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OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

TOP 30 PR HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS 2 0 26

HOSPITALITY

MEET THE SHARPEST MINDS MAKING HOSPITALITY BRANDS IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE

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Contents IN THIS ISSUE

TOP 30 PR HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS Meet the sharpest minds making hospitality brands impossible to ignore

26 MARTIN KUBLER

68 ANGELO DE GUZMAN At $3,000 a night, I’m going to need more than a fruit bowl

Before you plan 2027, decide what to stop doing

72 REBUILDING TRAVELLER CONFIDENCE How data-driven advertising can support the Middle East's tourism rebound

60 OMAN

28 AT NOBU ONE ZA’ABEEL, DINNER IS ONLY THE BEGINNING

With exceptional Japanese cuisine, spectacular city views and a late-night concept unlike anything else in the Nobu portfolio, Nobu One Za’abeel offers a fresh perspective on one of the world’s most recognisable restaurant brands

6 OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

From the mountains to the city

CREDITS

CEO Wissam Younane wissam@bncpublishing.net MANAGING DIRECTOR Rabih Najm rabih@bncpublishing.net EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Seymone L Moodley seymone@bncpublishing.net MARKETING & COMMUNICATION LEAD Aaron Joshua Sinamban aj@bncpublishing.net DIGITAL EDITORIAL SUPPORT Karan Moodley karan@bncpublishing.net COUNTRY MANAGER Amjad Fakhouri amjad@bncpublishing.net PHOTOGRAPHY Joel Amparo MULTIMEDIA Eduardo Buenagua CREATIVE LEAD Christian Harb chriss@bncpublishing.net

Images used in Hotel & Catering are credited when necessary. Attributed use of copyrighted images with permission.

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PO Box 502511 Dubai, United Arab Emirates P +971 4 4200 506 | F +971 4 4200 196 For all commercial enquiries related to Hotel & Catering News ME, contact sales@bncpublishing.net All rights reserved 2026. Opinions expressed are solely those of the contributors. Hotel & Catering is officially licensed exclusively to BNC Publishing in the MENA region. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the publisher. Printed by United Printing and Publishing | upp.ae

In addition to our print edition, we’re bringing you all sorts of industry news on our web mediums. We’re looking forward to interacting with our readers on all of our social media and web platforms. See you on the web!

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8 OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

CONTRIBUTORS

Contributors

Hospitality Voices This Month

10 OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

ANGELO DE GUZMAN,

Journalist, Editor, and Marketing Consultant

“The $10 fruit bowl proves nothing about loyalty and just reinforces an underwhelming effort.”

02 RIYA SAPARE,

Cluster Director of Marketing & Communications, Accor Shared Services, Dubai / Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre For Riya Sapare, successful hospitality marketing goes beyond generating publicity. It is about attracting guests, connecting with communities and delivering business results.

MARTIN KUBLER,

Chief Sloth at The Gluttonous Sloth - HORECA Consulting with Attitude “We've always done it this way" is useful information. So is "Head office wants it", particularly if nobody can remember the last time head office actually used it.”

H&C EDITOR’S NOTE

UP THE CRINGE MOUNTAIN

Lies Freedom

Experience alone isn't enough anymore. Of course it matters. But the rules have changed. Being great is great. Being seen being great is another thing entirely. And increasingly, it is the latter that gets results. I've learnt to care a little less about what people think, although some opinions still matter to me. And I don't think that's a bad thing. We should care, just not so much that we stop ourselves from trying. Working on our Top 30 PR Hotshots 2026 feature has inspired the heck out of me to start climbing that mountain. Putting together each profile, I was reminded that the ability to build trust, manage narratives and secure attention is something of a Midas touch in today's world. We're talking about campaigns reaching millions. Media features secured in just 48 hours that helped sell out books. And one of my personal favourites, an all-female team operating on a four-day working week, generating over USD 16 million in PR value through recent campaigns.

he cringe mountain and I have been avoiding each other for some time.

For those unfamiliar with the term, the cringe mountain is that uncomfortable, vulnerable and deeply awkward experience of putting more of yourself online. It is the mountain you have to climb to be seen, when every instinct tells you to remain comfortably unknown for fear of embarrassing yourself. This sometimes comes as a surprise, considering a fair amount of my job involves being in front of a camera, interviewing people, moderating discussions and occasionally putting my own face on the internet. But here's the thing. I am very good at doing what I need to do for work. Once that's done, I get back into my car and drive in the opposite direction of that mountain, putting as much distance as possible between myself and my work persona. I had a membership card to that generation of millennials who were too shy to dance on TikTok when everyone else was doing it. I like to combat that by saying I am better in real life. Although I think that line is running its course.

12 OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

These are people who understand the value of having a voice, knowing what to say, who to say it to and why anyone should care. To the PR professionals featured in this issue, well done on all that you have achieved. I am a fan! Visibility, when done well, is a skill worth mastering. As for me, I'm going hiking. I'm still not dancing on TikTok, though.

SEYMONE L MOODLEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF seymone@bncpublishing.net Seymone Leigh Moodley seymonemoodley

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or FranceAgrimer. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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H&C OPENINGS & LAUNCHES JUMEIRAH MARSA AL ARAB REVEALS 1206, THE HIDDEN ROOM COMPLETING ITS CULINARY COLLECTION Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab unveils 1206, a contemporary dining destination opening on 30 October, and the final venue to be revealed as part of the resort’s opening story. Named after the property’s oncehidden room on level four, 1206 offers aningredient-led dining experience framed by uninterrupted horizon views stretching from Jumeirah Burj Al Arab to Burj Khalifa.

16 OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

OPENINGS & LAUNCHES

ADDRESS THE BAY IS COMING TO EMAAR BEACHFRONT Dubai is getting another luxury beachfront escape. Address The Bay at Emaar Beachfront is set to open in 2027, bringing the signature Address experience to one of the city’s most sought-after waterfront addresses. The new hotel will be joined by Address Diriyah in Riyadh and Address Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, bringing the Address experience to three distinctive destinations, from Dubai’s coastline to Saudi Arabia’s cultural heart and the beaches of the UAE’s northern emirate.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C OPENINGS & LAUNCHES

SUNSET HOSPITALITY GROUP OPENS KAPITOL, BRINGING A NEW GENERATION OF HIGH-TECH SOCIAL GAMING TO THE UAE Sunset Hospitality Group (SHG) announces the opening of Kapitol at Rixos Premium Dubai JBR, marking the launch of the Group’s dedicated Social Gaming division and introducing a new generation of high-tech competitive social entertainment to the UAE. Combining immersive activities, digital scoring, premium dining, and creative beverages under one roof, the venue turns a single booking into a complete night out, giving guests even more reasons to play, stay, dine, and celebrate together.

18 OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

OPENINGS & LAUNCHES

NH COLLECTION DUBAI IBN BATTUTA: DUBAI’S NEWEST DESTINATION FOR STAYS, DINING AND CITY ESCAPES A new chapter has arrived at one of Dubai’s established city hotels with the launch of NH Collection Dubai Ibn Battuta. Following a significant phased transformation of the former Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel Dubai, the 396-room property combines refreshed accommodation and public spaces with an expanded collection of dining, leisure and social experiences. Located beside Ibn Battuta Mall and within easy reach of Dubai’s key business, leisure and entertainment destinations, NH Collection Dubai Ibn Battuta brings together contemporary stays, distinctive dining and facilities for both relaxation and connection, appealing to leisure, family, business and MICE travellers.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C NEWS & APPOINTMENTS MAZEN ALLAM APPOINTED AS AREA GENERAL MANAGER FOR THE RITZ-CARLTON, RIYADH AND THE RITZ-CARLTON, JEDDAH The Ritz-Carlton continues to strengthen its leadership in the Kingdom with the appointment of Mazen Allam as Area General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh and The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah. This appointment marks a natural evolution in Mazen’s journey with The Ritz-Carlton in Saudi Arabia, following his successful tenure as General Manager of The RitzCarlton, Riyadh, one of the Kingdom’s most iconic addresses. In his expanded role, Mazen will oversee both The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh and The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah, driving operational excellence, commercial performance, talent development and exceptional guest experiences across both properties.

NEWS & APPOINTMENTS

FADEEL WEHBE APPOINTED MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR SOFITEL LEGEND, SOFITEL, MGALLERY & EMBLEMS IN SAUDI ARABIA Accor announces the appointment of Fadeel Wehbe as Managing Director for Sofitel Legend, Sofitel, MGallery & Emblems in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, expanding his regional leadership responsibilities across several of the Group’sluxury brands. Wehbe will assume the Kingdom-wide mandate alongside his continued role as Managing Director of Sofitel Riyadh Hotel & Convention Centre, supporting the strategic direction, development and performance of the brands across Saudi Arabia. This includes the opening of Sofitel Jabal Omar Makkah later this year, as well as the ongoing development of Abraj Omar Hotel & Residences Makkah – MGallery Collection and Sofitel Serviced Residences Riyadh, both slated for 2029.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C NEWS & APPOINTMENTS KEMPINSKI GROUP ANNOUNCES NOEL ATTARD AS CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER IN NEXT PHASE OF BRAND-ANCHORED, STRATEGIC GROWTH Kempinski Group has announced the appointment of Noel Attard as Chief Development Officer, marking a natural evolution that leverages his two decades of service across the brand’s operations, finance and corporate mandates. Attard, who most recently architected Kempinski’s business transformation strategy, is now tasked with overseeing the expansion of its global portfolio, building upon the foundations he set as Chief Transformation Officer, a role he assumed in early 2025. This internal appointment focuses on seamless business continuity as Attard captures growth opportunities across targeted acquisitions, management contracts, branded residences and brand debuts in priority and emerging markets.

