*How does someone with 34 years of experience in various hotel styles, who is motivated, with a people-oriented management style and a clear vision of hotel objectives, and who has previously been exposed to various cultures (Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East) invest his professional experience to the benefit of a property like Phoenicia Intercontinental?
Phoenicia InterContinental is an iconic hotel, an institution in Lebanon, and definitely an intrinsic part of the history of this lovely country, at the same time it was the first InterContinental property in the Middle East. For me joining Phoenicia as General Manager was an honor and a pleasure.
*What do you plan to change and improve in the Phoenicia Intercontinental Hotel before reopening it?
We have been working on the reconstruction and improvement of some of our hotel facilities for the last two years due to the damage suffered after the tragic Beirut port explosion in August 2020. We are looking forward to welcoming our guests and clients back to Phoenicia.
*What, in your opinion, constitutes a successful hotel branding strategy?
A strategy for successful hotel branding must focus on following the standards of service, cleaning, and operation dictated by the headquarters of the hotel and by fulfilling the promise of delivering impeccable service and experience to our customers.
*A profitable hotel marketing strategy?
In order to be successful with your marketing strategy, you have to clearly identify your target audience and focus your strategy on that direction in order to attract them to your product.
*How do you plan, under your management, for Phoenicia Intercontinental to stick to IHG’s brand promise and IHG’s true hospitality guiding values?
By following our standards of service and operation and by providing the needed tools and training programs to our colleagues in order to provide the expected hospitality guiding values and our brand promise
*Like all IHG Hotels around the world, will Phoenicia Intercontinental be a part of a worldwide luxury hotel industry targeted to meet guests’ needs and occasions?
Definitely, as our sister hotels around the world, our focus will be to enrich guest’s experiences by providing unique stays at our hotel and by providing an excellent service from our team
*How do you plan to achieve the following: driving employee performance, improving guest performance, and increasing revenues at the same time?
We will provide our team with the right tools and training materials for them to feel comfortable in their jobs, empowered to take decisions, and proud of being part of the Phoenicia family. By doing that our guest satisfaction will be at the expected level, increasing the number of guests and clients; helping us to achieve our financial objectives for the hotel.
*How will you set your hotel apart from competitors in the same industry?
Phoenicia is an iconic hotel, ” La Grand Dame ” of the hospitality industry in Lebanon and an institution that is part of the history of our country. Our intention is to maintain that recognition through a sincere and impeccable service provided by our team and our facilities.
