Why will guests choose Cloud.7 hotels over other mid-sector hotels?
Marloes: I think it’s all about creating communities – so one of the elements that will bring Cloud.7 to life is the creation of communities. New travellers have a different expectations and different aspirations. By developing strong communities we have a pool of people around each hotel – supporting the brand and providing rich experiences. When we first started thinking about the Middle East mid-market sector we looked to London and New York City, and we found that the mid-sector can either be price driven, or it can be design driven. From an owner’s perspective, you don’t have to build a luxury brand to do something different in this market. Our ambition to offer something vibrant and authentic is going to help ensure guests try Cloud.7 Hotels.
Antony: We realise that guests’ demands have changed. The first thing we will say when you arrive at a Cloud.7 hotel is “hello, do you want the Wi-Fi code?” These changing demands are also why we removed the check-in desk in our hotels – they no longer serve a benefit to the owners or the guests. We have employees in the hotel – you will recognise them immediately – they will make themselves present to you, or you can approach them from the social areas of the hotel – it’s not as formal; they have their C7 tee shirts and they will come naturally to you and introduce themselves. We are offering a different approach when compared to the competition. You always level against the competition in your area; you compete within your area.
| Advertisement |
How successful has DTCM been in promoting the mid-market sector in UAE?
Marloes: I think Dubai Tourisn & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has been very successful, and that will continue into the future. More mid-sector brands will come into this region, and we will see more diverse brands and more concepts too. We need to talk about it, but we also need to do something about it too. What they have envisioned is already happening – it’s now a question of how we are going to bring it to life in all areas of the country.
The requirements for mid-sector hotels are changing, and DTCM is open to new concepts. We met with senior officials and engaged with the locals at the highest levels in Dubai. There is certainly a high level of interest in growing this market. Cloud.7 will do anything and everything to support DTCM to bring them to life. It is easy to criticise pioneers – but every time there is a new idea – or a new vision, acting collaboratively is surely the best solution.
Antony: DTCM has a great vision in place – in my opinion it’s just a question of the market executing it. They need more people in the industry to bring it to life. Cloud.7 can help make that vision a reality. In Dubai’s target of attracting 20 million guests by 2020, we see local Emiratis becoming very supportive of their own country. Emiratis travel a lot too; they see what is happening abroad and ask why can’t we make it happen here? So I believe there is universal support in this country to facilitate and encourage further growth in the mid-sector.
Which countries to you see as being the next big market for mid-range travellers?
Antony: I think Turkey and the Middle East will be big markets in the coming two years for the mid-sector. When we looked holistically at the hospitality market in the Middle East we found that it is still very five-star heavy, and when people think mid-sector in Dubai we found there was this feeling that if its cheap it has to be ugly – which is totally not true. We are not questioning the existing model – traditional model – just asking if there is another way we can do this that is more convenient for both the traveller and the owner.
Marloes: People want to explore – they are adventurous. It’s not about being wild – it’s just about places people want to visit, but they don’t have options. Often times it’s not that they can’t visit, rather the options available don’t allow them to experience locality. We’re talking about the places that people want to visit, but that they haven’t visited before. Take Tehran for example; where would you go? Choose a location in Africa and ask yourself where would you stay? Even thinking about Dubai, we all know the five-star names, but for mid-sector experiences, where do you begin? This is where our Lego idea comes in; we can build the experience as per the location. If you want to try a new location – this is faster, it gives you enough guts to go to new places.
Search our database of more than 2,700 industry companies
