Omani hospitality champion winners feted
Published: 04:10 PM,Oct 11,2023 | EDITED : 08:10 PM,Oct 11,2023
MUSCAT: The Omani Hospitality Champions 2023 winners were honoured on Tuesday. The awards in 28 categories were shortlisted from 146 nominations received from 24 properties across Oman.
The awards function was held on October 10 at Sheraton Oman under the auspices of Sayyid Tarik bin Shabib al Said, Director, Renaissance Services, in the presence of Azzan bin Qassim al Busaidy, Under-Secretary, Ministry of Tourism.
The event, organised jointly by Apex Media and National Hospitality Institute (NHI), is considered a morale booster for young Omanis to join the hospitality industry and take up diverse roles. It is also an acknowledgement of the professionalism shown by senior employees in varied hotels and resorts who have shown the way for the new generation over the years.
The 28 categories included regular awards for front office, housekeeping, mastery in the kitchen, as well as special awards for 'Unsung Hero', and 'Young Hotelier of the Year'. A new category - Lifetime Achievement Award – was introduced for an individual who has dedicated a significant number of years to working successfully in the industry. The selection is done based on testimonials from his/her management and colleagues, besides guest feedback.
Laila Zakwani, Executive Director, Apex Media, said, “It was great to see the awards growing in strength every year – which was quite evident from the overwhelming number of nominations received this year. These awards have been instituted not just to reward excellence in the hospitality industry on varied fronts, but also to encouraging young Omanis to consider fulfilling careers in this field.”
Robert MacLean, Principal, NHI, the architect who crafted these awards to encourage young Omanis to bring in more professionalism in this field, said, “These awards have been designed to celebrate the contributions of Omani talent in the hospitality sector in Oman. I am particularly impressed by the calibre of the nominated individuals from various properties. The judges would have had a tough time shortlisting the 'best from among the best'. I congratulate those who made it to the top this year and hope they will continue in the same spirit as well as provide an example for others to follow suit.”
The awards function was held on October 10 at Sheraton Oman under the auspices of Sayyid Tarik bin Shabib al Said, Director, Renaissance Services, in the presence of Azzan bin Qassim al Busaidy, Under-Secretary, Ministry of Tourism.
The event, organised jointly by Apex Media and National Hospitality Institute (NHI), is considered a morale booster for young Omanis to join the hospitality industry and take up diverse roles. It is also an acknowledgement of the professionalism shown by senior employees in varied hotels and resorts who have shown the way for the new generation over the years.
The 28 categories included regular awards for front office, housekeeping, mastery in the kitchen, as well as special awards for 'Unsung Hero', and 'Young Hotelier of the Year'. A new category - Lifetime Achievement Award – was introduced for an individual who has dedicated a significant number of years to working successfully in the industry. The selection is done based on testimonials from his/her management and colleagues, besides guest feedback.
Laila Zakwani, Executive Director, Apex Media, said, “It was great to see the awards growing in strength every year – which was quite evident from the overwhelming number of nominations received this year. These awards have been instituted not just to reward excellence in the hospitality industry on varied fronts, but also to encouraging young Omanis to consider fulfilling careers in this field.”
Robert MacLean, Principal, NHI, the architect who crafted these awards to encourage young Omanis to bring in more professionalism in this field, said, “These awards have been designed to celebrate the contributions of Omani talent in the hospitality sector in Oman. I am particularly impressed by the calibre of the nominated individuals from various properties. The judges would have had a tough time shortlisting the 'best from among the best'. I congratulate those who made it to the top this year and hope they will continue in the same spirit as well as provide an example for others to follow suit.”