Member of the Jordanian House of Senate, Michael Nazzal is also a hotelier and owner of several tourism institutions in Jordan. With an experience in the hospitality sector that spans over 25 years, Michael Nazzal shares with Bayt.com valuable insights and advice for young professionals across the region.
Michael Nazzal was born in Amman in 1956. Michael is considered a leader in the hospitality industry in Jordan and around the region. He is a graduate of the renowned Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland. Michael has been chairing the Jordan Hotel Association (JHA) since 1988 and the Federation of Tourism Associations since 2005. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), as well as the Founder and Member of the Board at the Jordanian Applied University. Michael is personally involved in education, energy, and environmental issues, and is very active on social media (you can follow him on Twitter at @MichaelNazzal).
Jordan is my home. I was born here, grew up in Amman, and started my career in a country that hasn’t ceased to grow economically ever since it was founded. Jordan lies in the center of the Middle East and with the vision of the Hashemite family and its people, the country will become the main hub of trade, tourism, and transport in the region. Calmness and peace are also main characteristics of the country.
I am a morning person and from the minute I wake up, I am on-the-go. I start my day by reading all the news specially those related to tourism, then checking my emails, and of course responding and posting on social media (Facebook and Twitter) to all my friends and followers. I visit the Ammon complex (that houses the Jordan Applied College for Hospitality and tourism as well as the Hotel Association and the Tourism Board) then I go to meetings in the Senate or to other related activities. In the afternoon, and after a get together with the family for lunch, I get on my computer to follow up on work issues followed by late afternoon meetings or events.
The hospitality industry is a people-oriented industry that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some key skills below will contribute to the success of people working in the exciting and challenging field of hospitality: 1. Building relationships: Creating good working relationships with the people around you is critical to the success of being able to deliver a job, relying heavily on other stakeholders to succeed. 2. A good smile: If you want to work in the services industry, ensuring that your customers feel welcome is always a critical element of your role. 3. Communication skills: Communicating is important for services to run smoothly. 4. Can-do attitude: People who have a can-do attitude always stand out in a manager or director’s radar. 5. Multitasking: This is an industry where you need to be able to juggle multiple tasks. 6. Sound knowledge: Know your products and services, and be prepared for continued training. 7. Flexibility: Most jobs within this industry do not have the standard hours of 9 to 5; so you must be prepared to put in the hours. 8. Personal presentation: Putting your best foot forward is essential. 9. Lastly, the most important attribute is passion: Loving what you do is always the key to success.
The first project I dreamt of doing in Jordan was having a hotel in the Dead Sea. I asked for a parcel of land, and at that time the area was a closed military zone. It took me 6 years of continuous nagging before I was finally given the option to rent any parcel I choose. After inspecting the area and evaluating the hot spring area as an option, I chose the location of the current hotel zone which was the widest between the road and the beach. I built the Dead Sea Spa Hotel and opened it in July 31, 1990. The Kuwait invasion happened a couple of days later and the business suffered for a few years. It was only ten years later, when more hotels opened, that the property started having a better flow of business. Today, and after a major renovation and expansion, I am proud to have been the pioneer of the Dead Sea tourism.
As Chairman of the Jordan Hotel Association, I follow up through the International Hotel Association – which I am a member of – and other international institutions all the novelties of the industry.
Globalization and social media have changed the way both employees and employers find and keep their jobs. Free-flowing information can and does affect employees’ loyalty to their employer and the company. In addition, transparency is at its all time high and an employee’s quality of work ethics is easily measured. In comparison to the West, the region can still improve in many basic work skills, such as accountability, time management, multi-tasking, and ‘thinking out of the box’.
Positive attitude toward finding a job Winners do what they have to do and figure out how to make ends meet. You pick up the phone, and you go to work. Sitting there, thinking that you don’t want to do that job or "I’m too good to do that job" isn't going to help. Getting a job is a process. If you focus on the process, you don’t need to focus on the results. The process is as follows: have a CV that sells you, pick up the phone and call an employer who is in need for new hires, and make a quick, to-the-point presentation of yourself. Words of wisdom: Never burn bridges. It's important to respect and acknowledge your peers at all times.
