London hoteliers confident beyond 2012 Olympics
Thursday, 06 Nov, 2009
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TravelMole Guest Comment by Guoman chief operating officer Sanjay Nijhawan
Travel industry folk arriving in London for World Travel Market could well be surprised by the changes going on around them.
There can be no doubt that the UK’s capital city is definitely working hard to get itself ready for 2012.
The ‘idiosyncrasies’ of our ageing infrastructure – for that, read all the bits that never worked properly – are being swept away in an investment programme the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the Victorian age.
While the downturn has made borrowing difficult for everyone, accommodation providers are pressing ahead with bold plans.
Indeed, official figures show that by the time the first Olympians arrive on our shores London will boast more than 123,000 hotel rooms – an increase of 12% from today. That’s great news.
What it shows is that hoteliers are confident for the long term; confident in filling these extra rooms beyond the games themselves.
One study valued the 2012 Olympics as worth a potential £3 billion to the UK economy – £1 billion more than government forecasts.
Should UK tourism perform at the projected level, £3 billion extra spending could be generated by 6.6 million extra visitors by 2016.
A market worth £14.2 billion today would rise to £24 billion by the time the next Games opens in Rio de Janeiro creating 75,000 more tourism jobs and making domestic tourism an economic powerhouse.
The hotel industry will play a vital part in the building of ‘Brand London’. My company, Guoman Hotels, is investing heavily in London to create a unique collection of hotels, each with its own individual voice but linked by a common, high standard of service.
Key to this is retaining the character of the UK and ensuring some ‘Britishness’ in the offering, whether traditional or contemporary.
Overseas visitors attracted by the lure of the Games won’t want a bland international experience. As the Chinese proved with Beijing, selling a destination is done best by focusing on the things that make it special – be that its history, heritage, achievements or ambitions.
We move forward with the original Olympic ideals – swifter, higher, stronger – in our minds. ‘Swifter’, to make sure we are planning now to offer the best possible standards; ‘Higher’, by ensuring our industry is ready to exceed to all expectations; and ‘Stronger’, that we act in the interests of the country, so tourists leave our shores enthused and eager to return.
Do all three and the gold medal is ours for the taking.
Phil Davies
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