Tag: Hospitality

Manila, Philippines – Eunice Lodripas, most recently the director of communications at The Ascott in the Philippines has returned to AHG Hotels and Resorts as its director of corporate communications and marketing. Eunice was previously with AHG as its marketing and communications manager in 2018.

“My role is to be the master storyteller of AHG Hotels and Resorts–overseeing the strategic planning, brand management, and public relations to ensure that all our efforts align with the company’s objectives and resonate with the different stakeholders,” Eunice said in an exclusive conversation with MARKETECH APAC.

She has also expressed interest in enhancing AHG’s image as a hospitality brand and improving its engagement with its customers through various content and campaigns.

“I’m thrilled to collaborate with my team to develop dynamic content and campaigns that will elevate AHG’s brand image and strengthen our connection with customers. I’m also eager to spotlight our brands, showcasing how they blend renowned Filipino hospitality with world-class amenities, and to highlight the investment opportunities available as we look to expand into new markets, both locally and internationally,” she said.

Eunice had spent four years with The Ascott in the Philippines where she started off as a cluster marketing communication manager in 2019 before being promoted to cluster associate director of marketing in 2021 then to her director of communications role in 2023. Prior to Ascott, she was a marketing and communication manager for JEN, a design and lifestyle-centric hotel brand by Shangri-La.

“Being able to pivot fast in the needs of the market, in accordance with the brands I handle is one of the key learnings I will take away with me,” she said when asked to reflect on her previous hospitality industry experience.

When reflecting on the status of the hospitality industry in the Philippines, Eunice acknowledges the continued competition of local and international hospitality brands in the country, and that brands should “do more” to stand out to guests.

“We have a highly competitive market in the Philippines and so it presents both a challenge and opportunity to all the industry players. In this particular instance, providing right kind of information/service/product they need is key to being successful. As one of the constant reminders of one of my mentors before, we need to cut through the noise. We need to do it consistently well,” she said.

When asked what AHG intends to do to stand out in the local hospitality industry, Eunice said, “We’ll see the usage of different media channels, particularly social media. What content we put out, and how responsibly we create this content will all make a difference. We need to put value in anything we share, not just for the sake of selling rooms and being visible.”

Singapore – As travellers seek meaningful engagement with a destination’s culture, people, food and environment, global hospitality brand Ascott is launching a brand refresh of The Unlimited Collection to accentuate its focus on cultural charms. 

This will reinforce the global positioning of The Unlimited Collection as a curated selection of independent upscale hotels in vibrant neighbourhoods that feature exquisite designs and fulfil travellers’ aspirations for authentic and immersive local cultural experiences.

The Unlimited Collection brand refresh is a continuation of Ascott’s Brand360 strategy, a groupwide initiative to strengthen its brand portfolio through sharpened brand stories and the introduction of signature experiences and programmes unique to each brand. Moreover, the refreshed brand’s focus on cultural charms distinguishes The Unlimited Collection as a portfolio of storied hotels featuring exquisite designs in exciting locations.

Focused on delivering unscripted, unchartered, unconventional and unforgettable experiences, The Unlimited Collection accentuates the bohemian charm of cultural enclaves, bringing guests on an adventure in lively neighbourhoods filled with colourful sights, sounds, tastes and personalities. Guests will be treated to a kaleidoscope of festivals, art, music, craft, food and language steeped in local culture that fascinates even the most discerning of wanderlusts.

Embodying the brand essence, Ann Siang House by The Unlimited Collection in Singapore is a restored heritage building nestled on the outskirts of the historic Telok Ayer sub-district of Chinatown, where a multitude of world-class bars and trendy eateries sit at its doorstep. 

In another example, Temple Bar Hotel Dublin by The Unlimited Collection will enhance its reputation as a cultural icon celebrating the best of local Irish music after completing its rebranding exercise. Located along Fleet Street, a vibrant neighbourhood steeped in music, art, culture and history, the hotel is home to Buskers Bar, a lively contemporary bar and renowned landmark, and Buskers on the Ball, an award-winning sports bar.

