What is the most impressive achievement for your company this year?

In terms of awards, it would be winning the TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Award for the seventh time, attaining the G-Green Gold Level award for environmental efforts and responsible tourism and continuing to receive the TTG Travel Hall of Fame after many consecutive years.

In terms of our renovation projects, we have successfully renovated the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel working alongside a top architect and designer. Through our efforts to continually strive for excellence, our MICE conversion rate is higher than last year by 20 per cent. Finally, our sports club will be hosting the most prestigious ITF senior Tennis Championship in November.

It is often said that an organisation is only as strong as its people. What investments have your company made in talent development this year?

Developing our people is always on top of our agenda. For our sales and marketing team, we have invested in hiring a coach to help improve teamwork via teambuilding exercises. We have enrolled our people in sales and marketing workshops which include going abroad. We have hired trainers to conduct classes for learning English communication skills, business etiquette, hospitality training and appropriate food and beverage service. We have worked with one of the best mixologists so our bartenders are updated on their knowledge of their craft. We have also developed a Performance Factor Index which is tied to the online/offline feedback from our guests. The system allows different departments to learn and measure how well they are looking after our guests. Finally, the senior management continually finds ways to test and evaluate the performance of each staff and provide coaching for them to improve.

What can your trade partners and customers look forward to in doing business with you in 2020?

We have just signed a contract to partner with a leading networking equipment and software company. By the end of this year, Royal Cliff can confidently say that our wifi technology will be the fastest and most reliable in comparison to other five-star hotels. We have also upgraded other technological infrastructures to make our MICE events extraordinary.

Credits to Vitanart Vathanakul, CEO, Royal Cliff Hotels Group and PEACH