Last month I had attended “The Hotel Show” at the Dubai International Trade Centre. It was a one of its kind yearly occurrence with exhibitors from around the globe descends here to showcase their products. Everything that you see and you do not see when you walk into a hotel as a guest was on display. It goes without saying that stuff that we do not see surpasses what we do with a great margin but this is not my point of discussion. It was very encouraging to see how the business houses are putting up a brave face in the wake of the economic Tsunami that has struck the entire world. Everyone was being extremely optimistic and kept focusing on to the sunny days ahead and we all know that it is not too far away.
There were amazing and awesome products on display like stabilized natural plants to designer’s furniture. Similarly exciting were the technological concepts focusing into providing a unique and integrated guest experience. There was a design competition for the employee uniform and it was it was a corporate catwalk that showcased those 7 categories of uniforms by designers. Two conferences were being organized simultaneously on the side lines of these displayed products and glitz. My main interest was to attend The 7 star conference and The Middle East spa Summit which roped in the experts and the business leaders from the region.
Now that I have sat through those two, I would like to reveal a secret that I was able to conclude while listening to what the market leaders had to say. I have found out that you and only you are the King at this moment in history and I thought everyone should know this.
Today the all the players (Tour Operators; Retailers; Airlines; Hotels) of the Travel and Tourism industry are working together and working hard to come out of the crisis brought in by the global economic downturn. We need to remember that in good times they are arch rivals vying for each other’s blood or market share. So what does it mean to you when they come together and try to get back the tourists? The answer is simple. They need you. Rather they need your money. They woo you with very attractive offers and great discounts. You are pampered like never before. A few years back you had to be very rich or an influential and powerful somebody in order to be treated royally. But today all that have changed for this moment. Today you can negotiate the best rate with the top hotels and one doesn't have to be embarrassed in doing so. You can select from various packages being provided by airlines. You walk into a boutique or any store for that matter and you are treated like a shahenshah. So enjoy it till it lasts.
Similar trends are visible in Dubai. The top of the range hotels including Atlantis is providing series of attractive packages. The resorts in and around Dubai are also offering a basket of alternative choices for guests and patrons to select.
There has been lot of Dubai Bashing in the past few months in the western media. But the general consensus that came out of the speakers was that business generated here today is still much more than other areas around the world. Someone has very aptly described the situation in Dubai as "the heat is off the cattle right now but not to forget that the cattle were already overheated."
So enjoy being a Royal till it lasts.
There were amazing and awesome products on display like stabilized natural plants to designer’s furniture. Similarly exciting were the technological concepts focusing into providing a unique and integrated guest experience. There was a design competition for the employee uniform and it was it was a corporate catwalk that showcased those 7 categories of uniforms by designers. Two conferences were being organized simultaneously on the side lines of these displayed products and glitz. My main interest was to attend The 7 star conference and The Middle East spa Summit which roped in the experts and the business leaders from the region.
Now that I have sat through those two, I would like to reveal a secret that I was able to conclude while listening to what the market leaders had to say. I have found out that you and only you are the King at this moment in history and I thought everyone should know this.
Today the all the players (Tour Operators; Retailers; Airlines; Hotels) of the Travel and Tourism industry are working together and working hard to come out of the crisis brought in by the global economic downturn. We need to remember that in good times they are arch rivals vying for each other’s blood or market share. So what does it mean to you when they come together and try to get back the tourists? The answer is simple. They need you. Rather they need your money. They woo you with very attractive offers and great discounts. You are pampered like never before. A few years back you had to be very rich or an influential and powerful somebody in order to be treated royally. But today all that have changed for this moment. Today you can negotiate the best rate with the top hotels and one doesn't have to be embarrassed in doing so. You can select from various packages being provided by airlines. You walk into a boutique or any store for that matter and you are treated like a shahenshah. So enjoy it till it lasts.
Similar trends are visible in Dubai. The top of the range hotels including Atlantis is providing series of attractive packages. The resorts in and around Dubai are also offering a basket of alternative choices for guests and patrons to select.
There has been lot of Dubai Bashing in the past few months in the western media. But the general consensus that came out of the speakers was that business generated here today is still much more than other areas around the world. Someone has very aptly described the situation in Dubai as "the heat is off the cattle right now but not to forget that the cattle were already overheated."
So enjoy being a Royal till it lasts.
Awesome......
ReplyDeleteOnce again a very informative post. We visit Dubai often during the eid holidays. Hopefully the hotel prices will remain at a low then this year.
ReplyDeletePerceptive post. But as the eco-downturn has made the employee poorer through paycuts along with making the customer the king, and as the employee is the customer (in my case), being treated like a king while being poorer in the pocket is not really much help.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments.
ReplyDeleteSujata,
It is unlikely that the hotel prices will be at a great discount during the eid holidays as they will e looking forward to make at least some money at that time. But we expect to see better offer than what was offered during last year. But the best advantage could be taken during these lean months when there aren’t many tourists and the expatriates are off because of the school summer off.
Sucharita,
Some of the employees are experiencing reduction in income and savings. It has particularly hit hard the construction and Finance sectors and the knock down effect could be felt in a few others. We are hit and have a pressure due to insecurity. But you know the majority of working population is unaffected. It s true.. believe me and just look around yourself and you will find this out that very few people ve been affected.