22 OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

NEWS & APPOINTMENTS

ALEPH HOSPITALITY SIGNS NINE HOTELS WITH OVER 1,300 KEYS YEAR TO DATE

Aleph Hospitality, the largest independent hotel management company in the Middle East and Africa, has secured 1,330 keys so far this year, across nine properties in six countries. With a portfolio of more than 50 hotels in 38 cities across 24 countries, representing over 7,000 keys, Aleph Hospitality is on track to reach its target of managing 100 hotels by the end of 2029. Aleph Hospitality attributes the year’s activity to entering markets ahead of wider operator interest, a flexible and tailored-to-fit management as well as strengthened decision-making in the regions.

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H&C POINT OF VIEW

BEFORE YOU PLAN 2027 DECIDE WHAT TO STOP DOING

BY MARTIN KUBLER, CHIEF SLOTH AT THE GLUTTONOUS SLOTH, HORECA CONSULTING WITH ATTITUDE

Around this time of year, hotel conference rooms start filling with plans for the year ahead. New revenue targets, new campaigns, new technology, new initiatives, new KPIs. Somewhere, inevitably, there will be a slide about AI. Mostly it won’t make sense, but everybody will feel it’s important to keep it there. By the end of the process, the 2027 plan will probably contain considerably more than the 2026 plan. Let me pose a question before any of that: What are you going to stop doing? It’s an especially useful question after a year like 2026. Slow business has forced hospitality operators across the region to scrutinise costs, question assumptions and make uncomfortable choices. There are now some encouraging signs that conditions are improving, even if recovery remains uneven. As attention turns towards a new year, it would be easy to start adding things again, but wouldn’t that waste one of the few useful things a difficult market gives you? I’m talking about the permission to question what your organisation has accumulated. Most organisations have a process for starting things. Very

few have a process for stopping them. A report was introduced because somebody needed more visibility. A weekly meeting was created because communication wasn't good enough. A promotion appeared because Tuesday nights were quiet. Another approval step was added after something went wrong. Individually, each decision probably made sense at the time, but the problem is that very few of these things come with an expiry date. Five years later, the report is still being produced, the meeting is still in everyone's calendar and the promotion is still running. Nobody is entirely sure why. Year-end planning is a good opportunity to ask. There is a simple test for established processes: ask someone why they do them. "We've always done it this way" is useful information. So is "Head office wants it", particularly if nobody can remember the last time head office actually used it. Look at recurring reports, meetings, approval processes, promotions and internal procedures. If nobody can clearly explain what decision something supports, what problem

BEFORE YOU PLAN 2027

it solves or what would happen if it disappeared, it deserves scrutiny. Some apparently mundane processes exist for very good reasons, but "we've always done it" isn't one of them. Hotels are particularly good at producing numbers. We have dashboards, guest satisfaction scores, social media metrics, departmental KPIs, productivity reports, forecasts and enough spreadsheets to keep several generations of finance managers occupied. The question is whether anyone does anything differently because of them. If a KPI can deteriorate month after month without triggering a conversation, decision or action, why is it taking up space on the dashboard? Likewise, if someone spends three hours producing a weekly report that nobody uses, the problem isn't the employee's productivity. The problem is the report.

Stopping things has another purpose: it creates capacity. Remove three reports and the commercial team may have more time to understand customers. Kill an unsuccessful promotion and marketing can concentrate on something that works. Shorten a meeting and managers can spend more time in the operation. Retire ten meaningless KPIs and the important numbers become easier to see. When business is slow, organisations become understandably focused on doing more with less. When conditions improve, the temptation is to keep everything that survived and start adding again. That’s how complexity returns. So before the strategy decks are finished, budgets approved and 2027 initiatives announced, put one more item on the agenda. Ask every department what it plans to stop doing next year. If the answer is nothing, ask “Okay, but are you really planning?”

Before adding another metric for 2027, remove the ones that have stopped earning their place. Hospitality businesses can become surprisingly attached to things that don't work. A restaurant concept underperforms, so another promotion is created. A package doesn't sell, so the discount gets bigger. An event attracts too few people, so marketing receives another brief. Sometimes those things genuinely need improving, but often the better question is whether they should exist at all. This is particularly important in F&B, where concepts can consume management attention, marketing resources and labour long after the commercial case has weakened. Annual planning shouldn't only ask, "How do we make this perform better?" It should occasionally ask, "What would happen if we stopped?" The 2027 planning cycle will inevitably contain conversations about AI, automation and new technology. Some investments will make perfect sense, but before automating a process, make sure it deserves to survive. A bad process doesn't become a good process because software performs it faster. An unnecessary report isn't more useful because AI can produce it in thirty seconds. Ask what you're trying to achieve, why you currently do it this way, which steps add value and what could disappear entirely. Then decide what technology might help. None of this is an argument for another round of indiscriminate cost cutting. HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C F&B FOCUS At

Nobu One Za’abeel, dinner is only the beginning

ith exceptional Japanese cuisine, spectacular city views and a latenight concept unlike anything else in the Nobu portfolio, Nobu One Za’abeel offers a fresh perspective on one of the world’s most recognisable restaurant brands. Dubai has never been short of impressive restaurants, but few names command the same international recognition as Nobu. Known for its distinctive interpretation of Japanese cuisine, exceptional ingredients and unmistakable sense of style, the brand has become synonymous with sophisticated dining experiences across the world. At Nobu One Za’abeel, however, there is another dimension to the experience. Located within one of Dubai’s most striking architectural landmarks, Nobu One Za’abeel introduces a contemporary expression of the globally recognised restaurant brand, combining its celebrated culinary heritage with a dynamic social atmosphere that extends well beyond dinner. The setting is certainly part of the appeal. One Za’abeel, with its dramatic glass exterior and panoramic 360-degree views of Dubai, provides a remarkable backdrop for an evening out. Its distinctive architecture and contemporary interiors complement Nobu’s signature aesthetic, creating an environment that feels sophisticated without sacrificing the energy that has become so closely associated with Dubai’s dining scene. As the city's social calendar gathers momentum, Nobu One Za’abeel presents an opportunity to experience familiar favourites in an entirely different setting. The Nobu Signature At the centre of the experience is the food. Nobu’s culinary identity has long been built around the relationship between traditional Japanese techniques and Peruvian influences, resulting in a menu that balances

28 OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

AT NOBU ONE ZA’ABEEL, DINNER IS ONLY THE BEGINNING

Premium Wagyu also features prominently, catering to diners seeking richer flavours and more indulgent dishes. Perhaps the most recognisable creation of all, however, is the Black Cod Miso. A fixture on Nobu menus since the brand’s early days, the dish has become something of a culinary signature. Fresh black cod is marinated in a specially prepared miso sauce before being seared and cooked until the flesh becomes exceptionally tender. The result is a delicate combination of sweet and savoury flavours, with a silky, buttery texture that has helped establish the dish as an enduring favourite. Its appeal lies in its simplicity. There is no need for elaborate presentation or an excessive number of ingredients. Instead, the quality of the fish, the balance of the marinade and the precision of the preparation take centre stage. Something Exclusively for Dubai While the classics provide familiarity, Nobu One Za’abeel also introduces creations developed specifically for the venue. precision, creativity and unexpected flavour combinations. For those familiar with the brand, the classics remain an essential part of the experience. The celebrated Yellowtail Jalapeño captures Nobu’s approach to flavour through its delicate balance of freshness, acidity and heat. The restaurant’s sushi selection offers another expression of this philosophy, bringing together carefully selected ingredients and the technical precision expected of the brand.

These dishes offer an opportunity to explore another side of Nobu’s culinary personality, with ingredients and flavour combinations that complement the restaurant’s distinctive character. Among the signatures is the Umami Mediterranean Seabass Tomato Dashi Ponzu, bringing Mediterranean seafood together with Japanese-inspired flavours. The combination of tomato, dashi and ponzu promises a layered interpretation of the delicate fish.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C F&B FOCUS The Amadai Ginger Shiso Ponzu provides another seafood option, combining the subtle character of amadai with the aromatic qualities of ginger and shiso.

As dinner service gives way to the later hours, the bar and lounge take on a livelier atmosphere, supported by a carefully curated soundtrack from leading DJs.

For meat lovers, the Wagyu Beef Tenderloin Shiitake Millefeuille Tozasu introduces a more substantial expression of the menu, pairing premium beef with shiitake mushrooms and the distinctive acidity of tozasu.

The concept allows guests to transition naturally from dinner into an evening of music, drinks and socialising, without changing venues.

Together, these creations demonstrate how the restaurant maintains the culinary identity that has made Nobu internationally recognisable while introducing dishes that belong specifically to its Dubai address. When Dinner Becomes the Night Out What sets Nobu One Za’abeel apart from its international counterparts is what happens as the evening progresses. For the first time in the global Nobu portfolio, the restaurant introduces an extended late-night experience that moves beyond traditional dining.

30 OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

It is an approach particularly suited to Dubai, where dining and nightlife increasingly overlap and restaurants are expected to offer experiences that extend beyond the table. The restaurant's extended opening hours add another layer of flexibility, accommodating guests who prefer a later dinner or want to make an entire evening of their visit. Importantly, the late-night offering does not replace the restaurant's culinary identity. Instead, it builds upon it, giving diners the opportunity to experience Nobu in a more energetic and social setting.

AT NOBU ONE ZA’ABEEL, DINNER IS ONLY THE BEGINNING

A Different Kind of Nobu Experience Nobu One Za’abeel brings together several elements that make Dubai’s hospitality scene distinctive: ambitious architecture, established international dining brands, exceptional cuisine and an appetite for experiences that continue well into the night. The result is a restaurant that respects the traditions and signature dishes upon which Nobu has built its reputation while responding to the expectations of a city that enjoys dining as much as it enjoys going out. Whether the occasion calls for an intimate dinner, an introduction to Nobu’s culinary classics or a late evening with friends, the venue offers several ways to experience the brand. For those looking to appreciate the full concept, a later reservation is particularly appealing. It allows the evening to begin with the restaurant’s celebrated cuisine before the atmosphere gradually shifts towards its after-hours experience.

