Mastering Persuasion: An Interview with Rayan Kammoun of The Art Hotel & Resort

Rayan Kammoun is the Director of Marketing and Communications at The Art Hotel & Resort, Bahrain. Over a career that spans 10 years, Rayan has built her presence in the field while working across sectors. Bahrain Confidential sat down with her to learn more about her role and the biggest lessons she has learned along the way.

Tell us about yourself and your background

After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication, I was on the path to a career in Marketing. The direction helped me learn about market research, consumer behaviour, sales, business communication, and digital marketing.

My first role was as a Marketing Executive and soon after I saw myself ascending the ladder. The higher I reached, the more eager I became to build my professional identity in Marketing. Over the last 10 years, working across different sectors in the GCC like Oil & Gas, Pharmaceuticals, and Hospitality deepened my knowledge and experience in understanding different cultures, the market, and potential areas of marketing.

Hailing from Lebanon, I was born into a big family; I am the youngest of 6 siblings whom I observed and learned a lot from growing up. My family has played a big role in grooming my personality to be strong and confident when faced with any situation.

How would you describe your current role?

Aside from developing and implementing Marketing and Communications strategies, I maintain The Art Hotel and Resort’s positioning and exposure through strong media relations, PR, and digital marketing. The aim is to attract bookings and optimize revenue.

The role challenges me to adapt to the fast-paced hospitality industry, respond to consumers’ needs, continuously demonstrate creativity, and implement new practices in line with market changes and customer demands.

I am proud to have been a part of rebranding the hotel from The Art Rotana to The Art Hotel & Resort. The efforts included revamping the hotel’s website and creating a content strategy and guidelines to reflect the hotel’s new brand identity and offerings.

What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned in this role?

We must strive to get ahead of the game and the competition. Marketing is not a dry role. What works today might not work tomorrow. Marketing needs are now data-driven, innovative, and digital. Moreover, content marketing is a simple process of answering customers’ questions.

To be successful & prove your presence in the market, you must master persuasion and gain a broad knowledge of business, and technology.

A quote I live by in my current role as the Director of Marketing & Communications is “Don’t push people to where you want to be; meet them where they are” – Meghan Keaney Anderson.

What do you love most about working in Hospitality Marketing?

Hotel Marketing entails different marketing strategies and techniques that cover various aspects such as recreation, rooms, and restaurants – no fixed or repetitive plans should be in place. In hospitality, you should develop and acquire a wide knowledge of products and consumers from different backgrounds while being aware of the latest trends and tools at all times. The very dynamic nature of Hospitality Marketing makes it enjoyable, fast-paced, and result-oriented.

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