The UAE government’s adoption of a new remote work visa to enable employees from all over the world to live and work in the UAE for one year along with a multiple-entry tourist visa for all nationalities will stimulate the country’s economy, notably for the tourism and hospitality industries, which are amongst the hardest hit by the ongoing pandemic crisis.
These decisions are very timely and highlights our forward thinking UAE leaders’ commitment to provide the best quality of life to both citizens and residents as well as its aim to boost the country’s economic status globally.
Businesses have welcomed the initiatives as they will attract more talent and investment to the country, promote tourism and bring families closer together. Residents who have visiting friends, families, and relatives are a key market for this initiative as well as freelancers, project-based contractors, and consultants such as those for the Dubai Expo 2020. The program will also pave the way for additional revenue streams for businesses, which will eventually flow on to the creation of additional job opportunities.
Through this particular program, hoteliers can now target their long-stay rate offers towards this market segment by adding value-add items such as meeting room use, secretarial services, video conferencing setups, laundry, and more. Other services that could be offered include business support from the hotel’s PRO team for visa and documentation, making transactions with government entities smooth and easy. Taxi arrangement and chauffeur services, post office box collection, liaising with in-house travel agencies to book experiences, flights and local transportation arrangements which may sound trivial but hotels have the expertise as well as partners that can save time and offer convenience to these business & leisure long-term travellers.
At Park Regis Kris Kin Dubai, we have offered incentives to travellers availing of the new visa scheme. We are offering those looking to stay longer and moving to Dubai through the Remote Work Visa program a one-time cashback of their US$287 (AED1,100) visa cost. When staying for a minimum of three months. This amount can be used as hotel credit for any incremental charges applicable to dining, laundry, and other services utilised during the stay.
To cater to the needs of other long-staying guests, hotels should be prepared to offer bespoke packages with tailor-made experiences that may include paying only for services that they intend to use, customised offers and inclusions, and adjustment on cost – both for the guest and the hotel. For example, if a guest books 30 days, but 5 days are out of Dubai, hotels can adjust the cost and pricing while limiting services such as housekeeping and let the guest pay a discounted rate for the period they are outside the city.
In terms of F&B, the program allows hotels to create new or additional revenue models towards personalisation, wherein guests can inform the team of their preferred meals including allergies, sensitivities, and other dietary requirements. Other options allow for the offering of unique F&B services that might target those with particular appetites or those craving for a specific dish from their home country. Guests may even be offered to share with the F&B team a favourite online recipe or perhaps a recipe passed from one generation to another, which the hotel’s chefs can cook for them as if they were at home, but of course, with a premium charge.
Hotels should also be mindful of the guest’s health, ensuring wellness and work-life balance, thus exercises or classes like yoga, meditation sessions, can be offered by suppliers that are fully vetted and acknowledged by the hotel. These packages can come with monthly salon treatments, facials, and massage which in turn helps boost revenue streams.
Ideally, a dedicated multi-lingual team could be assigned to facilitate the long-staying guests’ requirements so that any concern, request, or query will be immediately addressed, and the guests know who and where to go if they need any assistance or support in their native tongue.
There’s a multitude of opportunities for businesses when the new visa programmes come into place. We applaud the government for this brilliant initiative, and now it is the responsibility of hoteliers to ensure that these new potential additional market segments and revenue streams are well catered for.
Hoteliers need to innovate, step up and lead the way in maximising the opportunities that are now possible.
