Pankaj Birla, Area Vice President for Eastern Europe, has given an exclusive interview for Albanian Daily News, following the opening of the first Marriott hotel in Tirana, Albania. 

Mr. Birla has praised Albanians a lot as very friendly people and Albania as a country with potential to grow in the future, characteristics that have convinced the company to invest in Albania. 

While sharing details from his 30 year-long experience with Marriott hotels, Pankaj Birla has not excluded the opportunity of further hotels in Albania in the future. 

Describing in details the history of success for Marriot hotels, Mr. Birla emphasized as a very important pillar of this over 95 years old company the way they treat their employees, whom they call Associates. In terms of key to success, Birla mentioned an expression of company’s founder J. Willard Marriott who used to say: “If you take care of the associates, they'll take good care of the customers, and the customers will keep coming back”. 

Below full interview: 

- Eduart Halili Albanian Daily News: First of All, thank you for accepting the interview for Albanian Daily News. I want to ask you how do you find Albania in general, the weather, people? 

- Pankaj Birla: Let start by saying, that I think of your country as an udiscovered gem, worth exploring and promoting among international travelers. I have been coming to Albanian regularly for the past 3 years and it is wonderful to see how the country is evolving and most importantly I love the people who are so welcoming and hospitable. Opening the first Marriott in Albania, I personally am very excited. 

- Halili: Marriott is a very big international brand. What was the target of opening a hotel in Albania? 

- Birla: It is actually quite simple: we saw the future for us in Albania. Marriott International is growing exponentially in the Balkans and there is further potential in the region. Our footprint already includes 13 properties representing brands Sheraton, Westin, Le Meridien, Courtyard by Marriott and of course Marriott Hotels across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Croatia, Kosovo and Serbia. 

We are looking to open several further hotels over next two years, including luxury St Regis in Belgrade, Courtyard by Marriott Skopje and Pristina, newly signed hotels in Croatia: Marriott in Opatija and Autograph Collection in Komiza. Having a Marriot Hotel in Tirana makes an absolute sense, just knowing the number of tourists Albania attracts. Last year there were 5 million tourists. This is an amazing number. There is increased demand for quality accommodation and this is where we feel we can make a difference. 

- Halili: What about expectations in terms of figures. How many tourists do you expect to accommodate in a year, let’s say in the next ten years for example? 

- Birla: The hotel has 155 rooms, with 131 deluxe rooms and 24 suites housed in 24-storey building with panoramic views. We offer various meeting rooms, fitness centre, Terra restaurant and we are here sitting in this beautiful M Club. Our signature, phenomenal service create a great experience for all locals and tourists coming. We will be welcoming both business and leisure travelers. Based on our experience in other locations in the Balkans, I am optimistic and confident that the future is bright for this property. 

- Halili: You are the Vice-President of Eastern Europe for Marriott Hotels. You have many years of experience? Can you tell us something about your experience in Eastern Europe?

- Birla: I have been with Marriott for 30 years and worked in various capacities for Eastern Europe since 2004. For the last 5 years, I have been responsible for our operations in Eastern Europe, which today includes the opening of our hotel here in Tirana. It is the 13th country that we have presence in the region, which is very exciting. Opportunities that exist in Eastern Europe, especially in these upcoming destinations like Albania, are huge. I think for us Tirana is just a start. 

- Halili: Mr. Birla, can you tell us a little bit about the history of Marriott. What are some of the changes decades by decades? 

- Birla: Marriott International started as a family-run root beer stand over 95 years ago, established by J.Williard Marriott and his wife Alice in Washington D.C. in the USA. Since then it has been growing year after year, but still kept its family profile. Today we have over 8300 hotels in 139 countries, representing 30 extraordinary brands and we are growing dynamically. But big doesn’t mean anything to us. We want to be known as world’s favorite travel company. We want our guests to feel that they had their best experience when staying at our hotels. 

In that we are super-focused. Our founder J. Willard Marriott used to say: “If you take care of the associates, they'll take good care of the customers, and the customers will keep coming back”. And that’s a simple and powerful philosophy we follow. We have been really focused in taking care in our associates. And we do not call them employees, but associates. 

If they are happy they will make sure that our guests are happy. And if guests are happy they will keep coming back. It is very simple, that’s what our culture is. That is what differentiates us. Halili: Let us focus again in Albania. What was the first impression for the country, the people here? Was there a fear about investing in Albania, like for example things won’t go well, or you were pretty sure to invest here? Birla: Honestly we did not have any doubt for Albania. We knew that this country has lot to offer, and we knew we would be successful. The country is developing fast and attracting increasing numbers of business and tourists. I loved the people when I came here. 

They were very authentic in general and it makes a difference. I came for first time to Tirana in 2017, and my impression was very positive, I saw reasons to grow. Also our development team saw opportunities and found investor partner with whom we talked. We selected this fantastic location we are today, in the heart of the city and adjacent to the National Arena In our business, location is very important. And this is a fantastic location to open the first Marriott Hotel in Albania. 

- Halili: What about the government. Did you have support by Albanian government. Did they make it easy for you, especially in terms of burocracies of papers, for example foreign workers and their residence permits or visas? 