“As the city's social calendar gathers momentum, Nobu One Za’abeel presents an opportunity to experience familiar favourites in an entirely different setting.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C SPECIAL FEATURE

TOP 30

PR HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS

MEET THE SHARPEST MINDS MAKING HOSPITALITY BRANDS IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE

PR is easy to underestimate when it is done well. The story lands, the room is full, the launch is everywhere, the brand is suddenly part of the conversation and it all looks effortless. But it never is. Behind the region’s most visible hospitality names are the people building reputations, creating momentum, protecting perception, opening doors and making sure the right story reaches the right audience at exactly the right time. This year’s Top 30 PR Hospitality Hotshots brings together the founders building the businesses and the practitioners doing the work from the inside. Different roles, different routes, same ability to make people pay attention. These are the names worth knowing.

32 OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

TOP 30 PR HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS

EDITORIAL NOTE This feature is nomination-led, with submissions free and open to all. Entries were reviewed for relevance and fit, with editorial discretion applied where necessary. Final rankings considered a broad mix of factors, including business scale, client portfolio, market presence, years of experience, seniority, career progression, scope of responsibility, individual achievements and overall industry standing. The following list has been divided into two categories: The Principals and The Practitioners, defined as follows:

THE PRINCIPALS Founders, CEOs, Managing Directors, Managing Partners and senior business heads. THE PRACTITIONERS PR, marketing and communications professionals working across agencies, hotels and hospitality brands. All rankings have been assessed within these categories, taking into account seniority, role and business footprint. Any variations in layout or profile prominence reflect optional feature upgrades made available to all participants and, in certain cases, editorial layout requirements determined at the discretion of the editorial head.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

THE PRINCIPALS KATIE HARVEY & ELSA ROODT Founders, QComms

With more than 16 years in the UAE, Katie Harvey and Elsa Roodt have built QComms into a communications agency specialising in hospitality and F&B, with a 40-strong multinational team across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Manchester, supported by teams in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt. Together, they have overseen the launch and positioning of more than 100 brands across the Middle East, working with hospitality groups including Hyatt, Rotana, Radisson and Deutsche Hospitality, and dining concepts such as Hakkasan, Torno Subito, Akira Back, Rüya and Amazónico. Recent projects include the openings of Desert Rock and Shebara at The Red Sea in Saudi Arabia, the launch of The Magic Table at Andaz Dubai, which reached more than 7.5 million people, W PRESENTS at W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island and Bord Bia’s Taste of Ireland dining experience. Their approach combines media relations, creative storytelling and strategic partnerships.

“More than 100 brands launched across the Middle East, and one campaign that reached 7.5 million people.

SHRADDHA BAROT AMARIEI Group Founder & CEO, White Label Media

With more than 20 years as an entrepreneur in the UAE, Shraddha Barot Amariei has built a career spanning PR, brand development, marketing and events. She has launched 12 businesses and currently oversees nine. She founded White Label Media in 2012 as a passion project to support fellow entrepreneurs. The consultancy has since worked with more than 100 international and homegrown brands, including Raffles Hotel, Bentley, Manolo Blahnik, Salt and Amber Lounge. Barot Amariei has helped UAE-born concepts such as Saddle expand into London and Cannes, and brought international brands such as Patty & Bun to Dubai. She has managed three consecutive editions of the Mother of the Nation Festival Souq Area and Hai Ramadan at Expo City Dubai and, with Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, coordinated international media initiatives showcasing the city’s fashion, arts, lifestyle and F&B sectors, particularly to Indian audiences.

34 OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

“Twelve businesses launched, nine still under her watch, and it all began with a passion project.

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H&C SPECIAL FEATURE

comprehensive approach to communications, covering media relations, marketing, PR, branding, events and concept design.

Headquartered in Dubai, with offices in Riyadh and Beirut, K Consultancy operates across the GCC and international markets including New York, Paris, London, Greece and India. Its philosophy, “Solutions from K to Z”, reflects a

What distinguishes Tawil’s approach is his personal involvement in the business. From developing creative strategies to cultivating relationships with clients, media personalities, celebrities and influencers, he remains closely involved in the agency’s work. This commitment has helped establish long-standing partnerships, with several clients remaining with K Consultancy since its inception.

s Founder and CEO of K Consultancy, Khalil Tawil has built a boutique agency with an international footprint, an extensive network and a portfolio spanning some of the most recognisable names in hospitality, F&B, luxury and lifestyle.

Founder & CEO, K Consultancy

Khalil Tawil

The agency’s recent portfolio demonstrates its ability to operate across different markets, cultures and industries while maintaining a strong understanding of the audiences each brand hopes to reach.

36 OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

One of its most significant recent projects was the regional representation of luxury publishing house Assouline, beginning with the global launch of Beirut Habibi on 28 August. Within 48 hours, K Consultancy secured more than 55 media features across prominent regional and international publications. The campaign generated widespread attention, contributing to the book’s viral success and subsequent sell-out. The project also reflected Tawil’s connection to Lebanon, a market that has become increasingly important to the agency’s development. K Consultancy recently expanded its presence with the opening of a boutique office in Beirut, strengthening its involvement in the country’s luxury, hospitality and lifestyle sectors. Among its Beirut clients are established hospitality brands Em Sherif and Babel, alongside newer concepts such as A La Minute by Group

TOP 30 PR HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS

“Within 48 hours of the global launch of Assouline’s Beirut Habibi, K Consultancy secured more than 55 media features, helping the book sell out.

Babel and Albé at Saifi, which marked a homecoming following its chapter in Barcelona. Through these partnerships, the agency has worked to attract regional media, influential personalities and international attention to Beirut’s evolving hospitality offering. In Dubai, K Consultancy has continued to support restaurant openings and brand development projects. The agency managed communications for the launch of Le Trottoir de Paloma, generating media and influencer engagement around the concept. It is also handling the upcoming opening of Lucylu, an intimate speakeasystyle extension of the Paloma experience. Another important hospitality partnership involves Em Sherif’s continued UAE expansion. The agency is supporting three new locations on Al Wasl Road in Jumeirah, at Mall of the Emirates and in Sharjah, extending its involvement with the Lebanese hospitality brand across multiple markets. Beyond restaurant openings, Tawil has demonstrated an ability to translate international brand identities into culturally relevant regional campaigns. For Café L’Occitane, the agency developed activations around occasions including Father’s Day and Saudi National Day, connecting the brand’s global identity with local audiences through carefully considered experiences. Internationally, K Consultancy has supported Groupe Barrière with regional communications surrounding the opening of Fouquet’s Mykonos. Building on the French hospitality brand’s presence in destinations such as Paris and New York, the project demonstrated the agency’s ability to connect established international names with Middle Eastern audiences. Tawil’s expertise also extends to luxury events and experiential communications. At Josette in Dubai, K Consultancy organised a series of private gatherings for brands including Montblanc, Nicolai Parfumeur Créateur, AÏZA and Lili Blanc, alongside a MamaRita Suhoor introducing its Ramadan menu. Each event brought together care-

fully selected guests, combining brand storytelling with personal experiences and targeted engagement. The agency’s international capabilities are particularly evident in its work with Roja London. Managing the brand’s communications globally, K Consultancy has supported launches and activations across New York, Mykonos and London, using media relationships, exclusive events and strategic guest lists to build awareness and support commercial growth. Among its recent projects was an art panel discussion at Maison Assouline, followed by a private dinner and museum takeover in London, bringing together influential guests and selected media. Similarly, K Consultancy coordinated the Middle Eastern guest strategy for Nishane’s international fragrance launches, including Meltemia at Cavo Tagoo in Mykonos and Thorns Become Roses in Milan. These projects connected regional influencers and tastemakers with international luxury events, extending the visibility of both the brands and the Middle Eastern personalities involved. Across these diverse projects, Tawil has maintained an approach built on personal relationships, cultural understanding and creative execution. His work moves between hospitality, publishing, fashion, fragrance and luxury experiences, reflecting an agency model that is deliberately flexible rather than confined to a single discipline. With an expanding international portfolio and a growing presence across the Middle East, Tawil continues to develop K Consultancy through a combination of established client relationships and new opportunities. At the centre of that growth remains the principle on which he has built the business: understanding what each client needs and delivering solutions that extend beyond conventional communications.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C SPECIAL FEATURE

Ruwaida Abela Northen Founder & CEO, JRN Consultancy

hen Ruwaida Abela Northen founded JRN Consultancy in Dubai in 2021, she set out to build a communications agency with a clear specialisation in luxury hospitality and a working culture that challenged conventional industry practices. Five years later, the boutique firm has established a presence across some of the region's most significant hospitality developments, representing international hotel groups, luxury resorts and emerging brands while maintaining the personalised approach on which it was founded. From the outset, Northen made two decisions that continue to distinguish JRN Consultancy: an entirely female team and a four-day working week. Both have remained integral to the business since its inception, demonstrating her commitment to creating a working environment that balances professional ambition with employee wellbeing. In an industry characterised by demanding schedules, rapid turnaround times and constant client engagement, the model offers an alternative approach to managing a communications business. Headquartered in Dubai, JRN Consultancy operates across the GCC, wider Middle East, Africa and Türkiye, with representation in Riyadh, Jeddah and Doha. Its bilingual capabilities in Arabic and English allow the agency to develop communications strategies suited to different audiences, markets and cultural contexts. The agency's expansion has been accompanied by an emphasis on long-term client relationships. With a reported client retention rate of 97%, JRN has built a portfolio that reflects both continuity and growth. JOALI, the agency's first client, remains part of its roster, with JRN continuing to represent JOALI Maldives and JOALI BEING.

