Mice market, Apec meetings to boost hotel sector
CEBU City Marriott Hotel maintains a rosy outlook for the hotel business this year, projecting a growth of 4.5 percent.
Patrick Carroll, the hotel’s general manager, is confident occupancy levels will remain high on the back of the large conventions happening in Cebu, particularly the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) ministerial meetings.
“The momentum is there. We will continue to see growth because of the Mice market and the supposed Apec meetings,” he said.
Carroll, however, said that they haven’t received bookings yet for Apec meetings but the Ayala-led hotel is already prepared to host guests.
“Fifty rooms are already on hold and we will adjust the number of rooms as we get more information,” he said.
The 299-room business hotel logged an “impressive” seven percent growth last year.
“2014 was the best year after we experienced cancellations due to the calamities in 2013. This hotel continued to attract individual and large group of travelers,” said Carroll.
The rooms accounted for 65 percent of the growth, followed by the food and beverage. The hotel continues to draw growth from its diverse customer base, primarily the business process outsourc- ing followed by finance, banking and insurance, among others.
To improve guest experience and hotel service, Carroll said the hotel is spending P5 million for the upgrade of air conditioners and guest rooms starting last January.
It is also banking on technology to attract the new breed of travelers these days — the millennials who are more on the go and are involved in the public space.
Carroll said the 100 Mbps Internet service they offer will continue to attract the younger generation of travelers. The hotel’s Marriott Rewards or the Loyalty Program is seen to upgrade the hotel experience with its mobile application check in and check out feature, as it allows seamless booking for both business and leisure travelers, among other features.
The Asia Pacific-based Marriott Hotels will also roll out this month a meeting service app called Red Coat Direct, which is designed to allow meeting planners to request, respond and connect in real time with the hotel’s event coordinators.
The web-based service allows planners to continually make and adjust meeting requests without having to leave the room or even being on the property. A planner can send a message to the Events Department prior to arrival, change a room requirement or check in on packages from this application regardless of location.
“This mobile application hopes to strengthen the communication between hotels and the planners at the same time improve the hotel’s service especially for the booming Mice market,” said Carroll.
The hotel will also hold Professionals’ Month this year to recognize organizations in Cebu. Members of the identified organizations or industry will be given 20 percent discount when they dine at the hotel at a designated month.
The hotel recognizes February as the Dental Health Month; March — Integrated Bar of the Philippines and Association of Broadcasters in the Philippines Month; April — Public Accountants Month; May — Veterinary Medicine Month and June —Business Chamber Month.
The hotel is currently identifying the organizations to recognize for the second half of the year.