New venture First & Foremost Family Hotels, Dubai and London, aims to further the movement for autism-friendly hotels, with its Managing Director Michael Scully saying while the industry is catering “superbly” for the need, “there can never be enough support.”
The brand, which is expected to open its first hotel in Dubai in 2017, is training autistic young adults to work in its hotels through the help and expertise of the Ernie Els Center of Excellence in Jupiter, Florida.
Autism-friendly amenities include guestrooms geared toward the needs of guests traveling with autistic family members, including accommodation for a care-giver if needed; creating “relax zones” and providing sensory integration systems and equipment; as well as offering specialty dietary options.
The venture is a collaboration between Scully’s First & Foremost Hotels and Resorts and South African golfing legend Ernie Els, whose autistic son Ben is the spark for the US$30 million Ernie Els Center of Excellence, which is expected to be operational this August. The center aims to be the hub of education and information for families with children on the autism spectrum. A U.S. census shows one in 68 children in the U.S. are affected, including one in 42 boys.
Asked what they would do which existing autism-friendly hotels are not doing, Scully said, “I believe that they (those hotels) are catering superbly for the need. We believe that there can never be enough support and I am not sure how many accept autistic young adults as members of staff or have the resources to train them that we will have through the Ernie Els Center of Excellence.
“We would certainly like to integrate with those hotels and take any advice that they can give, as well as share any of the advantages of being linked to the Ernie Els Center of Excellence.”
The wider aim of the Scully/Els venture, however, is to be a “revolutionary” family hotel brand that children up to age 5 just want to drag daddy and mommy to. No one is looking at this age group, Scully said.
Asked how revolutionary the concept is, Scully pointed to each hotel being “a theme park in its own way” with the kids’ areas fully integrated and animated with wet zones, nursery, theatre, soft play, computer, games rooms, sensory play areas and “edutainment.”
First & Foremost Family Hotels has partnered Leading Family Hotels (not related to Leading Hotels of the World) to offer “edutainment,” which Scully pointed out is one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors.
Scully said in catering to younger children, First & Foremost Family Hotels will not be depending on the seasonal school holiday market and is the only group specializing in young families.
Developers and investors across Europe and Asia are being sought, with Scully saying an ROI of 20% to 35% depending on real estate value is achievable due to points of difference in the concept, its fully-inclusive nature and a high ADR expected to be between US$350-US$550.
Contributed by Raini Hamdi