Over 100 Best Hospitality Leaders Recognized in the 6th Middle East Hospitality Excellence Awards

Dubai, 2020 November Hozpitality Group had once again proved its support to the hospitality industry despite the current pandemic that the world had been facing now. The 6^thMiddle East Hospitality Excellence Awards had been concluded last 26^thof November, Thursday and was aired liveon all social media platforms at 4pm, Dubai time, via Zoom / Webinar.

Raj Bhatt, CEO and Director of Hozpitality Group facilitates the webinar. He said: "Welcome to a very different, 6th Middle East Hospitality Excellence Awards. Very different, obviously, I feel very awkward but I tried and created as much as we can a stage for ourselves, dressed like I would be at the awards so cannot be the same." Due to the current safety precautions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, gatherings and big events will not be possible. The group usually host the ceremony in a five-star hotel, for the past years, to gather all the heroes in the hospitality industry. He added: "Yet 2020 had changed a lot for all of us. The event is supposed to be held at the Dukes The Palm, a Royal Hideaway Hotel but we have to change it. We are confident that once we come back, we'll come very strong together."

The Middle East Hospitality Excellence Awards is basically a popularity choice award. There were 19 personal categories and 24 corporate categories, wherein, each category will have a GOLD and a Silver Awards winner. Additionally, Judges' Choice Awards were selected from the hospitality industry's finest individual and group who had been showing great support in sustaining the market.

The list of all the award winners can be seen athttps://www.hozpitalityexcellenceawards.com/award-winners/winners-2020

• Here are some of the prominent hospitality leaders who were won the awards:
• Hotelier of the Year - Kevork Deldelian, CEO, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA
• Emirati / Arab Hotelier of the Year - Abdulla Ahmad Al Abdulla, Group COO, Central Hotels
• Entrepreneur of the Year - Suneel Bhambhani, MD, Headlines Bistro and Cafe LLC Dubai
• Business Leader of the Year - Pawan Kachroo, Managing Director, Khamas Hospitality Dubai
• HR Leader of the Year - Mustafa Hassan, Cluster Director of Learning Development, Central Hotels, Dubai
• Arab GM of the Year - Reda Moukhtar, General Manager, Atana Hotel Dubai
• Hospitality Leader of the Year - Guido De Wilde, COO, Marriott International
• Young Hotelier of the Year - Mark Kirby, Area General Manager, Address Hotels and Resorts

Here are some hospitality groups who won the awards:

• Hotel of the Year (5 star) - Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and Spa Dubai
• Hotel of the Year (4 star) - Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights Hotel Suites and Apartments
• Hotel of the Year (Best Weekend Getaway) - The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert
• Hotel of the Year (Best Boutique Hotel) - Grayton Hotel, Dubai
• Best New Luxury Hotel of the Year - Five Jumeirah Village
• Best New Deluxe Hotel of the Year - Delta Hotels by Marriott, Jumeirah Beach
• Hotel Team of the Year - The Canvas Dubai Hotel - MGallery Hotel Collection
• Best Hospitality Employer of the Year - Accor Middle East

Vandana Bhatt, MD, Hozpitality Group said: "The online awards are proof that COVID-19 can slow us down but cannot stop us. We are happy that the winners are happy and are celebrating their win. This year we had over 300 nominations for various categories and over 80,000 votes for the popular choice awards

"The Awards were presented to recognize top industry organizations which have shown skill, creativity, ingenuity and success in the Middle EastNorth Africa'sgrowing hospitality industry," said Raj Bhatt

The online event was made possible with its partner Teddy from Fushia Events. Hozpitality Group had always been very grateful to all of its sponsors and partners: US Beef, Bragard, Delta Food Industries, Ecolab, Zee Network, Wassupdubai, TVT The Visiting Tailor, Absolute Frame and ICCA International Center for Culinary Arts Dubai. And for the continued support that the panel of judges had been giving them: Ibrahim Yaqoot, Filippo Sona; Uwe Micheel, Shiraz Osman, Ron Thomas and Manoj Abraham Mathew.

Raj, feeling optimistic, added: "next year, I'm sure, we will have a much larger celebration. And next year is going to be a good year for all of us."Believe that the next months will get back to normal. The hospitality industry will be back on its feet in no time. And next year's celebration will definitely a blast. On behalf of Hozpitality Group, see you all next year!!!

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About Hozpitality Group:

Hozpitality Group owns the leading hospitality job board in MEA:www.hozpitality.com. A dedicated networking websitewww.hozpitalityplus.com. Exclusive hospitality events company"Hozpitalityplus Events" and hospitality executive search company based in Canada"Hozpitality Consulting". A TV show for the hospitality industry"Hozpitality Buzz The Inside Scoop". The group also organizes the Middle East Hospitality Excellence Awards and the Middle East Chef Excellence Awards in Dubai. The group reaches out to over 1 million dedicated hospitality professionals from over 186 countries.

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About the 6^thMiddle East Hospitality Excellence Awards:

Our Sponsors and Partners:

Silver Sponsors: US Beef Export Federation; Bragard

Category Sponsors: Delta Food Industries FZC; Ecolab

Our Partners: RAK Porcelain; Restofair; Zee Network; Wassupdubai; TVT The Visiting Tailor; Fushia Events; Absolute Frame; ICCA International Center for Culinary Arts Dubai

Our Esteemed Panel of Judges 2020:

Ibrahim Yaqoot Executive Director, HR / Training Solutions of Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM)

Filippo Sona Managing Director, Wood Couture

Uwe Micheel Director of Kitchens, Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek President, Emirates Culinary Guild

Shiraz Osman Chairman and Founder, Delta Food Industries

Ron Thomas Managing Director, Strategy Focus Group

Manoj Abraham Mathew Territory Head (Middle East and North Africa), Zee Network