JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE
Hong Kong has long been a top destination for Filipino travelers. Often the first out-of-the-country trip for many, it is also a city we keep coming back to for its close proximity to Manila, Cebu or Davao via a an hour-and-a-half plane ride; its more temperate climate; the island’s mix of cosmopolitan and cultural sights; an endless array of colorful street food and gastronomic flavors; and of course, its endless night markets and chic shopping havens.
Naturally, the former British colony has been top of mind for many Filipinos these past several months since tensions between its government and citizens led to a slew of protests since the summer. And while many travelers still carried on with scheduled getaways to Hong Kong — returning to the Philippines with the same vibe and satisfaction they get from visiting Asia’s World City — there are understandably many more who postponed plans to go their favorite destination to be on the safe side.
But believe it or not, there is no need to set aside trips to the famed island city, and no less than top hotelier and beloved Hong Kong expatriate, Singaporean Dalip Singh said this to The Sunday Times Magazine.
In a one-on-one interview for this issue and an episode of The Manila Times Lifestyle and Entertainment’s online show “CSI: Celebrity, Style, Inspiration,” the general manager of the Marco Polo Hotels -Hong Kong’s three-cluster property at Victoria Harbour — Marco Polo Hongkong, Gateway and Prince — talked about the situation as it is and explained why they still look forward to offering guests the best experience and more at this crossroads.
are up to date with the situation in Hong Kong on
a daily basis so they can properly and efficiently
guide guests on which areas to visit and avoid.
“I’m sure everybody knows the situation in Hong Kong,” he began. “And since the summer, we’ve been affected by the protests that have taken place — the entire [tourism] industry has been affected. And actually, in mid-August after the incidents at the airport were publicized, it affected us even more.
“But the good news is that we are seeing demand returning [to our hotels] and we’re getting many inquiries again. And that’s why I’m here — to let our Filipino friends know that it’s business as usual most everywhere in Hong Kong including where we are at Victoria Harbour.”
Singh, whose wife lives back home in Singapore, told The Sunday Times Magazine how his better half still flies in and out to visit him and enjoy Hong Kong like she did before the spate of rallies erupted in late March. The closest proof indeed the expat can cite that life — even for tourist — continues to go on in the city where he’s been working since 2017.
“It’s always an opportune time to go to Hong Kong, even now, especially for tourists, because the businesses continue to give out so many great deals, promotions and sales,” the ever affable GM offered.
Known and credited for his organizational expertise which have won the Marco Polo Hotels – Hong Kong awards in business and employee practices besides quality service recognitions, Singh further shared how their guests continue to acknowledge feeling safe with them, then as now.
“Safety and well-being is our utmost priority and we make sure that our security and concierge are very much aware of what’s happening every day. That is why they are able to provide guests safety tips at any time such as where to go and where not to go while they are in Hong Kong.”
Singh said he came to Manila, and even flew out to Marco Polo’s Cebu and Davao properties, to spread the word to frequent travelers to Hong Kong, especially during the holidays, that everything is well, running smoothly and ready to be enjoyed at their “home away from home” along Canton Road on Tsim Sha Tsui.
“I know that many Filipinos love to celebrate Christmas and New Year in Hong Kong with the cool weather, the food and the shopping — and we are waiting for you. We truly look forward to welcoming our beloved Filipino guests.”
To find out more about the goings on and what’s in store for visitors to Marco Polo Hotels – Hong Kong, read the rest of The Sunday Times Magazine’s interview with General Manager Dalip Singh.
With the final quarter of the year upon us, what would you say were the major successes of the Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel in 2019?
We are so proud that Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel has been selected among the Top 10 “Best Hotels & Resorts in Hong Kong” in the 2019 DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards. This is the second consecutive year the hotel has received the publication’s prestigious accolade. This recognition provides great encouragement, leading us to advance ourselves and elevate our hotel experiences to the next level.
Another great achievement is the EarthCheck’s Silver Certification. This is the second year of Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel to attain this recognition. EarthCheck is the world’s leading environmental management and professional service group for the travel and tourism industry. It helps businesses deliver clean, safe, prosperous and healthy destinations for travelers to visit and live. The hotel has been making every effort to apply best practices in environmental and social sustainability. We always seek for sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to build a better world.
We also launched our brand-new hotel video on Cable News Network (CNN) and on different online platforms in May this year. We welcome world travelers to embark on the Marco Polo journey of “Discovery.” Explore behind the scenes and beneath the surface to experience a fruitful stay in Hong Kong.
With the newly built Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macao Bridge and the High-Speed Rail, guests from China visited our three hotels the most in 2019. But we are happy to tell you that the Philippines is still among our top five nationalities [staying at our properties] in 2019. Among all three hotels, the contemporary Gateway Hotel which offers sophisticated touches and stylish comfort to the guests, remains most popular to our Filipino guests.
