Understanding your customers goes far beyond having a powerful brand; while safety, cleanliness and a terrific night’s sleep remain the highest three priorities for hotel guests, in response to Richard Solomons, chief executive, Intercontinental Hotel Group.
“We ought to understand the client better and ensure our brands describe and deliver what they need,” he explained.
“We announced two new brands last year and had huge interest around those, because it’s clear that it’s no more of a similar – the brands are targeting well,” he said during a session entitled ‘Hotels: where next for the world’s biggest hotel brands’ at the second and final day of the 13th Global Summit, organised by the area Travel and Tourism Council.
The top three requirements in hotels – forget the emblem and its message – are safety, cleanliness and good night’s sleep.
But the question is how can we deliver a targeted, more personalised service” Solomons asked.
“I think what must have is a transparent corporate strategy, and determine where we’re going as a firm; in addition to decide how, where and why we deliver value.
“The brand is ready definition; again as an industry we’re seeking to entice everybody always.
“This creates commoditisation within the industry and types aren’t clear. What a brand stands for, who your consumers are and the way you relate to them are the major factors within the industry today,” he continued.
The Global Summit is being hosted by Jumeirah at Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi.