Promo » Promo| 65 Povezivanje destinacija je u 21. veku prepoznato je kao indikator profitabilnosti u hotelijerstvu Connecting destinations is recognised in the 21st century as an indicator of profitability in the hotel sector I NT E RV I EW: ANDR E J SOVROV I Ć, GENE R A L MANAGE R OF T HE I NT E RCONT I NENTA L HOT E L GROUP Wewant to position Belgrade high under the European Sun WE ARE SITTING IN THE PLEASANTAMBIENCE of a suite on the 8th floor of Belgrade’sCrowne Plaza Hotel, conversing with Andrej Sovrović, general manager of the hotel and Cluster manager of the InterContinental Hotel Group. We discuss the upcoming business year, the fickleness of the hotelmarket and why he personally doesn’t fear those changes... Setting aside the circumstances that led to your decision, what was the decisive factor motivating you to switch to the hotel industry? “Considering that my career started at company Delta Holding, within frameworks that I’m still developing to this day, I must admit that every business change has been a huge challenge, while it is now already becoming symptomatic of the fact that I’m able to deal quite successfully with business segments that bringwith them more challenges at that juncture. I suppose that’s why, after the corona pandemic, hotel management at Delta ended up in my hands .” This is an interesting time for the hotel industry, with everything changing. How do you see 2023 when considering your area of business? “More than ever before, the industry requires ahighdegree of flexibility and the preparedness of staff for unexpected changes.That’s why I expect a very dynamic year ahead and the harmonisation of business plans on multiple fronts, but I feel positive when it comes to progressively resolving the labour force issue, as well as the volume of work that’s coming.” All studies that deal with the analysing of prominent hotel managers insist that successful managers of hotels must have certain personality traits as an essential plus factor (empathy). How can you remain consistent in your decisions without jeopardising this basic prerequisite? “The hotel industry is a specific branch, given that its most important product is a service and that, as such, it is oriented directly towards the client andhas the endgoal of ensuring that client feels good. A logical prerequisite that imposes itself is for hotel staff to work in a good and healthy atmosphere, while, on the other hand, it is unrealistic to expect business processes to run smoothly without formal adherence to the system. My opinion is that, as a manager, one should be open, because people always recognise that, and fair, because in that way you’ll also see criticismas constructive, but the most important thing of all is to be consistent with your principles andwords, because you’ll thereby set an example.” How do you maintain your vision in your work, given that you’re leading three completely different hotels that aren’t even in the same country? “It is true that each of these three hotels has its own specificities, but the essence of their business, which is what I mostly deal with, is actually very similar. I maintainmy vision with the help of teams that deal with them individually, and do so on the spot, with great confidence, adjusting the dynamics of operations in such a way as to align that with the strategy to the greatest possible extent.” We're talking for Elevate, and you've emphasised for us the role of connecting destinations in the tourism industry... “With globalisation growing in both the business and private spheres, connecting destinations in the 21st century is recognised more directly than ever before as an indicator of profitability in the hotel sector. It is a particular wish of ours to position Belgrade high on the list of tourist, congress and sports destinations, and we absolutely recognise Air Serbia as a company that’s one of the leaders in this endeavour. Given the close proximity of the airport and all the amenities that the city has to offer, developing new aviation routes and strengthening the national airline as a brand are more essential prerequisites than ever if our capital is to gain its rightful place under the European sun.” What’s next when it comes to your business? “As a company, we are continuously on the lookout for the best opportunities, addressing the hotel portfolio – we are considering acquisitions of some existing hotels, as well as the development of new projects, the current focus of which is the project for a much-needed 5-star hotel in Belgrade, as well as at least one additional hotel in the region.”
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