Ready for challenge

Mark Neukomm, new general manager of the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa, believes that more competition will help keep his team focused to ensure it remains the kingdom's premier business and leisure destination on the island.

He joins just as rival companies prepare to open on the island seeking to challenge its position and take a slice of the burgeoning hospitality industry.

Sitting in one of the plush Ritz-Carlton signature lounges, the 48-year-old Swiss executive said: "We welcome other players in the market as that makes us raise the bar and look inwards."

As new hotels move closer to completion and existing operators spruce up their properties and improve their services to meet the competition head on, the challenges are all too clear. The multi-million dinar Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea and Spa near the Bahrain International Circuit will open its doors offering visitors a pristine beach at the end of this year and construction of other hotels - The Four Seasons, K Hotel, Rixos Marina - are well underway.

Mr Neukomm added: "We have an excellent physical product and Ritz-Carlton's philosophy runs very strongly in the company. And, we are unique in a way that we are a resort and business destination all packaged beautifully in one. We are in the city, yet a resort, and cater to business travellers and that is our strong selling point."

With 600 metres of secluded beach at the Ritz-Carlton and an impressive state-of-the-art fitness club, the management has no plans to reduce its sports and social club joining fees or membership rates to woo customers in the face of the newcomers' arrival. "We are not just a high rise hotel but offer private villas and personalised service and that is what makes us different," he said.

Mr Neukomm started his career in the kitchen of Intercontinental Geneva as a chef's apprentice in 1980. He started his career with Ritz-Carlton in 2000 after various stints with other hotels around the globe. Prior to accepting his new role in Bahrain, he was the general manager at the first Ritz-Carlton hotel in Japan.

The Ritz-Carlton Osaka received numerous awards in the eight years under Mr Neukomm's watchful supervision. He said: "Japan and Bahrain are very similar, both being island nations. The Japanese market is very detailed, oriented and demanding and the best practices applied there have to have a local market focus before I can put them into practice here."

But Mr Neukomm confesses that he still bows and shakes hand at the same time and cannot shake off the traditional Japanese greeting. "I'm still in the settling down phase and am overwhelmed with the friendliness of people here," he said.

As he waits for his Japanese wife and his three sons, aged 18, 16 and 12, to join him in Bahrain he looks forward to an encouraging year ahead. "We are fortunate that the hotel hasn't been affected by the recent economic downturn," said Mr Neukomm.

"The occupancy is at an all time high but having said that we have to continuously ensure that our service is of a high standard and our customers are happy with the Ritz-Carlton experience."