Exec: Adopt practices of winner properties

The awards and recognition won by some hotels and restaurants in Cebu will help the tourism industry in Cebu.

Director Rowena Montecillo of the Department of Tourism of Central Visayas, gave this observation after the recent naming of Cafe Marco of the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel as the 5th Best Restaurant in the Philippines. The award given by The Miele Guide.

“We are proud of this achievement which we think will really compliment Cebu’s image as a prime tourism destination because tourism is not only about the places you go but the food you get to experience in that place,” Montecillo said.

She called on other local stakeholders to adopt the practices and standards of these recognized hotels, restaurants, and resorts.

According to PR and media communications manager of Marco Polo Plaza Hotel Kyra Cabaero, the Miele Guide was created in 2008 with the aim of recognizing the best chefs and restaurants in Asia.

“The judges go around the nominated properties and do four rounds of judging, We will not be informed when they’ll be coming. There’s really no specific criteria but they look at everything from the food, the ambiance and the staff,” said Cabaero.

nominees

Aside from Cebu, Anzani, Abaca and Gustavian were also nominated but did not make it to the Top 5 list.

“This the first time that Cafe Marco was included in The 2013 Miele Guide and for us it’s a very big honor to be in that list and we are the only property from Cebu that made it to the Top 5 list,” said F&B director Stephen Wieprich who represented Marco Polo Plaza Hotel during the awarding last January 22 in Singapore.

“The rest in the top five are mostly from Manila. We are the only one from Cebu and I think the first one from Cebu to make it to the list,” said Wieprich.

Wieprich said that they planned to maintain the level of standard they had in Cafe Marco so that they could still make it to the top in the next listing and perhaps also win more awards from other international award-giving bodies.

F&B BUSINESS

According to Wieprich, the F&B business of the hotel contributes half of the properties revenues which provides a good balance in their business.

“Most of our diners are walk-in customers and we get a lot of diners during special dates like New Year in January, Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year, and Mother’s Day. To also encourage more diners to keep coming back, we always make our spread and layout as well as the decorations more relevant,” said Wieprich.

MORE AWARDS

Cafe Marco’s recognition came after Radisson Blu Hotel was awarded by Trip Advisor as one of the Top 25 Best Hotels in the Philippines in its 2013 Travellers Choice Awards. The hotel was also recognized by Agoda.com together with other top hotels in Cebu such as Shangri-la’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa as the Top 12 Best Hotels in the Philippines. The Abaca Boutique Resort and Restaurant in Mactan Island topped the Top 20 Small Hotels in the Philippines list by Agoda.com.

Ocean Vida Beach and Dive Resort in Malapascua also ranked 10th, Mayas Native Garden in Moalboal at 16th and Mike and Diose’s Beach Cottage in Malapascua at 17th are also in the Top 25 B&B (bed and breakfast) and Inns in the Philippines list.

Montecillo said that other stakeholders should take pride on the success of these hotels, restaurants, and resorts, learn from them, and try to adopt the same standards that these properties have.

Online

“The trend now is really going more towards the online community. If you are visible online especially in the top list of the websites of these independent award-giving bodies, it will make a huge difference in your promotion which will benefit Cebu as the tourists will want to come here to experience what you offer,” said Montecillo.

Montecillo cited the Internet as a powerful tool that many establishments around the world especially the major players were using as a channel for promotions and it would be time for the local players to also try and do the same.

“Aside from promoting your properties online, you can also learn more about your customers online. See what they say about your property, your services and your food which you can use to improve more,” said Montecillo.

Montecillo said that Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. was also aiming to increase air traffic in the country, which meant that the DOT would be pushing for more direct flights to and from major destinations in the Asian region and in the world.

AEC 2015

He said Jimenez had been meeting with other counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on how to resolve the issues limiting the airline companies from adding more routes to major destinations especially when the Asean Economic Community (AEC) would happen in 2015.

The AEC would involve the integration of Asean member countries’ economies.