KEY DISCUSSIONS AT HOTEL SHOW DUBAI

The 19th edition of the Hotel Show Dubai and the Leisure Show welcomed over 30,200 visitors, hosting 750 exhibitors over three days at Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC). According to data compiled by Ventures, the UAE'S hospitality market is expected to reach USD 7.6 billion by 2022. With this in sight, the rise of technology in the region’s hospitality sector was a key topic of discussion among experts who attended the show, as well as speakers at the Middle East Hospitality Leadership Forum.

Olivier Harnish, CEO of Emaar Hospitality Group, explained that technology helps in improving productivity and offering a seamless experience to guests. He added, “I believe that hospitality is defined by humans. There will be niche products that are high on technology and low on human interaction, but this will not be the bulk of hospitality going forward. Tripadvisor, for example, is a great indicator of how relevant human interaction is in the industry. Two-thirds of the reviews mention a person, which shows that the key difference in the hotel experience is made by people”.

Commenting on equal opportunities for women in the region’s hospitality sector, Harnisch said, “That is certainly the way forward for the industry which is precisely why 50 percent of the Group’s dedicated Expo 2020 team is comprised of women”.

Speaking on regional and cultural relevance, he said, "When you are launching a brand here, look at ways to bring in something that will hint at the regional culture”. Danish design guru, Johannes Thorpe, insisted on ‘authenticity’ being key for the region’s hospitality design sector to mature during his session on Hospitality Design Trends at the Leadership Forum. thehotelshow.com