Oman-: With the end of the year approaching, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort reflects on its performance in 2020 and celebrates areas of success despite a challenging year all whilst looking forward to the full recovery of Oman’s travel and tourism industry in 2021.
As with all hotels in the travel and tourism industry, globally, the secluded mountain haven experienced setbacks during the year. As the entire industry works to rebuild and restructure following the pandemic, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar has been able to mitigate the impacts on the resort, since it’s reopening in 4 July 2020, by adopting proactive solutions as well as responding and adapting to changing industry dynamics.
In Q3 2020, during the summer season, the resort was also able to capitalize on its unique location and mountain climes to draw guests from across the country for a relaxing getaway, generating a revenue stream which surpassed the previous year’s results within the same period.
Capitalising on the down time imposed by the initial lockdown in Oman, the resort took the opportunity to make upgrades to its property including the new Extreme Jabal Activity Wall, improved main infinity pool, revamped private villa pools, refurbished spa facilities, and most anticipated of all, The Royal Edge. Additionally, the resort was able to dedicate time to strategize a multitude of operational practices to ensure the highest hygiene standards upon its impending reopening.
The popular mountain destination also celebrated a wide range of wins throughout the year, most noteworthy the efficacious Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives undertaken by team members. Located within the spectacular Hajar mountain range, home to beautiful heritage sites and historical destinations, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar is dedicated to appreciating team members, giving back to its immediate community and fostering the preservation of neighbouring villages.
The resort successfully completed a total of 15 CSR activities in 2020, with three of these activities involving the clean-up of surrounding areas, including an initiative for World Clean Up Day 2020, culminating in approximately 3600kg of waste cleaned up by the team during the year.
From a health and wellness day for female team members during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to a donation for the purchase of essential hospital supplies at the local Al Jabal Al Akhdar Health Centre, some of the most noteworthy initiatives include contribution of second-hand linens to the Jabal Akhdar Hospital and Al Wafa Rehabilitation Centre and the repair and donation of 120 recycling bins to nearby villages.
Ending the year on a strong note, the resort also received a string of accolades from the industry’s top awards programmes, affirming its position as a strong contender within the travel and tourism sector. Some of the most notable award recognitions include Oman’s Leading Luxury Presidential Villa in the World Travel Awards 2020, Best 50 Hotels in the Middle East in the Hotelier Middle East Awards 2020 and 2nd place in the Middle East as well as Top 50 worldwide in the Condé Nast Traveller (US/UK) Readers’ Choice Awards 2020.
Speaking of the resort’s performance over the year, Rami Farhat, Acting General Manager at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar mentioned, “We are incredibly proud of how our property performed in response to the challenges faced over the year. Our dedicated team members were instrumental in maintaining our operational stability and ensuring that we remained afloat regardless of the obstacles that presented itself through the year. It is so great to see our hard work and perseverance pay off and we hope for much brighter days in 2021”
In anticipation of the new year, Siraj Memon, Director of Sales and Marketing at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar added, “With Oman being one of the safest countries to travel, we expect local travel to forge ahead and are optimistic that the industry will bounce back in the new year, thereby presenting growth opportunities for our property. Given that airlines are now ramping up their operations in 2021, we predict the industry fully bouncing back by the fourth quarter.” Siraj continued, “This coupled with our continued efforts, dynamic strategies and new improvements to upgrade the resort, we are optimistic of a fruitful year ahead.”