Pursuant to its dedication in supporting the Saudi hospitality industry’s progress and positioning the Kingdom at the forefront of the regional sector, Dur Hospitality participated as a platinum sponsor at the Arabian Hospitality Investment Conference (AHIC) 2021, which took place during the 20th and 22nd of September in Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.
This year’s edition of AHIC was held under the theme “Rise Together”, which highlights the importance of supporting collaboration and cooperation between sector players to enrich opportunities and recover collectively from one of the most challenging eras faced by the industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dur took the opportunity to highlight various achievements it attained over the last period, including its recent renovation of Makarem Ajyad Hotel and numerous expansion plans in the pipeline.
On this occasion, Dur Hospitality’s CEO Mr. Sultan Al Otaibi commented on the current state of the industry saying, “The hospitality sector has long faced countless challenges on a large-scale, and yet has always come out victorious. Owing to the high competence and resilience of our exceptional management teams and talented staff members, the industry is set to witness an unprecedented economic rebound. While being backed by the efforts of government authorities and stakeholders in the sector to ensure a safe and seamless transition into a post-COVID-19 era, Dur is committed to advancing the capabilities of the Saudi hospitality industry and further elevating its level of resilience, future-readiness, and quality.”
Furthermore, Dur Hospitality’s President of Hotels Operations, Mr. Hassan AlAhdab took part in a panel discussion titled “The new normal for profitability - is it different to the old normal?” in which he deliberated with several sector leaders on how operating models and expectations around profitability are shifting in light of changes imposed by the pandemic. He outlined current profitability realities and trends showing gradual improvements as incoming business, leisure, and pilgrimage guests increase following the reopening of domestic and international travel in the Kingdom.
During the panel, Mr. AlAhdab urged hotel owners and operators to adopt a renewed mindset and approach to take on challenges and remain relevant under the new norm. He stated, “We are required to reshape most aspects of hospitality management, including reconsidering differentiated cash flow sources, reexamining staffing and resource management strategies, pursuing sustainable and efficient operations, and seeking innovative solutions to take our offerings further and keep up with shifting trends and guest expectations.”
He added, “We are optimistic of a fast and strong recovery in MENA, especially in Saudi Arabia. Such remarkable growth is driven by growing domestic travel, multi-purpose travel, and other emerging segments, in addition to accelerated vaccination efforts and government incentives that are putting us back on track towards Saudi Vision 2030’s targets for the sector.”
By actively participating in AHIC, one of the major and prime events for the regional hospitality sector, Dur Hospitality reiterates its dedication to partake in insightful discussions with other sector leaders and engage in knowledge sharing and fruitful cooperation to augment the recovery of the industry together.
