Dubai He started business at the age of 18 — five years after he had left home to start something on his own. Ten years after he dropped out of school, Fettah Tamince became the largest taxpayer in Turkey — at the age of 23.
Now 40, Tamince, Chairman of Rixos Hotels and Sembol Construction Company (SML), is dedicating part of his resources to develop human capital that will help Turkish businesses expand globally.
Although his main business remains construction and real estate, he took a keen interest in the hotel business. Today, his company Rixos Hotels has 18 properties under management and another 10 under development.
With an employee strength of 13,000, his group of companies generates $1.3 billion (Dh4.77 billion) turnover.
Thursday he opened the first Rixos Hotel in Dubai — on the Palm Jumeirah island, following last month's visit by Turkish President Abdullah Gul. His company has also announced its second project in Ras Al Khaimah.
He is establishing a university in Antalya — the Turkish province where his origins lie — where students will not have to spend four years to get a degree.
"Fifty years ago, you had a four-year course to become a graduate. But why even now — when you have almost all the information in your fingertips and in Google — you need four years to become a graduate?" he says.
His International University of Antalya will receive students from September this year.
"My advice to students will be — do in two years what others do in four and the rest of the two years — do what others have missed," he quips.
In an exclusive interview, he expressed his opinions on a number of issues. Excerpts:
Gulf News: Don't you feel you have entered this market a little late — where all other hoteliers have already established their presence? Your chain might have difficulty in attracting tourists?
Fettah Tamince: It depends on how you look at it. It's never late to enter any market if you have the right product because there is always a demand for the right product, right hotel and the right services.
Yes, there are lots of hotels in Dubai and they are good. But there is also demand. So, our presence could cater to future needs and also create more demand for quality services.
How? Could you elaborate?
By creating new market, new demand. You see, we are here to bring business — additional business. That way, we would compliment the growth of the tourism industry of the UAE.
We are here with a long-term commitment. With our presence, we will strengthen Dubai's position as a leading tourism destination. We want to be one of the most important players in this economy.
We have a beautiful location — at the last end of the Crescent of the Palm Jumeirah overlooking Dubai's coast and the Burj Al Arab. You are surrounded by the Arabian Gulf on three sides.
With Rixos Dubai, we are creating a destination. We want to develop our business by adding value to the market.
Why would a guest choose to stay in your hotel among 575 others in this city? What possible difference could your hotel make?
A hotel is not just about having a nice room or a meal. It's about the experience. No one takes care of the guests and families the way we do — starting from the time you have booked a room or suite.
For example, we learn about our guests soon after they have booked with us. Information about the guest is sourced from a number of sources. Sometimes our system generates information. So, by the time a guest enters the hotel, he is greeted by name and everyone at the reception and valet knows about the guest.
These days, you can Google a person and can download data and information about the guest. It's the personal touch that matters to guests.
Our people would try to find out about the guest's tastes, preference of comfort, choice of room and selection of food before the guest arrives.
We have a natural obligation to each guest who pays a price to stay. It becomes our duty to understand who we are serving.
A millionaire should be treated according to his level and status. If the hotel staff are not accustomed to this, then the hotel's service is bound to be the same as others.
My view is, if you have booked for a dinner, why do you have to announce your name at the restaurant and wait for them to find out about the booking, confirm your identity and then escort you to the table. It's ridiculous, especially in this advanced information age.
This is how we are different. We know our guests, not only by their name, but by their tastes, habits, levels and choices. The services are delivered accordingly.
As I said, it's all about experience that we offer. This is how Rixos will create its difference in the market.
What else do you have as your unique selling points?
For families, for example, our staff will take care of your children separately, the wife according to her choice/tastes. We have a team dedicated for the children.
Suppose a family checks in to our hotel. The father is here because he has business meetings. He probably brought the family for tour — after business hours.
Once he is away on business meetings, the rest of the family doesn't need to be confined to the room. They will be treated as per their choices. The wife might opt for shopping while the children want to play within the hotel. We do everything so that the diverse interests are cat-ered to. That way, we take care of the entire family — without additional cost by providing additional value.
How do you manage such diverse needs at the same time, in addition to the swimming, spa, health club and dining?
We give the guests full freedom. For example, we don't tell when they should eat, drink, go to spa or the swimming pool. Why do you have to book a spa treatment?
You dictate your timing. Our job is to deliver the service at your preferred time. How many hotels here do these?
It obviously requires additional manpower. We deploy them as per the guest's needs.
I believe you are signing up for more hotels in the UAE and the region. What are your plans for the region?
We want to grow in the region and strengthen our position fast. We have ten more hotels currently under development. We are also talking with a number of hotel investors and developers to increase the pipeline.
On the construction side, we have a presence in the UAE and we plan to build on our business gradually.
The group currently employs 13,000 people, mostly from Turkey and spread across ten countries. We have an annual turnover of $1.3 billion.
Could you shed some light on some of your major projects?
We are building one of the largest theme parks in Europe, with a cost of $1.6 billion to be completed in 2014.
This is still a private conglomerate. Do you plan to take it public?
Yes, in 10-12 months we want the real estate vertical of the company to float on the Istanbul Stock Market.
Background
Dubai Fettah Tamince was born in 1972 in Van. He attended Gazi Lisesi in Antalya, Turkey, and studied Economics and German Literature at LMU in Munich, Germany.
Tamince began his business activities early on, during his years at university. Today his activities and investments extend to a wide range of industries including tourism, hotel management and investment, construction and real estate development. With an astute look into the fast growing establishing countries, Tamince directed his business activities within Eastern Europe and the Middle East specifically in Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Croatian, UAE, Libya and more.
Established in 2000, Sembol's achievements include during its short time span: The construction projects of luxury hotels, entertainment and shopping centres, sport complexes, residences, mix-used developments, congress and media centres, hospitals.
Fettah Tamince's long-standing support to education started by providing continual scholarships to qualified students and grew with the establishment of Zahide — M. Salih Tamince High School in Çaldıran county of eastern Turkish city of Van.
Tamince's advocacy evolved as the Fettah Tamince Maritime Vocational High School welcomed its first students for the 2010-2011 school year.
He is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of International University of Antalya.
