Hospitality
How Innovations Group Is Powering the UAE’s Hospitality Workforce
Exclusive Interview with Nikhil Nanda, Director, Innovations Group

What are the current hiring trends in the UAE’s Hospitality sector, and how have they evolved in past few years?
Over the past few years, the UAE’s Hospitality sector has seen a remarkable shift—not so much in the types of roles being hired, but in the volume and flexibility of those roles. With the exponential growth of new hotel developments, especially in cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, hiring numbers have surged.
The most significant evolution has been the rise of flexible and seasonal staffing models, particularly for back-of-house roles. Hotels are now opting for part-time or short-term workforce models—often deployed through staffing companies—to meet peak seasonal demands. For instance, during high tourist seasons, roles like housekeeping and cleaning staff are brought in for 2–4 month stints, ensuring optimal operations without long-term cost commitments.
Are there any specific roles or skillsets that are particularly in high demand across the hospitality industry today?
Yes, there’s a clear surge in demand for back-of-house roles, including housekeeping, public attendants, lifeguards, and general cleaning staff.
This demand is closely tied to the unexpected rise in summer tourism. Traditionally, the summer was a relatively quieter season, but with more tourists choosing the UAE year-round, hotels have had to adjust. Many were not prepared for the increased occupancy, which has pushed operational teams to scale up support functions rapidly and efficiently.
Would you be able to share percentage growth of the hiring graph in this segment?
We’ve observed a 70% increase in back-of-house hiring over the past five years. This growth is directly tied to rising hotel openings, the UAE’s push to become a global tourism hub, and the increasing preference for flexible staffing models that allow employers to scale efficiently during high and low seasons.
How are hospitality employers in the UAE adapting their recruitment strategies to attract and retain top talent?
Hospitality employers are becoming increasingly strategic and global in their talent sourcing. They are now tapping into new geographies such as Eastern Europe (e.g., Moldova, Georgia), East Asia, Kazakhstan, and large parts of Africa, especially for English-speaking back-of-house staff. These regions are emerging as rich talent pools that offer both diversity and reliability.
Retention, on the other hand, is being driven by improvements in workplace culture—including the introduction of flexible shifts, cultural sensitivity programs, team engagement initiatives, and third-party staffing models that enable work-life balance. Hotels understand that talent today prioritizes not just pay, but respect, growth, and a positive work environment.
What solutions does Innovations Group offer to support large-scale or high-volume hospitality staffing needs in the region?
At Innovations Group, we specialize in scalable hospitality staffing solutions that cater to both ongoing and project-based needs. Whether it’s a pre-opening ramp-up or managing peak-season demand, we provide:
- – Volume hiring support for new and expanding hotels
- – Experienced back-of-house talent from an existing, vetted pool
- – Flexible work models (monthly, seasonal, or quarterly contracts)
- – Deployment-ready staff with prior hospitality experience
- – Geographically diverse sourcing through our global recruitment channels
What sets us apart is our ability to move quickly and match hotels with hospitality professionals who understand the pace and standards of UAE’s hospitality sector. This blend of speed, scale, and service makes us a trusted partner to many leading hotel brands in the region.
Hospitality
Giza Palace Hotel & Spa Partners with IDeaS to Implement Advanced Revenue Management Capabilities
IDeaS, a SAS company and the world’s leading provider of hospitality revenue management software and services, has deployed the G3 Revenue Management System (RMS) at Giza Palace Hotel & Spa in Cairo, Egypt.
A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Giza Palace Hotel & Spa is a brand-new luxury hotel in a prime location in West Cairo. The grandiose hotel features 560 rooms, eight distinctive dining venues, a spa, and extensive conference and meeting facilities. Blending architectural excellence with a curated art collection, the hotel is renowned for its exceptional service and guest experience.
The hotel is owned by Travco Group International, whose hospitality arm, the JAZ Hotel Group, is one of the region’s most prominent hotel operators, with a growing portfolio of over 68 hotels and resorts across Egypt and Zanzibar.
The deployment of IDeaS G3 RMS enables the hotel team to optimize revenue management decisions through precise forecasting, dynamic pricing, and inventory management, as well as streamlined group displacement evaluations and the automation of routine tasks.
A key factor in Giza Palace Hotel & Spa’s selection was IDeaS’ ability to effectively manage the complexity of its inventory. With more than 11 room and suite types across three room categories and eight suite configurations, the property requires advanced predictive analytics to position each room type competitively in one of the region’s most dynamic markets.
IDeaS’ Group Pricing capability addresses another critical segment of the business – the projected impact of displaced demand across their diverse inventory mix – by delivering real-time insights into the value of group business. Designed for speed and simplicity, the feature enables better-informed decisions that account for the full depth of the hotel’s offering, while preserving commercial flexibility.
