Shakawath Hossain: Winner of Best Hotelier Award
CEO of Unique Hotel and Resorts Shakawath Hossain, is a renowned professional in the hospitality & tourism industry in Bangladesh, was bestowed with the prestigious honour of “The Best Hotelier of Bangladesh” at the recent 12th Edition of the HI-AIM (Hospitality Industry – Architecture, Interiors, and Management) Conference.
The event was held at the Aloft Hotel Kathmandu in Nepal on Thursday in association with Marriott International, read a press release.The prestigious award in the hospitality sector was presented to Shakawath Hossain for his exceptional contributions to the development of Bangladesh’s hospitality landscape, making him the first Bangladeshi hotelier to receive such recognition.
The event gathered leading professionals and experts from the hospitality sector across the South Asian region.
Five other luminaries including Asia Pacific Excluding China (APEC) of Marriott International Inc President Rajeev Menon, Tourism Finance Corporation of India Ltd Director & CFO Anoop Bali, The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa Managing Director Umar Khurshid Tramboo, The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts Ltd former president Rajiv Kaul, and Fortune Park hotels Ltd (Owned by ITC, India) former managing director Suresh Kumar, were also honoured.
With a career spanning over 20 years, Shakawath Hossain has been a driving force in shaping the hospitality industry in Bangladesh. He is the only Bangladeshi Hotelier who is an industry practitioner, academician, and researcher who is pursuing a PhD in Tourism & Hospitality Management at the University of Dhaka and has been recognised with multiple National & International awards.
He is also the only Hotelier in Bangladesh who has started his career at scratch level, worked in different leadership capacities with Starwood International & Marriott International and now as the CEO of Unique Hotel & Resorts PLC, he looks after 3 operational and 4 upcoming international chain hotels.
The award ceremony, organised by HI-AIM, celebrated excellence in various categories, with a particular focus on recognizing individuals who have demonstrated exemplary leadership, innovation, and commitment to the growth of the hospitality industry.
He is also an advocate for social impact and collaborates with NGOs and the government to establish training programs for underprivileged and handicapped youth, providing them with opportunities to thrive in this industry.
The “Best Hotelier of Bangladesh” award is a reflection of Shakawath Hossain’s unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation in the field of hospitality. His leadership continues to inspire others in the industry to strive for excellence, setting a benchmark for the future of hospitality industry in Bangladesh.
Shakawath is also continuously dedicated towards adding value in the industry through sustainable business practices, mentoring junior executives onto management positions, providing leadership strategy to the ownerships and management companies on socio economic overview for hospitality industry.