Tag: Marriott International

  • Marriott International Wins AON Best Employer in APAC

    Marriott International Wins AON Best Employer in APAC

    Marriott International has once again been crowned Best Employer Asia Pacific by Aon plc (NYSE: AON). The company was also recognized as Aon Best Employer in 17 markets across APAC – an increase in four markets from last year. The accolades are testament to Marriott International’s commitment to its people and its active encouragement for them to be their best in both their professional and personal lives.

    Craig S. Smith, Marriott International’s President and Managing Director for Asia Pacific, said, “At Marriott International we put people first and take care of our associates so that they, in turn, take care of our guests. We are thrilled that this commitment to our people, which has been embedded in the company’s DNA from the outset, has been recognized yet again by Aon. We focus on training, developing and retaining our associates, creating a loyal and passionate workforce that is committed to offering the best service and experiences to our guests.”

    With over 680 properties across 23 brands in more than 20 markets and a further 530 plus properties in the pipeline, Asia Pacific is Marriott International’s second fastest-growing region. The organization’s approach to developing talent is central to this growth as increased opportunities in the company enable associates to progress their careers from within, retaining not only talent but also the legacy of service values and commitment to excellence throughout the entire operation.

    “We implement a systematic and purposeful approach to enable associates to realize their full potential through a structured human capital planning process,” said Regan Taikitsadaporn, Chief Human Resources Officer for Asia Pacific at Marriott International. “We see it as important to nurture and groom our talent with comprehensive training and leadership development programs to enable career growth and facilitate internal promotions that will empower the growth of our company. These initiatives help us attract best-in-class talent as well as create a positive and nurturing environment for all associates.”

    Marriott International also offers professional development programs for associates at every stage of their career, from the Global Voyage Leadership Development Program for recent university graduates to the Marriott Development Academy, which helps prepare aspiring and new managers for the leadership role of general managers. As part of its commitment to diversity and inclusion, Marriott also focuses on promoting and developing women leaders. In 2018 alone, the Asia Pacific region saw a 12 percent increase in the number of women general managers across Asia Pacific.

    Marriott International is the only company to receive global recognition consecutively since Aon began the program in 2014 – a testament to the group’s commitment to putting its people at the core of its business. In 2018, Marriott also achieved certification as Best Employer globally.

    With more than 15 years of experience in best employer studies across the world, backed by more than 20 years of experience in employee research, the Aon Best Employer program recognizes the achievements of organizations that demonstrate excellence in the workplace.

    The company’s research proves that Aon Best Employers drive a committed workforce and performance through a compelling employer brand, effective leadership, and a high performance culture and level of employee engagement.

    • Engagement: Employees speak positively about their employer, intend to stay, and are motivated to exert extra effort at work.
    • Leadership: Leaders treat employees as valued assets, engage employees in the vision, and lead the organization to success.
    • Performance Culture: Employees are aligned to organizational goals and are rewarded and recognized for their contribution.
    • Employer Brand: Employees are proud of being part of their organization and can clearly explain what makes their employer different from others.
  • The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts makes Singapore debut

    The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts makes Singapore debut

    The Luxury Collection® Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, today announced it will debut the brand’s first-ever hotel in Singapore in early 2017. In partnership with boutique developers Harpreet and Satinder Garcha, The Duxton Club, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Singapore will showcase the island’s rich history with stunning redesigns from Anouska Hempel and Jacques Garcia of traditional shophouses–a prevalent building in Singapore’s architectural heritage–in the Tanjong Pagar conservation district. Both preserving the past and offering guests a contemporary luxury experience, the multi-million-dollar renovation will bring to life Singapore’s roots in an authentic and indigenous way.

    “The debut of a hotel in Singapore in collaboration with two iconic designers marks an important milestone for The Luxury Collection, as we continue to expand our global footprint in new destinations around the world,” said Meredith Dichter, Global Brand Director, The Luxury Collection. Recently surpassing 100 hotels in more than 30 countries, our mission to offer global explorers truly indigenous experiences wherever they travel will reach new heights with the opening The Duxton Club next year.”

    “We are thrilled to bring The Luxury Collection to Singapore,” said Rajit Sukumaran, Senior Vice President, Acquisitions & Development, Marriott International Asia Pacific. “We are confident that The Duxton Club will make its mark on the country’s highly competitive hospitality market, and we’re proud to work with Harpreet and Satinder Garcha, who are passionate about design and adaptive-reuse heritage projects.”

