(Above) Fountains and weirs add to
the beauty of The Alnwick Garden;
(right) Alnwick Castle is the second
largest inhabited castle in England
“It didn’t last long, but the belief that noth-
ing’s impossible, and it’s never big enough
or too expensive is so interesting.”
Having originally agreed to work for
Tatweer for 10 years, Perdrier was disap-
pointed when the contract came to an end
after two years because of the fi nancial
crisis. “When you’re part of something and
suddenly, poof, they turn off the lights, it’s
diffi cult,” he says, although there was one
saving grace. “Coming from Burgundy, division in Paris. He stayed there for three lion tourists all over the world, in the 1990s
it was a challenge living in a region that years before being asked to work at the it was 600 million. The World Tourism
doesn’t have wine!” Perdrier believes that park. “You cannot resist Minnie [Mouse], Organisation is predicting that there will
the current situation in Dubai isn’t that it’s impossible,” he laughs. “It was good to be more than one billion in three years and
different to the rest of the world and, like work on the other side of the equation. The in 2020 there will be 1.6 billion tourists all
other countries, they’re naturally putting hotel is a place for people to stay, but the over the world. So there’ll be a lot of peo-
things on hold. “What they’re doing is nor- real heart of a destination is the attraction.” ple who will want to come, the problem will
mal,” he says. “It’s more visible because His hospitality principles are still strong be delivering the service.”
its been built on an image of a successful, and he believes staff quality and service This shouldn’t be a problem at Alnwick,
charismatic place with a great vision. Many is the main issue in the attractions indus- as training’s an important part of Perdrier’s
places are in the same situation as Dubai, try. “The job’s becoming complicated,” he remit to make the area a must-go destina-
but no one talks about it. Many things in says. “It’s seven days a week and people tion. At present he doesn’t know exactly
Dubai have stopped, but will start again. have to work weekends and late at night how long he’ll be with Alnwick, but is com-
Maybe at a slower pace, but after a storm and in all weathers outside. It’s hard to mitted to completing the mission, however
there’s always a blue sky. Problem is that attract people because they don’t want long it takes. “Although the mission will
after a blue sky there’s always a storm so those types of jobs any more, they all want never end,” he adds. “When you’re devel-
you have to be prepared for it.” to be managers in the offi ce. Training peo- oping a destination and creating jobs for
ple to become autonomous and motivated, generations, you can’t ever say ‘that’s it,
People person deliver a fantastic service and interact with I’ve fi nished’. This job doesn’t belong to
As with Alnwick, working with people was customers is going to be very important in me, it’s a relay. I’m just carrying the baton
the original appeal of the attractions indus- the future. People don’t just want to visit a for however long and will then pass it on.”
try for Perdrier. After 20 years with hotel place, they want an experience.” One thing’s for sure, with Perdrier hold-
company Accor, he joined Disney in 1994 Perdrier believes bringing tourists in will ing the baton, there’s no doubt it’ll be
to be their vice-president for the hospitality be easy. “In the 1970s there were 250 mil- carried safely to the fi nishing line. ●
AM 1 2010
©
cybertrek 2010 Read Attractions Management online
attractionsmanagement.com/digital 21
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