Another brand signature is The U Shop, a retail concept unique to The Unlimited Collection properties, offering an array of property merchandise created in collaboration with local artists and crafters. Showcasing one-of-a-kind local trinkets and charms, The U Shop ensures that guests can take home a cherished local memento that authentically embodies each destination’s cultural tapestry.

A brand film titled ‘Be a Gen-U: A Generation for Unlimited Experiences’, will roll out on various digital and social channels as part of the brand refresh of The Unlimited Collection. The film illustrates how a Gen-U embarks on an unscripted adventure, exploring charming destinations and immersing herself in cultural experiences to discover what propels her to travel. 

It highlights The Unlimited Collection’s refreshed brand story and signatures through a kaleidoscope of festivals, art, music, craft, food and languages steeped in local culture. A global marketing campaign will kick off on 12 August.

Serena Lim, chief growth officer at Ascott, said, “Our collection brands form a key pillar of Ascott’s growth plans as they enable us to partner with independent owners who wish to preserve the unique identities of their properties while leveraging Ascott’s expertise in hospitality management, supported by our global distribution system and loyalty network. In recent years, we have witnessed increasing interest in Ascott’s collection brands as they offer owners flexibility, ease of conversion and quick time-to-market while preserving the distinctive nature of each property.”

She added, “As a result, we have made good headway with the heritage-focused The Crest Collection brand in the luxury hotel segment, amassing 13 properties in Europe and Asia with over 1,600 units to date. The Unlimited Collection, that focuses on accentuating the unique cultural charms of each property, is our next global collection brand success with eight properties added in the past year. We see potential in further scaling The Unlimited Collection through offering customised support to owners who seek to capitalise on growing guest demand for authentic local experiences.”

Meanwhile, Tan Bee Leng, chief commercial officer at Ascott, commented, “Travellers nowadays are willing to invest more in experiences that are true to local culture. For Ascott, it means building up a brand rooted in the power of discovery and the magic of authentic experiences. As more travellers aspire to embrace the local way of life, The Unlimited Collection rises to the occasion with curated experiential stays that appeal to this emerging breed of travellers who seeks an immersive sense of place.”

She added, “Designed to offer an authentic experience from each destination, every property in The Unlimited Collection is a local landmark featuring exquisite designs that leads guests to intriguing personal discoveries and engaging cultural appreciation. With its refreshed brand focus on the charm of culture, we are confident The Unlimited Collection will foster a deeper connection between our guests and the destinations they visit, making every stay memorable and unique.”

Hong Kong – Mandarin Oriental has announced the appointment of Alex Schellenberger as its new senior vice president for brand to elevate the hotel’s brand presence and to increase its desirability as a luxury hospitality brand. 

With over two decades in global luxury brand building, storytelling and brand experience roles, he brings invaluable insights and expertise to this newly created global role and will be joining the group leadership team.

His most recent role was being the global chief marketing officer of Accor, based in Paris. He began his journey with Procter & Gamble’s prestige division, where he elevated the Hugo Boss fragrance line. Subsequently, he held senior executive positions leading transformative marketing and communication initiatives to redefine and reposition beauty and luxury goods brands, at Coty and Swarovski.

Speaking on his new role, Schellenberger said, “I am proud to be joining this iconic brand that has captured the imagination and the loyalty of so many fans around the world. Mandarin Oriental is renowned for delighting its guests with legendary service, steeped in oriental heritage and we are uniquely placed to drive these exceptional experiences to new heights, further securing our position as a global leader in luxury hospitality.”

Meanwhile, Laurent Kleitman, group chief executive at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, expressed his enthusiasm about Alex’s appointment, commenting, “Alex is a talented and transformational brand builder. His global experience will be instrumental in realising our ambitious plans to put the brand and the guest at the heart of the organisation and deliver enriching and innovative experiences, stunning communications and innovative partnerships.”

