In Conversation with… Emre Kirazc

The latest developments at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa, establishing Bahrain as a wedding destination and favourite things to do on the island, Director of Operations, Emre shares all this and more.

It’s been a year since you stepped into your current role. What attracted you to this position and are there any major experiences that stand out?
During my professional journey, I have always been motivated to be more involved in the hotel’s day-to-day operations in addition to my other commercial roles. Along with my transition to the Director of Operations position, I had the opportunity to work closely with our fellow heads of department, our general manager and owning company representative. As a milestone achievement of 2022, with extensive team efforts, we delivered a very positive reputation score for the hotel at 92% – the highest reputation score among five-star hotels in the Kingdom. I personally feel privileged and grateful for the guidance and support provided to us by the leadership of our owning company, ZRC Resorts, and Accor Hotels Middle East regional team.

You’ve come a long way, working with globally renowned brands such as Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel. What are the top learnings from this journey that you apply even today?
After an extensive career leading commercial and global sales teams within the hospitality sector, I have developed a natural client-oriented mindset. My mission as Director of Operations is to add further commercial value to the operations, and it’s a great privilege to inspire the Sofitel team and work together with fellow department heads to achieve our objectives while further enhancing the experience of our guests by providing a bespoke and intuitive service.

How has Sofitel contributed to the growth of Bahrain’s tourism sector, particularly in terms of the major wedding events coming from the Indian subcontinent? Please share some recent examples.
We have been allocating large amounts of resources and time to business development from our source markets. We are extremely proud to highlight that we have been hosting the majority of the Indian weddings in the Kingdom and are so grateful to be working with the most prestigious event and wedding planners from India, which has helped us to put our country, Bahrain, as a destination on the radar of these high-profile Indian families and the wedding fraternity, in joint efforts with our esteemed tourism authority office BTEA – Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, as well as the Boutique Charter flight services of our national carrier, Gulf Air.
Indian hospitality service standards are amongst the most impeccable in the world. Our clients are high-net-worth individuals with refined tastes and equally high expectations. A marriage is a matter of great pride and the most important day in the couple’s life together, and we completely understand that. Our objective in 2023 will be to keep attracting these highprofile weddings to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

What surprises can we expect from Sofitel in 2023?
Thanks to the continuous support of our owning company and aiming to expand our offering, we are currently working on the addition of four new villas that will open in the upcoming months, a milestone that will elevate our room inventory inviting guests to spend quality time with friends and family in a private setting here in the magical south of the Kingdom.
On the other hand, situated at the former site of our iconic restaurant Tapas, we bring to the Kingdom, a brand-new restaurant concept where guests will find a blend of GreekMediterranean cuisine, with open-air terrace beverages, an extensive selection of hookah and a specially curated lineup of live entertainment. In addition to this and as part of our current renovation projects, we are working on a property development assignment for our signature Italian restaurant Fiamma with a complete new design of the outlet’s look and feel. Also, we have just completed a redesign of our Lobby Lounge, along with all corridors as well as our conference spaces.
In support of sustainability, farm-to-table is a trend that has been taking the world by storm – and now, we are bringing this concept to the shores of Zallaq. We have recently unveiled our own farm on-site, where guests can tour the garden, which features a variety of herbs and vegetables, and learn about the different types of fresh organic products.

On a personal level what are your favourite things to do in Bahrain when you’re not working?
I am a passionate traveller as I have been intrigued with exploring different cultures since I was a kid. This passion together with my outgoing personality is what brought me to the hospitality industry, and finally to this amazing country.
I love the gastronomic choices that the country offers and spend my spare time discovering new restaurants and hotel concepts and getting inspired by new trends that are always useful to enhance the experience of our guests.
Combined with meditation sessions, cycling, reading and enjoying any activity related to the sea, I have found in martial arts a way to de-stress and release from my hectic daily routine. It’s a very effective way to balance my body and mind.