    The Duxton Club will reside in two pre-war colonial shophouse buildings within walking distance of one another: The Duxton House on Duxton Road and The Duxton Terrace on Murray Street. Strategically situated in the Duxton area, the two buildings are adjacent to the emerging Central Business District of Tanjong Pagar and border the culturally rich Chinatown area. In recent years, the neighborhood has enjoyed a revival, emerging as the epicenter for today’s global traveler as one of the island’s most stylish leisure and dining neighborhoods. The Duxton House is expected to open in early 2017, while The Duxton Terrace is slated to open in July 2017.

    Originally constructed in the early 19th century, The Duxton House features 50 guestrooms in eight adjoining three-story buildings reimagined by celebrated designer Anouska Hempel, whose comprehensive interior design background spans hotels, restaurants, retail spaces and luxury residential projects including the Hempel Hotel and Blakes Hotel in London, and high-end retail stores around the world such as Van Cleef and Arpels and Louis Vuitton. Under the strong interior design identity of Hempel, The Duxton House will be restored to its former glory with rich oriental influences that honor the property’s unique heritage and timeless sense of luxury and glamour. Once completed, the hotel will include a destination restaurant, signature bar and private cigar room – all offering refined experiences for discerning guests seeking authentic, indigenous experience deeply rooted in the destination.

    Just 600 feet away, with convenient access to the upscale establishments of Tras Street and Club Street, The Duxton Terrace comprises fourteen adjoining three and four-story colonial-era buildings with 138-guestrooms. Originally, completed in 1929, the structure likely served Chinese merchants before being converted to army barracks. Since then, the building has been adapted for different purposes, from housing a hawker food alley to restaurants and office space. The property’s most recent renovation project received the Architectural Heritage Award from the Urban Redevelopment Authority, further solidifying the building as a cherished and historic landmark.

    The Duxton Terrace will be restored to its original grandeur by renowned architect and designer Jacques Garcia, whose extensive design portfolio includes the restoration of The Louvre and The Palace of Versailles. The hotel will house five captivating food and beverage venues including a signature bar and lobby bar, an all-day dining restaurant, a poolside bar and an exclusive member’s club. Additional facilities will include an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center and cigar room. Guests of The Duxton Club will enjoy full use of the facilities at both premises.

    Satinder Garcha, CEO of Garcha Hotels, said, “Using our mutual strength to re-create the charms of a bygone era, the adaptive reuse of such historic buildings by two of the world’s best designers, Anouska Hempel and Jacques Garcia, will offer guests an unforgettable boutique hotel experience while contributing to urban sustainability and preservation of our vibrant past.”

  • What young Chinese luxury shoppers want

    What young Chinese luxury shoppers want

    Young Chinese luxury travellers demand bespoke experiences and go abroad every three to four months, mainly for leisure, according to a Hurun Research Institute report.

    It shows that these travellers spend RMB420,000 (US$65,000) on tourism every year and RMB220,000 on travel shopping. Japan is the top destination for shopping – not Hong Kong.

    They demand personalised luxury experiences, Wi-Fi access, and next-generation guest services on smart devices as standard.

    The inaugural Chinese Luxury Traveler 2016 study was released by the institute in conjunction with Marriott International, and is the first collaboration of its kind between a global hotel company and an authority on Chinese luxury travel.

    Key findings reveal a shift in travel habits among this younger generation of travelers, aged 18 to 36 years. They want added value throughout the entire hospitality ecosystem, from planning a trip, to requesting guest services, to choosing which loyalty program to join.

    When it comes to services and information, young Chinese luxury travellers prefer the digital approach. Interactive guest services on smart devices are far more popular than traditional guest services, and travelers also expect this smart technology to record and manage their personal preferences.

    They also do their research on digital platforms, with WeChat emerging as their primary source of travel information. Third-party apps are also important for information, such as C-Trip, Qunar and Tuniu.

    Novel travel experiences are popular, such as adventure travel, polar exploration and road trips.
    Also, this group feels underwhelmed by loyalty programs, many of which are seen as low value and not unique.

    “This is a key focus area for Marriott,” says Marriott International chief sales and marketing officer for Asia Pacific, Peggy Fang Roe. In the first quarter of this year, the hotel group had a 7 per cent increase in domestic travellers in China and a 25 per cent increase in Chinese outbound travellers.

    Hurun Report chairman and chief researcher Rupert Hoogewerf says despite the economy slowing, the impact on outbound travel from high-net-worth individuals seems to have steadily grown.

    “The young luxury travellers have developed significant spending firepower, minted on the back of the recent boom in Chinese entrepreneurship, together with a growing class of second-generation ‘rich kids’.”

    The report says the young, Chinese luxury travellers have an average hotel budget of RMB3100 a night.

    Established as a research unit in 1999, Hurun Report has grown into a media group targeted at high-net-worth individuals in China and India. Headquartered in Shanghai, Hurun Report has offices in Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Sanya, London, Los Angeles, Chicago and Cochin (Kerala) in India.