Marriott is gung-ho about PH’s hospitality industry

ARTIST’S rendition of the Marriott Grand Ballroom. PHOTO BY NELSON MATAWARAN

Construction is ongoing for the Marriott Grand Ballroom, which will have a capacity of 5,000 and an additional 228-room luxury tower at the Resorts World complex.

“It’s going to be a very grand affair,” explains Bruce Winton, Marriott’s new general manager. The expansion is a response to the strong demand for venues from the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) sector.

The new ballroom can accommodate 3,000 guests on a banquet setting and 5,000 for a concert-style seating. It will be supported by 18 meeting rooms. The new tower will have a more intimate lobby lounge and a Chinese restaurant, a café/noodle bar and another restaurant concept.

The new annex and towers are targeting the latter part of 2014 for the soft opening, but the formal rites will be held in January 2015.

Designer Kenneth Cobonpue will be designing a striking focal point in the lobby.

“It’s part of the Philippines’ big picture. It’s looking to grow five million to ten million visitors by 2016 if you listen to President Aquino.  Why are they coming? MICE is the magical four letter word,” he says. “We’re trying to put the Philippines on everybody’s radar as a bona fide world-class MICE destination. To do that, you need to have infrastructure, transportation and facilities to host those events. It’s great that the Philippines has been chosen as host for Apec (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) meeting.”

Best in world

Winton points out that since Marriott Hotel in Resorts World opened in 2009 it has become one of the most successful properties of the Marriott chain in Asia.

BRUCE Winton brings with him more than two decades of service at Marriott. PHOTO BY NELSON MATAWARAN

Marriott’s occupancy is robust on weekdays with business and corporate guests. On weekends, the occupancy is stronger with families and locals doing their “staycation.”  As of this writing, the year-to-date occupancy is 82 percent.

The hotelier adds that the restaurants have been popular. Cru Steakhouse has merited many awards and attracts a power clientele while families go for the seafood buffet at the Marriott Café.

Marriott’s biggest market segment comes from America (38 percent) which includes the balikbayans. Domestic business (36 percent) such as pharmaceuticals and independent travelers are the second biggest market. The rest of its guest mix comes from Asia.

The hotel’s location is a big advantage. With its accessibility to the international airports, Resorts World has become a gateway.

“Marriott can provide versatile, world-class meeting facilities for any size of group in a multi-use entertainment complex. Once you’re done with the meetings, you can watch a show at the Newport Performing Arts Theater and can go shopping at the mall. There is a variety of shopping, dining and entertainment options,” he says.

Winton says the demand for function rooms has been very high that the hotel has had to turn down businesses on Fridays and Saturdays. But with the new Grand Marriott Ballroom, the place can hold six weddings simultaneously.

The hotel is often compared with other brands. He explains, “I would challenge: Define a hotel experience. What makes it memorable? Is it simple luxury touches or a combination of service, luxury, technology? I’ve had more people tell me that this is the best Marriott hotel in the world because of the service— the genuine desire to take care of people. The Filipinos really want to help you not because this is their job. They genuinely take pleasure in making you happy. People are not used to that in other parts of the world.”

Success in Cebu

Although he credits the Filipinos for Marriott’s success in the Philippines, Winton himself is an accomplished hotelier. Recently, he was awarded General Manager of the Year for Marriott International Asia Pacific Region.

Winton has worked for Marriott International for 24 years, working his way up as a trainee then a chief steward (“He’s the guy in charge of washing the dishes, cleaning the kitchen and setting up the equipment for the banquet”) to heading restaurant operations and food and beverage director. He honed his skills in handling large convention hotels such as the Marriott Copley in Boston and the JW Marriott in Washington, the first of the hotel’s luxury category.

While working in America, Winton had to round off his Scottish accent.

It was in Washington, where Winton met his future Filipino wife, Christina Diaz, who was a trainee in the food and beverage department.

When Marriott was expanding in Asia, Winton was promoted to resident manager of the Seoul Marriott. The turning point came when he became general manager of Marriott Cebu in 2010. During his tenure, he boosted the hotel’s market share, increased customer satisfaction and food and beverage revenues.

“It was a good re-introduction to the Philippines for my family after years of being away,” he recalls.

Upon his arrival, the industry was experiencing a glut of rooms. “There was prolific growth but demand fell behind the supply. The city was challenging. I had to explore new businesses not found before.  We were able to produce good results in 2012 through the combination of relationship building with different clients, flexibility and looking at different source markets.”

Winton bucked the myth that Koreans fly to Cebu to enjoy the beaches. “I lived in Korea for two years and I never met a Korean who wanted to sit in the sun. They run from the sun. That’s why they have very fair skin. We offered city rates that were cheaper than those at Mactan.  When we talked to tour operators, it was followed by a tsunami of business. One operator did 200 room nights with us in 2011. In 2012, it went up to 12,000 room nights.”

Marriott Cebu also gained new corporate accounts. He appointed the finance director, who spoke Korean, to woo the Korean market.  “He won the Aseana airlines contract by being a salesman. They should know Marriott hotel. We establish relationship with decision makers. When they come for an official visit, we prepare the hotel for them and do a better job than competition.”

Dining and laughing

From his experience in the US, Winton brought with him Marriott’s philosophy of taking care of its employees. “Before profits and guests, the employees come first. They are the ones who deliver the results for you.  If you take care or them, they will be happy.  They will take good care of customers.”

This includes a competitive package, opportunities for professional development and empowerment. “We give them the power to make decisions,” says Winton.

The hotelier waxes proud of his seasoned executive team. “They know what they are doing. I make sure they have what they need from me and they get my support.”

Since his transfer to Marriott Manila, Winton has been knocking on doors to increase the visibility of the hotel. With new hotels opening by 2015, he is anticipating stiffer competition. “It will change dynamics in doing business.”

Marriott hired a director for international convention sales to promote the new Grand Ballroom. The hotel has been attending travel events in the US and Europe to establish new clientele.

For a busy hotel that’s bullish about expansion, the 45-year-old hotelier is as energetic as he was an upstart—but not without the boldness of youth.

Doing business in Asia, he learned the importance of flexibility and diplomacy. In the Philippines, Winton observes that dining, singing and laughing are vital in a transaction. He adds, “I understand not to be confrontational. Don’t push for a final answer. In some countries, when I need a yes or a no, I need it  today. That’s not the way to do it in the Philippines. You allow the answers to evolve. As long as you’ve built relationship, trust and confidence, then the answers that you want will evolve.”