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TOP 30 PR HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS

For Northen, this consistency is an important element of building a sustainable consultancy. Rather than focusing exclusively on acquiring new business, JRN's approach places considerable value on understanding its clients, their commercial objectives and the markets in which they operate. The firm's portfolio includes some of the hospitality industry's most recognisable names, alongside properties preparing to enter increasingly competitive markets. Recent client additions include Wynn Al Marjan Island and The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok, while its wider roster features Raffles Jeddah, The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, Miraval The Red Sea, InterContinental The Red Sea, Fregate Island, Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Lapita Dubai Parks & Resorts and beOnd. These appointments reflect the breadth of JRN's involvement in luxury hospitality, from established properties seeking to maintain their market presence to ambitious new developments requiring comprehensive communications support ahead of opening. Over the past 18 months alone, JRN Consultancy has managed the pre-opening and opening communications of ten hotels and resorts. Such projects require coordination between ownership groups, operators, corporate communications teams and external stakeholders, often across several markets simultaneously. For an independent consultancy, this volume of openings represents a substantial operational undertaking. It also highlights the experience Northen and her team have developed in introducing new hospitality concepts, communicating brand identities and establishing a presence for properties before their first guests arrive. Beyond hotel openings, the consultancy provides services spanning brand and corporate communications, crisis counsel, media partnerships and strategic campaigns. Its work increasingly extends into the relationship between artificial intelligence and brand visibility, an area Northen has identified as an important consideration for contemporary communications. Through its AI Authority practice and proprietary Answer Index™, JRN examines how AI-powered answer engines interpret, present and recommend brands. The offering reflects a growing shift in how consumers discover destinations, research hotels and make purchasing decisions. For luxury hospitality businesses, whose reputations depend heavily on perception, credibility and visibility, this introduces another consideration for communications strategies. By incorporating AI visibility into its services, JRN is expanding its remit beyond traditional media relations and digital engagement.

paigns, JRN generated more than 520 million in combined reach and impressions, USD 16.9 million in PR value and an additional USD 1.5 million in earned media value. These campaigns also produced 449 pieces of media coverage, 2,621 pieces of influencer and social content and more than 13 million video views. Together, these figures illustrate the scale of the agency's activity and the combination of traditional media, digital content and influencer engagement underpinning its communications strategies. However, Northen's business is not simply a story of expanding client portfolios and campaign performance. Its underlying model remains equally important: a specialist consultancy operating across multiple markets while preserving the structure, working principles and close client relationships established at its inception. As hospitality investment continues across the Middle East and new destinations compete for international attention, the demand for sophisticated, culturally relevant communications remains considerable. For JRN Consultancy, this presents opportunities to deepen its existing partnerships and support new properties entering the market. At the centre of that growth is Northen's approach to entrepreneurship, combining commercial ambition with a deliberate focus on workplace culture, client relationships and adaptability. Through JRN Consultancy, she has built a business that demonstrates how a specialised independent agency can operate internationally without abandoning the principles on which it was founded.

“An entirely female team, a four-day working week and a 97% client retention rate. JOALI, her very first client, is still on the roster.

The agency's reported campaign results provide further insight into its operations. Across its 30 most recent camHOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C SPECIAL FEATURE JENNIFER LOVE Founder, LOVE by LV Partners / Co-founder, LV Partners MEA Born in Abu Dhabi with Austrian-British heritage, Jennifer Love brings more than 16 years of experience across the Middle East, Europe and international markets. Her boutique consultancy specialises in hospitality, luxury lifestyle, fine dining and nightlife, representing names including Atlantis The Royal, Atlantis The Palm, Nobu Dubai, Hakkasan and FZN by Björn Frantzén, and she works with brands she genuinely believes in.

ANNE BLEEKER, Co-founder and Managing Director, In2 Consulting With more than 25 years in corporate communications, Anne Bleeker co-founded Dubai-based In2 Consulting in 2010 after heading communications for multinationals in hospitality and manufacturing. With an MBA from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and a BA from Hotel School The Hague, she helps hospitality and technology businesses and entrepreneurs sharpen their positioning and drive growth.

FARAH ELHAJ SAWAF Founder, Soul Communications Farah Elhaj Sawaf founded Soul Communications in 2010 to bring creativity, authenticity and human connection to PR. With more than 16 years in the UAE’s culinary and lifestyle sectors, she works with brands including Deliveroo, Pitfire Pizza, Saddle, Pickl, Bonbird and CHUNK, alongside cultural initiatives such as Cinema Akil, Reel Palestine and Arab Cinema Week.

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“From Deliveroo to Reel Palestine, bridging F&B and culture.

“She works with brands she genuinely believes in.

“From leading multinational communications teams to cofounding In2.

TOP 30 PR HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS

Seher Farooq

Founder & CEO, XO Consultancy & XO Talent

Since founding XO Consultancy in 2020, Seher Farooq has grown a boutique hospitality marketing agency into a multidisciplinary consultancy operating across Dubai and London, serving F&B, fashion, retail, lifestyle, entertainment, beauty and wellness clients. Farooq has been instrumental in launching Amelia Dubai, Float Dubai and Gatsby Dubai, and XO’s portfolio has also included Voyage by Amelia, Zenon Dubai, Monkey Bar Dubai, TATEL Dubai, TOTÓ Dubai, Kaspia Dubai, Salvaje Dubai, Bread Ahead, Triple 7, Saya Brasserie and The Stables Dubai. Her campaigns are built around each brand’s character rather than conventional publicity. For the launch of KQ Dubai, XO gifted symbolic Scottish land parcels complete with Lord and Lady titles, while bespoke arcade machines turned Triple 7’s identity into an interactive experience. She has since taken XO into wellness through a partnership with Sohum Wellness, and founded XO Talent, a sister company representing artists, creators and public figures, including Lailli and Alizey Mirza of Netflix’s Desi Bling. Inside the business, flexible working and shorter summer Fridays reflect her belief that agency culture should support both performance and wellbeing. With both companies pursuing opportunities beyond the UAE, her focus is on international growth and new partnerships.

“To launch KQ Dubai, XO gifted symbolic Scottish land, complete with Lord and Lady titles.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C SPECIAL FEATURE ELLIE KEENE, FOUNDER, KPR Since founding KPR in Dubai in 2019, Ellie Keene has grown it from a one-person operation into a seven-strong F&B and hospitality agency, working with Costa Coffee, Pret, Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah, Media One Hotel, 99 Sushi and Anantara Al Baleed Resort Salalah. Her philosophy: under promise, over deliver, with half-day Fridays and birthdays off for her team.

“Under promise, over deliver, and give the team their birthdays off.

MARC EL KHOURY Founding Manager, Think-Luxe! With more than 25 years in luxury communications, Marc El Khoury leads Think-Luxe!, a boutique agency operating across Dubai, Paris and Beirut. Specialising in brand consultancy, strategic marketing, PR and global communications, it pairs international perspective with regional market knowledge to deliver bespoke solutions for multinational companies and luxury brands.

“Three cities, one luxury lens: Dubai, Paris and Beirut.

JOSIE DELFIN & SYLVAIN PERRET Co-founders, BakingSoda Culture & Comms Studio

Josie Delfin brings 16 years in hospitality, F&B and lifestyle communications; Sylvain Perret, more than 25 years in entrepreneurship, branding and digital transformation. At BakingSoda Culture & Comms Studio, they take a culture-first approach, connecting brands with audiences through music, fashion, design and experiences for clients including Radisson Hotel Group, Amazónico, DRIFT Beach and Waterfront Market Dubai.

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“Culture first: music, fashion, design and experiences beyond traditional PR.

TOP 30 PR HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS

Peggy Li

CEO & Managing Partner, SPS Affinity

Peggy Li built SPS Affinity around an opportunity many Middle Eastern hospitality businesses had yet to fully grasp: the Chinese traveller. As CEO and Managing Partner, she saw a gap between the region’s ambition to attract Chinese visitors and its understanding of how they discover, research and choose experiences. Her answer was a consultancy that treats China not as just another source market, but as a distinct consumer ecosystem with its own platforms, cultural preferences and buying behaviour. Her most significant achievement has been securing SPS Affinity’s position as the official Dianping representative for the Middle East, giving regional hotels, restaurants and tourism businesses a presence on one of China’s key hospitality discovery platforms before travellers arrive. The consultancy now works across Chinese digital strategy, traveller readiness, market education, procurement and commercial partnerships, helping hotels and restaurant groups across the GCC build their presence on Dianping, Xiaohongshu and WeChat. For Li, that means more than translating materials: it means understanding the whole guest journey, from the first accommodation search to dining decisions made on holiday. By focusing on a single, high-value audience rather than offering general PR, she has given SPS Affinity a clear proposition and helped bring Chinese outbound travel into the region’s wider hospitality conversation.

“The Middle East’s official Dianping representative, reaching Chinese travellers before they arrive.

H&C SPECIAL FEATURE

Miret Padovani

Founder, By Miret Padovani & PRTech Studio

For Miret Padovani, PR is about building credibility and putting companies in front of the people who matter to their growth. With a PhD in finance from the University of Zurich and more than 15 years in communications, she has built two businesses with a distinctly commercial outlook. The first, by Miret Padovani, is a strategic PR and corporate affairs advisory specialising in hospitality and real estate, with offices in Dubai and Miami. It helps hotel owners, developers and operators communicate their value to investors, lenders and operating partners, from operator signings to brand launches and corporate positioning. Her work spans hotel companies and owners in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, luxury resorts in Europe, and projects across the United States, Colombia and the Dominican Republic. In 2026, she launched PRTech Studio, an AI-powered PR intelligence business at Dubai AI Campus in DIFC. This year it introduced four AI agent teams, each supervised by senior PR professionals, delivering media monitoring, generative engine optimisation, PR measurement, social listening and workflow automation for in-house teams across the GCC, Europe and the US. The studio was also invited to exhibit at Seamless Middle East as a local startup. Across both businesses, Padovani connects commercial intelligence, technology and human expertise, with hospitality at the centre.

“A PhD in finance, two businesses and four AI agent teams.

