The so-called ‘sharing economy’ is in its infancy, and the term is interpreted in too many ways to be definitive.
However, Airbnb — which has just signed a deal with the Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing — is often held up as an example of the sharing economy, whereby home owners rent out their spare rooms or flats to travellers directly through the app/web site, thus cutting out the network of middle men on which conventional hotels rely — not to mention undercutting hotels as well, just as Uber undercuts traditional taxis.
The world is changing fast, but change is safe, as the therapists teach us. Hoteliers have a reputation for being reluctant to change and to adopt technological advances, despite the individual examples we have given of the few properties that have taken the leap. Many people have vested interests in remaining the same.
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But rest assured, change will happen, come what may.
That is why this will sadly be the last article in Hotelier Middle East authored by the undersigned.
Between us, we have been contributing monthly columns and one-off articles to this magazine since 2003.
We have given you thousands of facts and figures, and shared with you our opinions and those of scores of authoritative interviewees.
We hope you have been entertained and gained a few insights along the way.
However, a new editorial policy dictates that you lovely readers deserve a change of voice.
We wish our successors every success and many years of happy scribbling!
About the Authors:
Guy Wilkinson is non-executive director and Barbara Wilkinson is COO of Viability, a hospitality and property consulting firm in Dubai. For more information, e-mail:guy@viability.ae or barbara@viability.ae.
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