Tag Archives: hospitality

The Arabian Travel Awards, now in its seventh year, has announced Conrad Dubai as its official hospitality partner. The prestigious event, known for recognizing excellence in the travel and tourism industry, is set to take place on Tuesday, November 12th, at the Conrad Dubai.  Michael Schmitt, General Manager of Conrad Dubai, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “ I’m thrilled to partner with the Arabian Travel Awards. This event attracts the top leaders in the travel industry; it’s a perfect platform to showcase our unwavering commitment to providing exceptional experiences that reflect Dubai’s dynamic spirit.” Schmitt highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership, noting that it offers a unique opportunity to connect with key industry players, forge new partnerships, and solidify existing relationships. “By being a part of this event, Conrad Dubai contributes to promoting Dubai and the wider Arabian region as a premier travel destination. Bringing industry leaders together fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing. This aligns perfectly with Conrad Dubai’s mission of redefining what luxury hospitality means in this ever-evolving region and aligns perfectly with Conrad Hilton’s founding philosophy ‘to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality,’” he added. SanJeet, Director, DDP Group, also shared his excitement about the collaboration, stating, “We are very happy to welcome onboard our hospitality partner Conrad Dubai for the seventh edition of the Arabian Travel Awards. Our awards have been evolving over the years to recognize the untiring efforts of the industry experts. In today’s travel, tourism, and hospitality landscape, there are many changes and new trends that have emerged. Applications are now open to vote for those in the industry who have been at the forefront of promoting and working to …

Sabre Hospitality announced the launch of SynXis Concierge.AI, an innovative solution harnessing the power of Generative AI to transform customer service for hoteliers. SynXis Concierge.AI represents Sabre Hospitality’s first deployment of Generative AI, a technology that generates new content from inputs such as text, images, and code. Drawing on Sabre’s extensive data resources, Concierge.AI provides immediate, detailed, and accurate responses to specific queries, ensuring that effectiveness is no longer solely dependent on support agent knowledge and experience. Initially, SynXis Concierge.AI is being utilized by Sabre’s Customer Care and Delivery (CCD) team to enhance customer service. The entire CCD team is equipped with Concierge.AI, poised to handle a variety of customer interactions including questions, requests, and problem resolution. “SynXis Concierge.AI will significantly elevate the customer service experience by providing swift and accurate resolutions,” said Scott Wilson, President, Sabre Hospitality. “This innovation underscores our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations.” Sabre Hospitality’s plans for SynXis Concierge.AI, include integration into the Community Portal to enhance self-service capabilities. Sabre is also exploring its application in existing products to drive operational efficiency and optimize conversions. “Generative AI represents a monumental leap in technology for the hospitality industry,” said Amy Read, VP of Innovation at Sabre Hospitality. “With SynXis Concierge.AI, we are not only revolutionizing customer service but also unlocking new opportunities for driving operational efficiency and personalizing the guest experience. We have the data and connectivity to maximize Generative AI’s potential, and we are fully committed to continuous innovation, helping our customers achieve their fullest potential with this transforming technology.”

SIHOT launched SIHOT.PAYENGINE, a payment aggregator, to simplify payment processing for hotels and hospitality companies. SIHOT.PAYENGINE can manage multiple Payment Services Providers (PSPs) offering accommodation providers choice rather than being restricted to a single provider. By offering hoteliers a centrally managed payment system seamlessly connected to all SIHOT products and Services through which all data runs, businesses can achieve greater operational efficiencies, cost savings and improved security for finance and account departments. With SIHOT.PAYENGINE, hotels can facilitate the omnichannel payment experience to their customers across physical terminals or through ecommerce and payment apps, with the option to choose from a wide range of PSPs that match their preferences and cater to guests needs. Said Carsten Wernet, Chief Executive, SIHOT: “We created SIHOT.PAYENGINE to enable hoteliers to choose which PSPs they want to work with for their business model. We are one of few PMS on the market to be agnostic to payment providers. By providing this level of connectivity, now PSPs are reaching out to integrate with our payment engine to provide our mutual customers with an elevated level of service and experience that improves business operations. There is an increasing need for hotels to work with a wide range of PSPs today, taking into account a multitude of digital payment channels and regional payment platforms. With our Cloud Native API, PSPs can quickly connect to our payment aggregator to integrate into our complete product suite.” For hotels, the integration of PSPs in the PMS in this way means they can facilitate quicker checkout and billing processes using digital invoices and receipts, and ensure that customer payment data remains secure. SIHOT.PAYENGINE uses tokenistation to disguise credit card details on file …

