The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) of the Philippines on February 16 held its 1st General Membership Meeting in 2023 and Induction of the new Board of Trustees, displaying the organization’s renewed focus on both reviving and reshaping travel, tourism, and hospitality in the country.
HSMA’s new board is led by President Loleth So, who is also the Area Director of Sales and Marketing of Belmont Hotel Manila and Savoy Hotel Manila. Members are Vice President Cristina Carreon (Manila Marriott’s Marketing Director of Sales and Distribution), Secretary Amie Villena (Four Points Sheraton Palawan Director for Sales and Marketing), Treasurer Desiree Rose de Guzman (Astoria Hotels and Resorts Corporate Director of Sales and Marketing), Director of Programs Jennylyn Santillan (City of Dreams Manila Director of Sales and Marketing), Director of Ways and Means Wenie Maligaya (Newport World Resorts Director of Sales and Marketing), Director of Education Lynette Ermac (Megaworld Hotels and Resorts Group Director of Sales and Marketing), Director for Membership Tet Romulado (General Manager of The Linden Suites), and Public Relations Director Clelo Reboredo (Okada Manila Vice President of Sales and Marketing – Hospitality and Management).
“HSMA moves forward this 2023, as we spread our wings and write a new chapter in HSMA’s notable 44 years of history,” said So, as she shared the organization’s major projects for the year that are driven by a three-pronged strategy: Revenue Generation, Education, and Building Sustainable Community Relations.
The group’s first revenue-generating event for the year is the 2023 Philippine Tour Operators Association-Hotel Sales and Marketing Association Travel Exchange 2023 (PHILTOA-HSMA TravEx), happening March 28 to 29, at the Manila Marriott Hotel where 88 HSMA’s member properties will engage in tabletop business with a total of 120 PHILTOA members and travel partners, as they discover and form synergies to boost domestic travel through their destinations and services.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, the keynote speaker at the induction, likewise emphasized the huge opportunity to boost the economy through domestic travel. Alongside HSMA and other industry players, Frasco said this can be achieved “through close coordination with our mayors, our governors, our district representatives, recognizing that none of these plans and policies will work without the help, the coordination, and collaboration of our local officials.”
Come September, the HSMA will be holding its much-awaited September Online Sale (SOS), where travelers can avail themselves of huge discounts and exclusive deals from HSMA’s member properties. Finally, continuing its tradition of celebrating outstanding leaders and campaigns in hotel sales and marketing, HSMA will be holding the prestigious Virtus Awards, now in its ninth edition.
“We have weathered the pandemic storm together, now is the time to collaborate and recover as one HSMA–hashtag #TheWayForward!” said So.