2020, The Year That Was: Charlie Weaving, Managing Partner, LIVIT Hospitality Management

It's no secret that the COVID-19 crisis has hit the hospitality sector especially hard in 2020, and Charlie Weaving, Managing Partner of LIVIT Hospitality Management, a Dubai-based enterprise that provides comprehensive management services in the lifestyle hospitality sector, is just one of the many people working in this industry who will attest to this- but that doesn't necessarily mean that it has been all doom and gloom here either.

According to Weaving, whose company manages venues like Cove Beach and The Bungalow in Dubai, "it ain't over "til the fat lady sings," and that's the lens through which he and his team decided to react to the COVID-19 crisis in 2020. "Out of this pandemic, there have been many success stories and new opportunities created," Weaving notes. "In other ways, the situation has lowered the over-saturation of the market, and businesses that have been able to adapt, evolve, and overcome adversity in 2020 remain. Personally, when this pandemic first hit, I went through various stages of disbelief, thinking, "They surely couldn't close restaurants and hotels, could they?' Then, lockdown hit, the calls started coming in, we were told we had to close, and the situation worsened. At that point, I was really stuck. Normally, I feel that I am a strong problem-solver, but I had no solutions. After about two weeks stuck in the house, I woke up one morning, and thought, "Right, let's spin this into a positive, and start signing deals now!' And off we went again."

It's this attitude that seems to have served Weaving and his team at LIVIT well- he now proudly declares that the last quarter of 2020 has been one of the busiest and most successful of his career. And that, in turn, augurs well for the new year ahead- here's hoping.

Related: The Year That Was: Abdulla Almoayed, Founder and CEO, Tarabut Gateway

Time for introspection: Charlie Weaving reflects on 2020

1/ Be ready for anything "Take what you have learnt from this situation to adapt and evolve your business strategy, so that you are equipped to emerge stronger as a company from a crisis in the future."

2/ Take on projects with the potential to thrive not only in normal market conditions, but also in times of crisis "At LIVIT, we strive to create unique homegrown hospitality experiences across all segments of the sector, from three-star through to seven- star projects. The diversity of our brands, combined with the consistency of our exceptional service standards, has enabled us to go from strength to strength during 2020."

3/ Look for the silver linings "You can always work harder and smarter when you are up against it!"

Related: The Year That Was: Halima Jumani, Director, Kibsons