An award-winning hospitality professional with over two decades of experience at prestigious hotels across Europe and the Middle East, Bassam Zakaria is passionate about fostering teamwork, particularly in his current role as area general manager of Dusit International. We caught up with him to learn more about his responsibilities, how he handles challenges and the trends shaping decision making at Dusit.
What are the key challenges in overseeing multiple properties at Dusit Hotels?
I always view managing multiple properties as a significant opportunity for growth, filled with numerous moments of valuable learning. Over time, I have learned that balancing each property’s business goals with its expectations is key to success. Additionally, it’s essential to ensure that the interests of both the team and the company’s stakeholders are aligned.
Recruiting the right people is also crucial, as they serve as the main drivers in making the business flourish. Moreover, this approach can be an effective method for retaining and growing talent, ensuring long-term success within the organization.
What’s the most challenging aspect of managing teams across different properties at Dusit Hotels?
The diversity of teams across properties is what makes our organization strong, distinctive and capable of overcoming various challenges. In addition, we place a strong emphasis on proactive communication and leverage AI technologies to drive business success effectively. This strategic combination helps us meet our business goals while simultaneously maintaining harmonious relationships within our teams across properties.
While delivering exceptional guest experiences sometimes requires extra diligence, our robust training programs ensure consistent high standards across all properties. Moreover, a positive work environment further strengthens our ability to maintain excellent guest experiences and achieve organizational objectives.
How do you handle conflicting priorities between properties at Dusit Hotels?
We rely on data and performance metrics to address conflicting priorities objectively, ensuring a clear and focused approach. By leveraging both metrics and guest feedback, we gain clarity in addressing conflicting priorities, resulting in informed decisions. This metrics-driven process ensures balanced decisions, which, in turn, lead to both operational productivity and high guest satisfaction.
Additionally, we address conflicting priorities through proactive planning and open communication, fostering opportunities for innovation and improved solutions. As a result, this approach often leads to better solutions, enhancing both operational efficiency and the overall guest experience.
In your role, how do you determine which trends or innovations to introduce across Dusit?
The main core of our strategy is understanding market demands and recognizing the growing trend of eco-conscious travelers. Moreover, providing an outstanding guest experience while embracing environmentally and socially responsible practices is essential to meet travelers’ expectations. Across the three properties, our sustainability policies and goals align with the UAE Government’s 2030 Green Agenda. In addition, we are guided by the Tree of Life Sustainability program, a key initiative set by Dusit International. This combined approach ensures that we not only meet the expectations of eco-conscious travelers but also contribute to a sustainable future.
