By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter
DISCOVERY HOSPITALITY CORP. (DHC) said it is boosting its use of digital tools while continuing to offer its signature Filipino-style service amid global travel challenges.
“Part of future-proofing our business is investment in business intelligence. That will give us leverage in understanding the market and the trends that are happening,” DHC Senior Vice-President and Head of Sales and Operations Lynette Q. Ermac said in an interview with BusinessWorld.
“We invest in programs that allow us to personalize — to get to know our guests better, to reach out to them, and to create personalized messages based on guest history,” she said.
Ms. Ermac added that the company has been using artificial intelligence to identify optimal pricing for accommodations.
“It’s not enough that we have a fixed price,” she said. “We have to know what’s going on with our competitor, with the world, and know how we optimize our sales conversion through revenue management.”
Launched in 2011 as The Discovery Leisure Company, Inc., DHC sought to bring Filipino hospitality across its homegrown portfolio of hotels and resorts nationwide.
As the property management arm of listed hotel and resort developer Discovery World Corp. (DWC), DHC manages several brands: Discovery Resorts, Discovery Suites, Discovery Primea, Kip&Kin, and the Manami Resort under its Signature Collection.
Ms. Ermac noted that geopolitical shocks caused by overseas wars, as well as the growing preference for other Asian destinations such as Japan and Korea, have impacted bookings.
“Definitely, in terms of the number of guests, the size of the pie has gotten smaller,” she said.
The Philippines welcomed about 2.1 million tourists as of end-April, according to data from the Department of Tourism. However, this remains significantly lower by 26% compared to pre-pandemic arrivals.
The company also emphasized the need to be agile in its distribution strategies to reach more customers both locally and internationally, Ms. Ermac said.
“We have to be present globally and identify new markets. We have to start marketing in Singapore, Hong Kong, to attract those new markets that would decide to stay with us,” she noted.
DHC has also expanded its bookings via online travel agencies to appeal to international travelers, especially millennials and Generation Z.
‘DEEPLY FILIPINO SERVICE’DHC’s philosophy of providing “Service That’s All Heart” has driven the company to maintain its hyper-personalized and experiential services amid external shifts, according to Ms. Ermac.
“A service that’s from the heart transcends any trends, any new digital developments,” she said. “Because it is about how our guests want to be seen and felt.”
Ms. Ermac likened DHC’s signature management style to visiting a Filipino household.
“You will know that you’re visiting a Filipino home because they bring out the best towels, the best food,” Ms. Ermac said.
“They would even ask you, ‘What’s your favorite food?’ And they will cook that for you,” she added.
Amid the high cost of living and stagnant wages, Ms. Ermac noted that many travelers are still willing to pay for a premium hotel experience.
“We have guests, both global and local, who would still and would continue to pay premium for service,” she said. “As far as Discovery Hospitality is concerned, we will continue to be that place which the premium pricing market would choose.”
Likewise, DHC’s mid-range brand Kip&Kin, which has pipeline projects in Palawan and Siargao, targets cost-conscious travelers, she said.
Ms. Ermac, who began her career as a hotelier for another local brand, said working for a homegrown company provides a different kind of fulfillment.
This also means that a local firm like DHC is able to create promotions and packages without being constrained by the guidelines of a foreign entity, she added.
“In general, the trends may be changing, but we will always root our future service on who we are as a Filipino brand,” Ms. Ermac said.
“But we will be cognizant of the global shifts in terms of digitalization and also towards the needs and wants of our guests.”
