MARTIN DALBY
Quick-fire Questions
What do you attribute the success of Center Parcs to? Three things. Firstly our reputation – we’ve built the brand up over the past 27 years, and people trust us. They know that if they come to Center Parcs they’ll have a good experience. It’s a very aspirational brand, and that’s been part of its success. Secondly, we reinvest our profi ts
signifi cantly back into the business every year to upgrade the park, main- tain the quality, innovate and bring new additions to the facilities. Over the last six years, we’ve invested more than £350m in the four core business parks – we could have built another park with that money, but it’s really important that our parks are well main- tained. That drives the level of repeat business and therefore the very high level of occupancy. The most important factor in our success is our staff. We have 7,500 employees now. These are the guys that deliver a fantastic experience, and that really make the difference.
How much has the company changed since you joined? I joined Center Parcs more than 20 years ago. Back then we were owned by Scottish and Newcastle and our head offi ce was in Rotterdam, so we went over to Holland a lot. The ethos and vision of the business hasn’t changed though. It’s still about being with your family in a forest environ-
ISSUE 3 2014 © cybertrek 2014
If you’re going to do something, do it well. Otherwise, don’t bother doing it at all
ment, about healthy living and active holidays, about lifestyle and caring for the environment.
How has Center Parcs’ commitment to the environment evolved? Center Parcs has always been a lead- ing company in terms of caring for the environment and its sustainability credentials. It’s very important to us – it’s in our blood. When I joined, caring for the envi- ronment was important, but it has defi nitely become more prominent in the business. We now have a sustain- ability manager who does nothing else but think about how we can become even more sustainable. Before we make any investments, we absolutely consider their impact on the environ- ment. With Woburn Forest, we are aiming to use 25 per cent less carbon than in our other villages. Across our parks, we’re fully committed to reduc- ing our carbon emissions by 20 per cent by 2020. We started in 2010 and we’re already over half way there. It’s also important to us to educate our guests – to show them that you can save money and look after the environment at the same time.
What drives you? I enjoy setting objectives, and achiev- ing those aims. For me to be the head of a fantastic family brand that just about everyone has heard of, that’s delivering a great holiday experience – that’s enough to drive anyone.
What has been your biggest achievement? During my time as CEO, we’ve seen Center Parcs grow signifi cantly in terms of its profi tability and the value of the business. Every year for 15 years we’ve been able to grow the profi t, push hard on occupancies. That’s got to be my big- gest achievement.
How do you spend your leisure time? I do a bit of wood turning in my spare time, making fruit bowls and lamps and so on. I have a workshop that I disappear into – that’s my ‘me time’.
What’s your philosophy? If you’re going to do something, do it well. If not, don’t bother doing it at all.
What is your ultimate ambition? To carry on doing what I’m doing.
Read Leisure Management online
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