Service game

While much has been made of the numerous golf developments the Gulf region has rightly become famous for, there’s still the matter of the iconic photo of Andre Agassi and Roger Federer playing tennis on the helipad of the Burj Al Arab in Dubai.

However, despite the region having hosted perhaps the most unique tennis court in the world, tennis management company Peter Burwash International (PBI) president Peter Burwash says that quality courts are by far the exception than the rule when it comes to the Middle East.

“In the Middle East, less than 5% of [tennis] facilities have been done correctly. They put up cement and chain links so most of the courts look like a prison,” he says. “Golf course and fitness centres are done nicely but the tennis is horrendously badly.”

Nevertheless, Burwash is adamant that installing a well-presented and well-run court, with a focus on service, is  a proven way of improving hotel occupancy, and that the Gulf is more than ready for more high-quality courts.

Canadian Burwash’s expertise originates from his time as a professional tennis player between 1967 and 1974. “We would play some tournaments at resorts and clubs and kept hearing managers say ‘Where can I find tennis professionals?’ When I retired I thought it would be a good thing to do so I started in 1975 and it’s been very successful.”

Break point

Burwash reports that in recent years, tennis has acquired something of a negative image as a result of poor marketing and inadequate infrastructure. “The big turning point for tennis clubs took place in 1973 when Billie jean King played Bobby Riggs,” explains Burwash. “Tennis then took off. The problem was that tennis did not have an infrastructure with many good quality teachers. A lot of people got into the sport but didn’t have a good experience, so they left it.” As result, he believes the sport has suffered a serious perception problem as far as hotel managers are concerned. “Most people in the resort industry believed that tennis declined in popularity and is still in decline.”

However, the reality is quite different. According to Burwash, tennis was the only sport in the world to grow in numbers of participants last year. “According to the Tennis Industry Association, which monitors tennis globally, tennis has grown 14% over the last two years,” he says.

Tennis is also seeing growth in the Gulf and Burwash believes the time is right for the sport to become more popular within the region. PBI set up operations in locations such as Dubai and Al Ain during the 1980s but lifestyle factors have increased the popularity of tennis.

“Adults are quite keen because they’ve taken on the ‘standard American diet’ and the end result is I’ve noticed the expansion of the waist typical to Americans, but in the Middle East,” explains Burwash. “A lot of adults are seeing tennis as a good exercise. The problem is the kids don’t quite have the motivational desire to yet, the real fire in their belly to be strong competitive players. The local kids want it to be more fun as opposed to competitive. We have to adjust accordingly and make it really fun for the kids and create those exercises.”Tennis is also a surprisingly crucial factor for tourists when selecting a hotel.

“The typical setup for a husband and wife travelling these days is the husband plays golf and the wife plays tennis. But 95% of the decisions as to where they’re going to go are made by the wife,” says Burwash. “The point here is trying to educate management to not cut back on the tennis, to do it properly and realise the value of a very powerful amenity to generate room business.”

Of course, the fact remains that tennis is predominantly an outdoor game, and the summer heat and humidity can discourage play. Nevertheless, Burwash believes it is still possible to create a facility that has year-round appeal.

“You should use covered courts. Indoor courts are expensive,” he says. “[Covered courts] can cut the temperature by 20-25 degrees. That makes a huge difference. If it’s unbearable, then put in some fans to keep the air circulating. That is something that needs to be seriously looked at if you want to create a year-round programme.”

He also suggests that coaches shift sessions to early in the morning or later in the evening, when the climate is less oppressive. Burwash also points out that not all parts of Middle East are as affected by humidity, such as in Beirut, where PBI has recently opened new courts. “In some parts it’s a dry heat, so in the evening it can be a pleasant experience,” he says. “We just started the programme three months ago and there’s been a huge turnout. I was a little concerned at the beginning because as president I have to make sure the safety factor is there, but it’s worked out very nicely.”

Second service

Burwash is very clear on the importance of good facilities, and indeed corporate reputation, in increasing occupancy in hotels. “People have identified where we are and that we choose really good quality destinations, so they trust our judgement. We’ve a lot of people who travel because of our programme and that helps room business and makes for a nice union with the resort or club,” he says.

The focus is in fact less on tennis, and more on service, which Burwash explains is why PBI tends to focus on 5-star properties. “When you get into the high end you can be really service focused because you’ve more to work with,” he says. “I haven’t seen too many three-star facilities that really have a grasp of what service is all about, and in the end, that’s what makes it work. I tell all of our professionals when we hire them that they’re not coming into the tennis business, they’re coming into the service business first and foremost.”

He stresses that a successful operation requires everyone involved with the tennis to be knowledgeable about other aspects of the hotel. “We really stress that all our tennis pros know a lot about the spa, the golf, the swimming, so they can cross-market,” says Burwash. “That’s a big mistake that a lot of facilities have made. Five-star hotels need to get across how important service is to all their employees, otherwise they won’t be able to command the rate.”