Starting anew, with a return to roots
An interview with Marco Scola
On 1 February 2024 Marco Scola took up the role of General Manager at ADLER Spa Resort DOLOMITI. To get to know him better, we asked Mr Scola a few questions.
Mr Scola, what brought you back to South Tyrol after a long time away? And why did you choose ADLER DOLOMITI?
As I always used to tell my wife, I would only ever return to South Tyrol if given the chance to work for ADLER. That’s because it’s an innovative, vision-driven company that truly focuses on guests experience and employees’ well-being, offering restigious, wonderfully located facilities and white-glove service. So, when the opportunity actually arose, I seized it.
Having spent my entire childhood in San Candido, in the Val Pusteria valley, this meant going back to my roots. Also, the Dolomites area has always been a trailblazer in the hospitality and tourism industries, so it’s the perfect fertile ground to further my professional development.
What do you find most inspiring and motivating about your job?
First and foremost, my passion for hospitality – it’s a constant source of motivation in my day-to-day work. Over the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to gain experience in many different places, meeting many different people and learning many different ways of working and management styles. This has been very formative for me personally, as well as professionally. It’s the reason I now feel equipped for managing such a renowned resort as ADLER DOLOMITI.
In your opinion, what are the main challenges of working as a General Manager at a resort such as ADLER DOLOMITI?
To me, being a hotel manager is really about offering guests authentic, unforgettable experiences while also creating a motivating working environment for the team. What impressed me from the start at ADLER DOLOMITI was not just the clockwork organisation, but also the team’s engagement and the attention to detail. In my work, I try to consolidate all these aspects by contributing my 20-years’ experience to the service of our guests and employees.
How is ADLER DOLOMITI going to evolve over the coming years?
The Dolomites gaining UNESCO World Heritage Site status has spurred bookings from non-EU countries. I expect this trend will continue in the coming years, with the Dolomites being among the locations that will host the 2026 Olympic Games. So, we will need to prepare for an increasingly international clientele, and further customise the experience and services we offer. Another goal we are setting ourselves is to further build guest loyalty and strengthen our relationship with our regulars, by staying ahead of the game while also remaining authentic and true to our core values.
What other challenges does the future hold?
It will be about striking the right balance between technological advancement and the human factor. ADLER guests especially value all the attention and the gestures, big and small, that set our hotel apart and are so rarely found elsewhere. No amount of technology can ever replace authentic hospitality.
Let’s get a bit more personal: work is important, but there’s more to life than that, and surely you need your spot of rest and recreation, too. What’s your favourite way to unplug and recharge?
I love to spend my free time with my wife Anna and our four-year-old son Andrea. Being with my family takes my mind off work. I also like to do sports – I used to run marathons, including the Berlin and New York marathons. Unfortunately, an injury put paid to my running, but I love cycling just as much and, as a native South Tyrolean, I’m also a keen skier, of course.
Thank you for your time, Mr Scola. We wish you the best of happiness and success in your new position.
Marco Scola, now a husband and father of a 4-year-old boy, spent his childhood and youth in South Tyrol and Veneto. His career milestones include a diploma from the Hotel Management School Kaiserhof in Merano, experience as a Food & Beverage Manager Assistant at Forte Village Resort in Sardinia and as a Food & Beverage Manager at Vigilius Mountain Resort near Merano, where he contributed to the resort’s pre-opening activities, and further experience at Radisson Hotel Group (Milan) and NH Hotels establishments (Genoa, Bergamo, Milan, Lecco, Rome and Berlin).
As I always used to tell my wife, I would only ever return to South Tyrol if given the chance to work for ADLER. That’s because it’s an innovative, vision-driven company that truly focuses on guests experience and employees’ well-being, offering restigious, wonderfully located facilities and white-glove service. So, when the opportunity actually arose, I seized it.
Having spent my entire childhood in San Candido, in the Val Pusteria valley, this meant going back to my roots. Also, the Dolomites area has always been a trailblazer in the hospitality and tourism industries, so it’s the perfect fertile ground to further my professional development.
What do you find most inspiring and motivating about your job?
First and foremost, my passion for hospitality – it’s a constant source of motivation in my day-to-day work. Over the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to gain experience in many different places, meeting many different people and learning many different ways of working and management styles. This has been very formative for me personally, as well as professionally. It’s the reason I now feel equipped for managing such a renowned resort as ADLER DOLOMITI.
In your opinion, what are the main challenges of working as a General Manager at a resort such as ADLER DOLOMITI?
To me, being a hotel manager is really about offering guests authentic, unforgettable experiences while also creating a motivating working environment for the team. What impressed me from the start at ADLER DOLOMITI was not just the clockwork organisation, but also the team’s engagement and the attention to detail. In my work, I try to consolidate all these aspects by contributing my 20-years’ experience to the service of our guests and employees.
How is ADLER DOLOMITI going to evolve over the coming years?
The Dolomites gaining UNESCO World Heritage Site status has spurred bookings from non-EU countries. I expect this trend will continue in the coming years, with the Dolomites being among the locations that will host the 2026 Olympic Games. So, we will need to prepare for an increasingly international clientele, and further customise the experience and services we offer. Another goal we are setting ourselves is to further build guest loyalty and strengthen our relationship with our regulars, by staying ahead of the game while also remaining authentic and true to our core values.
What other challenges does the future hold?
It will be about striking the right balance between technological advancement and the human factor. ADLER guests especially value all the attention and the gestures, big and small, that set our hotel apart and are so rarely found elsewhere. No amount of technology can ever replace authentic hospitality.
Let’s get a bit more personal: work is important, but there’s more to life than that, and surely you need your spot of rest and recreation, too. What’s your favourite way to unplug and recharge?
I love to spend my free time with my wife Anna and our four-year-old son Andrea. Being with my family takes my mind off work. I also like to do sports – I used to run marathons, including the Berlin and New York marathons. Unfortunately, an injury put paid to my running, but I love cycling just as much and, as a native South Tyrolean, I’m also a keen skier, of course.
Thank you for your time, Mr Scola. We wish you the best of happiness and success in your new position.
Marco Scola, now a husband and father of a 4-year-old boy, spent his childhood and youth in South Tyrol and Veneto. His career milestones include a diploma from the Hotel Management School Kaiserhof in Merano, experience as a Food & Beverage Manager Assistant at Forte Village Resort in Sardinia and as a Food & Beverage Manager at Vigilius Mountain Resort near Merano, where he contributed to the resort’s pre-opening activities, and further experience at Radisson Hotel Group (Milan) and NH Hotels establishments (Genoa, Bergamo, Milan, Lecco, Rome and Berlin).