The rise of Rixos

Turkey's Rixos Hotels chairman Fettah Tamince tells ATN why all guests who stay at his properties are considered celebrities.

What is the current state of Turkey's hotel market?

Turkey hosted about 23 million tourists in 2007 and expects this number to increase to 25 million in 2008. The tourism sector has been recognised as one of the most important for the country.

 

Most of the business operates in the big cities like in Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara and the number of the five-star resort properties along the Mediterranean coastline in Antalya has reached 120,000 beds.

What hotel ventures do you have on the boil?

Ottoman Palace by Rixos and Rixos Almaty plan to welcome guests in November this year. Vienna is scheduled to open in 2009 and other projects in the UAE and CIS countries are in pipeline for 2010, while Rixos Marina West Bahrain is another new project that is scheduled to open its doors in April 2010.
 

What is the definition of a luxury hotel in this day and age when so many are entering the market, particularly in the Middle East?

We were aware that we would have many luxury competitors. That is why we are at the stage of creating a completely different concept. Ottoman Palace by Rixos will stand out from the rest of the hotels in the region with its authentic Ottoman theme.

From every single detail such as architecture to the service, guests will indulge in a magnificent royal residence and experience much more than the common luxury.

What will be your USPs?

The whole strategy of the Rixos brand is based on being the best. All guests would like to be privileged and given a private service. We have built our business on the idea of providing a particular and private service to each individual guest.

The way that we would serve a guest would not differ from the way we treat a VIP or a celebrity. That's where the slogan of Rixos Hotels,"Here, you are the celebrity", originated from.

What is the Hammam experience for which Rixox is renowned? Shaza Hotels is introducing a Hammam concept with ESPA - is it copying you?

I would not say Shaza is copying us, although I would take it as a compliment if they were. Hammam is part of our Turkish tradition and Rixos will certainly not be the only group using this tradition as an asset, however, we are proud and pretentious at the same time that we've managed to create a concept reflecting an experience out of our Hammam and spa facilities within our brand.
 

The Turkish Hammam is one of the oldest spa concepts in the world. We have researched this tradition extensively and today we are the one and only representative of this wonderfully authentic Turkish spa experience.

What tie-ins are you planning with local tour operators and airlines and what commissions will you pay travel agents?

We will keep very close and strategic relations with local tour operators and airlines, especially Emirates Airline. Local travel agents will be protected in terms of commission and we will treat everyone equally.

However, our target is to increase the business and we will work closest with the operators that in turn offer us the largest support year-round.

What training will you offer the trade to ensure they sell your product and sell it well?

'Feel Like a Guest'. We believe that the best way for the trade to sell our product is to experience it. The trade will be invited to experience the resort facilities and then by keeping in contact with our team members they will have up-to-date information on our properties.
 

Zabeel Properties recently announced plans to design a hotel in collaboration with Brad Pitt. Would you like to do one with Angelina Jolie?

As far as I know, Brad Pitt is supporting Zabeel Properties' design team in terms of his interest in architecture. Taking Angelina Jolie for one of our projects would mean to follow in Brad Pitt's footsteps for her and I don't think that she would be the type of woman to like this. I'm sure it would have an interesting PR impact though.