Event Review: Great GM Debate 2013

Travel trade experts discussed discussed how hotels can better collaborate with them to attract guests.

More than 200 hoteliers attended the Hotelier Middle East Great GM Debate 2013 on September 9. If you missed it, here’s a round-up of the key talking points, which centred around leadership, innovation and industry collaboration.

More than 200 UAE hoteliers attended the Hotelier Middle East Great GM Debate 2013, held on September 9 at Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai. The conference, now in its fourth year, was themed around Hospitality’s Leaders, Innovators and Game Changers and comprised a series of live interviews, panel discussions and workshops.

Rudi Jagersbacher, president Middle East and Africa for Hilton Worldwide, who scored the top spot in the Hotelier Middle East Power 50 this year, took the stage in a live interview, in which he revealed his mentor as a GM, leadership advice and his personal goals (see pages 36-39).

Story continues below

The event was supported by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and featured a live Q&A with director general HE Helal Saeed Al Marri, who also heads Dubai World Trade Centre (see pages 60-63).

Al Marri spoke of the need for industry collaboration and revealed various steps being taken by DTCM to foster this, including expanding its overseas offices. Al Marri also said that increasing business from the high-spending MICE traveller was a priority for the tourism board and urged hoteliers and travel trade alike to work with the body in this respect.

Throughout the day, a variety of pressing industry issues, such as the need for hoteliers to “think like businessman” and reassess the use of space currently allocated to non-profitable restaurants; the pressing need to target the Chinese traveller; adapting to demand for non-classroom based training from generation Y; and the ever-sensitive question of the service charge, and where exactly it goes, were tackled by frank speakers, keen to highlight potential challenges and best practices.

There were also a host of exclusive announcements, such as a new budget brand from Time Hotels called Time Express; revelations about the F&B offer at the Conrad Dubai; and the announcement by Al Marri of a new live events space under development at DWTC, which will be the largest in Dubai.

Article continues on next page ...