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TOP 30 PR HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS

Cyrine El Klifi

Founder, Oui Shine Marketing & PR Creative Agency

With more than a decade of experience across France and the Middle East, Cyrine El Klifi has built her career around what makes hospitality brands stand out, combining strategic marketing, PR and creative storytelling with a strong commercial focus. She held senior marketing and communications roles with Accor, Emaar Hospitality and Barceló Group, building experience in brand positioning, integrated campaigns, media relations and experiential activations across hotel and F&B portfolios. A standout project was the repositioning and relaunch of B-Heaven Rooftop Lounge by Barceló, where she used creative concepts, guest experiences and strategic communications to give the venue a stronger identity and a refreshed market presence. In 2024, she founded Oui Shine Marketing & PR Creative Agency in Dubai, a 360-degree agency bringing branding, PR, social media, influencer marketing and events under one roof for hospitality, F&B and lifestyle businesses. Rather than treating each discipline separately, she builds every element around one consistent brand narrative, supporting clients from brand development and market entry to ongoing visibility. Having spent years inside hotel groups and F&B operators, El Klifi understands the commercial realities behind every marketing decision. As Oui Shine enters its next phase of growth, her focus is on strategic thinking, creative execution and close client relationships.

“From Accor, Emaar and Barceló to an agency of her own.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C SPECIAL FEATURE

Paul Estorffe

Managing Partner, Black Watch Communications

For Paul Estorffe, effective PR begins with understanding the business behind the brand. As Managing Partner of Black Watch Communications (BWC), he has built the agency on a clear principle: communications should support commercial objectives, strengthen reputations and create long-term growth, not just visibility. Over the past year, he has expanded BWC’s portfolio of F&B, hospitality, lifestyle and destination clients across the UAE and Europe, leading strategy, business development and client communications. The agency’s integrated offering spans storytelling, reputation management, media relations, influencer engagement, content, partnerships and experiential activations, supporting established businesses and emerging concepts through launches, repositioning and ongoing programmes. Its fastest-growing area is destination marketing. BWC works with government entities and national tourism bodies, building narratives around gastronomy, culture, travel and local communities, with coverage secured across the GCC, the UK, the US, Australia, Spain, Romania and Portugal. Experiences are central to the model: restaurant openings, curated tastings, chef masterclasses, influencer experiences and destination activations that build relationships and generate content long after the event ends. Estorffe remains closely involved in client relationships and strategy, keeping the personal approach of a specialist agency across multiple markets. For him, successful PR means understanding where a business wants to go and making sure its communications help it get there.

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“Destination stories told from the GCC to the UK, US, Australia and Europe.

THE PRACTITIONERS

Indri Halina

Director of Marketing, Anantara Mina Ras Al Khaimah Resort

With a career spanning luxury hospitality and private aviation, Indri Halina brings a commercial perspective to PR and marketing. Her approach starts with a clear brand position, connecting reputation and audience engagement with the business’s growth priorities. At Anantara Mina Ras Al Khaimah Resort, she draws on the property’s setting among mangroves and coastal waters to shape its brand narrative. This guides how the resort communicates its distinction, connecting campaigns and guest experiences through a consistent identity. She carries that narrative into the market through integrated PR, digital and social activity. Independent editorial coverage builds credibility, while targeted campaigns generate interest across accommodation, dining and wellness, broadening the resort’s appeal beyond its villas. Destination and cultural collaborations extend its reach and connect the property with Ras Al Khaimah’s wider tourism ambitions. Building on this foundation, her next priority is to deepen engagement in key markets through sustained media relationships and more focused audience development. Investment will concentrate on opportunities that translate recognition into lasting preference and long-term commercial value

“Mangroves and tides became a brand story, and F&B revenue topped millions.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C SPECIAL FEATURE LAURENCE DÉSIRÉE KLETT

Cluster Director of Marketing and Communications, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort and Tivoli LA VIE Muscat Hotel & Residences Laurence Désirée Klett oversees marketing and communications for two distinct luxury properties in Oman. At Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, she created “The Mountains Are Calling”, positioning the mountain retreat as a place for reconnection and tranquillity, and “10 Years Above Ordinary” to mark the resort’s tenth anniversary and celebrate its Omani heritage, location and guest experiences. Her work has also highlighted sustainability, local culture and experiential travel through the Olive Harvest Festival, wellness programmes and outdoor adventures. At Tivoli LA VIE Muscat Hotel & Residences, she has been instrumental in establishing the brand in Oman. Building on Tivoli’s “Stay in the Moment” philosophy, she has positioned the property as a contemporary lifestyle destination, including the “Your Day of Wellness, the Tivoli Way” concept combining spa, dining and relaxation. Across both properties, Klett continues to build strong media relationships and destination-led campaigns.

“A decade “Above Ordinary” in the mountains, and a new brand launched in Muscat.

ALINA ABRAMOVICH

Group Director of Marketing, ERTH Abu Dhabi With almost 15 years in hospitality marketing and PR across the UAE, Russia and the UK, Alina Abramovich has worked with some of the industry’s most established hotel brands. As Group Director of Marketing at ERTH Abu Dhabi since August 2024, she oversees marketing strategy, brand positioning and communications. She was previously Multi-Property Director of Marketing and Communications for The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort and Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, and before that Director of Marketing at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, following senior roles with Marriott, Swissôtel and Interstate Hotels & Resorts in Russia. She holds a BA in Global Marketing from the University of Westminster in London, where she is also an ambassador. Fluent in English and Russian, with conversational French and German, she brings a truly international perspective to hospitality marketing, brand development and PR.

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“Four languages, three countries and some of hospitality’s biggest names.

TOP 30 PR HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS

Nina Mohamed

Cluster Director of Marketing & Communications, Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island & Pullman Resort Al Marjan Island For Nina Mohamed, hospitality communications should create experiences, attract new audiences and contribute directly to commercial performance. As Cluster Director of Marketing & Communications for Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island and Pullman Resort Al Marjan Island, she has delivered more than AED 132 million in PR value and 1.6 billion in earned media reach, managed 79 international media and influencer collaborations across the GCC, Europe and India, and grown social communities by 30%. Her original Little Explorers Experience turned family holidays into immersive resort experiences, reaching more than seven million people and generating over AED 1.4 million in revenue and more than 630 room nights. For Dar Zellij, a Moroccan summer dining pop-up, she focused on local audiences, selected influencers and community engagement. Within a month, the campaign drew nearly 180,000 content views and more than 850 new organic followers without paid advertising, and between July and August 2026 the pop-up welcomed more than 12,000 guests and generated around AED 450,000. She has also repositioned Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island in India’s destination wedding market, delivering an 88% increase in weddings, including several partial and fullresort buyouts. Earlier, at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah in Oman, she helped create the Frankincense Butler Programme and Frankincense Garden Arrival Experience, drawing on Oman’s heritage to strengthen the resort’s international positioning.

“Little Explorers reached seven million people and earned over AED 1.4 million.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C SPECIAL FEATURE HODA GHAVIDEL Group Marketing & Communications Manager, CÉ LA VI Hoda Ghavidel joined CÉ LA VI during the pre-opening of CÉ LA VI Dubai and, seven years on, oversees the brand’s global communications and new openings marketing, building market-specific strategies around a consistent identity. She brings more than 14 years across hospitality, luxury retail, fashion and media, a Master’s in Communication Management from USC and INSEAD’s Communication Leadership with Impact programme.

“From CÉ LA VI Dubai’s pre-opening to the brand’s global stage.

GURBANI CHANANA Cluster PR & Marketing Manager, Khamas Hospitality

As Cluster PR & Marketing Manager at Khamas Hospitality, Gurbani Chanana oversees communications, brand positioning and media relations across the group’s portfolio. In just eight months, she has expanded its presence across hospitality, business, travel and lifestyle media, and established senior executives as credible industry voices through interviews, expert commentary, panels, conferences and podcasts.

DHARA BHATIA, GROUP PR DIRECTOR, KATCH INTERNATIONAL

Dhara Bhatia has risen from Account Executive to Group PR Director at Katch International, where she leads a team of more than 25. She has strengthened its new business approach, winning Nikki Beach Hospitality, Maison Dali and BEYOND Developments, alongside longstanding clients JA Resorts & Hotels, Centara Hotels & Resorts and Live Nation Middle East, while prioritising collaborative pitching and team wellbeing.

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“Eight months to turn senior leaders into industry voices.

“From Account Executive to leading a team of more than 25.

TOP 30 PR HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS

Anna Luisa Asistio

Marketing and Communications Manager, Pullman Dubai Downtown, Accor As Marketing and Communications Manager at Pullman Dubai Downtown, Anna Luisa Asistio oversees PR, digital marketing, social media, eCommerce, analytics and CRM, connecting creative storytelling with measurable results. She played a key role in Pullman xChange, a two-day event supporting the global relaunch of the Pullman brand around the themes of Future and Legacy. It drew 152 curated attendees, including 26 international journalists, and generated more than 600 pieces of coverage, 22 onsite interviews and an estimated 2.6 million views. She was also instrumental in launching the Middle East’s first official Roland-Garros Suite with ALL - Accor. The 93 sqm suite placed the hotel alongside Paris, São Paulo and Tokyo as one of four official destinations worldwide, generating a potential media reach of 55 million and a 17% increase in the suite’s room rate. Her integrated strategy has made Couqley French Brasserie the hotel’s second-largest revenue generator after Rooms. Between February and September 2026, paid campaigns on Meta and Google generated more than one million impressions, over 22,000 clicks and 267 tracked table bookings, with Google Ads traffic up more than fourfold and brand search impressions up 60%. From May to September, organic search delivered more than 180,000 impressions and 10,000 website visits. She previously served as Marketing and Public Relations Manager at NH Collection Dubai The Palm.

“The Middle East’s first official Roland-Garros Suite, one of only four worldwide.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C SPECIAL FEATURE RADHIKA PRASEEN

Marketing Manager, Swissôtel Al Ghurair and Swissôtel Living Al Ghurair

Radhika Praseen leads marketing and PR for Swissôtel Al Ghurair and Swissôtel Living Al Ghurair across accommodation, dining and wellness, with an approach built on authentic storytelling, partnerships and community connection. Her 2026 Ramadan campaign combined media partnerships, influencer collaborations and targeted digital content, with influencer content reaching more than 608,000 people. Its standout moment was a collaboration with Careem, welcoming 150 captains to a special iftar in recognition of their contribution to Dubai, which reached 1.79 million people and drove more than 82,000 engagements. Her Beat the Heat summer campaign with Al Ghurair Centre introduced the hotel to new audiences through a digital raffle with 1,400 participants. In 2025, she secured 77 influencer reviews and six media reviews, while maintaining strong regional media relationships, supporting internal communications and showcasing colleagues’ contributions.