Future Hospitality Summit kicks off today in Riyadh with TravTalk Middle East as media partner. The three day event from today until 1st May 2024 will witness a great line up of speakers who will share their key facts on tourism, development and infrastructure for tourism, how the sector can overcome potential challenges to ensure that the targets are met and some key trends in the region. Saudi Arabia has recently revised its annual tourism target to 150 million visitors a year by 2030, after achieving the original goal of 100 million seven years ahead of schedule, thanks to the country’s continued – and unprecedented – investment in infrastructure, tourism transformation, hospitality and real estate as part of Vision 2030. With a seemingly endless array of new hotels, resorts and tourist attractions being announced, breaking ground and opening for businesses in KSA, Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia will hone in on the future of successful hotel and destination development in the Kingdom as part of its three day, action packed agenda.  

AI and technology seem to make waves in the industry, speaking at the recently concluded TTME’s International Women’s Day celebrations,  Mona Faraj Managing Director – HSMAI ME, CEO – ExploreTECH and Founder of Insight Out Consultancy shared the importance of technology and how it makes our work more efficient. A question she asked the audience was “how many of you came without using the google maps to the venue” to which she answered that a few years ago there may have been only a few hands but today in order to make our journey smoother we use the maps. “AI is there to make us better people, that’s what its all about and that’s my opinion. I think hospitality and travel industry, we are typically slow adopters of technology. Airline does it way before us and so does other industries but when it comes to hospitality and travel we are slow adopters. Yes, we are all about the human interaction and we are all about being hospitable as a human but AI or technology in general is there to make us spend our time on serving the guest versus doing all the transactional, time consuming activities that we do day in day out. Did anyone come here without using google maps? If we would have asked this question 15 or 20 years ago a few hands would have gone up.” She further reiterated that a recent article shared that even the watch industry is transforming so AI is moving in the same way but faster than we adopted to internet of things. She opined that in hospitality and travel there are so many technology providers that can help in different …

Al Balad Development Company (BDC) announced the launching of Al Balad Hospitality — a visionary division dedicated to providing exceptional and authentic hospitality experiences. According to a BDC press release, the strategic initiative is in line with the overarching objective of transforming Historic Jeddah ‘Al Balad’ into a global, historical, and cultural destination on the tourism map. The launch of Al Balad Hospitality underscores a commitment to offering guests unparalleled luxury in the heart of Al Balad, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The hospitality sector in the region seamlessly combines authenticity, history, and contemporary amenities, offering visitors an immersive and enriching experience. Emphasizing the cultural richness of the area, Al Balad Hospitality goes a step further by providing local luxury products, promoting exploration, and upholding authentic hospitality etiquette to preserve the region’s heritage. As the parent brand of Al Balad’s hotel chains, Al Balad Hospitality introduces an array of hospitality options across three distinct categories. Al Balad Hospitality offers a diverse range of choices, from the splendor of luxurious heritage hotels extending from Jeddah to the world, to authentic heritage elegance redefined stays, and the flexibility of infinite choices that cater to all segments. These offerings aim to seamlessly connect visitors to the essence of the past, providing an exceptional and modern experience that fosters a genuine connection with the destination. (source SPA)

In a joint effort to promote sustainability in the Travel & Tourism sector, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Biosphere have inked a partnership to promote sustainability criteria in the hotel industry under the Hotel Sustainability Basics initiative. In the current landscape of globalisation and information saturation, where sustainability holds paramount importance, the proliferation of new standards and eco-labels poses a significant challenge for the sector. Identifying clear and consistent sustainability criteria has become increasingly difficult. Biosphere and WTTC have joined forces and solidified their commitment to fostering a more sustainable hotel industry to establish fundamental steps for global sustainability practices. This marks a significant milestone for global hotel sustainability, benefiting over 2,500 hotels. As partners of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (SHA), both organisations are optimistic that standardising their sustainability concepts will undoubtedly catalyse widespread adoption by hotels worldwide. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Hotel Basics is a crucial and inclusive industry initiative, ensuring hotels continue to adapt and evolve to meet the needs of both travellers and the planet. The collaboration between Biosphere and WTTC is a fundamental step towards international standardisation in sustainability, creating a clear and homogeneous pathway for the industry.” The recent signed agreement between WTTC and Biosphere will lay the groundwork for a network of international criteria homogenisation. This initiative aims to facilitate the industry’s transition from basic criteria to more advanced global standards, aligning with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 goals of the United Nations. This connection is made possible through the Guide for Sustainable Tourism of UN-SDSN Spain and Biosphere. Dr. Tomás de Azcárate Bang, President of the Responsible Tourism Institute, said: “Sustainability must be viable, …

STR data year-on-year up to September 2023 shows that average hotel occupancy in Manama is up by 5.9% compared to the same period in 2022, with RevPARs also up 4.9% YoY. This is despite average daily rates (ADRs) falling slightly at 1.0%. In July, it was announced that Edamah broke ground on two boutique hotels at Bilaj Al Jazayer – the four-star Avani and five-star Tivoli, both scheduled to open in 2025. Upon completion, the Bilaj Al Jazayer mixed-use 1.3 million square metre development master plan will also comprise residential villas and apartments, retail and F&B, entertainment and offices along the 3km beachfront. Fraser Suites is expanding its offering in Bahrain, signing with Seef Properties to operate in Al Liwan in Hamala. The new offering will provide 63 serviced apartment units, with a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, over three floors. The serviced apartment component is expected to open in Q4 2023. Heather Longden, Director – Advisory & Transactions, at CBRE in Bahrain comments: “We’ve seen slight uplifts in Bahrain’s hospitality and residential sectors in Q3 2023. In the residential market, although performance was mixed and quoted apartment sales rates dropped marginally year-on-on year, average quoted residential rents increased along with villa sales rates across the geographies. In the hospitality sector, occupancy rates increased by 5.9% compared to the same period in 2022 and RevPARs also grew by 4.9% in Manama. Other aspects of the market remained stable, as the commercial office and retail sectors continue to witness development with prominent projects due to complete soon, which will add to existing stock.”

Cruise Saudi announced its partnership with the Culinary Arts Commission to showcase authentic Saudi cuisine onboard AROYA Cruises through the Irth Culinary Boutique & Café. This collaboration forms part of AROYA Cruises’ vision to offer exceptional and creative experiences to its passengers. AROYA Cruises is the first cruise ship of its kind to be tailored exclusively to Arabian tastes, and resembling it is Irth, the first Saudi restaurant at sea, which will offer a variety of locally sourced Saudi foods and drinks and high-quality products. In addition to its rich heritage and glorious history, Saudi is also renowned for its authentic hospitality, which will be embodied in the services provided at Irth, with all restaurant staff being trained by the Culinary Arts Commission to ensure a deluxe and genuine experience for passengers. Founded in 2020, the Culinary Arts Commission seeks to promote the unique Saudi culinary traditions on both a local and global scale and position the Kingdom as a leading destination for culinary arts. The goals and ambitions of the Culinary Arts Commission align perfectly with those of AROYA Cruise, which aims to provide exceptional experiences that cater to the tastes and preferences of Arabian people while seeking inspiration from the authentic Saudi culture. Lars Clasen, CEO at Cruise Saudi, commented on the partnership, “We’re proud to be partnering with the Culinary Arts Commission. Launching Irth Culinary Boutique & Café onboard AROYA Cruises represents a key step in exhibiting the Kingdom’s authenticity and offering the best of services to our guests”. Mayada Badr, CEO of the Culinary Arts Commission, said, “Irth Culinary Boutique & Café will showcase the authenticity of Saudi cuisine and its rich culture, and this partnership …

The 6th edition of the annual ROC Middle East Commercial Strategy Conference commenced with a day of insightful dialogues and expert discussions, setting the tone for a transformative event in the realm of hospitality and tourism. The opening addresses by Mona Faraj, Managing Director of HSMAI Middle East, and Bob Gilbert, President & CEO of HSMAI, welcomed a diverse assembly of industry professionals, setting the stage for a day packed with knowledge-sharing and innovation. The plenary sessions began with a captivating talk by Steven van Belleghem, a Customer Experience Enthusiast, who outlined the journey from customer service aspiration to actualization, likening companies to ‘Diamonds in the Rough’ striving for CX excellence. Following was a spirited panel discussion on Destination Marketing, moderated by Iva Skrlec, Hilton’s Director of Destination Marketing for MEA & Turkey. Panelists, including Liam Findlay of Miral Destinations, Nicholas Hall of the Digital Tourism Think Tank, and Alka Winter from Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, explored the critical role tourism boards play in molding destination narratives and driving demand. Marie-Louise Ek, Hilton’s VP of Human Resources MEA, shed light on the ‘Crafting Essential Leadership for Modern Work Realities,’ addressing the megatrends influencing hospitality leadership. The conference then delved into the interconnectedness of commercial decisions and asset value, with a discussion led by Omar Eltahry, a seasoned Hospitality Advisor, and panelists from Accor, United Hospitality Management, and Mashreq, who shared real-world insights on revenue enhancement and asset management. Mona Faraj, Managing Director of the Middle East chapter of HSMAI said, “As we celebrate the opening of 6th annual ROC Middle East Commercial Strategy Conference, we use this opportunity to chart the future of our industry together with hospitality pioneers …