Hotels have 'bad impression of hiring nationals'

Hotels in UAE are reluctant to take on Emirati nationals into jobs, despite a major push from the government to increase the number of locals working in the tourism sector to 2% by 2012.

Atef Abdulla Al Bastaki, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority’s (ADTA) senior executive in charge of Emiratisation, said hotels had a “very bad impressions to start with of UAE nationals.”

“The hotels are saying we have other responsibilities and it would be easier for me to appoint another nationality than a UAE national, because I put all this time and effort into hiring him and then within one week he will leave.”

To counter this attitude, ADTA has embarked on a dedicated strategy to get more locals into hotel jobs, by working closely with the hotel sector and potential candidates.

“We asked them what problems they were facing with the UAE nationals and said we will solve them all together, with the Emiratis and you as a job provider."

"The major issues are the long working hours - most Emiratis said they don’t want to work until 7pm.”Al Bastakia said the he was able to negotiate flexible working hours for nationals.

Salary was also a major sticking point, but Al Bastaki said ADTA was willing to “meet the gap” in salaries for Emiratis going into hotel jobs.

“In a hotel a manager’s salary will vary from AED5000 up to AED15000. Now for me to ask an Emirati, are you going to be working in a hotel for AED10,000 of course they are going to say no - I would rather go and work in a government entity, from 8am – 4pm and at the end of the day I’m making AED25,000 – AED35,000. Here you’re asking me to work from 9am-7pm and you’re going to give me AED10,000 and I’m a Bachelor Degree holder? Of course they will say no.”

Al Bastaki said the recruitment drive has showed some success so far. Over the past few months six UAE nationals have been appointed in Shangri La hotel, Abu Dhabi and four have been appointed in Sir Baniyas Island.