Collaboratively setting new industry benchmarks, and creating destinations that seamlessly integrate innovation within mixed-use projects, with the aim to empower the localness and deliver value to investors, will be crucial for the market rebound and the recovery of hospitality, according to Marloes Knippenberg, CEO of Kerten Hospitality, a global hospitality group. She was speaking at the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS), which took place on Oct. 26-27.
Organized by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism and the G20 Saudi Secretariat, the forum witnessed global leaders debate the pressing topics for the industry today and the role of innovation in the hospitality space — a topic aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. In a panel, in addressing adaptability in the “new normal,” Knippenberg focused on the roadmap for disruptive brands that look at flexible space models as monetizable assets with the lifecycle of projects in mind.
Marloes said: “Redefining the changes of how people choose to live, work, socialize and meet to collaborate will propel a rethink of commercial and residential spaces that combine multiple components within a larger ecosystem. Looking at short and long-term stay complemented by a working space, health and wellness options, retail as well as food and beverage will be essential for the recovery of our industry that continues to battle the storm.”
