Author: theciotimes

InterContinental Hotels Group® is a global hospitality company with 18 brands, one of the industry’s largest loyalty programs, over 6000 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a further 1,800 hotels in our development pipeline. IHG has a strong presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) while operating 41 hotels across 5 brands, and continuously aiming at expanding their footprint in the kingdom, especially the luxury presence. Significant among them is InterContinental Dar Al Tawhid, Makkah being one of the flagship hotels in the Middle East.

Offering Unparalleled Experience

Mere steps from the Holy Kaaba and King Fahad Gate, and with easy access to Islamic sites such as Mina, Muzdalifah, Arafat, and Jabal Al Noor, Dar Al Tawhid InterContinental offers a truly unparalleled and distinct experience. The hotel has spacious and elegantly furnished guest rooms, many of which provide a panoramic view of the Holy Mosque. Each room is ornately decorated and has a range of modern amenities. It has 3 restaurants for guests to choose from, serving a wide range of international cuisine, as well as many Middle Eastern specialties with a magnificent view of the Holy Masjid Al-Haram.

The Mission/Purpose is to create Great Hotels Guests Love® by providing “True Hospitality for Good”. IHG’s strategic vision focuses on value creation by building preferred brands, delivering a superior owner proposition, strengthening its loyalty program, leveraging scale, and generating revenue through the lowest-cost direct channels. Their targeted portfolio, together with disciplined execution of their strategy and a commitment to doing business responsibly, are designed to achieve industry-leading net rooms’ growth over the medium term.

Mohammad Abuharba, the Regional General Manager (KSA WEST) for IHG® has been associated with Dar Al Tawhid InterContinental Makkah since July 2003 and heads the operations. He is currently leading the region (IHG-KSA West) having 11 hotels under his patch with 13,000+ rooms. In his capacity, he has introduced a lot of fresh ideas which have been impactful either financially or reflected in an elevated guest experience. For instance, one of his ideas was introducing the Kids Club facilities in the hotel, which was new for their religious destination market, running the business responsibly and sustainably was evident in implementing the smart room management system and LED lighting on a wide scale, which was new for the market as well. The concept of forming a Procurement Committee for the region headed by Mohammad Abuharba and various other procurement directors in the area, has shown evident results of major savings across all IHG KSA hotels without any compromise on quality.

Technology for Elevated Experience

In today’s digital world, embracing technology has become an integral part of IHG’s workings. The Group is keen on keeping up with emerging Technologies to create a digital Advantage, provide a more seamless experience for the guests, and increased efficiency and operational excellence alongside unlocking revenue opportunities as well.

Their branded next-generation mobile App is providing a richer customer experience with streamlined booking that allows guests to check in faster and powering IHG One Reward to

give members seamless access to their loyalty benefits. Their digital customer journey is grounded in what matters most to their guests.

In 2004, Dar Al Tawhid became one of the first hospitality hotels to invest in smart room technology. This was to provide guests with a more personalized and seamless experience. The SMART Room Management System is one of the unique technologies deployed in the hotel, which resulted in enhanced guest experience as well as carbon emission reduction. “We continue our journey towards the future by upgrading our systems to the latest state-of-the-art technology,” says Mohammad Abuharba.

The hotel technology platform facilitates a painless, quick check-in experience and contactless payment wherever possible. Several collaboration apps are being invested in by Dar Al Tawhid InterContinental to enhance collaboration among the hotel teams. As part of their ‘Journey to the Future’, they invest in the development of smart buildings through the utilization of Internet of Things (IoT) technology to monitor hotel energy usage and reduce energy consumption.

IHG has announced a partnership with technology company Winnow to help its hotels automatically track, measure, and reduce food waste for more sustainable and efficient restaurant and bar operations. IHG is the first global hotel company to use the award-winning Winnow Vision AI-enabled technology, which will help its hotels achieve a 30% reduction in food waste.

By using hotel technology solutions, hotels understand their customers and provide tailored services based on their preferences, offering more personalized experiences. This helps to create loyalty and increase customer satisfaction, which in turn leads to higher retention rates and more direct bookings.

Delivering a Holistic Experience

Dar Al Tawhid InterContinental Makkah is committed to exceeding expectations through its elevated services and linking its guests with the local destination reflecting the generosity and heritage of Makkah. For example, they provide an authentic sense of arrival experience like their welcoming traditional Saudi Coffee with local dates, serviced by the local colleagues in the traditional outfit while sharing with the guests some stories and tips about the destination.

