Mr. Barry Curran, Area Manager of Starwood Hotels in Nigeria, supervising the following Starwood Properties; Sheraton Abuja Hotel, Le Méridien Ibom Hotel & Golf Resort, Four Points By Sheraton Lagos, Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Le Méridien Ogeyi Place, will be the chairperson for the discussion panel during the Hospitality Day @ Akwaaba 2014.
Barry who is also the General Manager for Sheraton Lagos Hotel, has over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry and had occupied various management positions in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Guyana and Egypt where he was the Area Manager of Cairo Hotels based at Le Méridien Pyramids Hotel & Spa in Egypt.
As Chairperson of the discussion panel made up of top GMs, he would also be shedding more light on how Starwood Hotels & Resorts have remained at the top with 5 top Hotels and 4 new ones expected to open by 2017.
The Hospitality Day @ Akwaaaba 2014 will be dedicated to discussing how Hotels can stay ahead of Competition, using the latest technology to drive sales and retain clients.
With rapidly growing Economies, foreign direct investments and an increasing number of Africans who are having more disposable incomes and moving into the Middle Class income group, the Hospitality Industry in Africa is full of opportunities. However, with more interest shown by the International and Regional chains in expanding in Africa especially in Nigeria with about 49 hotels (7,470 rooms) scheduled to open by 2017 coupled with the existing hotels and a number of smaller Hotels and Guest Houses opening every now and then, the challenge for Hotels to stay in business will be high.
The Workshop themed “Hotel Innovation : Being One Step ahead” will include Experts from Israel, Dubai, UK, Germany and Nigeria with a panel made up of GM’s of Top International and Regional Hotel chains in Nigeria. There will also be a Keynote Speech on “Investing in the Hospitality Business between the Known and the Unknown.
The Workshop is aimed at raising the Hotel Standards in West-Africa and will have in attendance over 100 Hotel Managers, Hotel Management Companies in Nigeria and Africa as well as Hotel Investors and other Stakeholders.
The issues that would be addressed include, use of Social Media, Software for Hotels Hardware/Amenities, Services, Data Mining (Big Data) and the latest Hotel Apps.
The forum will hold on the 28th of October, 2014, the last day of Akwaaba, at the Convention Centre of the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria- Island, Lagos from10am-1pm. It will be rounded off with a Wine Tasting extravaganza.
Akwaaba: African Travel Market is the only International Travel Trade Fair in West-Africa. It is the largest marketing Platform to meet with Travelling Public, Airlines, Hotels, Restaurants, Tour Operators, Travel Agents, State Tourism Boards, Foreign Trade and Tourism sectors in Nigeria, West-Africa and Africa. Aftm attracted exhibitors from over 20 countries and about 15,000 attendees last year and more are expected this year. The 3day event features Africa Travel Awards, Wine Tasting, Africa Business Travel Association Workshop, Hospitality & Aviation Forum as well as Country Day Celebrations.
Attendance is strictly by Registration. To attend, kindly send a mail toakwaabatravelmarket@yahoo.com to confirm attendance and reserve your seats. Deadline for confirmation is the 30 of September, 2014, limited seats available.
With Nigerians developing a higher taste for luxury, accompanied with an increasing purchasing power, the Hotels that would benefit from this would be, smart Hotels who keep ahead, especially using technology to deliver quality Services and luring the highest numbers of the increasing Domestic Market as the economy grows to add to their already established Markets.
