At about this time of every year, the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association of the Philippines (HSMA) always takes a pause to honor the outstanding professionals in our country’s hotel industry in a glitzy celebration held at any of the metro’s posh hotels. Unfortunately, the pandemic prevented them from holding a face-to-face event the past two years so, for this year’s celebration, they made up for lost ground.
It certainly was a glittering, colorful and fashionable event, as the organization’s lady officers came in their best formal gowns, matched by their gentlemen colleagues’ tuxedos and formal blazers with elegant pochettes.
Distinguished representatives of the country’s hotel industry flocked to the elegantly decorated Grand Ballroom of Okada Manila to witness the important event, made doubly significant now that the Industry is getting back on its feet again after the pandemic wreaked havoc on our country.
As in previous years, three winners were proclaimed: June Niño Calinawan, Banquet Sales Executive of Quest Hotel and Conference Center-Cebu, was the Outstanding Sales and Marketing Associate; Marie Antonette de Belen, Conrad Manila’s Senior Sales Manager, was named Outstanding Sales and Marketing Manager; and Michelle Angeli Crudo, Director of Sales at Novotel Manila Araneta City, is this year’s Outstanding Sales and Marketing Leader.
HSMA also gave an award for Outstanding Marketing Campaign to Newport World Resorts (NWR) for its “I Love Earth” project which banners the establishment’s commitment to sustainability after seeing the disruption and negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. NWR manages five international hotels, a shopping mall, casinos, entertainment venues, and MICE facilities.
As part of its post-pandemic plans, NWR Management is consolidating and integrating all sustainability efforts being carried out throughout the property complex. It created an “I Love Earth Council” which quickly assesses and identifies priority areas for collaboration. These priorities have since become the basis for sustainability targets.
Virtus Awards Chair Rose Libongco congratulated the winners as they “start their odyssey in the industry, inspiring others by example and converting others towards the philosophy of winning until they form a like-minded army who will perpetuate their ideals of success.” For his part, outgoing HSMA President Benjie Martinez declared that “this year’s winners are helping the industry break free from the pandemic by embracing opportunities, relentlessly pursuing business for their respective properties despite the challenges.”
This year’s Virtus Awards also honored the winners of 2020 and 2021 who, unfortunately, had to be proclaimed and awarded online then, to conform with the past two years’ quarantine restrictions.
With the support of the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board, this year’s event was made possible with the assistance of Atlantis, Okada Manila, Dida Travel, Crimson Filinvest, Media Meter, IDeaS, Maya Business, Newport World Resorts, and EDI.
Information on future events and projects of HSMA is available through www.hsma.org.ph or hsmasecretariat@gmail.com
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