24 Feature BUSINESS TRAVEL


Business as usual?


An evolution is underway, as the UAE’s hospitality industry vies for the loyalty of a new breed of business traveller


Reflective of the wider picture across the travel and tourism landscape, an evolution of busi- ness tourism has given rise to new ways of catering to corporate guests. Outdated notions have been replaced by a new model very much defined by millennial attitudes. According to a recent PwC report, millen-


nials will comprise 50 percent of the global workforce by 2020. The generation, loosely defined as those born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s, is also soon to account for half of all spend in the business travel segment. This new breed of traveller is strongly moti- vated by value and eager to voice complaints, holding businesses to account online. Booking trips on the web is a given for


them, while reviews are an essential part of planning travel. Social media is used to take the concept of business leisure (or ‘bleisure’) to a new level, as guests specifically seek out experiences that are quirky and unique. Appealing to millennials is key and the region’s


hotels have responded with a robust set of solutions to lure the new business travel spend.


RAVE REVIEWS Having changed the face of the industry in recent years, the review culture has very much been championed by millennials who turn to message boards and social media platforms when planning and evaluating trips. For hotels, this can often mean they’re a few bad reviews away from a crisis, and it makes continuous engagement with customers online a priority. “Social media and online reviews have no


doubt changed the rules of engagement,” says Chris Newman, Chief Operating Officer, Emaar Hospitality Group. “They place the guest expe- rience ahead of everything else to secure great ratings, thereby positively influencing new guests on where they choose to stay.” While some find the prospect of online


judgement intimidating, Newman insists that this digital collective opinion model is actually


a plus for the industry. He adds: “Review sites have made every employee very conscious of the guests’ needs, which is a very good thing.” TIME Hotels CEO Mohamed Awadalla


agrees that a company’s online reputation is crucial to its success or failure – which is why he has charged a team with regularly checking channels such as TripAdvisor and Facebook. “We are very active. Someone from


within the company will answer every single comment posted online, be it a compliment or a complaint,” he says. At Minor Hotels, guests are prompted for


an automated review on check-out. David Garner, Vice President of Sales &


Marketing – Middle East, Sri Lanka & Seychelles, says: “Online reviews are a very powerful tool and our company monitors every review of our services. We also provide automated reviews which guests can complete after check-out. It’s a great way to see where we’re positioned in the market and how we can improve.”


ROOM SERVICE Hotels also now recognise that they must be technologically kitted-out as a matter of course, if they wish to be taken seriously by millennial business travellers. “We have seen that the needs of business


travellers have changed, with connectivity and high-speed internet access a must-have in hotels,” says Emaar’s Newman. “Connectivity to social networks is a basic


need for millennial guests, just like a good night’s sleep and a power shower. Meanwhile easy access to business nerve-centres is another key driver in the way business travel- lers choose their hotels.” One of Emaar’s latest openings in Dubai,


Rove Healthcare City has been designed specif- ically with modern business travellers in mind. The property, situated next to Dubai Health- care City, is 10 minutes away from Dubai Inter- national Airport, Dubai World Trade Centre, Downtown Dubai and DIFC.


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1 David Garner, Vice President of Sales & Marketing – Middle East, Sri Lanka & Seychelles, Minor Hotels 2 Chris Newman, Chief Operating Officer, Emaar Hospitality Group 3 & 4 Arabian Wildlife Park on Sir Bani Yas Island


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