STANDARD OF QUALITY AND CONFORT

Days Hotel, part of the international Wyndham Hotel Group, is strengthening positions in Azerbaijan Days Hotel Baku, located in one of the business centers of Baku, in Babak Avenue, has become a symbol of comfort and friendliness for the guests coming to the capital of Azerbaijan from all over the world.

The hotel offers its guests fully furnished rooms. It began to operate in 2009 as part of the international hotel chain Wyndham Worldwide and has already won a decent niche in Azerbaijan's tourism sector.

The developments occurring in the country's burgeoning tourism and leisure sector and the current state of the hospitality industry in the run-up to the Eurovision-2012 song contest have been described for Region Plus by the general manager of Days Hotel Baku, Tamer Bektas.

After finishing a hotel and tourism school in Ankara in 1989, Tamer Bektas worked in the hotels of well-known Turkish companies in Ankara, Antalya and Northern Cyprus for many years. Finally, he came to Baku to share his experience with brotherly Azerbaijan.

- The Eurovision song contest will bolster Azerbaijan's international authority. No doubt, hotels have an important role to play in the formation of a positive impression about our country. What is your hotel doing in preparing for the contest?

- Days Hotel Baku is ready to contribute to preparations for the contest. From the very first day of its operation, Days Hotel, which is part of the international hotel chain Wyndham Hotel Group, rigorously adheres to international standards of the hotel business. In this context, the greatest support for us has been our staff. In order to maintain the high quality of service, Days Hotel Baku provides year-round training for staff.

At the same time, all the products offered to our guests meet the most stringent quality standards. High-speed Internet, meeting at the airport, transfer to hotel, breakfast - these are the services we provide for the convenience of our customers.

Also, the safety of our guests is provided at the highest level. Our rooms are equipped with an electronic warning system, security cameras and locks with an electronic control system. I am sure that all these services will enable us to receive the participants of Eurovision with high quality and at an international level.

It should also be noted that the Ministry of Youth and Tourism of Azerbaijan has prepared free introductory brochures promoting the country's historic landmarks and providing information about the different cities of Azerbaijan. This will help the guests of our republic form a complete picture of the country.

- If we draw parallels between the tourist industries of Turkey and Azerbaijan, what would be the distinctive features of Azerbaijan's tourism sector, especially the hotel business?

- Every country, depending on its geographical location and climate, has its own unique features. So it would be wrong to compare countries. At the same time it should be noted that Turkey, due to its extensive experience, natural resources, climate and location, is rightfully considered one of the leaders in the global tourism industry.

Azerbaijan's tourism sector, and indeed all other areas, has been booming in recent years. There is no doubt that the new recreation centers, as well as the significant investment being made in the winter and summer tourism, will soon enable Azerbaijan to reach great heights in this sphere.

- The level of services remains the biggest issue for the tourism industry worldwide, and Azerbaijan is no exception. Do you think that the human resources of Azerbaijan's hotel business meet the requirements of the hospitality industry?

- Our hotel is part of the American hotel chain Wyndham Worldwide, which entails mandatory compliance with strict international requirements. In order to verify the quality of services, our hotel in Baku is visited by foreign experts, which compels us to constantly maintain high standards of service quality.

If we generalize the situation in the market, we may come to the conclusion that the human resources of the hotel business in Azerbaijan do not meet the requirements of the sector. Certain steps are taken in this direction, but in order to bridge this gap there must be support both at the level of schools and through the organization of six-month courses.

Those who successfully complete the training courses will receive both theoretical knowledge of the tourism industry and hands-on skills in one of the tourist sites. This will facilitate the formation of vital expert resources in the country.

It's no secret that those specializing in the hospitality industry at university have absolutely no experience after graduation. As a result, they are faced with serious difficulties at the start of their careers. Days Hotel Baku is trying to fill this gap by organizing numerous courses that help create a staff meeting international standards.

A constant flow of personnel from one tourist site to another has become an urgent issue for the hotel business in Azerbaijan. People prefer not to have long-term employment in one place. This affects the position of hotel owners who are reluctant to organize long-term training programs. As a result, the sector suffers from a shortage of qualified personnel.

Today, every new hotel in Azerbaijan is facing a shortage of qualified personnel. The solution is seen in the opening of vocational schools that would train mid-level professionals for the entire tourism industry.

- What, in your opinion, is the pricing policy of hotels in Azerbaijan in comparison with those of other countries?

- Currently there is a big contrast between the level of tariffs and the quality of services in Azerbaijan. As a result, the country's tourism sector has not reached the expected level. People prefer places where high quality is associated with the quality of service. As I said, this balance can be achieved by increasing the number of qualified professionals.