Hello.Goodbye!

CEBU, Philippines - The rapid and dynamic expansion and development of businesses in the travel trade have kept  its top executives in constant change and movement.   

In Cebu, the changing of the guards in the very first Radisson Blu Brand in the Asia-Pacific region catapulted Australian Lyle Lewis as its new General Manager and concurrent Vice President –Philippines and Japan, Carlson Hotels. Its good-natured   former GM Grant Gaskin who was responsible for its pre-opening and  highly successful launch, is given the plum role of opening another prime Radisson property in Wuxi, China.

In the recent Hail and Farewell festivities at the Niña Ballroom which was hosted by Anna Fernandez, Director of Sales and Marketing,  Gaskin turned over the hotel’s symbolic key to Lewis.

Gaskin in his heartfelt speech recalled the warm memories of his tenure at the property highlighting the teamwork and cooperation among management and staff.

Lewis, a seasoned hotelier with more than 30 years of extensive operational and hotel management experience comes to Cebu fresh from his ground breaking achievements of propelling the growth and enhancing the operational performance of 10 existing Asia-based hotels and ongoing development of 11 hotels which include the Radisson Blu in the Asia Pacific Region.

SM executives together with key society figures, corporate honchos, and select members of  media  were in attendance to personally bid farewell to Gaskin and extend the Cebuano hospitality to Lewis.

Radisson Blu Cebu’s executive committee such as Zenaida Alcantara, Assistant Manager, Romina Gervacio, Assistant Director of Marketing, Carmela Cabasisi, Director of finance, Belle Bacus, Director of Human Resources, Ho Kok Fai, Director of F&B and Italian Executive Chef Marco Amarone were present to show their support and gestures of goodwill to both Gaskin and Lewis.

A fortnight later, well wishers and friends threw a farewell party to Silkair’s outgoing general manager Ajish Henry Morris  and then warmly welcomed the incoming GM Chandran Menon at the Cebu Marriott Hotel.

Guests were treated to a sumptuous dinner fare which included Asian and Japanese cuisine.

On behalf of the Cebu Tours and Travel Association,  Cecile Sa-a of Blue Horizons Travel and Alan Carvajal of Travelways International, presented a handbook  of the Philippine Islands to Morris that would serve as a remembrance of his two-year stint in Cebu while  an intricately hand embroidered Barong Tagalog was given to Menon.

In his brief farewell remarks, Morris who will assume his post as manager of Silkair in Myanmar,  took the opportunity to thank each and everyone who made his stay fruitful, fun  and unforgettable. Menon, who has held various appointments in Singapore Airlines from 1980 to 1996, including overseas posting as GM in Papua New Guinea,  India, Indonesia,  and Singapore,  for his part, pledged continued support to the stake holders of the travel industry. (FREEMAN)