She started working in hospitality marketing, with various senior positions in different hotel groups, and eventually joined the giant Merlin Entertainments plc. She started in the marketing department of this leisure, entertainment and tourism group, and eventually became the general manager of the Madame Tussauds Dubai museum, a position she currently holds. Here is our conversation with this great Middle Eastern professional.
Amusement Logic: after studying Insurance Management in Tehran, Iran, you went on to become assistant director of marketing communications at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates. What led you to work in the hospitality industry?
Sanaz Kollsrud: Travel and tourism have always been my passion. I’ve always been driven to create fantastic experiences for guests and visitors; whether this was a resort stay or the ultimate fame experience meeting your favorite icons at Madame Tussauds. Ultimately the passion for hospitality and travel drove my move to hospitality where I could work closer to creating those unique experiences. I was part of the pre-opening team for Kempinski Mall of the Emirates, and this was where I got the opportunity to work in the first winter destination in the Middle East. The hotel houses a one-of-a-kind ski chalet accommodation next to the first ever snow-themed park attraction, Ski Dubai.
A.L.: Your career then unfolded in Public Relations and Marketing, at Mövenpick Hotels and at Address Hotels + Resorts in Dubai, until you joined Merlin Entertainments plc. How did you travel along this path?
S.K.: Moving from Hospitality to entertainment was a path that presented itself to me, and I welcomed the challenge. Both the fields have many similar aspects in that they both offer guest experiences and cater to tourists and residents alike. Entertainment is very much part of the tourism industry as it is of hospitality. In a global company such as Merlin Entertainments we club hospitality and attraction together in many cases, as we offer both hotels and attraction experiences such as the LEGOLAND ® Dubai experience. Here, the complex houses two theme parks and a hotel. Hence my hospitality experience was a bonus and helped me through the journey and transition into entertainment.
A.L.: How do you go about marketing such an iconic venue like the Madame Tussauds museum in Dubai?
S.K.: Madame Tussauds as a brand, has a long-standing history which goes back to over 200 years where the first Madame Tussauds opened in London. With such a rich history, where guests have been engaged with a brand for such a long time, there is the advantage that the brand is well established and recognized. Most of our guests who visit Madame Tussauds Dubai have already visited at least one other Madame Tussauds before and are already familiar with the experience. Being such a recognized brand also presents a challenge for marketing in making sure that the product is positioned in a way that matches the guest expectations and delivers the ultimate famous Madame Tussauds experience.
A.L.: After a brief parenthesis at Maydan Hotels & Hospitality as Cluster Director of Marketing, you came back to Merlin Entertainments, this time to be appointed as General Manager of Madame Tussauds. How was that?
S.K.: Another wonderful new challenge presented itself to me, where I oversaw the entire pre-opening of the first Madame Tussauds in the region. What was important for me was to position the attraction in the right way to deliver the ultimate Madame Tussauds experience; that once in a lifetime interactive experience with the most favorite celebrities and icons from all over the world. Introducing the concept to the Middle Eastern guest was an exciting challenge to take on board as was the opportunity to generate a positive impact of the product in this region.
A.L.: Tell us about the characteristics of Madame Tussauds: surface area, services, capacity, attractions, etc.
S.K.: Madame Tussauds is an indoor attraction based on fame and famous celebrities; using a unique combination of wax figures, interactive sets and cutting-edge technology to transport visitors into their favourite celebrities’ most iconic moments of fame. Madame Tussauds Dubai is home to over 60 figures of the world’s most prominent global icons including some of Hollywood’s leading celebs like Tom Cruise; leading superstars from Bollywood like Shah Rukh Khan; top sports icons like Lionel Messi; globally acclaimed musical icons like Taylor Swift and the world’s top leaders like Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Madame Tussauds Dubai is also home to17 brand new wax figures from the Middle East region including singing sensations Nancy Ajram and recent addition legendary Arab artist, Majid Al Mohandis.The attraction is divided into six zones – Leaders, Fashion, Film & Media, Bollywood, Sports and the A-List Music Party. The attraction size is approximately 21,528 square foot and spreads across two floors, ground floor and first floor.
A.L.: Could you describe how a day at Madame Tussauds unfolds?
S.K.: I would describe it as a day of fun, whether you are a guest or an employee, the place offers a vibe of fun and excitement. The product is unique which gives us as the team who manage the attraction lots of room for creativity. From the guest perspective, it is an opportunity to enter a world of fantasy and fame where they can live unforgettable moments in time and create one-of-a-kind memories with lifelike wax figures from all walks of life and eras.
A.L.: What sort of public does the museum target and what does it receive (tourist or local, family or youth, etc.)?
S.K.: Being in Dubai puts us in the middle of an international hub where we attract tourists from all over the world. We are ultimately a tourist destination, but we tend to attract a fair number of residents, especially families, over the weekends and holiday seasons.
A.L.: Which of the museum’s attractions would you highlight? Which is the most demanded by the public?
S.K.: It really depends on guest preference and nationality, and we do offer a great mix of Western, Arabic and Indian talent. Most popular zones are Film, Bollywood and the A-List Music Zone.
A.L.: How do you see the future of Madame Tussauds in particular, and that of the leisure industry in general?
S.K.: The product has been very well received by the regional guests and I see the brand growing in the region with potentially more Madame Tussauds attractions opening up in the region in the future. The entertainment industry is rapidly growing in our region and I see it growing further to more international concepts opening new attractions within the Middle East.
