Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

Accor's MEA CEO Mark Willis On How His Hospitality Brand Handled The Impact Of The COVID-19 Pandemic "We've been heavily impacted over the last six months, but now is the time to look forward and take a positive position on what that future looks like."

You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

With great certainty, we can say that hardly ever have CEOs of hotel chains seen as strong an impact on their businesses as the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview with Entrepreneur Middle East, Mark Willis, CEO - Middle East and Africa, Accor, talks about managing a crisis of a lifetime -travel restrictions and national lockdowns causing the instability of economies and businesses around the world- and how Accor's people and guest-focused approach to the COVID-19 pandemic helped them to emerge stronger. "We've been heavily impacted over the last six months, but now is the time to look forward and take a positive position on what that future looks like," says Willis. "We have a portfolio of wonderful brands at Accor, and although the market remains subdued, that will not last. As you move out of 2020 and into 2021, the dynamics of business and the demand in our industry will start to come back."

Related: Experiences Matter: Yigit Sezgin, Chief Commercial Officer - MEA, Accor, On How The Hospitality Brand Is Driving Its Offerings In The Post COVID-19 Era

Entrepreneurs

Get Set For The Third Edition Of Red Sea Foodtech Connect Taking Place In Riyadh On June 11, 2024, Under The Theme "Meet The Big"

Key stakeholders across Saudi Arabia's public and private foodtech sectors are expected to be brought together at Red Sea Foodtech Connect 2024.

Business News

Stripchat Becomes First Adult Cam Site to Launch a SPAC

Yep, that's where we are with the stock market now.

Side Hustle

This Young Professional Left Her Job in Finance After Her Remote Side Hustle Took Off and Made $65,000: 'My Idea Solves a Universal Problem'

Ruta Drungilaite got creative during the pandemic lockdowns — and stumbled upon a lucrative business opportunity.

Branding

10 Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Digital Branding With User-Generated Content

Struggling to outshine established industry giants? Learn how to apply user-generated content for powerful digital branding in this comprehensive guide and build your brand's unique recognition in the market.

Starting a Business

Business Licenses and Permits

Compliance is key when starting a business. Find out which permits you need to obtain for your new venture.

Marketing

How Facebook's New Campaign Budget Optimization Feature Will Affect Your Business

Facebook has announced that all ad campaigns on the platform will start running with Campaign Budget Optimization (CBO) starting from September 2019, here's how you can leverage the opportunity for your campaigns.