Adapting to emerging technologies and digital transformation, reflecting in their superior, secure internet service, ensures that their guests have the best online experience possible. Their flexible BYOD offering provides the guests with the convenience and comfort of accessing their own content on the go, while they take extra measures to ensure the security and reliability of their online services.

To provide their valued members with the best experience possible, Dar AL Tawhid InterContinental customizes the guest experience based on their preferences and behaviors and offers them personalized recommendations for dining, activities, and other amenities.

As part of the development of IHG mobile apps, guests are able to check in and check out, order room service, use their mobile key, and access other hotel amenities via their mobile devices.

Addressing Challenges for Smooth Functioning

As global travel grows, so do the challenges associated with it which need to be addressed by the industry giants like IHG such as:

Exceptional Service Expectation: Today the guests are well-informed and world travelers. They know their expectations very well. This is one of the biggest challenges (i.e.) providing Exceptional Experience and outperforming competitors. Therefore, Dar Al Tawhid InterContinental Makah customizes its services and products and strives to create a WOW experience.

Technology in Hospitality: The hospitality Industry faces one of the greatest challenges of keeping up-to-date with the rapid technological changes, and it is playing a significant role in the business. IHG® is continuing to embrace technological changes such as AI, mobile applications, reliability on technology, etc to enhance guests’ experience as well as improve its efficiency.

Constant changes in guests’ demand and behavior: The market is quite dynamic and guests’ demands are constantly changing, creating challenges to hotel operations and being competitive which is one of the biggest hurdles in the hotel industry. To combat constant changes in guests’ demand, they respond quickly to market shifts adjusting their offerings and services and ensuring they are flexible and willing to adapt to changes so that they stay competitive.

Elevation in Operational Cost: Constant rising in the operational costs in line with global inflation as well is one of the biggest challenges for IHG’s operation. Energy Costs, Food prices, and Labor costs are swelling. However, with no compromise on the services and quality, they get the guests engaged with them in energy savings, making use of digital technologies. Utilizing Work Optimization Tools etc are some of their techniques for beating this challenge.

Committed to DE&I

IHG’s commitment to diversity, equity & inclusion (DE&I) sits at the heart of its purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good and is crucial to growing its business. They do champion a diverse culture where everyone can thrive.

They have outstanding individuals and they value and respect every one of them, committed to creating a sense of belonging at IHG and a freedom to be themselves. Giving such space to colleagues sparks the innovation and ideas IHG needs to succeed as a global business.

“Driving Gender-balance is one of our company’s commitments, and it’s evident in my hotel where our numbers in hiring local female workforce are significantly increasing year on year. Local females across all departments and many of them in supervisory and managerial positions on equal footing with their male counterparts and as we are all aware Saudi Arabia has made significant progress on women’s rights and labor force participation,” shares Mohammad Abuharba.

In Saudi Arabia, the company has created a dedicated DE&I workstream and launched a series of functional talent development programs, providing internships that are supporting the growth of our Saudi colleagues and fast-tracking them into leadership positions. IHG has launched the ‘True Saudi, True Hospitality’ campaign, with the aim of hiring a big number of nationals in KSA by 2030. This is an excellent opportunity for young Saudis to embark on new careers that play a crucial role in the Kingdom’s economy.

Keeping Sustainability in Mind

As we strengthen the business, it’s important we do so responsibly and sustainably for our people, communities, and planet. IHG has developed innovative ways to reduce waste, plastic, energy, and water usage in their hotels, including introducing new brand standards and a bespoke tool to reduce energy and costs. For instance, smart guest room management system to control lighting and A/C, digitization, plastic reduction, LED lighting, eliminating Plastic, purchasing energy-efficiency equipment, and food waste reduction through embracing technology such as Winnow Vision technology.

In 2021, IHG launched “Journey to Tomorrow” – its 10-year plan to help shape the future of responsible travel and deliver a sustainable travel business for a fairer, better, and greener future, aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it’s a powerful framework for how they can focus their efforts to deliver their purpose of True Hospitality for Good in five key areas: people; communities; carbon & energy; waste; and water.

IHG aims at operating thoughtfully and growing sustainably in line with the Kingdom Vision 2030 and Saudi Green initiative which works on increasing Saudi Arabia’s reliance on clean energy, offsetting emissions, and protecting the environment.

Marching Ahead

Dar Al Tawhid InterContinental has achieved remarkable awards and accolades, and below are highlight of few of them :

· Selected as Hotel Leader of the Year 2012, InterContinental Hotels during IHG AMEA Leaders Meeting held at Abu Dhabi, UAE

· Hotel Solutions – Best Idea IHG AMEA Award in 2012

· World Travel Awards 2013 as Makkah’s Leading Hotel and Saudi Arabia’s Leading Hotel

· IHG Winning Metrics Front Runner Award, Q4 2016

· HeartBeat Excellence Award 2016 – IHG India, Middle East & Africa (IMEA)

· GCC’s Best General Manager (Hospitality) Award – 2018

· IHG General Manager Owner Impact Award – 2022.

