Making MICE sector work
But Richard-Herbert admits his biggest challenge will be to avoid being too reliant on ADNEC; and to find a way to fill rooms when there are no events going on — such as during the slow summer months when business in Abu Dhabi grinds to a halt.
“We know business slows down a bit here in the summer and ADNEC slows down a bit, so that will be one of the challenges as we look into 2013.
“Hotels with larger leisure facilities are able to attract tourists from Europe, or Russia to come during the summer with low rates. But our leisure facilities are not what someone who wants to come to a hotel and sit on a beach would expect.”
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His priorities now are to work with Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) to develop the events sector into a year-round business. “I think all the hotels in Abu Dhabi are definitely talking to ADNEC on a regular basis to try to improve things and have more events.
“Abu Dhabi has a vision and the vision is to do this in x amount of years. Yes, times are tough now; but times are tough all across the world.
“Things are starting to pick up now and hopefully in two or three years, things will get a lot better and the tourism authority will also pick up and follow through with their vision.”
Ultimately, success of the events sector at ADNEC is intricately tied in to the success of the hotel agrees Kaddouri.
“The owner and the developer have opened this hotel anticipating a lot of business coming through from exhibitions.
“We need to see more. We are encouraging ADNEC to be a lot more active to bring more business to Abu Dhabi throughout the year, as opposed to during certain peak times.
“We are seeing increases [it’s just been announced for example that ADIPEC will take place annually rather than every two years from now on]. But we have invested here and we’re relying on ADNEC to be busy and to fill our hotel.
We help ADNEC, we talk, we give our feedback, we work together, but we really rely on ADNEC to be the proactive partner in this respect,” concludes Kaddouri.
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