Partners in the hospitality industry

Travel, tourism, lodging, recreation, food and beverage are all partners in the hospitality industry, and sales and marketing is a very important component that drives and ensures the growth and success of the sector.

Thus, as the premier organization of hotel sales and marketing leaders in the Philippines, the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) last week held its general membership meeting and the launch of its 10th Virtus Awards set for October this year at the newly opened Lanson Place at the Mall of Asia Complex.

The members of the HSMA are heads of sales and marketing executives of accredited hospitality properties located in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Currently HSMA has over 140 members nationwide.

At the launch of the 10th Virtus Awards last week, the HSMA announced this year’s theme: “A Decade of Distinction,” with Captain Stanley Ng, president and COO of Philippine Airlines as their keynote speaker.

 Safety, reliability and consistency

For Capt. Stanley Ng, being in a field that basically offers the same service means that for a competitor to stand out, they need to differentiate themselves.

For PAL, according to Capt. Stanley, this equates to ensuring safety, reliability and consistency even as they also strive to offer better service and amenities compared to their local competitors.

According to him, “we strive to differentiate and define the airline with better service and seats and being on time...we constantly deliver that...so that they always come back to you.”

Very much like the hotel and accommodation business, Capt. Stanley also stressed the need to “know your product and competitors.”

However, for the airline sector, Capt. Stanley believes that safety is always the priority, followed by reliability. Unfortunately, he acknowledges, ensuring reliability is more “complicated.”

Such complications include aircraft breakdown problems and “bringing passengers to their destination as soon as possible, adding that very much like the hotel industry, “we are always thinking about the customer.”

Thus, Capt. Stanley likewise emphasized that consistency must also be good.

At the same time, he acknowledged the back end work of sales and marketing and the similar care of how products and services are delivered by the frontline, admitting that any business is “not a silo...but a collaboration and constant communication to help each other for a bigger purpose and passion.”

That purpose, he went on, is “not just for the airline or to service customers, but also to make the Philippines proud again.”

PAL, Capt. Stanley added, constantly aims to differentiate itself from its customers by offering a better product in terms of service, seats, destinations and loyalty perks, all of which the Tan-owned airline continues to address and upgrade with new destinations, refurbishment of its aircraft, loyalty program, customer satisfaction and delivering on its three core goals of assuring safety, reliability and consistency.

Virtus Award

The HSMA Virtus Awards returns this year to its most grandiose celebration yet, as the spotlight will be on the culture of career excellence that impacts businesses to thrive in the long-term.

Rose Libongco, Virtus Awards chair, explained that the awards event is being held on HSMA’s 45th anniversary, even though the Virtus Awards itself is just in its 10th year.

Established by HSMA in 2014, the Virtus Awards will be given to three of the most accomplished nominees for outstanding sales and marketing associate, outstanding sales and marketing manager and outstanding sales and marketing leader.

The Institutional Award for most outstanding marketing campaign of the year, will be given to the program that successfully showcases the dynamic changes in travel, recreation and celebration trends, and how these respond to current preferences and needs of old, new and future guests.

Throughout the years, properties that have taken home multiple Virtus Awards include The Bellevue Hotels and Resorts, a six-time winner; Chroma Hospitality Group, which has won eight times, including wins by its Quest Plus Conference Center Clark, Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila, Quest Hotel and Conference Center-Cebu properties; four-time winner Conrad Manila; and three-time winner Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila.

According to Libongco, for all Virtus awardees, their achievements are more than just trophies to display proudly on their shelves – taking home a Virtus has also paved the way for them to craft a career that has allowed them to impact the Philippines’ hotel and tourism industry.

Nominations are still being accepted for the 10th Virtus Awards until August 2. Judging is set on August 24 at the Crimson Hotel in Filinvest City, Muntinlupa.

The 10th Virtus Awards Night and Gala Dinner is happening on October 11 at the Grand Hyatt Manila.