Francis Gotianun redefines Filipino hospitality through sustainable and eco-friendly initiatives
Guided by time-tested wisdom, Senior Vice President for Hotels and Resorts of Filinvest Hospitality FRANCIS GOTIANUN paves the way for homegrown hotel chains that both impress global audiences and give back to their immediate communities
“I was about to receive my masters’ degree abroad when my aunt Josephine told me that she was close to finishing a hotel in Mactan,” recalls Francis Gotianun, referring to Crimson Resort & Spa Mactan. “Until I finished graduate school, I wasn’t aware that they were working on that property, so it was a surprise for me when I returned to the country.”
Aunt Josephine—more specifically, Josephine Gotianun-Yap, the President & CEO of Filinvest Development Corporation—was eager to get the younger Gotianun on board. “A month into my break after school, my aunt told me: ‘ Francis, it’s either you join the hotel business now, or I’m going to look for someone else.’ So, I ended up joining and becoming the first owner’s representative for the hotel business. You could say that I got into this industry by accident,” he quips.
VALUE AT EVERY LEVEL
The next few years saw Francis learning the day-to-day operations of their hotels. “My role involves overseeing the full life cycle of our hotels, from raw land or existing asset acquisition, design and construction, to preparing the property for asset management,” he outlines. A separate company, Chroma Hospitality, takes care of the asset management side for all hotels under the Filinvest Group. “As the owner’s representative, I also make sure that our hotels are providing the financial returns that we need.”
Francis flexes his expertise across the different brands they handle under the Gotianun-led business: the world-renowned Crimson brand is their five-star luxury offering, catering to the upper end of the market; the Quest chain of hotels caters to the middle market, providing quality accommodations for business travelers and budget-conscious vacationers; and an upcoming project, Grafik, is set to appeal to the younger market. “We envision Grafik Duawon to open in two years’ time,” Francis says. “It’s an exciting development because it caters to millennials who are on the lookout for lifestyle-oriented and affordable options.”
“We have always created value at every level,” he reiterates. “It’s all about creating that wonderful lifestyle, feeling, and experience— making sure that we provide superior value, food & beverages, comfort, among others, across our different properties. Ultimately, we strive to deliver to our guests the best of the locales where our hotels are situated.”
REDEFINING FILIPINO HOSPITALITY
However, Francis believes that there is more to being a leader in the hotel industry than just providing spot-on hospitality and service. “Being a responsible business owner—both for your employees and the immediate community you belong to—is always important,” he stresses. “One great thing about our industry is that we are able to employ from a diverse group of people with varying skill sets and backgrounds. From locals who know the lay of the land to international professionals with graduate degrees, we have a place for them here.”
Francis also takes pride in the different corporate social responsibility activities that their groups have been supporting. “We support a variety of causes in both socio-economic and environmental areas in all the communities that we work in. For example, in Cebu, we are a partner of the Philippine Accessible Disability Services (PADS) to provide employment opportunity to deaf/mute members and support their PADS adaptive dragonboat team who competes internationally for global titles. This now has extended to providing training and education to police and lawyers to have sign language and sensibility education to assist in handling abuse cases of deaf/mute in the community. We have scholars under our education and training program supported by the funds of our annual fund raising event The Happy Feet Slipper Race. We’re also working with a community in Cebu, PhilBio and EcoExplorations for a 5-year rehabilitation project of the largest remaining forest in the province of Cebu. In Mimosa we offered Christmas bears to raise funds for Duyan ni Maria (a local orphanage in Pampanga) while In Manila we have the annual Breast Cancer awareness campaign called Passionately Pink.”
Part of the satisfaction that Francis derives from leading Filinvest Hospitality lies in being able to achieve spectacular growth milestones while redefining Filipino hospitality. “The beautiful thing about hotels is that they are constantly changing and evolving” he says. “We’ve had a lot of accomplishments across our properties that we’ve never thought of achieving—whether it’s about revenues, food & beverages, or customer feedback. I always beam with pride when people get amazed by our efforts, when they say, ‘Oh, I didn’t realize that Crimson was a local brand.’ It shows that we Filipinos can do amazing things and make a difference within the hospitality scene.”
As a leader of a proudly Filipino brand, Francis is keen on maintaining and pushing the boundaries of what local hospitality can offer, on top of their CSR efforts, local collaborations with various artists and brands, and exemplary services. It’s this drive to push what a Filipino brand can do that the young executive considers as their great contribution to Philippine hospitality. “We're always proud of pushing ourselves and trying to always do things better. I think our team really has shown that we can really accomplish a lot,” he says. “For instance, right now, we’re working on an ambitious endeavor: working toward a zero-plastic environment,” he proudly declares. “Of course, we started small—we’ve eliminated straws already—and we’re working our way up. It’s a challenge to remove plastic completely in, for instance, the kitchen, but we’re hard at work in coming up with good alternatives.”
At the end of the day, Francis’ goal is simple: to be proud of all their properties. “I am passionate about my work. Yes, it takes a lot from me, but nothing beats the satisfaction of being able to walk inside a property— whether it be a two, three, four, or five-star one— and be proud of it. You finally get to see, touch, hold, and experience a project you’ve worked on for years and share it with others. That’s the best reward that I can get.”
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
“There are many things to consider as we look at the future of hospitality in the Philippines,” Francis notes. “I can see the industry becoming more competitive as more infrastructure becomes developed—better roads, more airports, more hotel brands coming in, among others. It’s actually great that we get as much competition and diversity as far as hotels are concerned, as this will help the country become a better prime destination for travelers all over the world.”
Francis is confident about the landscape of Philippine hospitality and how it can compete on a global scale. “Our proximity within global markets like China, Japan, and Korea places us at a strategic advantage. Besides, our beaches and tourist destinations are just on a different level. I travel around Southeast Asia a lot, so I can back up my thoughts with conviction.”
As for Francis, the Senior Vice President for Hotels and Resorts of Filinvest Hospitality promises to continue delivering service to the next level, guided by time-tested wisdom from his elders. “My family has been instrumental in teaching me the values of hard work, dedication, and always trying to look for ways to do better next time,” he says. “These values run through the family, from my grandparents, aunts, and uncles, to my parents. I always keep them at the center of what I do, especially whenever I remind myself why I have to work hard. When I recall the purpose of my life’s work and rekindle that passion, everything else follows, from doing the best I can, taking care of myself, and choosing what is ultimately right.”
“I’m always on the lookout on ways to bring our hospitality business to greater heights. From Crimson, Quest, and Grafik in the future, I wish to take Philippine hospitality to the world and expand our proudly Filipino brands.”