· Hotelier Saudi Award as General Manager of the Year (Mid-Range to Luxury) – Highly Commended – 2023.

· IHG Highest Profit Generator award for Makkah & Madina – 2022

· IHG Heartbeat Excellence Award – 2022

The Group’s actions are shaped by a culture of strong governance, clear policies, and a series of ambitious commitments set out in their ‘Journey to Tomorrow 2030’ responsible business plan.

Presently IHG’s KSA portfolio consists of 41 hotels across 5 brands and they are aiming to double up the brands in the coming years, especially the luxury footprints.

They are rapidly growing in the region and new hotels are opening & conversions are in the pipeline. Their inventory in the last few years has tremendously risen and they have a fourfold growth plan in the coming years to lead the market. In line with its growth and development plan, IHG has established a fully functional regional office in KSA to support IHG’s vision of expanding its footprints in KSA aligned with KSA’s 2030 vision for tourism.

Quote: “Our Brand service is creating a brand-defined service experience supported by a suite of Training Tools besides our amazing legacy from iconic guests to incredible destinations makes us truly unique.”

The Japanese way of living has slowly been impressing the world not just with words, but the positive effects and evident results it has on those who follow it. Omotenashi or the Japanese Philosophy of Hospitality has grown in popularity since the world heard about it during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Omotenashi captures the way in which

Japanese hosts pay attention to detail and anticipate their guests’ needs. This philosophy is also the core value around which Hotel Okura Amsterdam functions.

Hotel Okura Amsterdam is THE preferred 5-star hotel in Amsterdam, the capital of The Netherlands, to visit & to work and is known for creating exquisite guest experiences & offering a challenging and inspiring work environment.

The Harmony between Eastern and Western Influences

Hotel Okura Amsterdam is much more than just a hotel. It offers a comprehensive variety of services and a wide range of high-quality facilities all under one roof, including 5 restaurants: Ciel Bleu – A 2 Michelin stars awarded restaurant known for refined flavours and stunning view.

Yamazato – 1 Michelin star awarded restaurant that offers traditional Japanese haute cuisine Kaiseki Ryori.

Sazanka – At Teppanyaki Restaurant Sazanka, dishes are prepared on a hot plate in front of guests.

Serre – Awarded Michelin’s Bib Gourmand, it offers high-quality international specialties in a relaxed atmosphere.

La Camelia – The breakfast specialty restaurant.

It also houses Nagomi Spa with Gym & Wellness and treatments that offers a unique combination of products and techniques to nourish the skin with the nutrients and protection to defend itself from the harmful effects of environmental stress.

The Hotel has the largest conference capacity among all 5-star hotels in Amsterdam (from accommodating 2 to 2,500 guests simultaneously, 20 meeting rooms, and 4 foyers (total of 2,700 m2)). It offers high-level culinary offerings, even for large numbers. Michelin-star-worthy dinners and lunches. Major corporates host events for internal or external relations at Hotel Okura Amsterdam.

Hotel Okura Amsterdam is centrally located in the heart of the city. It is located near Schiphol Airport and Central Train Station and has a private boat jetty and extensive parking. It is an oasis of comfort in the city, with places of complete tranquillity for rejuvenation and relaxation. Nagomi Spa offers Nagomi Spa Treatments and Nagomi Gym & Wellness.

Omotenashi, Japanese hospitality from the heart, is deeply rooted in its DNA and is a distinguishing factor. It’s about personal interaction and genuine interest in others, without expecting anything in return. Not putting oneself in the foreground but focusing on others. It requires intensive training and dedication from the employees.

Michiel Roelfsema, the General Manager, explains: “We place equal importance on our employees and guests. We are just as much a hotelier as an employer. Only by empowering our employees to excel, we can deliver the unparalleled experience we promise. What’s great about this hotel is that both guests and employees are here because they enjoy it.”

The assignment to the team at Okura is not only about meeting expectations, but exceeding them. They don’t compromise on quality and prefer to serve fewer guests at the level they deserve rather than more guests, less well. “We pay a lot of attention to quality and long-term success. Michelin stars, for example, are not a given; you have to earn them every year. With Yamazato, we made history. As the first traditional Japanese restaurant, Yamazato received a Michelin star over 20 years ago. Ciel Bleu received its first Michelin star in 2003 and its second since 2006,” says Michiel.

