The Members of Renard International will attend the ATM in Dubai, from Monday to Thursday, May 6th to 9th 2013 and we hope to see you there, or during the rest of our trip. Please see our travel schedule below.

We are always alert and vigilant to the sign posts of continuous change in the landscape of the hospitality industry.

If the Investment Conference and the ITB in Berlin were a “compass” to what is occurring in Europe in 2013, then the Dubai Investment Conference and the ATM will certainly be a “barometer” for predicting the business mood in the UAE and the entire Middle East for 2013.

We are in the midst of the age of digital communication, which has now passed through the hospitality industry and has become the global platform for communication, collaboration, sales & marketing, and cumulative learning through all industries.

Also, we live in an era of participation and collaboration.  Knowledge expands and media tools transform, and we all gain extreme power and impact. For those who believe in the power of social networking, I invite you to continue to read our newsletters where we can share our vision, express our opinions, convey our thoughts, and enjoy your feedback.

Our Opinion…

The UAE is the leader by far in both; Occupancy and Rate in the region.  The countries which are politically stable are much more likely to try to gain their lost market share; through increased financial expenditures at the ATM. We therefore, believe there will be large stands and increased participation at the ATM by Egypt, Bahrain, etc.  Qatar is expected to accelerate hotel development with awe-inspiring architecture, as well as the completion of the “Pearl” (like the “Palm” in Dubai).

Saudi Arabia at the 2012 ATM made a big splash with an enormous stand and a large delegation.  We will see in 2013 if they continue this marketing plan.

The ATM and ITB are definitely indicators of what the majority expect the tone of business to be in 2013.  Therefore, before you make any crucial decisions regarding the location for your career or choice of work, you should take into consideration how the events evolve and our recommendations.

Comments on the ITB 2013

We felt that the amount of traffic at the ITB & IHIF was not as great as previous years.  Perhaps because companies either decided not to participate this year, or those companies who did attend cut back on the amount of employees they had sent. No Mandarin, Hyatt, Four Seasons nor Hilton Hotels this year.  I wonder why?

Reason, I think the ITB is two days too long! The show starts on Wednesday and continues till Sunday, which is 5 days.  Too long a period for a trade show, especially with only two business days; Wednesday and Thursday.  Friday is “Jump Off” day for the Europeans to go home for the weekend (they don’t get paid for working on weekends) and other regions where their weekend starts on Friday.  So, they leave as well. Saturday and Sunday are for students, and visitors who are looking for retail travel.

If the show was to start on Tuesday, it would give three solid business days; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Friday could still be the get away day and Saturday would be a great day for students and those who wanted to fill their pockets with brochures that most companies want to give away rather than drag back around the world.

I look forward to seeing you at the ATM in Dubai - 6th to 9th May 2013!

MY TRAVEL SCHEDULE….. Can we meet along the way?

At Renard, customer service is not a "Department" it's an "Attitude"!

Sincerely,
Stephen J. Renard 
President

RENARD INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY SEARCH CONSULTANTS 
121 Richmond Street West, Suite 500 
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5H 2K1 
Tel: (1) 416 364 8325, ext. 228
Mobile: (1) 416 890 0903 
Fax: (1) 416 364 4924 
Email: Steve@renardinternational.com 
Web site: www.renardinternational.com   www.renardglobalmanagement.com

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