- Birla: Everything has been very smooth, I am impressed by proffessionalism and strategic vision, starting with Prime Minister Edi Rama who is very tourism-oriented. Just to remind, on December 6th last year, all world’s leaders were here for one day, and we hosted a reception already in this hotel meetimg rooms. This shows the confidence the government has in efforts to drive tourism. I also met the Tourism Minister and I was very encouraged after meeting her, due to her vision and how she wants to propel Albania.

It makes a lot of difference when politicians believe in tourism. All I can say is that it was an wonderful experience in Albania these three years. 

- Halili: You mentioned Skopje, Croatia. Can you tell us some similarities and differences between Marriott in Albania and other Western Balkan countries or even those in Eastern Europe? 

- Birla: First of all, in Eastern Europe there are a lot of similarities. I always find that people are very passionate, they all want to excell and all want to do well. This is very encouraging. In terms of Balkans, I can see a lot of similarities in the sense everybody is hospitable, welcoming, warm, and at the same time ambitious and driven. To me, now its time of East to grow. 

- Halili: Mr. Birla, Let us return a little bit to Marriott as a brand. What does Marriott stands for? 

- Birla: Marriott Hotel is our signature flag in company’s portfolio of 30 great brands. It is synonymous with hospitality all over the world and we are very pround of that. Our main goal is to provide our guests with warm, heartfelt service and create for them conditions where they will thrive and clear their mind, so they achieve their goals whatever they be. We put a lot of attention to sophisticated spaces and enriching experiences, as well as innovative solutions in meetings planning. I am proud and happy to bring this legacy now to Tirana and offer our guests the best we can. 

- Halili: You said 30 years of experience. Can you mention some of the best moments in your very long career? 

- Birla: I have had a fantastic career with Marriott for 30 years. I started in USA, where I spent 10 years, and afterwards I moved to Asia, worked in Europe in various regions and back to Asia. Came back to Europe as vice President of Finance and since 5 years I am in the role of Area Vice-President for Eastern Europe. 

What Marriott has offered me, is a very diverse career, that has prepared me extremely well for my current role, understanding how operations work, as I did work as a general manager. I understand what it takes to start from bottom, because I started as a financial controller in a very very small operation… It was fulfilling to live around the world. I moved 12 times. I always call myself a global United Nations’ citizen. 

- Halili: Can you tell us something about the staff, the services that will be offered, or the food that will be served in Marriott. Will the staff be all Albanians or will you hire also from abroad? How will you function? 

- Birla: This hotel offers everything Marriott is known for: exeptional service and modern spaces, blended with your famed Albanian hospitality and warmth. Guests are welcomed by our signature Great Room lobby, a stylish hub of the hotel that allows guests to combine work with pleasure. Tirana Marriott Hotel has as well the 24-hour M Club lounge open to Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elite Marriott Bonvoy members and guests staying on executive floors. Albanian influences are very well visible in the menu of restaurant “Terra”, which blends Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines with examples of traditional Albanian cuisine. 

We also have a fantastic bar. I strongly believe we created here the ideal choice for travelers seeking the perfect blend of premium experiences in a Mediterranean destination. When it comes to way we operate, one of my personal strong philosophies, is that our general managers create a family environment in the hotel. Everybody must feel comfortable. Marriott has a strong culture of taking care of our staff, for example we execute open door policy. Our goal is to grow local talent. We believe the key to success is to drive local employment and be seen as a local friendly partner. That’s why we say we are a global company, but we are a local company. 

- Halili: Do you have plans for expansion here in Albania. This in Tirana is the first Marriott, but do you think maybe in the future you will open another Marriott here in our country, or do you function with the philosophy of one Marriott hotel for each country? 

- Birla: Our philosophy is to develop and have a strong footprint in countries we operate. In the entire Eastern Europe we have over 60 properties already and strong pipeline as well. We do see lots of potential in the Balkans region, so I think it is just a start in Tirana. Other parts of Albania are pristine, beautiful and I hear so much about it, for example the coast and mountains. I am looking forward to grow our presence here. My development team and myself are extremely positive and optimistic we can grow, hopefully in ten years or sooner than that. 

- Halili: Mr. Birla, I know it may sound a little rude, but I have to make this difficult question. Why should a custumer come to Marriott. 

- Birla: Marriott around the world is known for a personalized and individualized guest experience, for elevated and sophiscticated spaces that are designed to energise our guests. One of our biggest strenghts and advantages for guests is our Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, leading in hospitality industry with 177 million members around the world. We see clearly, that when the members notice Marriott coming in a new destination, they want to explore this destination. And the most important: our Associates. That’s what make the difference. Why people should come here? They would feel a brilliant guest experience. They are going to feel like they are coming back at home. That’s what we have created here. Halili: One last thing. What is your message for Albanians or those who choose to visit Albania? Birla: First of all, it has been special to come to Tirana for the last three years. People here are so friendly, smiling and welcoming, which makes you want to come back to Tirana. My message to Albanians is come, visit and experience us. And then let us know how are you doing. I am confident that our team will ensure they will have a wonderful time. We are here to stay and make a contribution to this wonderful country. 

- Halili: Thank you a lot for the interview. I know you are very busy and thank you for finding time to share some of your experiences with us. May you have a lot of success in your investment here in Albania! 
 

- Birla: No, it is a pleasure. Thank you for your time. It is always nice to connect to local media. Thank you!