Roger Moukarzel is a firm believer in the power of photography in the hospitality world. Here, the award-winning Lebanese photographer explains how restaurants and hotels can benefit from user-generated content and why he decided to team up with Hilton Hotels.
How did your collaboration with Hilton Hotels in the UAE come about?
The renowned advertising agency TBWA came up with the idea, and I immediately fell in love it. We developed the concept together before launching the program at numerous Hilton properties across the UAE.
The Waitographer program involves teaching service staff at the restaurants of Hilton Hotels how to take good pictures using the smartphones of guests. I led three-hour tailor-made training sessions at each property, during which I shared tips and demonstrated simple, straightforward techniques to capture great photos quickly and efficiently.
Why do you think it is important for hotel staff to have basic knowledge in photography?
As clients regularly ask hotel staff to take pictures, it is essential that they can fulfil such requests efficiently and successfully. Pleasing guests is fundamental, so seeing a positive reaction after an image has been captured certainly adds to the guest experience.
Furthermore, hotels can benefit from free publicity, as guests are more likely to post a good photo taken by a member of staff on their social media platforms, thereby promoting different F&B venues. Ultimately, I view my role as building an army of content creators.
Do you have similar projects in the pipeline?
I have numerous conferences booked over the coming months and several projects that I cannot discuss at present.
