Luxury Hoteliers Magazine 2nd Quarter 2016 | Page 29

changing their lives by giving them opportunities is THE highlight for all general managers . This is certainly a great joy of being a GM .
What do you think are some of the greatest challenges facing hotel GMs today ?
Security in all forms - fire , life safety , terrorism , cyber security and more – is the number one challenge industry professionals face and something they need far more support to tackle . A GM is responsible for the lives of hundreds of people each day and in some countries they are held legally accountable , meaning they must be kept up to date with a number of different security issues . One of my objectives is to see the status of the Security Manager position upgraded so they are part of the senior staff / Executive Committee to reflect their responsibilities and ensure their role is recognized as a vital one .
Technology and how it impacts the guest experience is another great challenge and the dynamics change almost daily so today ’ s GMs need to have their finger on the pulse to stay ahead .
Tell us about the inaugural event you are planning later this year ?
Our first Annual World Congress will take place alongside the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai , May 2017 , and it will be bi-annual thereafter in different locations .
For the first event we will have the definitive conference on all aspects of hotel security for the reasons mentioned above . We are bringing security experts from all over the world that can share their thinking on current trends and solutions . There also needs to be dialogue amongst GMs to share best practices in this area and this is a great opportunity to come together and talk . It is a subject that can no longer be neglected , as the consequences are too big to contemplate .
Our Board of Governors will be at the congress to meet with attendees and the event will include awards to honour the achievements and excellence of fellow members , such as International Hotel General Manager of the Year and a Lifetime Achievement Award .
What are some of your future plans for IAHGM ?
Currently we are focusing on welfare issues as there is nothing worse than being left out in the cold if you lose your job , are unable to work for health reasons or when retirement comes around and you aren ’ t ready for it , I know because I faced some of these circumstances myself . We are working on expanding our portfolio of benefits to include things like retirement and pension planning and legal advisory services .
Going forward we will be very focused on research and development in order to create innovative niche products and services , and providing scholarships
for young hoteliers , as well as mentoring are going to be an important part of our culture .
Ultimately , we want to create a model that can be used by other hotel executives and segments of the industry who do not have the advantage of a group such as IAHGM so that we can all share the benefits , knowledge and best practice to ensure our industry continues to grow .
Your career in the industry spans over 40 years , what advice would you give to young GMs ?
You are starting out in one of the most exciting and rewarding industries in the world and the best advice I can give is to be patient , do your apprenticeship to learn all aspects of the operation and don ’ t get into it if you are not prepared to put in the hours . Take the opportunities when they come and enjoy ! Remember that the most important thing is the guest experience and this should motivate everything you do everyday . It might sound like a cliché but it is absolutely true .
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