He added, “Alex has an outstanding track record elevating luxury brands and I am delighted to have him join our team and steward Mandarin Oriental as we accelerate and elevate our presence in the most sought-after destinations around the world.”

Singapore – The Ascott Limited, the lodging business unit under CapitaLand Investment, announced the launch of ‘Ascott Unlimited’, a year-long medley of initiatives to mark its ambitions to break new ground as it celebrates 40 years in hospitality service.

This launch signifies a new era for Ascott, as the hospitality company navigates a future of unlimited possibilities against a backdrop of global change and evolving perspectives of travel.

Aiming to transcend traditional limits, Ascott embarks on a transformative journey to go ‘unlimited’ for its guests, owners, partners, and associates. 

Going on this route, Ascott promises unlimited opportunities by delivering enhanced value to owners and investors, while providing career growth opportunities for associates, as well as allowing for unlimited choices, with a myriad of stay experiences for guests, whatever the purpose of travel and wherever the destinations may be. 

Additionally, Ascott also offers owners with a flex-hybrid hotel-in-residence model that allows for a flexible and free stay, whilst committing to a culture of care and hospitality, backed by a spirit of innovation to do good in the future of travel.

Commemorating this milestone, a campaign microsite features the latest updates on events, offers and happenings that guests may enjoy or participate in. An interactive game also allows guests to put their knowledge on Ascott to the test, with a chance to win stay vouchers and reward points to unleash their wanderlust.

Talking about the campaign, Kevin Goh, chief executive officer for Ascott and CLI Lodging, said, “2024 will be our launchpad – one that will propel Ascott into an era of greater ambition, as we go unlimited. Unlimited with enhanced value for our owners, unlimited with myriad experiences for our guests, and unlimited with growth opportunities for our associates.”

Meanwhile, Tan Bee Leng, chief commercial officer at Ascott, commented, As we go Unlimited, we are excited to be launching initiatives that have been curated to deliver one-of-a-kind stay experiences for our guests. This will be exemplified in everything we do – from free night stays and complimentary membership tier upgrades to signature experiences and programmes unique to each brand. All to ensure our guests unlock a gateway to unlimited possibilities, wherever they are in the world.”

Singapore – Artotel Group has tapped Ogilvy Singapore and production house Sauce Universe to help with the creation of its newest loyalty program tier that rewards their hotel’s most loyal guests with a night of anything and everything. 

Breaking from the usual loyalty programs that offer the same rewards like complimentary breakfasts or free room upgrades, Artotel Group has taken a bold step towards rocking the hospitality landscape in Southeast Asia with their new loyalty program offer.

Called the ‘Rockstar Status’, Artotel Group’s latest loyalty programme is a first-of-its-kind that rewards the most loyal guests with a night where anything goes, anything. It is the group’s newest tier under their existing Wanderlust program. 

With the release of the newest loyalty program, Artotel and Ogilvy Singapore have also unveiled a teaser that shows the guests what the hotel meant when they said ‘anything is possible with the Rockstar Status’. 

For members to be able to achieve ‘Rockstar Status’, they would first need to prove their loyalty and stay at the hotel for 120 nights. 

While this is a big ask, the hotel is also confident that guests will enjoy their long stay as they will also receive the very best the hotel could offer even before achieving Rockstar Status. 

Erastus Radjimin, CEO of Artotel Group, said, “Of all my years in the hospitality line, I’ve yet to see any hotel do something like this. At least, not voluntarily. This hotel membership brings the rockstar in you to life to have fun like never before! ” 

“Artotel Group has always gone above and beyond for our guests. As a hotel chain that celebrates creative hospitality, we believe rewarding our loyal guests with a night to fulfil their wildest dreams aligns perfectly with our philosophy. We want them to have an experience that they will never forget,” he added. 

Nicolas Courant, chief creative officer at Ogilvy Singapore, also shared, “ARTOTEL is a brand that truly believes in adding a creative touch to the hospitality business. In the past, we helped them create a safe haven for Chinese gamers. This year, we’ve worked with them to take their loyalty program to the next level.” 

