Marriott voted best employer in the region

Alex Kyriakidis, president & managing director, Middle East and Africa Continent, Marriott International

Respondents to the Hotelier Middle East Salary Survey have voted Marriott International as the best employer of all hotel companies operating in the region when taking into account salary, career development, reputation and security.

A total of 490 individuals responded to the survey, which was open to everyone who works in the hotel industry in the Middle East. Of the 319 respondents who answered the best employer question, 26.65% voted Marriott as best employer.

Alex Kyriakidis, president & managing director, Middle East and Africa Continent said: “We are honoured to have been voted as the Best Employer in the region in the Hotelier Middle East Salary Survey. At Marriott International we are passionate about our people and always strive to put them first. In a highly competitive market your team is what truly makes the difference; I would like to thank all our associates for voting for us.”

In second place was Four Seasons followed by Dubai-based Jumeirah Group, then Ritz-Carlton at fourth place, followed by FRHI Hotels & Resorts at fifth and Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which came in sixth.

Guido De Wilde, senior vice president, regional director Middle East, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc said: “At Starwood we promote a culture of diversity and inclusion, we are a truly global company with over 1,180 properties and more than 181,400 associates around the world.

“Our focus continues to be nurturing and combining the many talents and skills of our team members. The outlook for the hospitality industry in the Middle East remains positive, this is a key market for us so the results are encouraging and certainly something we’re proud of achieving.”

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Also in the top ten best employers in the region was InterContinental Hotels Group, whose chief operating officer, India, Middle East & Africa commented: “IHG has a strong heritage in the Middle East, where we entered more than 50 years ago. Since then we have grown our presence to 81 hotels in the Middle East across 5 brands, with another 25 to open in the next three to five years.

“Our brands represent our promise to our guests and it is our people who deliver that promise and bring each brand to life. We are focused on creating a culture with our brands at the heart of our decisions and actions and through this we build pride and ownership amongst our hotel employees.

“We invest in training programmes to help our employees grow in their roles and are constantly innovating to engage them more effectively. We are also committed to nurturing local talent through our IHG Academy partnerships, which help young people in the local community develop the skills they need to succeed in the hospitality industry while providing employment opportunities within our hotels.”

The Hotelier Middle East Salary Survey is carried out annually and the 2014 survey was our sixth edition.

Download the Hotelier Middle East app through iTunes to read more on the Salary Survey in the June Edition of Hotelier Middle East on your iPhone or iPad.