Innovative photographic training scheme will help hotel waiters to capture Hilton guests’ special moments on smartphone cameras
Dubai, UAE – Wednesday 09 February 2022 – Whether it’s a wedding anniversary, a business lunch, or a family staycation, we all cherish special times that bring friends, family and colleagues together. Naturally, we want to record and remember these moments but often, rushed smartphone photographs or awkward selfies fail to capture the magic.
That’s why Hilton, in a ground-breaking world first, has launched the Waitographer programme that will train its waiting staff in smartphone photography so they can record guests’ celebrations with sharp, colourful and vibrant images that display the correct composition.
The innovative initiative sees renowned Middle East photographer Roger Moukarzel guide Hilton waiting staff through a rigorous workshop that will hone their photographic skills. After completion of the training programme, team members will receive a certificate and a badge so that hotel guests can easily identify Waitographers while in a Hilton property and ask for their assistance when they wish to have their picture taken.
“We all love to take photos when we’re with friends and family to capture the memories we are making,” says Gurmej Bahia, Vice President of Marketing and Loyalty, International, at Hilton. “However, nine times out of 10, the picture has to omit one person so they can take it or we attempt a selfie, which doesn’t always work, or we ask for a waiter or a random passer-by to take the photo for us. The Waitographer programme will enhance our guests’ experiences at Hilton and help them to save all their treasured memories.”
Emma Banks, Vice President, F&B Strategy & Development, Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Hilton commented, “Not only does the Waitographer scheme reinforce Hilton’s focus on empowering and upskilling its team members, but also ties in with our ambition to create human connections for guests during their stay,” she said. “Our Waitographers are really excited to interact with guests and start snapping photos that will create memories that last forever.”
The Waitographer programme is up and running with almost 100 Hilton team members having already passed through Roger Moukarzel’s photography workshop, and more scheduled to receive their training soon. Delighted Hilton team members said their new skills will equip them to take photographs for guests in future with expertise and without stress.
After launching in the UAE, the Waitographer workshops will roll out across the Hilton portfolio around the world via online training courses – helping guests create and capture new memories.
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class brands comprising more than 6,700 properties and more than 1 million rooms, in 122 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, earned a top spot on the 2021 World’s Best Workplaces list, and been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for five consecutive years. In 2020, Hilton CleanStay was introduced, bringing an industry-defining standard of cleanliness to hotels worldwide. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the nearly 123 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can’t buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.