HVS COVID19 Middle East Update - Government Initiatives at a Glance

Government initiatives at a glance- the tourism industry contributes up to 12% of the GDP of these countries. How was the sector impacted and what is the near to mid-term outlook? Share with us your views, we would love to hear from you.
Hala Matar Choufany The tourism and hospitality sector that added joy and adventure to our travel experience, connected us globally and created working opportunities is now badly hurt and will take time to recover but the support from all stakeholders including governments, management companies, developers, owners, employers and employees has also been remarkable. We chose to look forward to a strong and safe come back... we should prepare for the future traveller needs and understand how these unprecedented times will impact their behaviour and preferences. Stay tuned for more thoughts and opinions on the future of the industry.

Government initiatives at a glance- the tourism industry contributes up to 12% of the GDP of these countries.
 

How was the sector impacted and what is the near to mid-term outlook? Share with us your views, we would love to hear from you.

Hala is an experienced Regional President and Managing Partner, an industry expert, and is recognized as one of the most influential leaders in the hospitality industry, notably in the Middle East and Africa region.

Hala has advised on more than 5,000 hospitality and mixed-use projects in the last 20 years across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. She has advised clients in areas such as Valuations, Acquisitions, Asset Management, Strategic investments and development, Contract Negotiations, and general Real Estate Strategic Advisory.

Hala has authored more than 50 publications and speaks frequently at investment and hospitality related conferences on a range of topics including asset valuation, investments, management issues and women leadership.

In addition to being a Board Member of HVS Global, Hala sits on the Boards of Harvard Business School Club of the GCC, Hotel Investment Advisory Board, and is regularly invited to Boards as a subject matter expert in the industry. Hala is frequently invited to discuss hotel and tourism trends on major news channel including Alarabiya, Bloomberg, Abu Dhabi TV, Forbes, Breaking Travel News and CNN.

Hala is also a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC). 

Hala completed Executive Education at Harvard Business School. She also holds an MBA in Finance and Strategy from IMHI (Essec- Cornell) University, Paris, France and a BA in Hospitality Management from Notre Dame University, Lebanon. Hala is fluent in English, French and Arabic.

Born in Beirut, Hala lived and worked in several cities across Europe, Asia and Middle East and is a mother of three.


For more information, contact Hala at [email protected].

About Irmak Sen

Irmak Sen is a research analyst working with HVS Middle East & Africa. Irmak is bilingual in Turkish and English and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in International Hospitality Management from Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne with concentrations on Hotel Development and investments. Prior to joining HVS, Irmak has held various operational and administrative internship positions in hotels and hospitality related sectors across Europe, Asia and Middle East. Since joining HVS, Irmak has been supporting the team with research for projects and publications.

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