Leading with Pride

Michiel Roelfsema started as General Manager of Hotel Okura Amsterdam mid-2019, at the age of 36. A role he accepted with pleasure and pride: “Being offered this role by an established company like Okura is a great compliment and a significant responsibility, a responsibility that I still gladly embrace every day,” says Michiel.

Prior to that, he had already worked at the hotel for ten years, holding various roles through which he had earned his stripes. Michiel knows the company from various angles and benefits from it every day. Michiel explains: “Not only have I personally experienced many highlights and situations, but I have also known many employees for a very long time. This strengthens the bond and builds mutual trust. This combination forms the foundation for a productive collaboration. What’s beautiful is that new employees naturally adopt our way of interacting with each other and add their own talents and passion. This makes us continuously stronger as a whole.”

Michiel can be described as a connector: “As General Manager, I am involved in the entire organization and have a general overview of what is happening. This allows me to bring all stories and people together. This is one of the most beautiful aspects of my role. Creating connections between people, thereby increasing the quality, impact, and job satisfaction.”

Technology Meets Tradition

“Our guests are of utmost importance to us. They deserve all our attention and service. Technology supports us to offer guests the Omotenashi hospitality that is in our DNA in today’s fast-paced and personalized world. We carefully consider each customer journey, allowing us to exceed our guests’ expectations,” explains Michiel.

Hotel Okura is ambitious and critically positive. For example, they prefer to anticipate a guest’s needs rather than wait for them to ask a question. The staff is trained for this. They engage with guests and pay close attention. If it’s raining, they gladly walk with the umbrella to the car. They provide proactive service. “Thanks to technology, we can do this even better. Technology helps us know who is in front of us and what their preferences are. So, can technology alone provide an Omotenashi experience? No, only the employees can, but technology can certainly support and enrich the experience,” shares Michiel.

Rooms are also infused with technology, often invisibly, to provide guests with an optimal and comfortable experience. Guests often comment on how special it is that the curtains open at the entrance, revealing the beautiful view of the city, and reducing energy consumption while being closed. This is a very simple and visible example of how technology makes a difference in the guest experience and in sustainability. The fact that room settings (lighting, temperature) are remembered when the guest leaves the room and that various services are initiated is even more sophisticated. Not everyone is aware of that, but it certainly contributes to the overall experience at Hotel Okura.

Furthermore, they use AI for efficiency and data to make better decisions. Finally, technology also plays a significant role in their sustainability policy.

Innovating for Long-Term

Hotel Okura Amsterdam focuses on quality and continuity. Renewing and innovating is not a goal in itself, but it is very important in many areas of the hotel. Innovation is an accumulation of improvements within Hotel Okura Amsterdam, not necessarily a big bang. “When operating at the highest level, you keep tweaking to achieve the highest possible standards. For us, innovation is a careful consideration of whether such an investment contributes to long-term success in terms of economics, sustainability, and quality. To deliver outstanding quality and ensure continuity, continuous improvement is essential. The Japanese Kaizen philosophy, meaning: continuous improvement, fits us very well,” explains Michiel.

Being in the highest segment means Hotel Okura has to deal with high expectations. This creates a pleasant pressure. It motivates them to improve every day. Their esteemed culinary offerings also demonstrate their creativity and innovation drive. They surprise guests every time with the variety of their offerings and the high-quality products they work with. Guests can see and taste it. Combined with excellent service, it promises them an unforgettable evening.

“We pay attention to every detail. Everything must be in place to offer an unparalleled overall experience. This is evident throughout the hotel, regardless of the area where the guest is located. Omotenashi, Japanese hospitality, is a constant factor that enables us to create a holistic experience. Everywhere in the hotel, guests are welcomed with the same attention and interest. Our helpfulness and thoughtfulness are truly noticed by guests. Everyone is focused on exceeding that overall experience,” says Michiel.

The Challenges

As in many countries, there is a labor shortage in the Netherlands. “We find that once talent works with us and enjoys it, they stay with us for a long time. Many of our employees take pride in working with us,” says Michiel.

Hotel Okura Amsterdam is fortunate to have the loyalty of many employees. This demonstrates that the hotel’s attention to a pleasant culture, development opportunities, and good terms of employment are appreciated. “We should be less modest about this and empathize it in our external communications. This will also help attract new talent. We will focus more on our recruitment policy, both for those who have been in the industry for a long time and for newcomers. Hotel schools and vocational training institutes will continue to hear from us,” says Michiel.

