Hilton Worldwide operates 47 hotels in the Middle East and Africa and has another 30 properties in the pipeline. The trio of hoteliers leading this growth talk to Louise Oakley about their strategy, the company’s upcoming developments and its current operations.
Hilton Worldwide has been operating hotels in the Middle East since 1959, when it became the first international hotel brand to open a property in Egypt — the Nile Hilton. It was also the first international hotel brand to open a property in the UAE — the Hilton Al Ain in 1971.
Since then, the company has brought five of its 10 brands to the region and has earmarked the Middle East as a target market for growth — with 30 properties set to join the 47 already operational.
| Advertisement |
To get the lowdown on the growth strategy, development plans and operational trends, Hotelier sat down with the three gentlemen heading up Hilton Worldwide’s Middle East domination.
The expansion plans are ambitious, but according to regional president Rudi Jagersbacher, development expert Carlos Khneisser and operations leader Essam Abouda, there is yet more to come.
Strategy leader
Hilton Worldwide’s Middle East strategy is dictated by Rudi Jagersbacher, the company’s president in charge of the Arabian Peninsula and Indian Ocean, who took up his role at the helm in January.
The position may be a new one, but Jagersbacher started out in the industry as a Hilton management trainee and, barring a few years working for the Savoy and Claridges in London, he has remained with Hilton to date.
As president, Jagersbacher’s goal is simple, but ambitious.
“I look forward to having a landmark hotel in every key city across the Middle East and Africa,” he says. “And by landmark hotel, I mean one that is an integral part of the community as well a hotel that epitomises our brands and is recognised for delivering great service.
“We would like to have a hotel in every key city across the Middle East — and we’re doing pretty well against that goal,” asserts Jagersbacher, referring to the 30-strong property pipeline.
Building up the development pipeline is of critical importance to Jagersbacher, who has already made his mark with one major deal — the signing of the first Waldorf Astoria hotel in the UAE.
Hilton will manage Al Hamra Group’s luxury ‘Palace’ hotel, which will be branded Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah and open in Q4 of 2011.
The contract was signed at the Palace of His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi at the end of March and cements Hilton’s offering in RAK, where it already runs Hilton Ras Al Khaimah and Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa and introduced the DoubleTree by Hilton brand on April 1, 2011.
The entrance of DoubleTree to the region — which began with the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton, Aqaba in Jordan on March 31 — is another important step for the company. DoubleTree offers full-service, upscale hotels and suites and is the fifth of Hilton Worldwide’s 10 brands to enter the Middle East.
“So far this year we have already signed a Hilton, a Waldorf Astoria and DoubleTree by Hilton — all in the UAE. Having this variety in brands we are introducing in the region, especially the UAE, is a great help.
It is one of our key markets and signings like Hilton Sharjah [the first Hilton Worldwide property in Sharjah, due to open in 2011] and Waldorf Astoria RAK emphasise our presence here as well as the versatility of our offerings,” Jagersbacher says.
“The Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah is the second Waldorf Astoria property in the MEA region and has laid the foundation for showcasing the luxury aspect of our offerings here,” he adds.
The DoubleTree in Aqaba also marks Hilton Worldwide’s entrance to Jordan (the company took over management of the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre in Jordan last year, but DoubleTree is its first hotel) and later this year, the company will open its first hotel in Qatar, the Hilton Doha.
“I’m looking forward to us opening up in Doha as there has definitely been a gap for us there,” says Jagersbacher. “Ahead of the World Cup in 2022, our hotel opening up there later this year is going to be one of the landmark hotels that I mentioned before.”
Search our database of more than 2,700 industry companies
May 2, 2011
Hilton (like any big brand name hotel chain in the region) would be advised to first train and retain staff at their existing properties rather than expand ever more. The quality of service you get in hotels in the Middle east is pathetic as it is- esp. in relation to the rates they charge. Figur...