A local hotel closing down?

ONE HOTEL in Iloilo City is reportedly closing down this June, after the community quarantine.  It has been experiencing poor occupancy and business and even before the recent coronavirus scare, we were told.

Many people run hotels with its services directed more for out-of-town guests. This is the reason why their business is seriously affected by epidemics like the COVID-19 which has restricted travellers from out-of-town. 

We believe hotels should likewise develop business from the community. Have they tried attracting occupancy by offering promo rates to locals on weekends? Then they will have no problem of losing income even if there are travel restrictions, especially in an archipelagic country like the Philippines.

This is the mistake that many hoteliers make. They fail to develop sufficient business from local sources. For example, a coffee shop or restaurant is a good complement for the hotel business. We remember when we were working with a hotel that room accommodation was just 25 percent of the income in the business and the bigger source of revenue came from its restaurants and functions.

A hotel also needs a manager who is a good mixer and is accepted in the community. His hotel should achieve the function of being a good “watering hole” in town where people meet, eat and greet while they sip cups of coffee or order drinks. What is important is that the place is not left empty of customers all of the time.

The problem is that some hotel executives are seldom out of their office to meet customers and guests. We have the experience in trying to meet the manager of one hotel starting business here in Iloilo.  We can’t clearly recall now if it was this hotel, but we failed because we were told he was “busy”. If this is the attitude of a hotel manager, he will not go very far in the hotel business since it is a business of meeting people everyday. 

We remember, however, that we were not in formal attire. Although we were driving a car which we parked in front, we were just in t-shirt. We thought of going home and dress up in “barong Pilipino” or in coat and tie and come back so we can meet their honorable manager. But what for?

We think that hotel managers with this kind of attitude are not the type we should meet. There are other good hotels in Iloilo to recommend our guests.   

One aspect of the hotel business that many managers often overlook is putting up a good coffee shop and restaurant in the hotel premises. It could provide a good hangout for people to meet and greet, including guests who might have visitors, while they sip a cup of coffee or tea.

It is also advisable that the manager should come out of his office to meet guests of the hotel.  If he is not a local, how many people in the community did the manager come to know? Coffee shop habitués can recommend the hotel to friends and guests.

To our mind, it is sad that the hotel management did not make enough effort to meet and know the Ilonggos better. It could have made its restaurants and bars livelier, as well as its swimming pool and poolside active with school girls and children, as we remember in the old days.

What is important is that there are people and cars streaming in and out of the hotel premises all the time. Business will follow.    

If the business is revived, perhaps a more amiable and creative management style can be introduced by the new management.

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GEM OF THOUGHT

“Put on a brave face.” – When confronted with difficulties, if you put on a brave face, it means that you try to look cheerful and pretend that the situation is not bad as it is.

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For comments or reactions, please e-mail to jnoveracompany@yahoo.com./PN