Achieving Diversity and Sustainability Goals

The workforce of Hotel Okura Amsterdam is characterized by a great diversity of nationalities. They have 40 different nationalities working with them. Because of the hotel’s Japanese roots, it’s attractive for Japanese people to work with them, and it’s obviously for Dutch people due to the location. It’s a blend of cultures at all levels in the organization, fitting the international clientele. They regularly conduct employee satisfaction surveys. They score very high on pride. They feel at home and feel heard. That makes Michiel extremely proud.

As for sustainability, Hotel Okura Amsterdam is a Platinum member of Green Globe. This means that for 10 years, they have continuously made improvements in environmental, social, and economic areas. The sustainability aspect of new investments is always heavily weighed and is a determining factor. They focus on three sustainable development goals (SDGs):

· Responsible consumption and production – They ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

· Climate action – They take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

· Partnerships for the goals – They revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

Long-term Vision and Goals

Hotel Okura Amsterdam recently celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2021 and wants to continue to be at the top and continuously improve, following the Kaizen philosophy.

“What sets Hotel Okura Amsterdam apart is its long-term vision. We do everything thoughtfully and to the best of our ability. Building quality and ensuring continuity remains our constant focus. The Japanese Kaizen philosophy encourages continuous improvement. If you want to continuously improve, you’re never finished. Fortunately, the hospitality industry is far too beautiful for that. We experience a lot of freedom and autonomy from the

ownership and hotel management group to pursue this policy. We will have a persistent focus on further optimizing Omotenashi, technology, and sustainability,” concludes Michiel.

The Wheatbaker, Lagos is proud to call itself an Art Boutique Hotel that has turned into an iconic hotel in a decade of its existence. Their core product is much like every mainstream hotel in the world. However, their ‘uniqueness’ is something very special. Their people are the USP of The Wheatbaker. Not only are they highly trained, specialists in their individual fields, and loaded with personality and energy, but they also work hard to perfect the concept of fluid teamwork.

Apart from that, they have an exceptional art collection, built over the years of their history that sits comfortably with modern amenities like internet, amazing exclusive coffee, exceptional security structure, and luxury beds. “But above all that are the people of The Wheatbaker, and we are proud that we are such an example of the old saying, look after your staff, and they will look after your guest,” says Paul Kavanagh, General Manager.

The Guiding Vision

The team at The Wheatbaker is guided by a simple statement, which is to be the best version of themselves at all times. For them, it is never about how they compare or compete with others, it is always about how they grow individually, and from that, collectively. They focus on that which they control and can influence. They do take a good look outside, monitor, and gain inspiration from others in the industry, however, their primary vision is inside ‘their’ business and most importantly, on ‘their’ guests and their needs and expectations.

This empowering of staff and trusting them to handle every situation keeping the core ideologies in mind is what Paul believes differentiates them from others. He doesn’t believe in enforcing changes just because it is trending or competitors are doing it, rather he trusts the staff to uplift themselves every day and present the best version of themselves.

“For me, it is never about me. It does not matter my position, or my skill, knowledge, or experience, the key to growing a business like the hotel is everyone else. So perhaps my key difference is the belief in others. My job here is to empower, energize and encourage everyone around me to be the best version of themselves. To encourage them to be the ones who grow the business, and develop the product. To let them ‘own’ the business,” he says.

A Different Take on Technology

As an industry, Hotels have seen a surge in new technology, new software, new apps, and a whole range of newness. And yes, The Wheatbaker uses it a copious amount within its business. They have invested in new software for both their HR and Accounts departments in recent months.

However, here is where Paul takes an unconventional path and shares an unpopular opinion. He has worked in hotels for nearly five decades and personally holds a very different view on this particular subject. Not afraid to be called old-fashioned, he doesn’t, as yet, see any real benefit from the tech inside the hotel industry. One issue he sees is that tech is built by tech, not by Hotel. So much software is built with a range of features that are never used. Secondly, tech

appears to always be built with a lifespan of only 18 months, and then you have to buy the upgrade, which is so annoying. Lastly, tech is slowly removing the human touch from the industry that he loves, and is creating the next generation of hotel people who can’t think for themselves, but instead rely on tech to do their jobs.

Novel v/s Familiar

Innovation is good and The Wheatbaker team spends a vast amount of time looking at and looking for the next idea. However, in their world of hotels, the majority of their guests want ‘familiar’. “Our returning guests want to return to what they know, what they like. So, there is a balancing act to be done with innovation, with any change. Of course, you have to keep abreast of new things, of new guest needs and wants. I believe it is important to study aspects of our industry even if they don’t directly apply. But innovation must fall into your own brand and business. It should not be innovation for the sake of it, and it should not be innovation to follow the latest trend, innovation needs a purpose, it needs to fulfill a goal,” clarifies Paul.

