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MARCH
12 - 15 FEBRUARY 2025
Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
12 - 15 FEBRUARY 2025
Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
MARCH
08:30 - 09:20 | Auditorium
Keynote presentation followed by Q&A
Though normal feels within reach, the spectre of the pandemic continues to loom large. For two years it has wrought havoc on hospitality – stifling travel, stunting plans and leaving many in our industry in limbo. So, are we now in the clear, getting there or still some way off? What does the next chapter of hotel development and design look like for the Middle East? And what does the global picture mean for a region that lies at the crossroads of East and West?
Using hard data and strategic forecasting, STR’s Philip Wooller charts where we are and where we’re going, to help you make informed choices as we tentatively step into a new chapter of stability, after years of uncertainty
Speaker:
Philip Wooller
in conversation with:
MARCH
14:20 – 15:20 | Auditorium
Taking a concept from the page to completion is the work of a designer, yet often it’s the opening and closing chapters of a project’s story that drive the conversations. In this illuminating session, leading hospitality designer David T’Kint discusses the on-the-ground realities of bringing a design to life; the challenges and compromises inherent in implementing a concept; and charts the practical lessons learnt from a career working with global hotel groups.
Based in Dubai, T’Kint has over two decades’ of hospitality design experience, formerly a partner at HBA and now the lead of his own eponymous studio. With recent and ongoing projects in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and Oman, T’Kint is highly attuned to the distinctive obstacles and opportunities of helming hotel design projects in the region, here exploring why a successful end result is all in the journey.
Speaker:
in conversation with:
MARCH
08:30 – 09:30 | Auditorium
In the world of hotel design, few nations challenge, inspire and stimulate conversation as much as Saudi Arabia. The desert kingdom has, in recent years, begun a process of opening up – touted as a land of abundant opportunity for hospitality development. But with some arguing that the early sense of promise hasn’t born out, is Saudi still a sure thing? And what does the future look like for this nation in transition?
For those still banking on a building boom, Saudi is an entirely new proposition – unfamiliar to tourists and tourism at large, with an enigmatic culture. So, what does it take to develop a design vernacular that works for the region? Is it possible to create both for locals and the proposed waves of impending visitors? And what are the challenges and possibilities in developing hospitality in a region the world has yet to get to know?
Speakers:
moderated by:
MARCH
13:05 – 14:05 | Auditorium
Colour is primal, colour is persuasive and colour is powerful. In branding it can affect not just what we buy but how we buy; in architecture it can shape how we navigate an environment; and in clothing it can even determine our productivity. But understanding its influence – and its applications – means understanding its psychology.
Judith van Vliet, Founder of The Color Authority, is an expert in the field – also hosting a popular namesake podcast centred on colour. She’s formerly president of the Color Marketing Group and was previously Senior Color Designer at Avient ColorWorks, and Creative Director of ColorForward. In this revealing talk, van Vliet explores the vital role colour plays in our lives, discusses the hold it has on our emotions and explains how to unleash its power.
Speaker:
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