Hotelier Middle East – August 2019

EDITOR’S LETTER

HOTELIER MIDDLE EAST | August 2019 | Volume 18 Issue 08 5

C

hange is the only constant.

This is especially true in a

service-related industry such as

hospitality. As is often the case,

millennials are leading the charge when it

comes to shifting consumer expectations

and, according to a report published by the

Cornell Center for Hospitality Research,

millennials will represent 50% of all

travellers by 2025.

Access to free WiFi is not an added extra,

it’s a requirement and has been for a while.

So, if you’re going to shell out for a pricey

high-speed connection, you might as well

use it to improve operational efficiency

as well as the guest experience. Advances

in technology have made it possible for

consumers to have as little interaction as

possible with actual humans. With the

popularity of Deliveroo, online shopping

and automated bag drop off kiosks at

airports, it’s clear that people like avoiding

people. Although I’m not saying that we

should have robots running hotels, using

smartphones and specially created apps to

access services within a property such as

check-in, room selection, digital keys and

room service is now commonplace.

Talking about its e-service which launched

earlier this year, Pedro Deakin, president

of operations at Jumeirah Group said:

“Jumeirah E-Butler is a forward-looking

service to connect with our guests in an

increasingly digital world. Guests can

connect with us in their own time, wherever

they are. Through improved dialogue, we

get a better insight into guests’ personal

preferences and can tailor our service

Hospitality professionals love to talk about trends,

but all talk and no action can lead to the alienation

of a powerful demographic

KEEP THE CHANGEWE

Claudia de Brito, editor

Email: [email protected]

Twitter/Instagram: @claudebrito

EDITOR’S LETTER

individually to each guest.”

Technology can also be used to help to

improve guest safety. Indian hospitality

startup OYO Rooms recently launched an

SOS button on its app, to help users at alert

authorities during an emergency.

Sustainability has been a buzzword

for years but we’re finally starting to see

properties put their agendas into action.

A property's approach to sustainability

and environmental initiatives is

increasingly becoming a deciding factor

for guests when choosing where to stay.

Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort

implemented a ban on single-use plastics

across the property as part of its OZONE

initiative to safeguard the world’s oceans

and island environments.

The property’s OZONE ambassador,

Leah Matters, said the initiative, still in

its first phase, is to hold management and

hosts accountable and eliminate single-use

plastics from the resort: “We have received

a lot of positive feedback on social media

platforms,” said Matters. “Guests are posting

pictures and congratulating Outrigger.

They are telling us, that they have chosen

our resort based on our commitment to the

environment and our efforts in trying to

eliminate single-use plastic.”

Trends are becoming expectations

at breakneck speed. It’s no longer good

enough for hoteliers and their properties

to keep up. They must identify the

tendencies that add value to their offering

and take the lead in implementing them in

a way that makes sense both operationally

and experientially.

Sustainability

has been a

buzzword

for years but

we’re finally

starting to see

properties put

their agendas

into action.”

EDITOR’S LETTER