substantially since the rst quarter of the year, and management teams within hotels have had to make dif cult decisions in an almost instinctual fashion in the face of rapidly changing market conditions. In many cases choices had to be made between temporarily closing or remaining open, shutting down oors, and trying to attract transient room night demand. This impact has been particularly severe for some – we have come across some properties that exhibited single digit RevPAR performance in consecutive months during the summer, while in other cases business has remained relatively at. For those properties that chose to remain operational during this period, decisions had to be made real-time in order to navigate rapidly changing market conditions without precedent. One such debate was whether it was better to accept quarantine groups at contracted rates in an effort to cover Why domestic tourism will only sustain for so long By Ali Manzoor operational expenses or instead to avoid such groups in the fear that they may drive away higher value domestic tourism. Domestic tourism has served as strong support system for the UAE’s hospitality sector in 2020, and there have been certain critical success factors that have allowed some properties to fare better than others have. Leisure oriented hotels with beach access, for example, have managed to cultivate sustained visitation as well as others with a well-differentiated product offering. The Five hotel in JVC for example was able to attract sustained domestic vision successfully over the summer, and this in part was attributable to the units, which have a large number with private plunge pools. This trend has held true on an emirate level as well, and while we have seen performance declines almost universally in the UAE, these have not all been felt in equal measure. Destinations that have been aggressively targeting domestic tourism – such as Ras al Khaimah, Fujairah and Abu Dhabi, for example – have seen slightly softer performance declines than destinations that are more heavily reliant on inbound tourism. Financial institutions have also been confronted with changing market dynamics and many existing agreements have been revisited. Given that most of these entities have no desire to take possession of distressed assets, many have exhibited exibility with their clients, offering interest only grace periods, lower xed installments, extended repayment About the author Ali Manzoor is partner, head of hospitality and leisure at Knight Frank Middle East. He primarily works on development projects throughout the MENA region and has dealt with major hotel operators to develop market entry strategies for new markets, and has also helped developers successfully select operators for hospitality assets. schedules or balloon payments. The implications of these decisions have been far reaching, and as we inexorably march towards the ‘new normal,’ re-establishing the need to promote the UAE as global tourism hub will be key in the recovery process. The bene ts of tourism would not only run along the value chain, but also extend beyond the tourism sector as banks lend on new projects, developers are able to secure nance, construction rms experience accelerated activity, employment opportunities are created and population levels (and therefore domestic spending) increase. However, this recovery cannot purely be executed at the national level, but instead must be delivered as a regional initiative. It is encouraging to see that steps have been taken in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to once again resume regional travel, and it is only a matter of time before other nations follow suit. Talking Heads hoteliermiddleeast.com October 2020 16 The global pandemic brought the MICE industry to its knees almost overnight. While the UAE has received global praise on its handling of the control of the virus in the region, other countries in the world have not been so successful and the events industry was one of the rst to hit the brakes, and is likely to be one of the last to gain momentum again. So, what is the future of our grand hotel ballrooms, their functional meeting spaces and atmospheric pre-function areas? Virtual events have been the go-to solution for those that have wanted to engage with an audience since March and I have attended too many to count, with varying results. There is an abundance of negativity about the future of conferences with many saying the ‘new normal’ (a phrase the industry is already tired of) will be a world where delegates log into meetings from their desk at home, substituting the usual F&B offerings for instant coffee and whatever else in in the cupboard. What follows is a day of screen fatigue, trying to absorb the information delivered by speakers with poor audio facilities on a video conference platform, whilst preventing the dog from barking and children from interrupting. The opportunity to deliver an event on a virtual platform has opened up the market to almost anyone. However, combined with the signi cant reduction in associated revenue streams (ticket sales, sponsorship and the like), it has diluted the quality of the events market drastically. There are a handful of creative content providers offering an appropriate solution up to the standards we are used to experiencing in person, with complex virtual venues, heavy use of 3D stages and audience integration, and my hat is off to them as they are doing a fantastic job. When done properly this involves the same level of expertise as a live event. Show callers, production managers, speaker liaisons, technical directors and more all cost money and the overall budget of a well-produced virtual event can often not vary much from the same speci cations in a hotel space. But no matter how attractive the graphics are, how seamless the show transitions, and how informative the content, they can’t gain the same post- event results as a live event. Virtual events have been a welcome stepping stone to get our industry through the summer and we’ve enjoyed being involved in them both as contributors and viewers. Perhaps those meetings that are more procedural and functional in nature may be tempted to keep going in this format. But for those clients that want to engage with everyone in the room, for delegates to feel the true atmosphere during the opening ceremony intro, for groups of people that enjoy networking, learning, and participating together, there is no technology that can substitute the atmosphere within a live events venue. Normality will return and when it does, albeit with additional sensible elements to health and safety protocol, we as a human race will have a much greater appreciation of fellowship. About the author Mark Breakspear is the senior project manager at DLC Events. He has worked in the UAE events eld for 13 years, providing conference technology to the local and international MICE industry as a member of the Shure Conferencing Network. No substitute for interaction By Mark BreakspearTalking Heads October 2020 hoteliermiddleeast.com 17 We at Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) have put in place a recovery plan for the tourism and hospitality sectors in the emirate that places initial focus on driving visitation from the domestic market, to be followed by regional and global markets as bi-lateral agreements and ight corridors open up. The promising signs of recovery seen today can be attributed to the efforts made as early as April, when RAKTDA announced a series of support initiatives to ease the effect of the travel restrictions on hospitality, leisure and development partners. This was provided alongside real time support