A few hours before Radisson Blu Cebu opened its doors for its Crystal Gala and 15th anniversary celebration on Dec. 2, three key figures in the hotel and tourism sector sat down to talk about where travel is heading—not with bold forecasts, but with the way guest behavior is quietly shifting.
For Radisson Hotel Group’s chief development officer for Asia Pacific, Ramzy Fenianos, the travel experience starts long before a guest reaches the lobby. He said people now expect a smoother process from booking to arrival.
“You want a flawless experience from the time you book to the time you check out,” he said.
Fenianos noted how even a short wait after a long flight can set the tone. “My worst nightmare is to wait five minutes after a 15-hour flight,” he added.
This is why the group is investing in tools like a 3D room-selection system that lets guests pick spaces based on layout and view. “Why wouldn’t you be able to choose your room if you know the hotel?” he said.
He added that these changes rely heavily on new technology. “It’s a lot of tech,” he said. “Investing in tech, investing in algorithms, AI, of course—I think that’s the big trend.” For him, the focus is on removing friction for the guest and making hotel processes as efficient as possible.
For Fenianos, the faster a guest settles in, the better their stay tends to go.
SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation executive vice president Peggy Angeles said guests are also rethinking how they use loyalty programs. Many now prefer rewards they can redeem immediately, instead of saving points for months.
“Guests now look for something experiential and not one size fits all,” she said.
She added that domestic tourism continues to be strong. “Compared to our neighboring countries, tourism arrivals have not reached pre-pandemic levels, but we don’t stop just because the tourists don’t come,” she said. “There are over 100 million Filipinos, and domestic tourism is very strong.”
Radisson Blu Cebu general manager Ann Olalo offered a perspective from the ground. Even with new technology coming in, she said the work still relies on people.
“More than the business, this property has had many accomplishments because of our people,” she said.
Building on her point about people driving the hotel’s successes, Olalo highlighted the Skills Behind Walls initiative, a housekeeping training program for women at the Cebu City Jail. The program uses a full housekeeping curriculum from Radisson Hotel Group and is designed to give participants practical experience rather than classroom-only lessons.
“We built an exact replica of a hotel room inside the facility,” she said, explaining how the setup allows the women to practice in an environment that mirrors an actual guest room. The training runs for several sessions and covers about 100 hours of work.
“When they are eligible for release, we will hire them,” she added, noting that the goal is to help the women return to their communities with a skill set that can support long-term employment.
Later that evening, the focus shifted to celebration as Radisson Blu Cebu marked its 15th year. The Crystal Gala brought together partners, long-time guests, Cebu leaders, and the local tourism community.
The hotel opened in 2010 and has since become a familiar setting for conventions, gatherings, and family events. As Olalo put it, “Fifteen years and counting—we’ve really cemented our place in the city.”
The anniversary also comes as Radisson Hotel Group and SMHCC move forward with new developments, including the Radisson Hotel SM Mall of Asia Manila and Park Inn by Radisson SM Mall of Asia Manila—a dual-branded hotel complex—as well as Park Inn by Radisson SM City Sta. Rosa in Laguna.
Angeles said these expansions follow a simple rule: “We build hotels where there is a guest.”
Fenianos agreed, noting the same thing from the developer standpoint. “Each key is a job. Each key is a local partnership that strengthens the community we serve,” he said.
What emerged from the conversations earlier in the day is that travel habits continue to change in small but noticeable ways. Guests want more control over their stay, fewer steps to get settled, and the reassurance that someone is paying attention.
As Fenianos said, “Technology will drive the industry, but what endures are the moments.”
The industry’s response, at least from those leading it, is to match that pace without losing the human side that keeps people coming back.
