New faces, new outlook at The Heritage Hotel Manila

If Eddie B. H. Yeo, the new general manager of The Heritage Hotel Manila, could have his way, he would not limit his efforts at promoting just the hotel, he would also promote the country as a tourist destination.

"The Philippines is not too well known as a tourist destination because there’s too much unpleasant news," he observes. "The bad news is picked up and it’s overblown. People look for a safe haven, but it’s the same anywhere in the world. Manila is cleaner than Rome, and they have worse traffic jams, but no one talks about that."

Yeo, a Malaysian by birth of pure Chinese parentage, holds a master of business administration from the University of South Australia. He first came to the Philippines in 1979 when he enrolled in a three-month management development program at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). When he returned in the 1990s, he was quite impressed by the changes, particularly with the new shopping malls and condominium buildings. He believes there are many good things going for the country, which include great shopping and great entertainment.

"Filipino entertainers are the best ambassadors around the world," he says.

Yeo is a veteran hotelier of more than 30 years, managing and supervising hotel and resort operations in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, the USA, and Vietnam. Prior to his new appointment, he was the general manager of Copthorne King’s Hotel Singapore for six years. He was instrumental in successfully repositioning the 34-year-old hotel, located along the historical Singapore River, as a business hotel.

In his current assignment at The Heritage Hotel Manila, which is owned and managed by the Singapore-based Millennium and Copthorne International Limited (MCIL), he will identify new business opportunities as well as strengthen the hotel’s management team.

"I’m starting with basic product improvement," Yeo reveals. This simply means a general facelift for the 11-year old hotel, starting with the repainting of its façade and exteriors.

"There won’t be any drastic changes," Yeo clarifies, "since the design of the rooms is not dated. It looks as good today as it did a decade ago. But the hotel will get a fresher look."

This means upgrading the carpets, the curtains, as well as the wallpaper and adding more and brighter lights particularly inside the rooms.

With 467 guest rooms and suites, The Heritage Hotel Manila, which stands at the crossroads of two of Metro Manila’s major thoroughfares – EDSA and Roxas Blvd. – registered a high occupancy rate of 82 percent in December and 76 percent per month to date, comprised largely of corporate accounts both from the international and domestic market. The Millennium Club on the ninth floor, which provides exclusive business facilities and personalized service, makes it the preferred hotel, particularly in the Manila Bay area, for international business travelers. The hotel is just 15 minutes away by car from both the international and domestic airports.

"We are positioned as a casino and convention hotel," Yeo remarks. The 24-hour casino is located at the basement, ground, and second floors of the hotel.

On our visit to the hotel’s Restaurant Riviera, which boasts what has been dubbed "the mother of all buffets," serving a wide selection of authentic Oriental and Western cuisines, Yeo announced the introduction of a new buffet offering at the casino where before only a la carte service was offered.

With the hotel’s new executive chef, Chua Yew Hock, the food and beverage department is also getting Yeo’s priority attention. Chef Chua of Singapore brings with him 23 years of culinary experience from various postings in five-star hotels in Asia, New Zealand, and Australia.

The banquet halls, with their high ceilings, are ideal for themed parties and wedding receptions, as well as corporate conventions. The Artists’ Ballroom can accommodate from 500 to 700 guests, while the Heritage Ballroom can accommodate up to 350 guests. The seven board meeting rooms are also fully equipped with modern facilities.

But, if Yeo were to be asked, he’d say the hotel’s biggest asset is its people.

"The hotel is made of mortar and concrete," he remarks, "but its soul is its people in the organization. They’re the ones who make it work."

Strong organizational and motivational skills are some of Yeo’s key strengths as a manager. He actually sees himself as a coach and he believes in teambuilding and inspiring his people so that they look forward to coming to work and having fun. He believes in the inherent talents and skills of the Filipino.

"Filipinos are born hospitable," he says. "With their ready smile, they are good at providing service."

He believes that the business climate in the Philippines has improved and the time is ripe for further development. With Yeo’s vision to promote not only the hotel but also the country as a well-informed traveler’s destination, the battle cry of the whole hotel staff is, "We are all sales people."

It might also very well be the battle cry of every patriotic Filipino.