Event review: Hotelier Qatar Hospitality Summit
The sixth Hotelier Middle East: Qatar Hospitality Summit took place on April 5, 2016, and saw more than 200 of Qatar’s hospitality leaders descend on the Grand Hyatt Doha for an action-packed day of panel discussions, presentations, case studies and workshops tackling the most pressing issues facing the industry.
The sponsors said...
With special thanks to our event partners:
“As Nestlé Professional plays a major role in the out-of-home business, we were able to tackle and approach most of our target clients in a one area. It was very fruitful as most of the hotels in Doha were available and we were able to sample directly to them and gain multiple leads for our business.” Dima Mansour, CCSDE Nestlé Professional — Qatar & Bahrain, Nestlé Middle East.
“Once again we were happy to sponsor and display at a very well organised and run event. We met some very interesting people which will be positive for our business moving forward.” Stephen Bennett, General Manager, Pulsar Foodstuff Trading.
“This year the Qatar Hospitality Summit was better than expected. We got to meet with lots of new potential buyers as well as discuss our new products with hoteliers that we are currently working with. We are looking forward to joining hands together for the 2017 summit.” Tony Younes, Sales Engineer, Technoserve.
“The Qatar Hospitality Summit is a critical event that analyses and opens a platform of discussion for the hospitality industry within Doha. With the current increase of the growth rate in the tourism sector in Doha and the plans for the country in 2030, it is all the more important to have open platforms of discussion.” Farah Aslam, Managing Director, Dimara.
“Coffee Planet is very well known in the UAE for its coffee quality and professionalism, we have a lot to bring to Doha coffee market, thus our presence in the QHS 2016 is part of our brand awareness strategy in the country.” Luxury Trading & Marketing Group Hospitality Unit Manager Khalil Rouizem.
“This is a great opportunity to better understand the latest trends in hospitality in the Middle East as well as have access to key and prominent professionals who might be interested to further their education in order to access higher positions and develop further their competencies and skills.” Rollandin Fabienne, Executive Director External Relations, Glion Institute of Higher Education.
“We find it where important to have such an event where GMs talk about their experiences. Supporting the summit means supporting the exchange of experience. And exchange brings improvement. It also provides the ideal forum for the entire horeca industry to come together.” German Bakery representatives: General Manager Nese Yavuz, Export Manager & Key Account Manager Anja Dausend, Sales Manager Tanja Gotthardt.
09.05AM: MARKET INSIGHTS AND FORECAST
The event opened with an exclusive presentation from Chris Hewett, associate director at TRI Consulting, who shared market insights and forecast data for Qatar and the region as a whole.
09.35AM: WEATHERING THE STORM — THE IMPACT OF FALLING OIL PRICES
TRI COnsulting associate director Chris Hewerr led the opening panel discussion which examined how lower oil prices are affecting tourism and the hospitality sector, and how Qatar’s hoteliers would battle against this to continue to break visitor records. “Qatar hospitality is extremely reliant on corporate business — we are under pressure, and our clients are under pressure, so it’s time to be creative,” said Shangri-La Doha GM Coen Masselink.
Last year a record-breaking number of guests visited Qatar, reaching 2.93 million, indicating that Qatar is increasingly gaining significance in the global hospitality market and a key emerging destination in the region. “With Qatar Airways expanding, along with the new airport, I’m optimistic; if we see the euro becoming stronger we will see more arrivals,” said W Doha Qatar general manager and area manager Qatar Safak Guvenc.
“The only way to retain your position in the market is by looking after your guests,” said W Doha general manager Andreas Pfister, who is also regional GM Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait for IHG. He added: “People will always go back to the places where promises were delivered. If you maintain service, people will continue to pay for your package, even during downturn; this will be the challenge in Doha — rather than dropping prices, maintain your service proposition.”
11.15AM: BENCHMARKING AND PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
EXPERTS discussed the challenges with benchmarking and obtaining hotel performance data, and how the industry can work together with the regulatory body, as well as data providers to establish a standardised reporting system. The Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) recently announced a partnership with STR to develop benchmarking services for Qatar’s hospitality industry, but challenges remain for hoteliers.
“But when it comes to analysing big data, comparing apples to apples is not easy — the reality is that expenses differ in every hotel, but the benchmarking criteria remains consistent,” said Fraser Suites West Bay Doha general manager Sushil Sharma.
The proposed benchmarking services from QTA are aimed to provide analysis and insights to guide planning and promotional activities and performance measurement.
“More in-depth data is now being gathered, and the trend towards new information gathering requirements is being addressed, namely more credibility and consistency across all indicators, this is key. However, organisations that collect data could be more involved on a property to property basis in order to be more involved with what is happening on the ground,” added Sharma.
“Qatar wants to implement a minimum standard for mid-market properties too; from our point of view we can’t enforce standards, but they do help in collecting fair data that represents the market” said STR MENA area director Philip Wooler.
