Nienke Badia

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Each month, we shine our Spotlight on Hoteliers to understand how 2020 has impacted industry and what’s on the horizon for the future. In this month’s Hotelier Spotlight Interview, we catch up with Nienke Badía, Director of Sales at Great Hotels of the World Member, Hotel Okura in Amsterdam. Here, she shares her take on how 2020 has re-shifted the industry’s focus toward sustainable tourism and the importance of focusing on the workforce.

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We are now targeting local and neighbouring markets such as Germany & Belgium.

What is top of mind for you right now? What is your biggest concern?

Although 2020 has certainly been a challenge for us and the hospitality industry at large, we are now in a position to really evaluate new products and markets that we did not consider previously. As such, our primary focus is to continuously look at where new opportunities may arise and put strategies in place to pursue them.

Of course, changing measures continue to challenge us. One moment we’ll be directing our best efforts toward attracting short-stays from neighbouring markets only to have the regulations change again. Yet, these circumstances also make us resilient and I choose to remain optimistic by focusing on the opportunities we can pursue in the current climate.

In your view, what has your hotel done which has made a difference during this time?

One thing we have done and still do is that we have kept our guest interactions very personal. More so now than ever before, we call each and every guest before their arrival to ensure we meet their needs. We also keep our guests informed of changing regulations whilst offering them flexible options with their reservations. We also guide guests about local attractions that are still available to enjoy in Amsterdam.

What we have also done really well since the start of the crisis is guaranteeing a safe environment. From the 1st of June, when hotels were allowed to reopen again in the Netherlands, we’ve implemented more safety measures than what was and still is required of us. I am very proud to say that since last week we’re the very first hotel in the Netherlands to receive the GBac certification, which just goes to show that everyone at Hotel Okura Amsterdam is taking this seriously and we are acknowledged for that too.

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About Nienke Badía
& Hotel Okura Amsterdam Nienke Badía is the Director of Sales at Hotel Okura in Amsterdam - a Great Hotels of the World member. A strong personable sales professional with great leadership skills, she has a Bachelor focused in Hospitality Management from Hotelschool Den Haag. Hotel Okura Amsterdam has 300 rooms, most of them offering a unique panoramic view of old Amsterdam.

What is the status of your hotel today and what strategies are you prioritizing for recovery?

There is a huge focus on our teams, which we believe are our most important asset. Our priority is to ensure that they receive the support that they need to remain motivated and inspired during this time. Maintaining transparency and communicating on a regular basis is now more important than ever.

In terms of sales and marketing, we have redefined and continue to redefine our target markets. Up until March 2020, we predominantly received guests from the US and the UK, but that is no longer the case. So we are now targeting local and neighbouring markets such as Germany and Belgium.

We also shifted our attention from the business guest to the leisure guest. However, we do know that business guests will return to us and will once again continue to be an important market in the future. With this in mind, We have also partnered with our in-house AV supplier, ACS, for a semi-permanent hybrid set-up in our Grand Ballroom and our Junior Ballroom, that will save time and money once our corporate clients are ready to return.

While so much has changed and continues to change, as a business we maintain sight of the long-term picture. Ultimately, the decisions we make now will impact us for years to come.

In what way has 2020 improved the hotel industry for the future?

One positive outcome from this crisis is the increased focus on the importance of sustainable tourism. Although this has been a topic of discussion for some time now, the industry just kept on going because we were all thriving commercially. We never really paused to focus on how important sustainable tourism really is.

But now that global tourism has stopped, Hoteliers are now looking closely at bringing local tourism back in ways that are beneficial to both the economy and social cohesion. There is also a deeper awareness of the impact of travel and what it means for destinations and local residents. I really believe and hope that the travel industry will maintain this focus.

This crisis has also made local governments more aware of how important this industry is for both the economy and social cohesion - which is a good thing. Since the start of the pandemic here in Amsterdam, we have frequently engaged with other hotels, partners, venues, and governing bodies to strategize how we can promote this destination and attract visitors who will contribute to its sustainability and social cohesion.

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More so now than ever before, we call each and every guest before their arrival to ensure we meet their needs. We also keep our guests informed of changing regulations whilst offering them flexible options with their reservations.

It’s been really inspiring to see how resilient and flexible everyone is, both within Hotel Okura Amsterdam and the wider hotel and hospitality industry.

What is the most surprising and positive thing you have experienced in the midst of these unprecedented times?

What has really motivated me a lot during this time is the creativity and ideas. It’s also been really inspiring to see how resilient and flexible everyone is, both within Hotel Okura Amsterdam and the wider hotel and hospitality industry. We’re being hit incredibly hard and everyone just wants to stand together and support each other.

Prior to the crisis, everyone was doing their best, but there is always room for change and improvement. The current climate has driven everyone to think outside the box in terms of how to bring guests back. Some of these ideas are really incredible. In Hotel Okura Amsterdam specifically, for example, we’ve now launched Okura at Home and also provide virtual site tours.

Within Hotel Okura Amsterdam, I love how there’s this ‘Go-For-It’ mentality and how everyone is thinking of new and creative ways to bring guests back to our hotel. More so than ever before, we now get that synergy between departments. From our General Manager, to Chefs, to Front Office Staff, everyone just wants us to bring the guests back to Hotel Okura Amsterdam.

What are you most looking forward to during these times?

Connecting with people has always been what I do best and what I love the most about my profession. So connecting with colleagues, guests, clients, family, and friends is definitely what I look forward to most.

I think the yearning for connection is stronger now than ever before because we are all weathering the same storm together. Everyone just wants each other to survive and thrive again. Each day, I look forward to speaking to these individuals who give me this energy and motivation to keep going.

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