Dealing with Challenges

The challenges for the hotel here in Lagos are pretty much the same as every hotel in the city, with one exception. They all face the local challenges of power, human resources, and maintenance. For the Wheatbaker, there is an added issue of an ever-increasing level of Guest Expectations. “We set a high bar for ourselves when we opened, and we live with the pressure of always staying ahead of that,” says Paul.

Lagos can be a fantastically challenging city to do business in. It forces you to always look at a challenge from every direction. It demands creativity, invention, and buckets full of patience. “It needs a level of resolve and an understanding that not every challenge is as first presented. But what this ultimately provides you with is a real gift, as it enables you to look at any challenge and find interesting and rewarding answers and solutions,” he adds.

Catering to New Age Expectations

The new-age travelers today want a holistic experience. This perception is based on the hotel and destination. Paul feels there is both a need and an environment for such things. However, he also feels that the primary need for today’s traveler is still driven by the destination and the reason to travel. Of course, as a city center business hotel Wheatbaker can add a touch of this holistic experience and they do so via their Art, food, and the authentic nature of their people.

Views on Diversity and Inclusion at the Workplace:

“This is a very interesting question when asked of a business in Nigeria. I am tempted to even ask, what is ‘diversity’? Does my staff represent our country, the people, the culture, the regions, yes of course we do. Do we pay respect to the diverse nature of our country, yes, we really do. Are we collectively proud of who we all are and who we all represent, yes, we do.

But do we have policies to force this into place, no we do not. So, I guess the answer to this question is simple, we don’t ‘encourage’ it, we just are it.”

Resolved to Sustainability

As a business operating on the continent of Africa, the staff at Wheatbaker can see, and live with the consequences of global climate change. It is all around them on a day-to-day basis. Malaria is one of the biggest health risks in the nation, and this has increased due to climate change. So, sustainability is something they do focus on. Having said that, it is also something that a business like theirs cannot really impact, except in one way. Their ‘sustainability’ goal is to inspire others through their actions.

They have substantially reduced the number of products they import, especially food. They are removing plastic, despite the additional costs, from across their business, and are in the process of building their own food garden to produce normally imported food items. They are doing everything they can to add to the global efforts.

Receiving Accolades

The collective team of the Wheatbaker seriously excels at receiving accolades. On average, either Paul or the business wins at least one award per month. They win from their core industry, or from areas such as HR, Innovation, or general business practice. They celebrate everyone who wins such recognition, especially those who win in a more specific area of the business. For them, getting awards from international organizations or institutes means that little bit more, and the recognition gained is actually important here.

Plans for the Future

Where does the team see the Wheatbaker in years to come in? The same place it is, and has always been since inception, at the Top! Locally in Lagos, they call it “swag”, a certain level of super confidence. They started as number 1 in the city, and they remain there. Each and every day they get just that little bit better, and that enables them to have the confidence to be able to say, in the future they will still be there.

“Such words may come across as a tad over the top, but it is because we apply that extra pressure to ourselves, to always push forward, to always train and learn, to always put our guest, the Wheatbaker guest, first and foremost in every choice and decision we make. The extra pressure is so worth it because it inspires us each and every day,” concludes Paul.

InterContinental Hotels Group® is a global hospitality company with 18 brands, one of the industry’s largest loyalty programs, over 6000 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a further 1,800 hotels in our development pipeline. IHG has a strong presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) while operating 41 hotels across 5 brands, and continuously aiming at expanding their footprint in the kingdom, especially the luxury presence. Significant among them is InterContinental Dar Al Tawhid, Makkah being one of the flagship hotels in the Middle East.

Offering Unparalleled Experience

Mere steps from the Holy Kaaba and King Fahad Gate, and with easy access to Islamic sites such as Mina, Muzdalifah, Arafat, and Jabal Al Noor, Dar Al Tawhid InterContinental offers a truly unparalleled and distinct experience. The hotel has spacious and elegantly furnished guest rooms, many of which provide a panoramic view of the Holy Mosque. Each room is ornately decorated and has a range of modern amenities. It has 3 restaurants for guests to choose from, serving a wide range of international cuisine, as well as many Middle Eastern specialties with a magnificent view of the Holy Masjid Al-Haram.

The Mission/Purpose is to create Great Hotels Guests Love® by providing “True Hospitality for Good”. IHG’s strategic vision focuses on value creation by building preferred brands, delivering a superior owner proposition, strengthening its loyalty program, leveraging scale, and generating revenue through the lowest-cost direct channels. Their targeted portfolio, together with disciplined execution of their strategy and a commitment to doing business responsibly, are designed to achieve industry-leading net rooms’ growth over the medium term.