TrustYou Middle East regional manager Mohamad Ibrahim Masri noted that data is to be used to plan every aspect of operations and to review progress. “These are real benchmarks that define your growth, and the growth of the industry too,” he said.
Speaking on QTA’s decision to develop benchmarking at this time, Ròya International director of business development Rabih Feghali said: “This needs to be done right; commercially viable hotels are required, restrictions on classification must not impact growth, and new classifications are to be looked at in a positive way, and that authorities are not preventing progress.”
This was moderated by Colliers International senior manager — hotels MENA region Saahil A. Lalit, and also included Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel & Villas EAM Tufan Kobanbay.
12.20PM: SUSTAINABILITY & A HOTEL’S RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ENVIRONMENT
Some GCC hotel customers are “not yet ready to embrace sustainability”, while for others it is a selection criteria, it was claimed.
“The Middle East’s extreme temperatures oblige us to find solutions,” said The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa GM Gianrico Esposito, during the panel moderated by Martin Baeuerle of MB Hospitality Consulting, who is also the chairman of the Green Hotel Interest Group Qatar.
Esposito continued: “But it’s also about customs and habits. Some GCC customers are not yet ready to embrace sustainability. And we have to respond to customer needs. But we can try to encourage them with loyalty points when they adhere to our green choices.”
“But for the next generation, we need to reassure them that we are doing the right thing to attract them to our hotel,” he added. “It [sustainability] is making more and more of a difference in their selection of a destination.”
Manveer Singh Yadav, director of engineering at Grand Hyatt Doha, conceded: “Air conditioning is such a basic need in the Middle East. You can’t just ask guests to turn it off.” However he revealed that the hotel was exploring ways to reduce water and energy waste without inconveniencing guests, such as UV ray filters on windows and aerators on bathroom taps.
“Our basins used to have a flow rate of nine litres per minute. Now it’s three litres per minute. And that saves a lot of water,” he said.
While the panellists conceded that it is easier to achieve greater sustainability with new hotels fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, they agreed that retrofitting can make a valuable contribution.
Kuruvila Manipadam, learning & development manager, at Mövenpick Hotel West Bay said: “We tend to act when something is broken and then we fix it with something that consumes less electricity. But that can have a huge impact. We replaced a chiller, did our market research and that one machine ended up saving us 3% of our total electricity consumption.”
A question from the audience challenged Qatar’s hospitality suppliers to help hotels their sustainability ambitions. “It’s difficult to find suppliers who can help you meet your requirements,” said the delegate.
Babette Moenig, executive assistant to the GM, W Doha Hotel & Residences and area manager Qatar & Oman was also on the panel.
12.50PM: QATAR’S FOOD & BEVERAGE EVOLUTION
Moderated by ITP Business editorial director Robert Willock, Qatar’s food and beverage sector was described as existing in a ‘constant state of evolution’ where change is the driver behind success, by Hilton Doha general manager Adham El Sebaey.
“Everything is changing in Qatar, so we have to study the market. Adapting to change is key. Everything is evolving, so we need to see what the market needs and work to supply the demand,” said El Sebaey.
”Millennials want to identify with brands — this applies to food and beverage too, building a reputation in the market includes developing this feeling of belonging in your guests,” revealed InterContinental Doha The City & InterContinental Residence Suites Doha The City general manager Pascal Eggerstedt.
“Changing concepts is important too, every three months think about changing the menu — this is very important. Live cooking stations are very good too — millennials will want to know what’s going into their food and how it is cooked,” said Eman Abela, executive assistant manager F&B, Simaisma a Murwab.
Elements at the Four Seasons Hotel Doha general manager Frances Robinson suggested that it doesn’t matter if the outlet is a well-known brand or local independent. Meeting customers’ needs is the same objective of both kinds of restaurant; what matters most is observing the market and giving the customers what they want.
Speaking of the need to refresh a restaurant, Robinson added: “If you keep the energy and maintain quality an outlet can last long-term, be willing to evolve, change the menu, change the goals, and you will last”.
Robinson concluded with advice for all restaurateurs: “What you think is right isn’t always right — the customer knows what is right. You have to learn to listen.”
CASE STUDIES AND MORE!
A case study entitled: ‘Atlantis The Palm Dubai — Insights on Managing Online Reviews to Maintain Exceptional Quality & Service’ was presented by TrustYou Middle East regional manager Mohamad Ibrahim Masri, who shared details of Atlantis’ online reputation management programme and how the hotel improved its guest experience and positively influenced its reputation.
Three workshops were held at the close of the event as well: ‘restaurant revenue management to boost the bottom-line’ hosted by Tiina-Maija Bergman, managing partner, Table4ME; ‘The Gen Y workforce: motivating millennials’ hosted by Martin Baeuerle, hospitality consultant & chairman of the Green Hotel Interest Group Qatar; and ‘evolving hospitality — the digital revolution,’ which was hosted by Emille Artigas, cluster marketing & PR manager, Hilton Doha and Doubletree by Hilton Doha — Old Town.