“An iftar for 150 Careem captains that reached 1.79 million people.

CHARLOTTE BELLOT

Director of Marketing – Daylife Division, Sunset Hospitality Group Charlotte Bellot has risen from Marketing Manager of AURA SKYPOOL to Director of Marketing – Daylife Division at Sunset Hospitality Group. She now oversees marketing for some of Dubai’s best-known lifestyle destinations, including AURA SKYPOOL, Bâoli Dubai, DRIFT Beach Dubai, Azure Beach, Ammos and Tapasake, with expertise spanning brand launches, repositioning, digital marketing and commercial growth. She played an important role in launching Bâoli Dubai at J1 Beach, strengthened AURA SKYPOOL’s international visibility and is currently leading marketing for the reopening of Tapasake Dubai. Beyond campaigns, she has developed a strategy to bring PR and digital expertise in-house, improving efficiency, brand consistency and commercial performance. Combining creative storytelling with commercial strategy, she manages multiple concepts, teams and priorities across the group’s expanding portfolio.

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“From AURA SKYPOOL to leading Dubai’s top daylife destinations.

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H&C SPECIAL FEATURE

or Riya Sapare, successful hospitality marketing goes beyond generating publicity. It is about giving guests a reason to visit, creating meaningful connections with communities and ensuring that every campaign contributes to the business. Her approach combines creative storytelling with commercial understanding, allowing her to develop distinctive identities for hotels, restaurants and lifestyle concepts across Dubai.

Riya Sapare

Cluster Director of Marketing & Communications, Accor Shared Services, Dubai / Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre

As Cluster Director of Marketing and Communications for Accor Shared Services, Dubai, Sapare oversees the communications strategy for 10 hotels comprising 2,277 rooms and

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apartments across five Accor brands: Pullman, Mövenpick, Novotel, ibis and Adagio. Working closely with General Managers, commercial teams and operational departments, she develops integrated campaigns that support brand positioning, guest engagement and revenue objectives. Managing such a diverse portfolio requires a clear understanding of different audiences, market segments and commercial priorities. From upscale hospitality to neighbourhood dining concepts, Sapare approaches each project with a tailored strategy, ensuring that individual properties maintain their identities while benefiting from the wider strength of Accor's portfolio. One of her notable achievements has been the repositioning of Mövenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach. Recognising the property's potential beyond traditional beachfront hospitality, Sapare helped develop a communications strategy that connected the hotel more closely with Jumeirah Beach Residence's dining, entertainment and lifestyle scene. Through targeted public relations, digital marketing, strategic partnerships and loyalty initiatives, she expanded the property's appeal to residents, leisure travellers and business guests. Her ability to establish compelling brand identities is particularly evident in the development of Bruno's Biergarten. Working alongside the hotel's F&B and management teams, Sapare contributed to building the homegrown concept from its initial positioning to its public launch. She helped establish its visual identity, brand personality, communications strategy and digital presence, creating a distinctive proposition designed to appeal to Dubai's residents and international visitors. Rather than treating the opening as a standalone promotional campaign, she developed a communications

TOP 30 PR HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS

“Ten hotels, 2,277 rooms and five Accor brands, plus an overnight rebrand that turned a property into Mövenpick Dubai Creek.

approach that could support Bruno's beyond its launch, building familiarity through social content, media engagement and ongoing activations. A similar approach supported the introduction of McG's by McGettigan's at Novotel Suites and ibis Mall Avenue. Sapare helped position the venue as an accessible neighbourhood pub in Al Barsha, overseeing pre-opening communications, content development, media relations and partnerships. Following its opening, she supported campaigns centred on the venue's regular entertainment and dining programmes, helping establish a consistent presence within the surrounding community. Hotel transformations have also become an important element of Sapare's portfolio. During the transition of a property into Mövenpick Dubai Creek, she helped coordinate the communications requirements of an overnight rebrand. The project involved aligning digital platforms, guest communications, photography, promotional materials and media messaging with the new brand identity. With limited time between the property's previous identity and its introduction as Mövenpick, consistency across every guest touchpoint was essential. Sapare worked with multiple stakeholders to ensure that the transition was reflected throughout the hotel's communications and guest experience. Her work also demonstrates an understanding of how food and culture can create meaningful engagement. Through Chronicles of Ceylon, a Sri Lankan culinary activation, she helped develop a narrative celebrating the country's cuisine, traditions and heritage. The campaign positioned the experience as an opportunity for cultural discovery rather than simply another restaurant promotion. Currently, one of Sapare's most significant responsibilities is supporting the transformation of Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre. As the property enters a new chapter, she is developing the communications strategy surrounding its redesigned spaces, evolving hospitality experiences and new dining concepts. Her involvement spans brand positioning, content

direction, public relations planning and the phased introduction of the hotel's updated offering. The objective is to create a coherent narrative that communicates the transformation while maintaining connections with existing guests and attracting new audiences. Beyond individual launches and repositioning projects, Sapare manages the ongoing marketing and communications requirements of 10 operating hotels. Her responsibilities include overseeing a multidisciplinary team, coordinating with senior hotel management and ensuring that communications activities support wider commercial strategies. Her work frequently brings together public relations, digital marketing, sales, revenue management, food and beverage, loyalty programmes and hotel operations. This collaborative approach allows her to develop campaigns that respond to business requirements while remaining relevant to consumers. What distinguishes Sapare's career is the breadth of her responsibilities and her ability to move between different hospitality segments without relying on a single communications formula. A neighbourhood pub requires a different approach from an established beachfront hotel, just as a major property transformation demands a different narrative from a culinary activation. Across these projects, Sapare has demonstrated an ability to identify what makes each hospitality experience relevant, communicate that value to the right audience and connect marketing activity with measurable business priorities. Her achievements reflect a communications professional who understands both the creative and operational realities of hospitality. Through brand development, strategic partnerships, property transformations and integrated campaigns, she continues to strengthen the connection between storytelling, guest experience and commercial performance across Accor's Dubai portfolio.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C SPECIAL FEATURE

Niza Martinez

Brand Manager, SO/ Uptown Dubai – Ennismore

For Niza Martinez, hospitality marketing begins with understanding what makes a destination worth experiencing. As Brand Manager at SO/ Uptown Dubai – Ennismore, she oversees brand strategy, marketing, communications and PR across the hotel’s accommodation, dining, wellness and lifestyle offering. Since joining, she has helped establish the property within Dubai’s competitive luxury lifestyle market through integrated campaigns combining media relations, digital, social media, partnerships, influencer engagement and experiential programming. Her portfolio includes Brasserie Uptown, Citronelle, Savant⁶ and Uptown Spa by SO/, each with its own communications approach. Whether promoting a dining experience or positioning the spa in Dubai’s wellness market, she ensures every venue keeps its personality while contributing to the wider SO/ brand, working with creative partners, media and content creators. Alongside her SO/ role, Martinez is leading pre-opening marketing and communications for Caravan Hatta by Our Habitas, covering brand communications, PR, media, digital, social and content. It is a very different brief: building awareness and market positioning for a nature-led, experiential destination before its first guests arrive, while continuing to manage an established urban luxury hotel. Across both, she handles the full marketing process, from concept and positioning to execution, content production and performance evaluation, with equal weight on creativity, collaboration and commercial relevance.

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“Shaping SO/ Uptown Dubai while launching a nature-led destination in Hatta.

TOP 30 PR HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS

EARLE ENRIQUEZ

Marketing, PR & Communications Manager, Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat With more than a decade in luxury hospitality across Oman, the Maldives and the UAE, Earle Enriquez specialises in destination storytelling, brand positioning and strategic communications. Her notable projects include a marine conservation publication on the marine life of a Maldivian island’s house reef, and an exclusive stargazing experience with renowned British astronaut Tim Peake. Today she oversees marketing, PR and communications at Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat, strengthening the adultsonly retreat’s position in the UAE’s competitive luxury market. Through media relations, brand partnerships and curated guest experiences, she has expanded the property’s media presence, social following and brand visibility. Combining creativity with commercial awareness, and with interests spanning travel, fashion, dance and visual storytelling, she brings a broad creative perspective to communicating what makes a destination distinctive.

“She brought guests stargazing with British astronaut Tim Peake.

HARSHLEEN KAUR

Cluster Digital & PR Manager, Accor – Pullman Dubai Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Novotel Abu Dhabi Gate and ibis Abu Dhabi Gate With more than a decade in hospitality marketing and communications, Harshleen Kaur oversees digital marketing, PR and brand communications for three Accor properties in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, totalling 872 keys. Her standout project was the relaunch of Pullman Dubai Jumeirah Lakes Towers in October 2025 after a 120-day renovation. The campaign generated more than AED 500,000 in PR value and over 20 media features, repositioning the hotel as a contemporary business and lifestyle destination. In 2026, she has delivered more than 50 influencer collaborations and five million views, promoting new F&B concepts such as Café 1859 and Tiki Taka and sustainability initiatives including Novotel Ocean Days. Working closely with commercial teams, she also drives content optimisation, e-commerce campaigns and brand partnerships that support guest engagement and commercial growth across all three properties.