Alaa Akel, CEO & Chairman JAZ Hotel Group commented:“Giza Palace was created with a clear ambition to set a new benchmark for luxury hospitality in Cairo. Our partnership with IDeaS supports that vision bringing advanced revenue management capabilities to our commercial strategy, allowing us to make smarter decisions, respond to market demand and drive sustainable growth.”
Ibrahim Saba, Principal Sales Director – Europe, Middle East & Africa at IDeaS commented: “Giza Palace Hotel & Spa is exactly the kind of landmark property where intelligent revenue management makes a measurable difference. With a large inventory and a significant conferencing operation, the team is managing considerable complexity across multiple revenue streams. G3 RMS gives them the forecasting precision and group pricing intelligence to ensure every booking reflects the true commercial value of each piece of business.”
Hospitality
VEGO Expands Beyond Its Café Roots with Launch of Full-Service Kitchen Concept
VEGO Cafe and Confectionery is entering a new chapter with the launch of its full-service kitchen concept, transforming the homegrown brand from a neighbourhood café into a comprehensive vegetarian dining destination.
Built on years of customer feedback, catering experience and growing demand for more diverse vegetarian options, the expansion reflects VEGO’s commitment to offering greater variety without compromising on quality or flavour.
“While Dubai’s dining scene continues to evolve, we identified a gap for a concept that brings together premium ingredients, innovative cooking and accessible pricing within a fully vegetarian setting. This expansion has allowed us to move beyond café favourites and introduce a broader menu that spans everything from street-style chaats and handcrafted dim sums to pizzas, pastas and traditional Indian curries.” said Kashyap Sajnani, Co-founder and Managing Director of VEGO Cafe and Confectionery.
Inspired by Indian flavours, family traditions, global travel and Dubai’s diverse culinary landscape, the new menu reflects VEGO’s philosophy of combining comfort food with thoughtful innovation. Signature dishes include the Ghewar Chaat, Gochujang Tofu Bowl, Sindhi Curry, Indian Handrolls, Dim Sums and VEGO’s signature Mango Dessert. The expanded menu is also available for catering, extending VEGO’s new offering beyond the dining space for private gatherings, celebrations and events.
Nearly all components, including sauces, spice blends and key ingredients, are prepared in-house to ensure consistency, quality and value, while the breadth of the menu has been designed to appeal to diners of all ages.
Complementing the culinary expansion is a refreshed visual identity that reflects VEGO’s growth while retaining the warmth, vibrancy and approachable character that customers have come to know and love. As part of the expansion, the space has also been renovated and the brand logo refreshed, giving the café a renewed look to match its next chapter. The updated look reinforces the brand’s long-term vision of becoming a go-to destination for vegetarian dining in the UAE.
“We wanted to build a place where grandparents, parents and children can all sit around the same table and find something they genuinely love,” added Kashyap Sajnani, Co-founder and Managing Director of VEGO Cafe and Confectionery. “If people leave feeling like they’ve had an incredible meal at a fair price and can’t wait to come back, then we’ve achieved exactly what we set out to do.”
To mark the expansion, VEGO is offering guests 15% off all dine-in orders until 31 October. Pricing across the menu remains aligned with the brand’s long-standing commitment to value-driven dining.
Hospitality
SANA Celebrates Its First Anniversary An Evening of Uzbek Culture, Culinary Theatre and Live Entertainment

SANA marks its first anniversary on 1 October with a celebration at its Madinat Jumeirah restaurant, followed by an afterparty at Moon Bar. From a traditional Uzbek welcome to a theatrical dining moment, the evening brings together the food, music and hospitality at the heart of SANA.
The celebration begins at 7:00 PM. For the first 40 minutes, a traditional Uzbek band will perform as two hostesses dressed in traditional Uzbek robes welcome guests with sparkling wine. A live illustrator will create personalised sketches for guests from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Dinner begins at 7:30 PM, with guests invited to choose between SANA’s à la carte menu and a special anniversary set menu priced at AED 450 per person. At 8:30 PM, the slow-roasted leg of lamb will be unveiled in a theatrical presentation accompanied by a belly dance performance to Uzbek music.
The evening’s second live music performance begins at 9:00 PM, when Sculer Band takes the stage followed by the anniversary birthday cake.
From 11:00 PM, the celebration continues at Moon Bar, where headline DJ BKOFMAN and ARKOV will play sets for the afterparty.
Event details
- Date: 1 October | Welcome reception: From 7:00 PM
- Dinner: From 7:30 PM | Location: SANA, Mina Al Salam, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai
- Dining options: À la carte or anniversary set menu at AED 450 per person | Afterparty: Moon Bar, from 11:00 PM | View the anniversary menu
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