p36 hotels sep26 23/9/08 13:30 Page 36
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HOTEL PROFILE.
Dubai chain
Tamani in
UK for trade
feedback
Roddy Gordon, of new Dubai
hotel group Tamani, reveals
why he values talking to the
trade. By Rupert Murray
YOU MAY not have heard of Dubai-based Tamani The most striking differentiation of the Tamani overlooking the marina and the Palm in Dubai.
Hotels and Resorts yet. product is its promise to offer Arabian hospitality Gordon’s time on the road has led him to
But Roddy Gordon (pictured), sales and mar- and Islamic values while being relevant to the believe that there is strong potential in
keting vice-president, is intent on changing that. needs of today’s business and leisure traveller. multi-generational family and friends trips
The Scotsman has just spent two weeks All of its hotels will be Sharia-compliant, who want the communal advantages of an
talking to agents and suppliers to find out what alcohol-free, serve halal cuisine and donate apartment’s living areas mixed with the privacy
makes the industry tick and where his “unique” a percentage of profits to charity. of separate bedrooms and bathrooms.
offering will fit in the market. The task for Gordon was to find out if Brits The intention is to have 14 hotels open by 2014
People on his pay grade do not often spend so were interested in a compromise: luxury accom- in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia and India,
long talking to the grass-roots of the industry, modation entwined with Arabian culture. aimed at a mix of leisure and business clientele.
preferring to rely on presumptions about how The answer, he says, was perhaps. Gordon, who is based in Dubai, says he will
the trade works. “It was fascinating. I thought I would hear be back in the UK to talk to the trade again and
But he describes his time travelling around the generalities such as if there’s no alcohol our continue to spread the Tamani brand.
country as “invaluable and surprising”. clients won’t go, so we can’t sell you,” he said. He added: “Hotel groups have been guilty of
He added: “There was a tendency in our office “Different agents who would appear to have lumping the industry into one, and what we must
and many other offices to say ‘agents think like the same kind of clients gave different answers. do is spend time on face-to-face contact and build
this’, as if they all are of one mind; this “Some don’t believe a dry hotel relationships based on two-way communication.
is a dangerous mentality. would appeal, but others say some “The people I have seen have given me insight-
“It has been fascinating talking to customers would be interested.” ful opinions and they appreciate the fact I had
agents, operators, bed banks and on- So far only one Tamani hotel is come to see them.”
line players about how they make de- open, the Tamani Hotel Marina
cisions and how they feel the Tamani (above), which is an all-suite 50- ■ For more information about the group and
offering would sit with their customers.” storey five-star apartment hotel future fam trips, visit
tamani.com
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36 26.09.2008
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