Dubai a leading example of overcoming challenges in hospitality sector

Dubai - Global inbound tourism spending dropped by 57 per cent in 2020, but is expected to rebound by 82 per cent in 2021

Dubai is a “great learning example” of how a city can overcome the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic on its hospitality sector, experts said at a recent conference.

Speaking at the 2021 Hotel Business Forum, Michel Noblet, executive chairman of ATECA Holding, highlighted the various challenges posed by the global pandemic on the global hospitality industry, and how Dubai had tackled the challenges in a timely and effective manner.

“To overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic, Dubai is a great learning example,” he said. “The emirate has done a fantastic job of developing domestic tourism that jumped nearly 107 per cent in 2020 and continues to grow, while maintaining stringent health and safety protocols. People going on staycation have realised the great benefits of travelling domestically when it comes to saving transportation costs, which leaves a bigger budget to spend on what matters more: the hotel, dining & shopping.”

Looking ahead at the factors that will be essential to recovery, is understanding and responding to changing consumer behaviours, he added. “Hotels need to reimagine the customer experience and re-engage with guests to build and maintain their trust. Safety protocols at hotels will have to be extended beyond fire safety and other standards to be ‘hygienically safe.’ Offering Covid-19 PCR testing service to guests free of charge can be a great advantage in attracting guests. Also, be open to repurposing spaces and creating new revenue streams with segments like workations.”

Lastly, Noblet advised: “We have always been a people’s business, and great service is more important than ever now. It is the right time for owners and management to implement a strong retention strategy and training that sets a foundation for the future.”

rohma@khaleejtimes.com