Mohammad Abuharba, the Regional General Manager (KSA WEST) for IHG® has been associated with Dar Al Tawhid InterContinental Makkah since July 2003 and heads the operations. He is currently leading the region (IHG-KSA West) having 11 hotels under his patch with 13,000+ rooms. In his capacity, he has introduced a lot of fresh ideas which have been impactful either financially or reflected in an elevated guest experience. For instance, one of his ideas was introducing the Kids Club facilities in the hotel, which was new for their religious destination market, running the business responsibly and sustainably was evident in implementing the smart room management system and LED lighting on a wide scale, which was new for the market as well. The concept of forming a Procurement Committee for the region headed by Mohammad Abuharba and various other procurement directors in the area, has shown evident results of major savings across all IHG KSA hotels without any compromise on quality.

Technology for Elevated Experience

In today’s digital world, embracing technology has become an integral part of IHG’s workings. The Group is keen on keeping up with emerging Technologies to create a digital Advantage, provide a more seamless experience for the guests, and increased efficiency and operational excellence alongside unlocking revenue opportunities as well.

Their branded next-generation mobile App is providing a richer customer experience with streamlined booking that allows guests to check in faster and powering IHG One Reward to

give members seamless access to their loyalty benefits. Their digital customer journey is grounded in what matters most to their guests.

In 2004, Dar Al Tawhid became one of the first hospitality hotels to invest in smart room technology. This was to provide guests with a more personalized and seamless experience. The SMART Room Management System is one of the unique technologies deployed in the hotel, which resulted in enhanced guest experience as well as carbon emission reduction. “We continue our journey towards the future by upgrading our systems to the latest state-of-the-art technology,” says Mohammad Abuharba.

The hotel technology platform facilitates a painless, quick check-in experience and contactless payment wherever possible. Several collaboration apps are being invested in by Dar Al Tawhid InterContinental to enhance collaboration among the hotel teams. As part of their ‘Journey to the Future’, they invest in the development of smart buildings through the utilization of Internet of Things (IoT) technology to monitor hotel energy usage and reduce energy consumption.

IHG has announced a partnership with technology company Winnow to help its hotels automatically track, measure, and reduce food waste for more sustainable and efficient restaurant and bar operations. IHG is the first global hotel company to use the award-winning Winnow Vision AI-enabled technology, which will help its hotels achieve a 30% reduction in food waste.

By using hotel technology solutions, hotels understand their customers and provide tailored services based on their preferences, offering more personalized experiences. This helps to create loyalty and increase customer satisfaction, which in turn leads to higher retention rates and more direct bookings.

Delivering a Holistic Experience

Dar Al Tawhid InterContinental Makkah is committed to exceeding expectations through its elevated services and linking its guests with the local destination reflecting the generosity and heritage of Makkah. For example, they provide an authentic sense of arrival experience like their welcoming traditional Saudi Coffee with local dates, serviced by the local colleagues in the traditional outfit while sharing with the guests some stories and tips about the destination.

Adapting to emerging technologies and digital transformation, reflecting in their superior, secure internet service, ensures that their guests have the best online experience possible. Their flexible BYOD offering provides the guests with the convenience and comfort of accessing their own content on the go, while they take extra measures to ensure the security and reliability of their online services.

To provide their valued members with the best experience possible, Dar AL Tawhid InterContinental customizes the guest experience based on their preferences and behaviors and offers them personalized recommendations for dining, activities, and other amenities.

As part of the development of IHG mobile apps, guests are able to check in and check out, order room service, use their mobile key, and access other hotel amenities via their mobile devices.

Addressing Challenges for Smooth Functioning

As global travel grows, so do the challenges associated with it which need to be addressed by the industry giants like IHG such as:

Exceptional Service Expectation: Today the guests are well-informed and world travelers. They know their expectations very well. This is one of the biggest challenges (i.e.) providing Exceptional Experience and outperforming competitors. Therefore, Dar Al Tawhid InterContinental Makah customizes its services and products and strives to create a WOW experience.

Technology in Hospitality: The hospitality Industry faces one of the greatest challenges of keeping up-to-date with the rapid technological changes, and it is playing a significant role in the business. IHG® is continuing to embrace technological changes such as AI, mobile applications, reliability on technology, etc to enhance guests’ experience as well as improve its efficiency.

Constant changes in guests’ demand and behavior: The market is quite dynamic and guests’ demands are constantly changing, creating challenges to hotel operations and being competitive which is one of the biggest hurdles in the hotel industry. To combat constant changes in guests’ demand, they respond quickly to market shifts adjusting their offerings and services and ensuring they are flexible and willing to adapt to changes so that they stay competitive.