Singapore – Multinational hospitality company Marriott International has announced a slew of executive appointments across Asia-Pacific, excluding China, which positions the company for future growth in the region and tap into its leadership pool to better meet localised needs and support customers, associates, and owners.

Leading the appointment list are John Toomey as chief sales and marketing officer, Asia-Pacific (excluding China); Christina Chan as chief financial officer, Asia-Pacific (excluding China); and Andrew Newmark as chief human resources Officer, Asia-Pacific (excluding China).

Across his 27-year career with Marriott, Toomey has held a strong track record for driving performance and collaboration. Under his leadership, Marriott entered a partnership with digital giant, Rakuten, tapping into their 110-million-member base to expand the growth of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty platform.

Other appointed leaders include Oriol Montal as managing director for luxury, Asia-Pacific (excluding China); Karen Kim, as vice-president for global design, Asia-Pacific (excluding China); and Shawn Hill as chief development officer, Asia-Pacific (excluding China).

Rajeev Menon, president for Asia-Pacific (excluding China) at Marriott International, said, “Asia-Pacific remains a strategic market for the company, representing tremendous growth potential and exciting opportunities for the business. I am confident that our new organisational structure positions us well for the next chapter of growth in the region.”

Singapore – To expand its marketing suite for hospitality operators, global guest experience and retention platform for the hospitality industry SevenRooms has launched an e-mail marketing tool that is built with a set of personalised trigger-based emails from operators to customers, aimed to help in continuous engagement with guests.

Working in conjunction with SevenRooms’ automated e-mails, the customers will be able to send one-time, customised marketing emails directly to the SevenRooms platform in order for operators to control the way they use their guest data. 

The platform will also allow operators to build their brand by having direct touchpoints with guests, whilst being provided with insights that matter to their business including the reservations, covers, and revenue attributed to each email. 

In addition, this will support operators with a solution that is connected throughout a restaurant’s tech stack, without using third-party email service providers. It is directly linked to the SevenRooms CRM and operating system so operators have full control over their messaging and its receivers.

Meanwhile, in line with the goal of enhancing the guest experience, this gives updates about their favourite venues, receive targeted messages and promotions, or simply control the venues from which they receive marketing. 

Allison Page, co-founder and chief product officer at SevenRooms said that SevenRooms provides an email marketing product with a functionality that cannot be seen in other traditional email marketing platforms.

“While other email service providers promise revenue, SevenRooms can prove it with accurate data on the revenue generated by each campaign to truly measure email marketing performance,” she added.

Singapore – Online travel agency and reservations company Booking.com has launched the second edition of its ‘Booking Explorers’ campaign, where it features more inspiring travel stories from leading personalities across Asia-Pacific.

This year’s campaign features five new personalities from Australia, India, South Korea, Vietnam and Japan. They include Former MasterChef Australia grand finalist Simon Toohey, upcoming Bollywood actor and Mumbai native Shanaya Kapoor, multidisciplinary artist MY Q, nature-loving lifestyle personality Tran Quang Dai, and Japanese supermodel Ai Tominaga.

Through this year’s Explorers, Booking.com aims to continue to celebrate the relentless spirit of travel, and their desire to keep experiencing and exploring all things new and familiar, whether it’s in their own backyards or around their home countries. 

“However, as much of the world seeks to travel again, we also recognise the need for sustainability: from avoiding single-use plastic and making smart, responsible choices when choosing stays, to transforming how and where we travel to so that we minimise our impact on the destinations we visit; and hopefully leave our destinations better than when we first arrived,” the company said.

Laura Houldsworth, managing director for Asia-Pacific at Booking.com, said, “As the world returns to travel with great enthusiasm, we want to inspire travellers in Asia Pacific through the rich stories of our explorers. They are truly inspirational with their desire to keep exploring despite the challenges faced — and now they invite us to dig deeper into the sights and cultures of the countries they call home and the destinations we likely have yet to discover. I hope these stories stir travellers everywhere to open their hearts and minds to new experiences and put sustainability at the forefront of all they do.”

