The quest for excellence, creativity and innovation among the Hospitality Sales and Marketing professionals continues. The values that enabled them to rise above hindrances to success best illustrates the spirit of the award–Virtus in Arduis–Virtue in Difficulty Rose H. Libongco, chair of Virtus awards program and founder of Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA), pointed out that selling a hotel is more challenging than marketing a consumer product, which could get a significant boost just from media advertising campaigns.
“People have different demands for hotels,” she said, so there could be no one-size-fits-all sales campaigns. Promotional efforts should be target- and purpose-specific, among other things, Libongco told the media representatives during a briefing. First launched in 2015, the HSMA is consistently on the lookout for excellence and on how nominees faced the challenges of their jobs.
HSMA aims to raise the flag for marketing and intensify the campaign to raise standards as the association’s legacy, according to Libongco. Virtus recognizes outstanding sales and marketing practitioners who are role models and inspirations to current and aspiring players in the travel and tourism industry in the Philippines, thus fulfilling HSMA’s vision to contribute to the robust growth of Philippine tourism.
Nominees for individual categories are regular employees who have served in an HSMA member-property for at least one (1) year, including the covered period of April 1, 2017 to March 30, 2018, who have no past and/or pending administrative or criminal case.
Nominators, on the other hand, come from an HSMA member-property to ensure familiarity with the performance being cited.
HSMA was founded in 1979 by sales and marketing people of top hotels and resorts in Metro Manila which main mandate is to provide education and professionalize their ranks. HSMA members, now counting to 120 establishments all over the country, get to network with fellow hoteliers, get updated on the latest tourism trends and statistics. The group has also welcomed into their fold the three-star, even the two-star properties accredited by the Department of Tourism.
HSMA launched the Virtus Awards in collaboration with industry stakeholders offering a unique platform among hotel sales and marketing professionals in the country to tell their stories of excellence and success that resonate well beyond the hotel and resort industry. Likewise, the group acknowledges customer and business-focused strategies as well as innovative and creative programs that bring about measurable results and return on investments to their properties.
Over the years, the awards has become essential to the Filipino sales and marketing professional’s continued journey towards excellence as they continue to harness creativity and innovation in creating new markets, to elevate exemplary performance of individuals and best practices that impact hotels and resorts business and services, to deliver enhanced benefits to customers and to promote the company’s good image thereby optimize revenue generation.
PAST AWARDEES SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES
Honoring the heroes and heroines of the hospitality industry, Virtus awards aims to be the gold standard. The rigorous selection process, with measurable standards and criteria is intended to make the awards a credible arbiter of sales and marketing excellence. There are three individual awards and one corporate award given out every year. The Outstanding Sales and Marketing Associate, Outstanding Sales and Marketing Manager, and Outstanding Sales and Marketing Leader—cover positions in room sales, event management, digital commerce, reservation, public relations and communications, and revenue management. The lone corporate citation—Outstanding Marketing Campaign of the Year – recognizes the most outstanding marketing campaign that is built around a single, unified theme using at least two different types on media. Past winners attest that Virtus Awards, considered the Oscars by the country’s sales and marketing professionals, inspire and motivate them to continue to strive higher in their respective careers.
For Cielo Ortega-Roberado, Okada Manila’s director of sales, winning the Virtus was unlike anything she had experienced. She won as Outstanding Sales and Marketing Leader in 2015 when she was still director of sales and marketing for Midas Hotel and Casino. “Midas, a small boutique hotel, competed with the giants, yet we generated so much revenue. I think that’s what the judges saw at that time,” she narrated. Winning the Virtus eventually gave her that extra push to take on pre-opening responsibilities when she joined Okada Manila. “This was my first pre-opening assignment, which entailed creating all the procedures, hiring the whole team. It’s not easy, but it was very fulfilling,” she said.
For JR Intertas, travel sales account executive for Manila Diamond Hotel, his Virtus as Outstanding Sales and Marketing Associate in 2015, was totally unexpected. “Back then, I was still in public relations as assistant. Our Director of Sales and Marketing, Sunshine Robles, informed me that she is nominating me to represent the hotel. I was hesitant at first but I braved the nerve-wracking interviews and I made it!,” he reminisced. With Virtus, doors of opportunity have just been constantly opening up for Intertas: his company enrolled him in a 29-week digital marketing certification program in 2016 which has helped his team build and launch the new hotel website and strengthen its presence on social media and other digital marketing platforms.
He has also since won other awards and was recently elected as PRO of the Philippine Tourism and Hospitality Officers and Marketers Association 2018-19 Board. “I am totally grateful for my award,” said Intertas who may still clinch another Virtus should he aim for another category.
The 2018 winners will be announced on October 8 at the Virtus Awards 2018 Night at the Manila Marriott Hotel. Guest of honor and keynote speaker is Department of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.
“Through this annual competition, we hope to ignite the passion and drive of hotels and resorts through their all-important sales and marketing team to excite the market, deliver vigorous business, make hearts beat a little faster as we really don’t know who the winners are until their names are announced on the awards night,” said Christine Ann Ibarreta, current HSMA president.