THE Ritz-Carlton can boast of a marked improvement in terms of occupancy and revenues in 2010. But with its brand presence being considerably raised in the coming months the brand is cautiously optimistic about the economic climate in the Middle East for 2011.
The first property to open doors in 2011 was the much-awaited The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre, to be followed by the brands re-entry into Canada with The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto in March. Later that same month the tallest hotel in the world, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, opens and in the spring, the first Ritz-Carlton-managed golf course will make its debut in Palm Hills, Cairo.
Pascal Duchauffour, area vice president, Europe, Middle East & Africa, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, said: “There was some delay with the opening of the Dubai International Financial Centre hotel due to the sale of the property by the owning company, but all other developments are progressing as planned. Besides that our two hotels in Egypt, specifically in Cairo and Palm Hills, are scheduled to welcome guests in 2012, and we are in discussion with potential owners within the region to manage more hotels starting 2011 and beyond.”
The Ritz-Carlton is currently considering adding top capital cities such as Riyadh, Muscat, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait to its portfolio given the importance of the region to the growth of the brand.
Duchauffour adds: “Currently, there are only five Ritz-Carlton properties in the entire Middle East region, so we are not in any danger of “saturating the market” by far. On the contrary, feedback from our loyal guests has solidified our ambition to expand the Ritz-Carlton brand into the major capital cities within the region. The biggest two challenges would be to find the right location befitting a Ritz-Carlton hotel. We have a strategic development approach with sourcing key locations, and we also needs to establish long term relationships with the right partners who value quality as much as our brand does. The other challenge is to develop the talents of our staff, and ensure that they elevate the guests’ experiences to the next level through our core beliefs in empowerment and decision making.”
According to Duchauffour, communication tools and connectivity also play a large part in today’s business and leisure travellers’ lives. “Guests are seeking more experiential experiences and we need to present them with positive and enduring memorable moments throughout their stay and that will be an ongoing commitment from everyone at The Ritz-Carlton,” he added.