The first ‘Booking Explorers’ campaign was first launched in August 2021.

Mumbai, India – Marriott Bonvoy, a travel programme and marketplace under Marriott International, has brought its ‘Here’ campaign videos alive, with an immersive anamorphic installation at Cyber Hub, Gurugram, and Phoenix Mills (Palladium) in Mumbai until 26 September 2022. This installation was created by Inventech, a Laqshya Media Group company.

The ‘Here‘ campaign, which was created in collaboration with Singapore-based creative company, The Secret Little Agency, and was launched last August 2022, builds on Marriott Bonvoy‘s global tagline ‘Where Can We Take You’, with ‘Here’ as an expression for revelling the authentic, relatable little moments missed by travellers. These videos celebrate the power of travel with moments everyone can relate to; from trips to beach destinations or mountains, the local videos capture cities such as Chennai, Bengaluru, Mussoorie, Gurgaon, Kochi, and Goa.

Khushnooma Kapadia, Marriott International’s senior area director of marketing for South Asia, noted that as an organisation, they are constantly innovating to find new-age communication vehicles customised for an audience that has the appetite to consume narratives that appeal to their evolved sensibilities. 

“Our members are now eager to travel and get back on the road, and with this immersive activation, we want to help them discover all the places and experiences our hotels have to offer. This is an attempt to engage with our audience in a high-impact visible format with the travel content we have developed,” said Kapadia.

Meanwhile, Sommnath Sengupta, CEO of Inventech, a Laqshya Media Group company, shared that the 3D DOOH format is extremely dynamic and engaging, and it changes the relationship with the recipient as it is impossible to go by without noticing it, as well as it is changing the way people interact with advertisements – it’s futuristic. 

“With the right amalgamation of art, science, and technology, our super-skilled, experienced, passionate team has created this best-in-the-class user experience for Marriott Bonvoy TG. Our immersive content ideas and interactive storytelling solutions for our clients with cutting-edge, next-generation technology differentiate us from the others,” said Sengupta.

Singapore – Hotel tech provider, Vouch, has launched a digital guest platform that combines pre-arrival guest engagement and experience personalisation for hotels. Called ‘Bespoke by Vouch’, the platform empowers hotel guests with a convenient way to tailor their hotel experience, while boosting productivity and revenue for hotels through smart automation.

‘Bespoke by Vouch’ is a pre-arrival extension to the company’s flagship guest experience platform, a product that offers hotels faster, more efficient guest services through service digitalisation. Through this platform, guests may personalise their upcoming hotel stays by purchasing experiences that interest them and receive instant confirmation on their purchases. 

Moreover, the platform’s algorithm also allows tailored recommendations based on guest profiles and preferences which ensures a high degree of relevance and value for each guest.

The key benefits of ‘Bespoke by Vouch’ include flexibility for guests, incremental revenue for hotels, pre-arrival data collection of guest information, and a powerful management portal that gives hotels full pricing and inventory control on all items, as well as guaranteed delivery of every paid transaction, and manpower savings for front office and reservations departments.

Joseph Ling, founder and CEO of Vouch, said that with their years of knowledge and technical capabilities, they are well-positioned to create an ideal solution that achieves both guest satisfaction and labour efficiency through automation.

He further shared that the pre-arrival experience, which is often neglected, has largely been labour-intensive and this lapse in digitalisation has created a wide efficiency gap for hotels when compared with other industries in the service sector. 

“This is where we can support our hotel partners with reliable solutions to aid them in their efforts to provide a great guest experience every single time,” added Ling.

Vouch said that the platform is also programmed to disable access for guests on the day of their arrival, ensuring no unexpected, last-minute requests that hotels will be pressed to fulfil. Additionally, for room upgrades, the platform triggers a second round of inventory checks on the hotel’s PMS to verify room availability before proceeding to allow guest payment on the platform.