Mariam Nihal
Saudi Gazette
DUBAI — With hundreds of thousands of Saudis traveling to Dubai this summer, hotels look forward to welcoming their favorite customers this year. 10,000 new hotel rooms will reportedly open in Dubai throughout 2016. But while many players hope to enter the market for their slice of the pie, The Oberoi Hotel Group has bigger plans. Other than witnessing a 100% occupancy and winning hospitality awards in Dubai, the prestigious five star brand is not a new contender but a success story known to many Saudis.
Saudi Gazette caught up with Karim Bizid, general manager at The Oberoi, Dubai to discuss expansion plans, sustainability, the doctrine of branding and his take on thriving in a competitive global context. The Oberoi, Dubai was recently voted the Best Business Hotel in Dubai by the Business Traveller Awards Middle East.
Bizid discussed the significance of branding and stressed its influence for longevity. "Being perceived as a luxurious property, very well known in the service sector, you cannot let that go. You have really well known brands here but they didn't really do much to sustain the market here and therefore you have a superb brand but an occupancy of five to six percent. So while a brand is very important, it is also very important to be economically sustainable and make sense. You can't say 'okay, I am the most luxurious property and will charge AED2000 per night' because as a result you only have a 100 rooms occupied which eventually means you won't be able to pay salaries in the long term. And that is a wrong strategy used by some competitors," Bizid said. He said that is a major reason why many can't be a part of the luxury high-end sector. "There is no formula to it. You have to keep evolving. You have to keep changing and implementing new things to be ahead of the game." In light of changes hotels need to adapt to, Bizid said they keep an eye on what's new in the market and he is engaging with new ideas constantly that incorporate the latest technology which can further facilitate customer experience. "The young generation is different and we have to keep on changing or else we will be history. We are upgrading our rooms in a way that is simple to use yet technologically advanced." As an admirer of arts and culture, he said he looks forward to the Opera house and opening of greater establishments in the UAE for hotel guests. When we discuss the impact of energy and sustainability, it is evident that the Oberoi group of hotels maintains its commitment to conserving energy with the help of its management and their vision. The hotel uses smart energy and encourages its guests to be proactive by suggesting wholesome alternatives.
Bizid said the UAE government is very strict with laws enforcements, especially when it comes to the concept of sustainability. "We are a part of this regulation. For example, glass. We can't just use any ordinary glass in UAE. It has to be a certain kind that has a specification that measures UV and heat from outside in order for you not to overutilize the AC, electricity and power. We didn't install our own chiller yet purposely. We think about tomorrow, our kids who might face a tough time in the future. We use AC's with Empower. Yes, it costs us more but we did this deliberately to minimize the carbon dioxide emissions within this area. We have a contract with Empower, we get chill water and the AC from them. It costs 20 percent extra. But we prefer to pay that extra to remain green than to use our own chiller here.
With regards to the best practices the Oberoi group follows, for instance, there's a certain mechanism of things, such as how we even use water pressure here. It is the same in India, Mauritius and here."
The hotel plans to expand its collection in the Gulf with Ajman and Marrakech. The Oberoi, Al Zorah, Ajman is a luxury eco-destination set within 247 acres of forest with compelling lagoons, a championship golf course by Nicklaus Design, and mangroves among other stunning features.
The Oberoi, Marrakech, on the other hand, is reportedly one of the most ravishing properties and is set in 25 acres of citrus orchards by ancient olive groves that shows great promise for Arabs travelers. The Oberoi group also has management contracts for two new luxury properties in Qatar.
