Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

No escape for Dubai from global tourism slump, says ex-Jumeirah senior exec

No escape for Dubai from global tourism slump, says ex-Jumeirah senior exec

Robert Swade, founder of new UK-based Maze consultancy, says Dubai should look to build up its domestic tourism offering amid coronavirus

The global hospitality industry, including the UAE, has experienced the “greatest halt in operations in living memory”.

That’s according to Robert Swade, former chief operating officer of Dubai-headquartered Jumeirah Group and founder of Maze, a new global hospitality advisory firm.“There is no doubt tourism will continue to be affected by the Covid pandemic, and sadly Dubai will not be untouched,” Swade told Arabian Business.


“The industry is under huge stress at the moment and the focus is naturally on survival.”

London-based Maze was founded this month with the aim of helping the hospitality industry to build more profitable and purposeful business models and to advise on the future growth of the sector.

The Maze board reads like a ‘who’s who’ of former Dubai tourism executives, including ex-Jumeirah directors Alison Broadhead and Alison Styles. Jumeirah runs a number of luxury hotels around the world including Dubai's world famous Burj al Arab (pictured below).



According to Swade, the regional and global hospitality industry must dramatically redesign itself to survive amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Businesses will be facing a completely new organisational structure as a result of the drastic redundancies and they will need adopting a more humane approach to leadership,” said Swade. “The strategy will be different for each business but a core focus should be on increasing topline revenue, which might come from repurposing accommodation to working across different industries and changing their customer base,” he said.



Swade said the tourism market in Dubai is dynamic and entrepreneurial, with “huge capacity” to unite for a collective effort to respond to coronavirus restrictions to retain its status as a safe and appealing destination for tourists all around the world.

“One way the industry can protect itself is by building up its domestic customer base,” the Maze managing director added.“Dubai is known for being an international market but with global travel being a key restriction, the tourism industry will have to think of new ways to engage both locally and within the UAE in the immediate future.”

Hans-Peter Betz, director of the Dubai-headquartered the International Association of Hotel General Managers, confirmed to Arabian Business that hotel occupancy is currently being driven by domestic demand.

“Dubai's hospitality is driven by local demand at this point with weekends doing very well. The percentage of international tourist is still very small,” Betz said.



The world’s tourism sector could lose at least $1.2 trillion, or 1.5 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP), having been placed at a standstill for months due to the coronavirus pandemic, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said in a report published in July.

UNCTAD estimates losses in the most pessimistic scenario, a 12-month break in international tourism, at $3.3 trillion or 4.2 percent of global GDP.

Covid presents real jeopardy and real challenges, but those who articulate their mission will stand above those without. It has the potential to build empathy, which itself presents an opportunity to refocus on intuitive, personal service,” said Swade.“Though customers may not return to hotels, restaurants or bars overnight, businesses must focus on re-defining their mission and building both customer and colleague trust for the long term.”

Five things we learned:


* The regional hospitality industry must dramatically redesign itself to survive amid the COVID-19 pandemic

*Tourism businesses face a completely new organisational structure as a result of drastic COVID-19 redundancies

* Dubai’s tourism industry may have to think of new ways to engage both locally and within the UAE in the immediate future

* Hospitality firms should focus on increasing topline revenue, which might come from repurposing accommodation to working across different industries and changing their customer base

* UNCTAD estimates losses in the most pessimistic scenario, a 12-month break in international tourism, at $3.3 trillion or 4.2 percent of global GDP.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Saudi Arabia Faces Uncertainty Over Succession After Mohammed bin Salman
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
×