Today, the names of those that made it onto the Hotelier Middle East 2011 Power 50 in positions 50-31 can be revealed, with numbers 30-11 and the top 10 most power hoteliers in the region to be uncovered over the next two days on Hoteliermiddleeast.com.
The Hotelier Middle East Power 50 seeks to recognise the 50 individuals driving the growth of the hotel industry in the region and shaping the face of the Middle East hospitality business for years to come. The Hotelier Middle East Power 50 2011 is a celebration of the highest achievers and most influential people working in the Middle East hospitality industry today.
RevPARs and room rates aside, the hotel industry is a people business and it is the passion, drive and success of the professionals working in the Middle East’s hotel industry that the Power 50 seeks to recognise.
Yes, financial performance is important, as are portfolio sizes, room inventories and pipeline projections, but these are not the determining factors in the Power 50. That would simply be a list of the biggest and the best hotel chains, not recognition of the commitment of the people behind those chains. The Power 50 strives to go beyond this and offer a true celebration of the talent in the industry.
This is especially important in 2011, a year in which the industry has faced numerous challenges, from political unrest, that has of course negatively impacted some figures, and ongoing global financial uncertainty. It is what the hoteliers have achieved despite these conditions that is important — and from the 50 stories we have to tell, I think you will agree there is a resoundingly positive outlook for the Middle East’s hotel industry.
This is the third edition of the Hotelier Middle East Power 50 and, as before, it has been compiled following the recommendations of hoteliers working in the industry and expert consultants coupled with the industry knowledge acquired by the ITP Business team responsible for Hotelier Middle East over the past nine years.
There is significant movement in this 2011 edition of the power list plus the addition of 20 new entrants this year, which is attributable to several factors. Some new faces are people behind emerging brands that Hotelier believes have made an impact on the hotel industry in 2011, while others have recently joined leading companies in the region, sometimes replacing past Power 50 entrants, and proving themselves in their new roles.
Some new entrants have been chosen to replace global managers based in the US or the UK that Hotelier has previously recognised in the Power 50. This year, we have refocused the list to include, as far as possible, those senior executives physically based in the Middle East.
As before, the list does not include members of royal families, although their visionary contributions are acknowledged, but another shift has occurred in the type of hospitality professional recognised in the list. Our first Power 50 included all those that contributed to the sector, from architects and suppliers to operators and developers. Last year, the ranking was refined and this year, the net has been tightened further still, largely as a reflection of the sheer number of hoteliers achieving great things in the region.
The top 10, therefore, showcases 10 of the very strongest hoteliers in the Middle East, with representation from international and, importantly, regional chains. Some government officials and tourism experts also enter the list, albeit lower down the rankings than last year — these are the representatives we feel have made most impact when it comes to destination planning and of course, we recognise that the achievements of the afore-mentioned hoteliers are in many cases partly attributable to the opportunities these destinations have afforded them.
However, it is the Hotelier Middle East Power 50, so it is quite right that our top 10 at the very least are 100% hoteliers.
Ultimately, the Power 50 entrants’ rankings are devised based upon a series of factors: the level of commitment to working in the region over a period of time; loyalty to their current company; the overall size of the hotel portfolio and rooms inventory they are responsible for, if applicable; their specific achievements in 2011; their reputation among industry peers; and their dedication to further developing their hold over the hospitality industry in the Middle East.
It is a subjective, not a scientific, list based on the opinion of Hotelier Middle East. We encourage you to read it, debate it, congratulate your colleagues, and let us know your feedback. The research for next year’s Power 50 begins now and in the meantime click through the pages to find the names of those that made it onto the list in positions 50-31.
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