to aid recipients and a comprehensive contingency plan, mapping out short- and long-term solutions to address the reduced footfall. The plan included a nancial incentive package open to non-government owned entities covering mid-scale and four-star hotels, golf courses and tourism attractions, in addition to wider tourism support initiatives, spanning a six-month waiver of all touristic licenses, a waiver of tourism dirhams from March to May, 100 percent waiver of tourism licensing fees for Q2/Q3 and tourism licensing nes until September 30 as well as eliminating participation costs for roadshows in 2020 and 2021. These Tourism Support Initiatives were accompanied by enhanced training of travel partners, with nearly 4,000 partners reached via destination webinars from April to date, to align the industry’s response to the onset of the pandemic. We then offered the required reassurance to guests as they returned to hotels, through the introduction of the Stay Safe certi cation. This provided guidance and accreditation to the hospitality industry, giving hoteliers access to global best practice, operational guidelines and the internationally renowned expertise. These efforts resulted in Ras Al Khaimah being the rst safe destination in the world to be certi ed by Bureau Veritas. Al Hamra International Exhibition and Conference Center also became the rst in the region to receive the certi cation from Bureau Veritas. Ras Al Khaimah also became the rst Emirate in UAE to receive the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Safe Travels stamp. As guests began to return, we ran a successful ‘Shortcation’ campaign across the summer, which drove bookings of more than 15,000 nights in twelve weeks. It offered guests staying three nights at Ras Al Khaimah hotels, two free passes to attractions at Jais Adventure Peak as well as the Suwaidi Pearl Farm. Complimentary dining and hospitality was extended to children and we held weekly raf es and a grand summer raf e. The campaign helped drive length of stay and did not compromise on average rate. From a domestic perspective, the emirate has already witnessed a signi cant rise in occupancy rates and leads in RevPAR in the UAE and in the GCC, with a growth of over 24 percent in comparison to last year, despite the regional effects of the pandemic. We saw boosted occupancy rates over Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. In addition, the average length of stay increased by 2.8 percent during the rst half of 2020 compared to the same period last year. In the year to date, Ras Al Khaimah hotels and resorts have reported 500,000 visitor arrivals, showing ADR and RevPAR growth of 48 percent and 24 percent respectively in comparison to the previous year. We have also been making strides on the cultural heritage front, with UNESCO including four sites in Ras Al Khaimah within its tentative list of Global Heritage Sites (Julfar, Shamal, Jazirah Al Hamra and Dhaya). Recognition of such high standing will serve to further strengthen the recovery performance of the emirate’s tourism and hospitality industries, once travel restrictions ease globally. We are working closely with our international travel partners in key source markets, to determine how best to drive international footfall to the emirate, whilst adhering to all necessary precautionary measures. We remain optimistic about the further recovery of the tourism industry as restrictions ease globally, as the destination offers a safe experience for families and friends looking for a unique getaway. About the author An award-winning hospitality veteran and a serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience working with some of the world’s most renowned brands including Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Fairmont, Raf es Hotels International (FRHI) and Universal Studios Orlando. An American national and uent Arabic speaker, he has worked in the Middle East since 2005. An emirate on the rise Raki Phillipshoteliermiddleeast.com October 2020 18 New GM at Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace Appointments CAREERS Mandarin Oriental has named its new general manager for the agship Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi. Michael Koth will oversee the opulent ve-star hotel while also acting as area vice president of operations for the group. In his double- barrelled role, Koth will oversee Mandarin Oriental Jumeira and the 2021-opening Mandarin Oriental Dubai, both in Dubai. Fluent in three languages, the German- Swiss national brings more than 35 years of experience to the high-pro le job. A globetrotter, Koth spent 23 years with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), touring its global portfolio of hotels. With IHG he has been general manager in both Athens and Budapest, before moving to IHG’s head of ce in Dubai as GM & operations support. Staying in the region, he became regional general manager of Bahrain and Kuwait, later moving to Jordan to head up operations. Now in Abu Dhabi, Koth will oversee daily operations of Emirates Palace and manage the re-branding of the hotel. “It is a great honour to lead the vision of the owners and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group in achieving a successful re- branding and delivering exemplary service standards and an unparalleled sense of place,” he said.19 October 2020 hoteliermiddleeast.com Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort and Spa has appointed Arthur Timlin to the post of food and beverage director. Most recently at Conrad on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road where he was responsible for overseeing the hotel’s entire F&B operations, including the launch and opening of Korean casual dining outlet Kimpo, Timlin has more than 16 years of experience in the industry. In his new role, Timlin will be responsible for the resort’s F&B operations including its signature restaurants; Al Maeda, Piaceri Da Gustare, New F&B director appointed at Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort and Spa Moustafa Abedlfattah made R Hotels’ group director of sales R Hotels has made Moustafa Abdelfattah its new group director of sales for the GCC market. In his new role, Abedelfattah will also take up the responsibility of DOSM at Ramada Downtown Dubai. He will be expected to lead the sales and marketing teams in developing new strategies and campaigns, spurring business and building upon the hotels’ existing partnerships. As cluster director of sales for R Hotels, he will be responsible in increasing the GCC market share of the group’s other three properties in Dubai (Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Dubai JBR, The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by So tel and ibis Styles Jumeirah), as well as of its three hotels in Ajman (Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Ajman, Ramada by Wyndham Beach Hotel Ajman and Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche). With a decade of experience under his belt, he has previously worked as regional sales director for Middle East at Lux Resorts and Hotels – Maldives and Mauritius, as well as director of sales at Six Senses Zighy Bay. SOL, Pura Vida and newly renovated The Kitchen all-day dining. One of the main objectives in his new role will be to establish the resort as a renowned culinary and lifestyle destination. Timlin said: “I’m really excited to be joining such a high pro le property and can’t wait to continue and develop the great work that the F&B team have been doing here. My focus is our newly renovated outlet, The Kitchen, and on cementing the resort as a food and beverage destination on the UAE map.”Next >