“A 120-day renovation, relaunched with more than AED 500,000 in PR value.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C SPECIAL FEATURE

Divya Hoon

PR & Marketing Manager, Peninsula Hospitality Group

She has worked across more than 10 of the group’s properties, starting with social media before taking on PR, influencer relations, events and marketing, and helping build its inhouse capabilities. Founded in 1980 by Karunakar R Shetty, Peninsula now runs hotels, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues across the UAE and India. Her most commercially successful campaign was Mangalore Express at Kovalam in 2025. Celebrating Mangalorean cuisine, it invited Dubai-based influencers to a blindfolded tasting, backed by social media, outreach and targeted PR, and helped Kovalam achieve its highest sales since opening. She followed it with the Trails of Southern India festival, hosting more than 30 media and influencers over three days and strengthening the restaurant’s ties with South Indian communities across Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The result: queues on opening weekend and a record sales day on the first Saturday. Experiential marketing runs through her work, from wine and cheese painting evenings, cocktail-making sessions and pizza workshops to The Stables x Dough & Co.’s Whimsical Night, all designed to drive organic content and repeat visits. Early in her career, she has already built a portfolio that turns creativity into measurable results.

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“At 24, she blindfolded Dubai’s influencers and delivered Kovalam’s best sales since opening.

H&C TRAVEL & TOURISM

OMAN

From the Mountains to the City

From olive harvesting in the mountains of Jabal Akhdar to rooftop dining and contemporary luxury in Muscat, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort and Tivoli LA VIE Muscat Hotel & Residences offer two compelling reasons to discover more of Oman. Oman offers a wonderful mix of experiences, from its dramatic mountain landscapes and rich cultural traditions to the contemporary comforts of its capital. Its appeal is often found in the simplest moments: an afternoon spent among olive trees, a mountain sunrise, a long lunch overlooking the landscape or an evening with absolutely nowhere else to be.

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OMAN | FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE CITY

H&C TRAVEL & TOURISM But there is more to the Sultanate than its reputation for tranquillity. Beyond the dramatic mountain ranges, centuries-old traditions and extraordinary natural scenery is a hospitality landscape that is becoming increasingly diverse. Two properties, in particular, demonstrate just how different an Omani escape can be. At Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, the experience revolves around the mountains, their communities and the traditions that have sustained them for generations. At Tivoli LA VIE Muscat Hotel & Residences, the appeal is decidedly more contemporary, with rooftop dining, golf, wellness and a relaxed approach to city hospitality. The two hotels offer very different experiences, and that is precisely what makes staying at both so interesting. A Mountain Worth Getting Lost In Approximately two hours inland from Muscat, the landscape begins to change. The roads climb into the Al Hajar Mountains, the air becomes cooler and the scale of the

scenery is almost impossible to appreciate until you are standing at the edge of it. Perched above a dramatic canyon, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort makes an immediate impression. Its architecture draws from Omani traditions, while the surrounding landscape provides the kind of natural spectacle that no amount of interior design could replicate. The resort features 82 canyon-view rooms and 33 private pool villas, but accommodation is only one element of the experience. There is hiking, stargazing, spa treatments, village explorations and the opportunity to spend an entire afternoon admiring the view without feeling the slightest bit unproductive. Even the property's famous viewing platform has a story. Known for a visit by Princess Diana in 1986, it remains one of the resort's most recognisable landmarks. Yet what makes Anantara particularly interesting is its relationship with the surrounding landscape and the communi-

OMAN | FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE CITY

ties that call these mountains home. Rather than treating local culture as something guests simply observe, the resort creates opportunities for them to participate. Nowhere is this more apparent than during its annual Olive Harvest Festival. The Art of the Olive Harvest From 23 to 27 September 2026, the resort marked the fifth edition of its Olive Harvest Festival, celebrating one of the region's distinctive agricultural traditions. For five days, the humble olive became the centre of attention through harvesting activities, culinary experiences, cooking demonstrations, tastings and encounters with local producers. It is an intriguing proposition for a luxury resort, particularly at a time when travellers are increasingly interested in understanding the places they visit. The festival offers a closer look at the region's agricultural heritage and the people responsible for preserving it. Guests can learn how olives are cultivated in the mountain's Mediterranean-like climate, participate in harvesting and discover the process of producing olive oil using traditional methods. There is, of course, a significant culinary element. Guest chefs explore the versatility of olives through special menus and cooking experiences, while the resort's spa incorporates olive oil into selected wellness treatments. But perhaps the most meaningful aspect of the festival is its emphasis on the farmers themselves. Agricultural traditions are not museum exhibits. They depend on communities continuing to cultivate the land, pass down knowledge and maintain practices that have existed long before luxury tourism arrived. By bringing these traditions into the guest experience, Anantara provides an additional platform for local producers and introduces visitors to a side of Oman they might otherwise overlook. The annual celebration is also a reminder that the best destination experiences do not necessarily require elaborate entertainment or extravagant programming. Sometimes, an afternoon learning how olives are harvested can reveal more about a place than an entire itinerary of conventional sightseeing. And when the day's activities are finished, there is the considerable pleasure of returning to a luxury mountain resort, watching the light disappear over the canyon and preparing to do very little indeed. That balance between cultural discovery and complete relaxation is where Anantara excels. HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C TRAVEL & TOURISM

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OMAN | FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE CITY

“Oman's appeal has never depended on a single attraction or experience. Its diversity is part of what makes the destination worth exploring.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C TRAVEL & TOURISM

A Different Kind of Escape in Muscat Back in Muscat, the experience takes an entirely different direction.

ity pool overlooks the fairways, providing an altogether different perspective of Muscat.

Located in Madinat Al Irfan, approximately ten minutes from Muscat International Airport, Tivoli LA VIE Muscat Hotel & Residences introduces a more metropolitan interpretation of Omani hospitality.

Guests can spend the morning on the golf course, the afternoon at Anantara Spa and the evening enjoying the hotel's dining venues.

Overlooking the LA VIE Country Club golf course, the property comprises 79 rooms and 21 serviced apartments, combining the convenience of a city hotel with the recreational appeal of a resort. The design takes inspiration from the layered forms of the Al Hajar Mountains, incorporating Omani marble, natural materials and understated finishes. It is a thoughtful connection to the destination, without attempting to replicate the traditional aesthetic of a mountain retreat. Its greatest strength, however, may be its versatility. There is an 18-hole championship golf course managed by Troon, alongside Oman's first Toptracer golf facility. The 72-metre rooftop infin66 OCTOBER 2026 | HOTELANDCATERING.COM

Tivoli also has the practical advantage of being close to the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre, making it relevant to business travellers who want more from their accommodation than a comfortable room and convenient location. The result is a property that works for several different occasions, whether that means a weekend away, a longer stay, a wellness break or simply an opportunity to experience another side of the capital. Muscat After Dark Dining is an important part of Tivoli's identity. At SOLÉ, the menu brings together Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences, drawing inspiration from culinary traditions stretching from Lisbon to Lebanon.

For a different atmosphere, SEEN by Olivier Muscat offers a rooftop setting and contemporary Mediterranean-Japanese cuisine, adding a more energetic social dimension to the hotel's dining portfolio. The Nineteenth takes a more informal approach, with clubhouse-style dining, sports and a relaxed setting overlooking the golf course. Together, the venues give Tivoli a personality that extends beyond the conventional hotel experience. It is as much a place to meet, eat and socialise as it is somewhere to stay. And while the city provides plenty of reasons to venture out, there is something equally appealing about a property where a long lunch can become an afternoon beside the pool, followed by dinner without having to leave the building. The atmosphere is distinctly different from Jabal Akhdar's mountain seclusion. That contrast is the point. One Destination, Two Reasons to Stay Oman's appeal has never depended on a single attraction or experience.

OMAN | FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE CITY

Its diversity is part of what makes the destination worth exploring, and these two hotels illustrate how effectively hospitality can respond to different aspects of that identity. At Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, luxury provides access to the mountains, their traditions and the people who sustain them. The Olive Harvest Festival is particularly noteworthy because it creates a meaningful connection between the hospitality experience and local agricultural heritage. At Tivoli LA VIE Muscat, the emphasis shifts towards contemporary leisure, dining, recreation and the evolving lifestyle of the capital. Its appeal lies in offering guests a well-rounded experience that feels connected to Muscat's modern character.

Together, these experiences make a compelling case for exploring Oman beyond a single hotel or familiar itinerary. A few days spent discovering the mountains followed by time enjoying the comforts of Muscat provide an opportunity to appreciate just how varied the Sultanate can be. For travellers, the reward is two distinctly different stays. For the hospitality industry, the lesson is equally valuable: a memorable hotel experience begins with understanding what makes its location special. One property celebrates the harvest. The other celebrates the pleasures of modern city living. Both give you a reason to return to Oman.

H&C POINT OF VIEW

At $3,000 a Night, I’m Going to Need

A FRUIT BOWL

More Than

BY ANGELO DE GUZMAN, JOURNALIST, EDITOR, AND MARKETING CONSULTANT

There is a particular kind of silence when you open the door to a $3,000-a-night suite and find only a bowl of fruit waiting on the table. Apples, bananas, oranges, a few kiwis, maybe a mango if the 5-star hotel is feeling generous. It is the same gesture a mid-tier business hotel offers a Platinum loyalty member for free. The $10 fruit bowl proves nothing about loyalty and just reinforces an underwhelming effort. It does not require the hotel to know who the guests are, how many times they’ve stayed, or what they would actually want to take home. The fix is a keepsake guests cannot buy, order, or request. They have to earn it.

