As travel returns, it is crucial to add value to existing offerings – Ahmed Raza

November 29, 2020 Mary

Ahmed Raza is the newly appointed general manager of Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Lagos. In this interview, Raza, a cheerful team leader, speaks to Obinna Emelike on his love for the Radisson Hotel Group, his blossoming career, innovations and safety measures in place to woo guests back to Radisson hotels in Nigeria, and outlook for the business in 2021. Excerpt.

Congratulations on your new appointment. How do you feel about the stable growth in your career?

I am truly honoured to be appointed general manager of Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, the flagship hotel of the Radisson Hotel Group in Nigeria. I truly value and enjoy the responsibility of leading an extraordinary team. I am looking forward to the next chapter in my career and am excited to have the opportunity to be playing an integral role in the ongoing success of this iconic property. I owe my growth in this industry to all my colleagues that I have had the opportunity to work with over the years. They have played a pivotal role in my development during this journey.

You have worked with other brands before coming to Radisson Hotel Group, what is your experience here, and what stands the brand out from others?

Radisson Hotel Group is flying high in the hospitality industry: today it stands as one of the largest hotel groups in the world, with more than 1,400 hotels in operation or under development. The Radisson brand stands out for me because it believes that people are at the centre of a successful hospitality business. The foremost way to be a responsible company is to have ethical business practices at the core of our culture. Our ethical standards can be seen every day in the way we treat all our stakeholders from customers and team members to suppliers and other business partners.

As the flagship hotel of Radisson Hotel Group in Nigeria, what are you bringing to the table to further consolidate on Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel leadership position in the leisure business?

The hotel has rolled out a comprehensive strategy of innovation and renovation concentrating on the safety of the guests to accelerate the anticipated recovery from the pandemic.RadissonBlu Anchorage Lagos has embarked on an ambitious renovation exercise to the tune of a substantial investment with the sole aim of guaranteeing the safety and convenience of guests during and post the coronavirus pandemic. The rooms are wearing a new colour, blends meant to continuously brighten the mood of guests while the gym and the pool have been redesigned with modern equipment for guests’ pleasure.

Though the pandemic has brought a new order in hotel business operation and even living, what efforts are you making to ensure staff adopt the new normal in operation?

RadissonBlu Anchorage Lagos is engaging its staff in intensive, continuous training and retraining programmes in the safety protocols as the health of the employees and guests is paramount and as such there are constant health screenings to ensure early detection and containment of infections.

Again, guests are now more health and safety-conscious post-covid-19, what measures are in place to ensure the safety of guests, as well as, their comfort?

It is safe to say the COVID-19 crisis has thrown a spanner into the works. Our immediate priority has been and continues to be the safety of our guests, team members, and partners. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we immediately implemented the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), and all relevant authorities for country-specific requirements, focusing our efforts and investment on expanded hygiene, health and sanitation precautions, and continue to do so. One key example of this mindset is the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol that our hotel launched in May this year, with it comprising of in-depth cleanliness and disinfection procedures that Radisson developed in partnership with SGS, one of the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing, and certification companies. The Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol includes a 20-step protocol and a 10- step protocol for meetings and events looking at all aspects of the meeting, events, and guest experience.

Sadly, hospitality is one of the hardest-hit industries by the pandemic, is there recovery since the easing of the lockdown, and did the opening of the Nigerian airspace in early September improve occupancy?

Fortunately, Nigeria has experienced a slow but gradual recovery since the reopening of its airspace. Our post-COVID-19 recovery has been driven by a rebound in the domestic leisure segment. We can see that families have been among the first market segments to start making reservations. Weekend occupancies have been very strong. As travel begins to return, it has been crucial to add value to existing offerings. We have also witnessed a rise in demand for social events- main weddings at our hotel. We see this as a great opportunity to capitalize on this segment moving forward.

Despite the impact of the lockdown Radisson Hotel Group is keen on brand expansion in Nigeria, with rich pipeline projects and recent signings, what factors do you think are fueling the brand’s fast rise on the African continent despite challenges?

Africa’s tourism sector has cratered in the face of the coronavirus, but the Radisson Hotel Group remains committed to the continent. The ongoing pandemic has opened conversion opportunities for expansion specially as liquidity remains a critical challenge and the global economy recovers. Many independent hotels that are currently self-managed will require access to a wider network and to the cost-savings benefits of a wider chain.

In your projection, what direction will the hospitality business be taking in 2021?

It is important to remember that the hospitality sector is no stranger to crisis. Our industry has survived countless challenges and periods of economic downturn, and COVID-19 is no exception. Industry experts predict that the industry might begin seeing a rebound in typical demand within 18 to 24 months. Understandably, hotels will be expected to adopt heightened cleaning standards moving forward, as cleanliness will be a critical factor in a guests’ decision to book a hotel room.

Secondly, technology. Love it or hate it, the hospitality business cannot ignore it. Hospitality providers will need to serve guests in a significantly more connected way, striking the right balance between automated solutions and human interaction. So much change. And so much of it driven by the most important person in hospitality: the guest. Every brand operating in this dynamic and innovation-friendly market wouldn’t have it any other way.