Given the political unrest in Hong Kong the past couple of months, have the hotels been affected?
There was certainly a softening of demand across all market segments, as per the overall city’s tourist numbers. There were also some cancellations of international tradeshows and conventions, but we are happy to tell you that occupancies in our properties have been regaining momentum and we expect this to carry on in the near future.
Like I said, we look forward to a return to normality. The safety of our guests and associates are our utmost priority, and we will, for sure, continue to work closely with them to provide the most updated information when they stay with us and ensure they are confident in their business and travel requirements for Hong Kong.
And just like before, we will continue to uphold our service and accommodation excellence and making every stay with the three Marco Polo hotels in Hong Kong a top-rated experience.
One of the great things Marco Polo Hotels did for the Philippines in 2018 was to lend a helping hand in promoting the country as a tourist destination to Hong Kongers. The Sunday Times Magazine recalls how Gateway held a Filipino food festival to coincide with the launch of Cathay Pacific’s direct flight between Davao City and Hong Kong a year ago. Firstly, has the route helped to boost arrivals of Filipinos to Hong Kong and vice versa? And secondly, was the food festival effective in familiarizing the Hong Kongese about the Philippines a little more?
The direct flights connecting Hong Kong and Davao in service since October 2018 links two cities and definitely offers convenient point-to-point travel for tourists as well as business travelers. The numbers of Filipino guests at our hotels definitely increasing as soon as Cathay Pacific opened the route and we can forecast a positive trend in the coming years.
To answer your second question, the “Taste of Davao” food festival in October last year was a great success as well. We were honored to fly in Chef Alex Destriza from Marco Polo Davao to present authentic Filipino cuisine at Three on Canton’s nightly dinner buffet at Gateway Hotel. Hong Kongers savored a selection of home-style dishes showcasing the treasures and tastes of the Philippines with unlimited enjoyment. Hong Kong gastronomies love seafood, grilled delights and fruits, so they welcomed the local specialties from the Philippines we introduced and we have received positive comments from our guests. I’m sure the delicious tastes enticed many travelers to go to the Philippines after that.
Do you have future plans in holding promotions to further boost the cultural/tourism exchange between the Philippines and Hong Kong?
We, in fact, promote not only food, but also the art and culture of the Philippines from time to time and we’d love to continue doing so. In previous years, we held a food and art festival at Prince Hotel, namely “The Best of the Philippines.” Guest Chef Eugenio Magtaja Jr. flew in from Marco Polo Ortigas, Manila and presented culinary specialties at the buffet restaurant at Prince, while Filipino artists including the celebrated National Artist, Benedicto Cabrera exhibited their art pieces at the Prince Hotel, showcasing an eclectic range of styles.
Have there been any new staff members of prominent and important positions who have joined the three-cluster property this year and are bound to keep the hotels proactive in its goal of giving its guests continued quality service and experience?
We are pleased to have Raymond Lo joining Cucina, the authentic Italian restaurant at Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, as a Sommelier since May 2019. He is a member of the Hong Kong Sommelier Association. Before joining Cucina, he was the Head Sommelier at Maximal Concepts. He also previously held the sommelier role at renowned Hong Kong restaurants The China Club and Michelin-starred restaurant Epure, and was part of the opening team at Arbor. Raymond’s expertise in Italian wine and food pairing allows him to offer the perfect selection every time.
Thanks to Raymond and the team, Cucina has won the bronze badge of the Wine by the Glass Restaurant Award by Wine Luxe Magazine in early September, which focuses on the “wine by the glass” menu, pairing techniques and restaurants setting. We will continue to provide the finest Italian cuisines by our Italian Chef Andrew Delzanno, alongside the best wines to our guests.
We are also delighted that Cucina has conferred the award of the “Best Restaurants 2020” from Hong Kong Tatler magazine recently, as well as receiving the Master Chef Recommendation Restaurant award from Asia Art of Cuisine Association of Hong Kong. With the spectacular backdrop of Victoria Harbour, dedicated service and the authentic Italian cuisine crafted by Chef Andrea Delzanno and his culinary team, we will continue to bring guest a fabulous gastronomic adventure with the most authentic Italian taste.
Another exciting piece of news we’d like to share is our prestigious win at this year’s Stelliers Awards for Greater China, the Leading Hotelier Awards Platform, which celebrates the stars in the industry. I am so proud to be awarded the coveted “General Manager of the Year” accolade.
I have to say that being general manager of Marco Polo Hotels – Hong Kong and managing the three-cluster property is not an easy job, but I enjoy it very much, especially with my team. The hospitality industry is a people-driven world and as one team one goal, we are all passionate to offer the best experience to every single guest, and that’s what these recognitions simply say.