The FINANCIAL — The Marriott Hotel’s Sales and Marketing direction has been assessed as ‘successful’ by David Bartlett, Area Director of Sales and Marketing, Eastern Europe of Marriott Hotels International. Mr. Bartlett visited Tbilisi last week and said in an interview with The FINANCIAL that the country has exceeded his expectations.
The past positions held by Mr. Bartlett include Market Director, London Sales at Marriott International, Cluster Director of Sales and Marketing at Marriott International, and Pre Opening Director of Marketing at Marriott West India Quay Hotel & Executive Apartments.
“I have been involved in the hospitality industry for 25 years already. I started as a bellboy in one of the hotels in Nottingham. I joined Marriot 14 years ago, starting in the Marriott Renaissance Hotel in Manchester. Now I am responsible for 40+ hotels in 10 countries across Eastern Europe. This was my first visit to Georgia. It’s a beautiful country with wonderful hospitality. I arrived here last Monday evening and was greeted with a very warm welcome from the Director of Sales and Marketing of Marriott Hotels in Georgia,” Bartlett said.
“When I left school I saw a position of bellboy advertised. I always liked meeting people so I knew straightaway that hospitality was in my blood, and that has continued to be true all my career. I love meeting people, love meeting customers and love being part of a skill development programme. That’s why I decided to be involved in the hospitality industry. I do not plan to change profession. I look forward to working in Eastern Europe mainly in terms of opening more hotels in this area for the future of CIS countries and the region of Russia,” Bartlett said.
“The main reason for my visit to Georgia was to come and meet the sales team here, thank them for their business as well meet our owners and top customers. While here I managed to see some customers and thank them for their business. Also during my visit I tried to experience Georgian hospitality as much as possible and see our properties here in Tbilisi. Tbilisi has exceeded my expectations, it’s gorgeous.
During my visit I held no specific trainings for the employees of the Marriot’s Sales and Marketing department. But for the last two days I have been observing what the team does and what the Director of Sales and Marketing does. I also provided some recommendations,” Bartlett said.
According to Mr. Bartlett, the Marriott team in Georgia is doing a fantastic job and that has been confirmed by the customers whom he met here during his visit.
“It’s all about relationships in this market. Alexander Kvaratskhelia, Director of Sales and Marketing and his team have fabulous relations with their customers, plus our hotel is providing great service to achieve bringing customers back to the hotel time and again,” Bartlett said.
“You should always support your team and drive the motivation when you are Director of Sales and Marketing. You should always be passionate about what you do and should always have a great level of sales intensity as well as taking great care of customers through relationship management,” Bartlett said.
“All of the Marriott hotels are great. I cannot single out any one of them in particular. In Eastern Europe we have great hotels in some great countries with truly impressive histories. The great thing about Eastern Europe is that all the people are very proud and passionate about working in Marriott hotels and that’s fantastic. I think that Tbilisi Marriott is clearly a landmark property which is really nice and the Courtyard has a great location in the centre of the city. I find it to be very personal and comfortable for guests,” Bartlett said.
According to Mr. Bartlett being a Director of Sales and Marketing is not very easy and has both advantages and disadvantages.
“The advantages are that you get to meet great people and be introduced to great customers. The disadvantages are that when a hotel is not performing well, it’s normally the sales and marketing department that gets put under the spotlight of what we call the ‘spotlight of sales’,” Bartlett said.
“It has been a wonderful visit to Tbilisi. I am quite satisfied with the work the team have been doing here. The hotels are performing well. I experienced wonderful Georgian hospitality. I think I will definitely come back here with my family for a holiday at some stage,” Bartlett said.
Marriott International is an American diversified hospitality company that manages and franchises a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities. Marriott was founded by J. Willard Marriott in 1927 when he and his wife, Alice Sheets Marriott, opened a root beer stand in Washington, D.C. The Marriotts later expanded their enterprise into a chain of restaurants and hotels; they opened their first hotel, the Twin Bridges Marriott Motor Hotel, in Arlington, Virginia, in 1957.
“As Marriott International has grown to be a leading lodging company with more than 3,700 properties in 74 countries and territories worldwide, we remain grounded in a set of core values: put people first, pursue excellence, embrace change, act with integrity and serve our world. Our relentless focus on innovation and action fuel the way we do business. With the most powerful brand portfolio in the world, we set the bar for the hospitality industry,” Marriott officials declare.
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