Do your new hotels in the Middle East and North Africa target business travellers or are they more leisure-oriented?
Simon Casson - Our new hotels - those opened in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Kuwait recently or the one soon to be inaugurated in Tunis - are located in very dynamic cities and host a high proportion of business travellers while attracting a local clientele. In Abu Dhabi, for example, our restaurants are extremely popular, and our hotel is now known as the Abu Dhabi's living room. Our seafront location in Tunis makes the hotel an ideal place for those who want to combine work and relaxation, with a full range of facilities.business equipment and a host of attractions for the leisure traveller.
What are your development criteria?
S. C. - We are alert to opportunities in the markets where our customers expect us to be present, but we are still waiting to hear from them. find the ideal location to create a hotel of exceptional quality. This means, in the case of city hotels, in the most prestigious areas, close to business and tourist destinations. Our aim is to be at the cutting edge in terms of designThe hotel's facilities include a wide range of rooms, lobbies and areas dedicated to meetings and events. But above all, we are delighted to be able to count on a unique staffWith their in-depth knowledge of their destination, they are always able to inform travellers about the best the city has to offer. This sense of service has always been a distinguishing feature of Four Seasons.
confident about our market positioning
Is a luxury home rental company like onefinestay a competitor?
S. C. - We need to keep a close eye on developments in our sector, so that we can respond to new expectations. This type of player will become increasingly adept at offering additional services to match their top-of-the-range offering. But they will find it very difficult to reproduce the same commitment to service, the same level of staff quality and the same culture that Four Seasons has succeeded in developing. That's why we're fairly confident about our market positioning.
