Hotels in Dubai should seriously collaborate in establishing minimum price parameters across the sector while adapting flexible pricing strategies to continue providing consumers with freedom of choice, a panel of hoteliers revealed during a discussion on “War Games – Fighting the Rate War” at the Hotelier Middle East Great GM Debate 2017.
Moderating the panel discussion which took place at Le Meridien Dubai Hotel and Conference Centre was TRI associate director Christopher Hewett, with the following hoteliers participating in the discussion: Rotana Hotel Management Corporation area vice president, Dubai and Northern Emirates David Prince; Southern Sun Abu Dhabi general manager Pierre Delfau; Radisson Blu Hotels, Dubai Waterfront & Dubai Canal Views cluster general manager David Allan; and Frasers Hospitality area manager Middle East & Africa Cyril Warsono.
Moderator Hewett first brought up the question of whether or not consumers have the upper hand in the UAE when it comes to hotel prices.
Warsono answered affirmatively saying that the internet provides consumers with freedom, flexibility and convenience when selecting hotels and making price comparisons, utilising his own personal experiences as a business traveller in an anecdote.
“We want to see where is the value for money that we have,” he said. “And the second thing is, we want to try a new experience.”With the variety of choices available to consumers, Warsono stressed the importance of providing the guest with a quality experience in order to entice them to return, reminding the panel that, ultimately, that this move will pay off for hotel owners and shareholders.
“That’s why as hoteliers we have to think, what can we do that will make our guests come back?” he said. “So we have to take that into account, my internal customer and my external customer.”Allan also concurred that the consumers’ freedom of choice is paramount.
