Shangri-La sees growth with new airline routes

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2015/09/24/shangri-la-sees-growth-new-airline-routes-432214
• Thursday, September 24, 2015

By Katlene O. Cacho

A FIVE-star resort hotel is banking on new direct flights to Cebu to capture new markets.

While Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa has been enjoying good growth from its usual markets, general manager Nicholas Smith said improvements in air connectivity to Cebu is allowing them to penetrate more and new markets.

He cited Philippine Airlines’ new route from Cebu to Los Angeles by March 15, 2016 and Cebu Pacific’s Cebu-Taipei (Taiwan) route in December 17 this year as new potential growth areas, including Australia, a continent Cebu Pacific is keen on adding frequencies, on the back of the growing passenger market.

To prepare for this growth, Smith disclosed that renovation plans of the resort’s Ocean Wing (186 rooms) is in the process of finalization. Shangri-La recently upgraded the resort’s lobby lounge and Tides restaurant to keep up with the changing preferences of hotel guests.

“There is a demand for change. (With the advent of new technology and online platforms) there are some certain standards that people expect and we are addressing that,” said Smith, who has been in Cebu for more than a month now. His prior assignment was in Shangri-La in Shanghai, China, where he stayed for five years.

Smith said under his management, he will make Shangri-La’s Mactan more customer service-centric while putting emphasis on a “local touch” in all of its services. He also wants update their food and beverage offerings.

“Shangri-La’s Mactan serves all segments in the market, from walk-in guests, honeymooners, leisure to Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions). We will continue to upgrade the level of services we have, especially that we are known to all of these facets. We will make every day of our guests more interesting, given the fact that we are situated in an already interesting tropical environment,” said Smith.

“Moreover, we’ve got strong 700 employees here who can share insights of how Cebu can still be presented,” he added.

Shangri-La’s Mactan enjoys a mix of foreign guests from Korea, Japan, Singapore, Australia, US and Europe. Local guests, on the other hand, are growing, with families and friends staying at the resort during long breaks or weekends.

Following the resort’s hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Financial Ministers Meeting two weeks ago, Smith is confident the resort will get more Mice bookings in the coming months.

“The APEC Summit was fantastic. We have demonstrated that we are a top class facility for business and Mice events,” he said.

Smith added the resort is now preparing for the next round of APEC meetings next month. Its Christmas activities are also in place.