26 Feature BUSINESS TRAVEL 5
5 Rove Healthcare City Lobby 6 Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara 7 Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Resorts 6 7
“We want to focus on customer service. Our slogan is ‘You Really Matter’ and I believe nurturing this spirit within the company is key to future growth”
Also for Garner, connectivity and location
are key for modern business travellers, and crucial to a property’s success. He says: “It’s also very important to stream-
line routine processes such as booking rooms and checking in or out. “Minor Hotels has been testing personal-
ised apps at selected properties in Dubai for the past year, with features such as restaurant booking and promotional offers. “The flexibility of mobile platforms is essen-
tial to today’s savvy business traveller. They want to have access in the palm of their hand and they want it now.”
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL Driving the experiential travel trend forward, millennials also look to delve into a destina- tion’s culture during a trip, seeking to unearth
unique experiences that differentiate it from other places they have been and create striking memories. This extends to business travellers, who increasingly allow time for exploration during work trips. Capitalising on this, hospitality brands have
started to incorporate more leisure activities into packages for business guests. For Garner, this translates into helping guests to create unforgettable stories during a stay. He says: “Minor Hotels excels in giving
unique experiences to people visiting its properties. We’re very much about travellers collecting stories, with offerings such as private 10-kilometre dune drives through the Empty Quarter to reach Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, or exploring the Arabian Wildlife Park on Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Resorts. “This is all about our guests having stories
they take with them. Hopefully they then go and spread those stories, which helps to build our brand,” he adds.
LASTING LOYALTY Set against a backdrop of global market insta- bility, as well as shrinking budgets for incen- tives and business travel, hotels have to remain vigilant and highly competitive in order to lure business guests. Loyalty schemes have under- gone something of a resurgence in recent years as a result, allowing hoteliers to both entice new guests and repay the allegiance of return- ing customers. The ‘U By Emaar’ programme rewards
business travellers with discounts on restau- rants and spa treatments, plus benefits such as complimentary transport to the airport, while Minor Hotels is part of the Global Hotel
Alliance loyalty programme. Titled ‘Discov- ery’, it offers returning guests a host of special benefits across three membership levels: Gold, Platinum and Black. Perks include local experi- ences and late check-out until 6pm. Meanwhile, TIME Hotels launched a new
rewards product last year. Awadalla says: “Loyalty is very important and TIME Hotels has partnered with Voila Hotel Rewards to offer guests a multitude of benefits. These range from complimentary room nights to airline miles and charity donations.” Although for Awadalla, the formula for
meeting the complex needs of today’s busi- ness traveller is relatively simple. He says: “We want to focus on customer
service. Our slogan is ‘You Really Matter’ and I believe nurturing this spirit within the company is key to future growth.”
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