Elevation in Operational Cost: Constant rising in the operational costs in line with global inflation as well is one of the biggest challenges for IHG’s operation. Energy Costs, Food prices, and Labor costs are swelling. However, with no compromise on the services and quality, they get the guests engaged with them in energy savings, making use of digital technologies. Utilizing Work Optimization Tools etc are some of their techniques for beating this challenge.

Committed to DE&I

IHG’s commitment to diversity, equity & inclusion (DE&I) sits at the heart of its purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good and is crucial to growing its business. They do champion a diverse culture where everyone can thrive.

They have outstanding individuals and they value and respect every one of them, committed to creating a sense of belonging at IHG and a freedom to be themselves. Giving such space to colleagues sparks the innovation and ideas IHG needs to succeed as a global business.

“Driving Gender-balance is one of our company’s commitments, and it’s evident in my hotel where our numbers in hiring local female workforce are significantly increasing year on year. Local females across all departments and many of them in supervisory and managerial positions on equal footing with their male counterparts and as we are all aware Saudi Arabia has made significant progress on women’s rights and labor force participation,” shares Mohammad Abuharba.

In Saudi Arabia, the company has created a dedicated DE&I workstream and launched a series of functional talent development programs, providing internships that are supporting the growth of our Saudi colleagues and fast-tracking them into leadership positions. IHG has launched the ‘True Saudi, True Hospitality’ campaign, with the aim of hiring a big number of nationals in KSA by 2030. This is an excellent opportunity for young Saudis to embark on new careers that play a crucial role in the Kingdom’s economy.

Keeping Sustainability in Mind

As we strengthen the business, it’s important we do so responsibly and sustainably for our people, communities, and planet. IHG has developed innovative ways to reduce waste, plastic, energy, and water usage in their hotels, including introducing new brand standards and a bespoke tool to reduce energy and costs. For instance, smart guest room management system to control lighting and A/C, digitization, plastic reduction, LED lighting, eliminating Plastic, purchasing energy-efficiency equipment, and food waste reduction through embracing technology such as Winnow Vision technology.

In 2021, IHG launched “Journey to Tomorrow” – its 10-year plan to help shape the future of responsible travel and deliver a sustainable travel business for a fairer, better, and greener future, aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it’s a powerful framework for how they can focus their efforts to deliver their purpose of True Hospitality for Good in five key areas: people; communities; carbon & energy; waste; and water.

IHG aims at operating thoughtfully and growing sustainably in line with the Kingdom Vision 2030 and Saudi Green initiative which works on increasing Saudi Arabia’s reliance on clean energy, offsetting emissions, and protecting the environment.

Marching Ahead

Dar Al Tawhid InterContinental has achieved remarkable awards and accolades, and below are highlight of few of them :

· Selected as Hotel Leader of the Year 2012, InterContinental Hotels during IHG AMEA Leaders Meeting held at Abu Dhabi, UAE

· Hotel Solutions – Best Idea IHG AMEA Award in 2012

· World Travel Awards 2013 as Makkah’s Leading Hotel and Saudi Arabia’s Leading Hotel

· IHG Winning Metrics Front Runner Award, Q4 2016

· HeartBeat Excellence Award 2016 – IHG India, Middle East & Africa (IMEA)

· GCC’s Best General Manager (Hospitality) Award – 2018

· IHG General Manager Owner Impact Award – 2022.

· Hotelier Saudi Award as General Manager of the Year (Mid-Range to Luxury) – Highly Commended – 2023.

· IHG Highest Profit Generator award for Makkah & Madina – 2022

· IHG Heartbeat Excellence Award – 2022

The Group’s actions are shaped by a culture of strong governance, clear policies, and a series of ambitious commitments set out in their ‘Journey to Tomorrow 2030’ responsible business plan.

Presently IHG’s KSA portfolio consists of 41 hotels across 5 brands and they are aiming to double up the brands in the coming years, especially the luxury footprints.

They are rapidly growing in the region and new hotels are opening & conversions are in the pipeline. Their inventory in the last few years has tremendously risen and they have a fourfold growth plan in the coming years to lead the market. In line with its growth and development plan, IHG has established a fully functional regional office in KSA to support IHG’s vision of expanding its footprints in KSA aligned with KSA’s 2030 vision for tourism.

Quote: “Our Brand service is creating a brand-defined service experience supported by a suite of Training Tools besides our amazing legacy from iconic guests to incredible destinations makes us truly unique.”