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MORE THAN A FRUIT BOWL

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C POINT OF VIEW The Fruit Bowl Has Curdled Fruit bowls have been standard at luxury properties for decades. Globally, hotels still pair one with a welcome card at check-in for their “most loyal members”. But the amenity has become a punchline as much as a perk. Unofficial guest forums carry complaints about $40 fruit platters in portions guests call laughable, or fruit left too long in tropical climates until it attracts ants. The ritual has become so routine that even hotels appear to have stopped treating it as meaningful. That matters at a price point where guests expect recognition, not another stocked amenity. Hotels Already Have the Playbook Ultra-luxury hospitality developed the alternative decades ago, but rarely turned it into a broader loyalty ritual. A 2005 New York Times report on personalised amenities described a tiered system at Four Seasons Atlanta that still reads like a blueprint. Guests received a monogrammed robe on their 50th stay, an engraved silver computer mouse at 75 stays, and a monogrammed pillowcase at 100. The robe or pillowcase remained at the hotel, where staff laundered it and placed it on the bed for every future visit. The same report noted that Claridge's and The Berkeley in London stocked monogrammed robes and Smythson stationery printed with a guest's name and room number for distinguished regulars. As one general manager put it, "you're not merely identified as the guest in Room 505, you're Mr. John Smith." The hardware already exists: robes, slippers, stationery and hats. The opportunity is to make access itself the reward, rather than reserve personalised objects as an obscure ben-

efit for guests who have already crossed a five-figure spend threshold. Why It Disappeared If personalised gifting already existed, the obvious question is why it never became the industry standard. The answer traces back to how hotel loyalty itself was built. Marriott and Hilton pioneered points-based membership in the ‘80s and ‘90s largely because points could be tracked, budgeted and standardised across thousands of properties in a way a monogrammed robe never could. A point has a fixed, predictable cost to the balance sheet. A relationship a general manager spends years building with one repeat guest does not fit neatly into that model, and as brands scaled into global groups, head office rewarded what could be measured and replicated. As independently run hotels folded into managed and franchised brand systems, corporate standards replaced local discretion. A GM who once had the latitude to remember a guest's shoe size or preferred bubbly increasingly answers to a brand playbook built to run the same way in Dubai as it does in Dallas. Guest data was supposed to solve this by replacing memory with software, and largely has not. As consolidation compounded, points were easier to scale. Memory was not, so the industry scaled what it could measure and let the rest quietly become a rarity. The Gold Standard: Objects You Cannot Buy Aman runs one of the clearest modern versions. Its socalled "Amanjunkie" T-shirt is not sold, listed on an amenity menu, or available on request. General managers give it at their discretion to guests who have shown loyalty through repeat stays, typically after five to seven visits across the group's properties. Longtime Aman regulars describe receiving one as quiet recognition. Its scarcity has built its own shadow market: unworn Amanjunkie shirts occasionally surface for resale online, well above their original cost, which says as much about guest attachment to an ungettable object as any brand campaign could. Other properties use milder versions of the same mechanic. Certain Maybourne properties, including Claridge's, The Berkeley and The Connaught, restrict specific merchandise lines to guests staying on-site. The pieces cannot simply be ordered from outside. Hôtel Martinez in Cannes has pushed the same access principle

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MORE THAN A FRUIT BOWL

into food and beverage. In May 2026, it served Plume de Vanille, a bespoke tea created exclusively for the hotel by Maison Gabrielle. The blend is sold nowhere else, while a metal tin of the same tea is reserved for VIP guests. The Mark Hotel in New York applied the idea to a single high-profile night. Its 2025 Met Gala guest gift was a washed-canvas baseball cap stamped with the hotel's monogram and event date. Only guests staying there for the occasion received it, turning a simple cap into a record of attendance that outsiders could not buy. At The Alpina Gstaad, turndown service leaves guests a pair of wool-felt slippers at no charge; switching from disposable plastic to reusable felt so guests would keep wearing them after checkout, and by its own account, they do. At Amanjiwo in Java, rooms come stocked with a complimentary watercolour set beside two straw hats and a bag meant for the walk to Borobudur temple. Why This Beats the Points Ecosystem This is where conventional loyalty programmes start to look strangely transactional. A hotel’s top-tier benefits can include a few thousand bonus points, a modest food-andbeverage credit, or a discount on merchandise guests still have to pay for. Nobody comes home talking about the extra points they earned. They might talk about the hat they received because they stayed at The Mark during the Met Gala. Or the robe waiting in their room on their 50th stay. Or the T-shirt they later discovered could not simply be bought. A proper amenity like this has little to do with its production cost. The story of how the guest got it is what gives it value.

stones with robes and pillowcases. In each case, the object became interesting because of what the guest had to do before receiving it. That is also why copying the Amanjunkie shirt itself would miss the point. The opportunity is not to find the next luxury hotel T-shirt. It is to create something particular to the property, then resist the temptation to sell it. Keep the fruit bowl too. At $3,000 a night, the apples were never really the problem.

“As independently run hotels folded into managed and franchised brand systems, corporate standards replaced local discretion. ANGELO DE GUZMAN, Luxury, Travel, Music Writer and Editor, Journalist & Digital Marketing Head, Accor

There is a difference between rewarding another transaction and recognising that somebody keeps coming back. Hotels have become very good at the former. The Part Hotels Cannot Fake There is an obvious way for hotels to ruin this. Put the object in the gift shop six months later and the guest who earned it simply received merchandise before everyone else. Give the same thing to every suite guest and it becomes another standard amenity. Cover it in oversized branding and it starts looking like something designed to advertise the hotel. The difficult part is protecting the reason somebody gets one. A hotel could tie it to a fifth stay, reserve it for returning guests, or leave the decision entirely with the general manager. What matters is that another guest cannot walk downstairs, hand over a credit card, and get the same thing. It does not need to cost much. Aman chose a T-shirt. The Mark used a baseball cap. Four Seasons once marked mile-

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C POINT OF VIEW

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REBUILDING TRAVELLER CONFIDENCE

Rebuilding Traveller Confidence How data-driven advertising can support the Middle East's tourism rebound

Reopened skies and returning confidence are not the same thing. Regional airlines have restored much of their schedules, airports are operational, and the headlines have moved from disruption to recovery. But anyone close to the industry knows that recovery doesn't move in a straight line, especially in a region where the backdrop can change quickly. Passenger numbers and hotel occupancy across several Middle Eastern markets are still trailing last year's levels. That gap between what's operationally possible and where traveller sentiment actually sits is where the next phase of the region's tourism recovery must be focused. And closing it is, to a large extent, a marketing challenge. It helps to remember that the travel and tourism sector has been here before and has successfully rebounded. Global travel fell by 72% in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, only to rebound to a record 1.47 billion international arrivals by 2024, returning to pre-pandemic levels. The World Travel &

BY CHRIS GREGORYPASHA, MENA TRAVEL LEAD, THE TRADE DESK

Tourism Council's analysis of past disruptions offers an even more useful point: the fastest turnarounds happen when governments and industry actively cooperate to rebuild traveller confidence rather than simply waiting for it to return on its own. Recovery isn't a matter of if. It's a matter of how quickly, and how deliberately, confidence is restored. This matters more in the Middle East right now than almost anywhere else, because the ambitions riding on tourism have never been higher. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 targets 150 million annual visitors, with tourism spending in 2025 already reaching an estimated USD 81 billion. The United Arab Emirates' National Tourism Strategy 2031 targets 40 million hotel guests and AED 450 billion in GDP contribution. These numbers represent airports, hotel rooms, giga-projects and events that governments across the region are betting on to diversify their economies. As more destinations compete for a recovering pool of international travellers, generic brand awareness campaigns simply won't do the job. What's needed is precision.

HOTELANDCATERING.COM | OCTOBER 2026

H&C POINT OF VIEW

That precision looks different depending on which side of the journey you sit on. For tourist boards, it means resequencing messaging by market, leading with reassurance and a sense of normality where sentiment is still cautious, before returning to the aspirational storytelling that built these destinations' reputations in the first place. For airlines, the job is twofold: refilling seats with leisure and business travellers and rebuilding confidence in the Middle East's role as the world's connecting hub. Airlines and tourist boards remain, by some distance, the two biggest advertisers in this recovery, and the two with the most to gain from getting the sequencing right.

lifted the airline's unique reach by 22%, with measurable gains in awareness, consideration and favourability across every channel used.

This is where data-driven digital advertising earns its place at the table. Travel is no longer simply a category to be marketed to. It's a leading indicator of consumer confidence, economic growth and evolving digital behaviour. As travel companies increasingly become media businesses in their own right, first-party signals, such as search behaviour, planning activity and booking intent, are giving marketers a far sharper view of exactly who is ready to travel and when. Two recent developments show what this looks like in practice.

For marketers navigating this moment, a few principles hold. Sequence creative deliberately: reassurance before aspiration, aspiration before urgency, rather than relying on one static campaign throughout. Buy media flexibly enough to react in real time as sentiment shifts. Combine the fastest-growing channels, including CTV and streaming, which is forecast to grow by 38.3% across MENA this year alone, with search and intent signals that capture travellers earlier in their planning journey. And prioritise transparency and independent measurement over reach alone, so that advertising's contribution to recovery can be demonstrated to the stakeholders funding it.

Agoda's newly announced partnership with The Trade Desk puts the online travel agent's first-party planning data to work across streaming, podcasts, mobile and outof-home advertising, reaching travellers while they're still deciding where to go, not just once they've landed on a booking page. Eurowings shows what that joined-up approach can deliver. An omnichannel campaign across digital out-ofhome (DOOH), connected TV (CTV), video and audio

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CMY

On the open internet, intent data can be matched with independent, transparent measurement, letting tourist boards and airlines see, in real time, whether a campaign is shifting demand, not just accumulating impressions. That matters enormously when conditions on the ground can change from week to week, and when governments are asking marketing budgets to show a measurable link to visitor numbers and GDP targets.

The Middle East's tourism sector has rebuilt itself before, and it will do so again. What's different this time is that the tools now exist to make that recovery faster, more measurable and more deliberate. Used well, datadriven advertising doesn't just fill seats and rooms in the short term. It protects the multi-decade national visions the region has built around tourism, one traveller's confidence at a time.

THE ART OF FRAGRANCE

The name ‘OJAR’ is derived from ‘HOJARI,’ widely regarded as the finest quality Frankincense resin, sourced from the majestic Dhofar mountains of Oman. With its profound history deeply rooted in the Sultanate, Frankincense holds significant cultural value and is a key ingredient in OJAR’s fragrance collections.

Exclusively from Call our sales team: +971 4 437 2481

Request samples: sales@guestsupply.ae

HOTEL & CATERING OCTOBER 2026 ISSUE