Hospitality: ‘You have to love it, not just like it’
Neil Markovitz is the founder and CEO of the hotel group the Newmark Collection
Tell me about the work you do.
We run and manage a portfolio of hotels and lodges; this includes sales, marketing, public relations, revenue management, finance, operations, central reservations and human resources.
We have built a company that celebrates the iconic-ness and difference of each property, and I believe that’s what has made us a little different from our competitors. We don’t just lump everything into one pot and then devise a strategy from there.
The hospitality industry has been badly affected by the pandemic. What has the “black swan event” taught you?
It has certainly taught us to be nimble, agile, creative and resilient. During lockdown, when we were sitting with all our properties closed, we had to develop a nerve centre and pivot our business to the domestic market when we were completely reliant on the international market.
One-year sales and marketing strategies were thrown out the window and we became fixated on the low-hanging fruit. We have broken our strategies into much smaller blocks of time, but it is essential to keep your drive and focus on working with international partners and not lose the belief in the re-emergence of international travel.
How did lockdown affect the way you work?
People in the hospitality industry will have to unlearn many of the cornerstones of their practices. Despite hospitality being a personal, hands-on and intimate offering, touchless travel and interactions may soon become the norm and staff at hospitality and tourism establishments have to learn a new set of customer desires and how to meet these evolving needs. However, one wants to guard against going to the extreme where it becomes a clinical, robotic process, free from any personal touch or choice; a middle ground must be found.
For example, in the Newmark Hotels, we have implemented Covid-friendly “look but don’t touch” buffets, where customers can see the food on offer behind protective screens but cannot help themselves to it and have to ask for assistance from central staff manning the buffet. Instead of removing the buffet entirely, which is a much-loved aspect of hotel stays for many travellers, we have had to find a solution.
What are your biggest takeaways from lockdown?
To break things down into smaller pieces. We developed a strategy and plan for each hotel as it made no sense to use the same strategy for all. It was important to:
Keep the team focused and believe we were going to get to the finishing line; and
Understand the level of anxiety and uncertainty and keep the belief alive.
What drew you to hospitality as a career?
I loved the excitement of this industry as a teenager. I was drawn to the food and beverage side of the business first and then migrated and became a general manager. I loved the challenge of running a city hotel and the excitement of running a game reserve, which are so fundamentally different.
What advice do you have for young people planning to join the hospitality industry?
I think a degree or diploma is an important start before you go out into the industry. You need to love this business, not just like it. It’s a 24/7 business that never closes, so commitment is imperative.