An amenity set-up at The Oberoi Dubai, which opened in June 2013 in Dubai's Business Bay. An amenity set-up at The Oberoi Dubai, which opened in June 2013 in Dubai's Business Bay.

Q: ARE PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT ‘ECOLOGICAL/GREEN’ ISSUES WHEN IT COMES TO IN-ROOM AMENITIES?
MAHTANI: Yes very much so. Our collection Eco Kind is very successful in the GCC because of the attributes it has to being friendly to the environment.

CROSSAN: Hotel guests and the hotels themselves are becoming more concerned with the eco option and do have concerns regarding parabens and other ingredients. However, the demand from hotels for ‘ecological/green’ products in the UAE is substantially less than in Europe where environmental legislation has had an immediate impact forcing the market to adopt standard practices.

However, the MENA region is evolving and we expect the need for more environmental and organic products to increase dramatically in the future. We are prepared for this with organic ranges such as Damana Organic and N-Ki or Ecolabel ranges such as Scandinavian White.

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HADLER: Natural cosmetics continue to grow in popularity. ADA offers an ecologically-oriented series called ‘Green Collection’, which includes many certified hotel cosmetics. In the Middle East, environmental awareness also continues to grow — perhaps not at the same pace as in Western Europe, but there is a distinct emphasis on natural products that harm neither the skin nor the environment.

There is still a need for more experience with regard to the definition of real hotel cosmetics and how they differ from green-washed cosmetics. ADA has initiated a blog to educate people about this very topic: www.keepingnaturebeautiful.com.

KONIG: As part of the in-room amenities development, being ‘ecological/green’ is the trend to be respected. GFS works closely with factories and laboratories to develop green products to better respond to this fast growing demand.

ASLAM: The concern of the guests and hotels seem to fluctuate with the market trend and it was very much a concern about two years ago. Though all of our products are natural, organic, free from animal testing, and recyclable, it does not seem like a primary concern for buyers at the moment.

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