SEAG hotels told: Ensure maximum hospitality

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat is urging Metro Manila hotels to see to it that the Filipino brand of hospitality is showcased in hosting the delegates of the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG).

“Ensure that the Filipino brand of hospitality is exercised to the maximum capacity of hotels’ resources and capabilities,” Puyat said as she convened yesterday representatives of various hotels in Metro Manila where foreign delegates of the 2019 SEAG are billeted.

This year ’s SEAG is estimated to bring in a total of 137,563 room

nights to hotels across the four clusters of Manila, Southern Luzon, La Union, Clark and Subic, with delegates staying from Nov. 19 to Dec. 12.

Puyat called for an emergency meeting among concerned stakeholders to raise questions and suggestions in accommodating the SEAG delegates.

Among those present at the meeting were representatives of 32 hotels in Metro Manila hosting the SEAG delegates, the Tourism Congress of the Philippines, Philippine Hotel Owners Association, Hotel Sales and Marketing Association and the Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers.

They raised concerns before officials of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), particularly director of games services Arsenic Lacson and deputy director for volunteer program and former basketball star Chris Tiu.

“It is in situations like this that we are faced with the challenge of making our visitors’ stay in the country one of fun and fulfilling experience,” Puyat said.

During the meeting, the DOT committed to assigning a focal person in each of the four clusters and upgrade its existing information desks at the lobbies of participating hotels.

“Initially intended to promote Philippine tourist destinations and tour packages to visitors, the desks are now open to disseminating additional SEAG-related information from PHISGOC and receiving concerns, which will be forwarded to PHISGOC for proper handling,” the DOT said.

TCP president Jose Clemente III assured the DOT that the entire tourism industry pledges its unbridled support to the success of the SEAG.

“The tourism stakeholders felt the need to work together with the DOT as it is incumbent on us to show the best of the Philippines and the Filipinos. We have to keep our focus and ensure that the overall experience of our ASEAN neighbors’ athletes and officials will be good. It’s not as important how we start, but how we finish,” Clemente said.

Puyat expressed her gratitude for the stakeholders’ support and active participation as a unified tourism sector, “ready to render our best practices as we always have.”

Puyat added that a number of brands and companies have reached out to the DOT to offer their products and volunteering services as support for this collective goal.

“Anyway, that is what this friendly competition is about. Let us win as one. To do this, let us rise to the occasion and put our best foot forward,” she said.

The DOT said it is also reaching out to hotels in Clark, Calabarzon and La Union to assure quality and consistent services all throughout.

The PHISGOC recently came under fire for mishaps in the transportation and accommodation experienced by arriving SEAG participants.

Among these were Cambodia and East Timor’s football teams having to wait hours at the airport before being fetched by a shuttle that would transfer them to their respective hotels.

In addition, East Timor’s team was also driven to the wrong hotel, complicating their arrival and training schedules.

Myanmar’s football team was also reported to have waited long hours at the airport then later complained that the bus, which it referred to as a “mini-bus,” wasn’t comfortable enough. Clemente earlier told The

STAR the Philippines needs to quickly address the logistical mishaps in a bid to break negative perceptions on the country.

“There will definitely be some blowback but if we can address the problems that arose, negative perceptions can be dissipated quickly,” Clemente said.

“We just have to act on those concerns now to ensure a good experience for the athletes and the officials moving forward,” he added.

Despite the series of unfortunate events, Clemente said he does not see these issues to have long term effects on the Philippine tourism industry.

“It’s unfortunate that there were issues but the important thing is to address them and resolve them as soon as possible,” Clemente said.

Asked if these mishaps are seen to affect the country’s chance of hosting future regional events, Clemente said it would not.

“As far as hosting regional events here, I do not see any adverse effects, especially if we can recover for the SEAG,” Clemente said.

“This is only one event and should not be indicative of the country’s overall capability to handle events,” he added.

The 30th SEAG will formally open at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan tomorrow. The regional games, which run through Dec. 11, will be held in Clark, Manila and Subic.

A record 56 sporting events will be held across dozens of venues that are in some cases hours’ drive apart, considering the notorious gridlock traffic in Metro Manila.