Interview: Raffles president John Johnston

Johnston: MENA is an area where we would like to grow our portfolio.

Raffles Hotels & Resorts president John Johnston discusses Paris and Makkah openings and the brand’s growing popularity in the Middle East.

ATN: How has the Raffles brand been received in the Middle East since the opening of Raffles Dubai?
Raffles Dubai has been well received and in its first year of opening, was named ‘Best New Hotel Development’ in the Middle East. It also received awards for ‘Best Chef’ and ‘Best Sommelier’.

Travellers in the Middle East also appreciate the spacious suites and the attentive and thoughtful service the hotel offers and they have formed a growing market for other Raffles hotels as a result. We are therefore confident our new hotel in Paris will be well received by guests from this region.

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ATN: Why was Makkah selected as a location for a Raffles property and what will the property contribute to Makkah’s hotel scene?
MENA is an area where we would like to grow our portfolio and being in Makkah offered the opportunity to be part of a destination of great importance, not only to residents in the Middle East but to the global Muslim community.

Raffles Makkah Palace is well located, adjacent to the Al Masjid Al Haram. Many suites will have direct views of this and even the Kaaba.

ATN: What are your Middle East plans?
We have two properties under development in MENA: Raffles Makkah Palace will open this year and Raffles Marrakech will open in 2012. Ultimately we would like to have properties in Oman and Abu Dhabi if the right project came along.

ATN: Has the slowdown in the Middle East market a) delayed opening plans and b) disuaded Raffles and its investors from opening more properties in the region?
We are satisfied with the development pace of both Raffles Makkah Palace and Raffles Marrakech and we are currently in discussions regarding other projects in the region.

ATN: What are your expansion plans for Europe and what is your timeline?
Raffles Paris — Le Royal Monceau, will open this year while Raffles Moscow is in early development stage and should open in 2012.

ATN: Why did you decide to start your European expansion in France?
Having a hotel in Paris is part of our group’s growth strategy to extend our presence in key destinations where there is demand for luxury travel. Paris remains the world’s most visited cities so it is a natural fit for Raffles.

ATN: What other locations are planned?
We have projects underway in Moscow, Manila, Seychelles, Jakarta and Sanya.

ATN: How can you expand without saturating the market with the Raffles brand?
Compared to other hotel brands, Raffles is still a relatively small group with 20 properties including those under development.

Our hotels and resorts have less than 250 guestrooms, maintaining the private and residential ambience our residents appreciate. We are comfortable with our pace of development. Success in growth for us is about having iconic hotels in sought-after destinations.

ATN: How do you think the Raffles brand is perceived globally and is too much focus still on the Raffles Singapore property?
The name Raffles is first and foremost associated with a unique sense of service that comes from the heart — heartfelt, anticipatory and a genuine service rather than programmed responses.

We have always worked on the premise that a successful hotel is beyond its facilities; it is where you are cared for so well that you will return again and again.

ATN: What are your predictions for the luxury travel market in 2010?
Affluent travellers will seek increasing customisation such as a personal butler who manages a guest’s entire stay. There is already a trend towards experiential travel where leisure travellers in particular seek opportunities for enrichment so we will see the emergence of more interesting and diverse leisure programmes.

Business travellers at the senior management level do not necessarily seek product opulence but rather service that is adapted to their needs.