After two years of gathering and celebrating via laptop screens, the Virtus Awards – the annual peer-recognition event of the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA), finally held its first face-to-face awarding ceremonies.

Held at Okada Manila last October 25, the 2022 Virtus Awards recognized, as in previous years, three winners for its individual categories: for Outstanding Sales & Marketing Associate, the top plum went to Jhune Niño Calinawan, Banquet Sales Executive of Quest Hotel & Conference Center-Cebu. The Outstanding Sales & Marketing Manager award was given to Marie Antonnette de Belen, Conrad Manila’s Senior Sales Manager. Recognition for Outstanding Sales & Marketing Leader was awarded to Michelle Angeli Crudo, Director of Sales at Novotel Manila Araneta City.

For its Outstanding Marketing Campaign award, recognition was given to Newport World Resorts (NWR) for its “I Love Earth” program, which was established as the resort group’s commitment to sustainability after seeing the disruption and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. NWR houses five international hotels, a shopping mall, casinos, entertainment venues, and MICE facilities. As part of its post-pandemic plans, they are consolidating and integrating all sustainability efforts throughout the property complex under “I Love Earth.” The program’s main innovation is the creation of the I Love Earth Council, which quickly assessed and identified priority areas for collaboration. These priorities have since become NWR’s basis for its sustainability targets.

Congratulating this year’s winners, Virtus Awards chair Rose Libongco said that their achievement marked the start of their “odyssey” in the industry. 

“Every day forward is your opportunity to prove that you are the right winner. Watchful eyes are on you to continue to demonstrate excellence in purpose, plan, and action thereby educating others directly, inspiring by example, and converting others towards the philosophy of winning until you form a like-minded army who will make your objectives doable, replicate them and eventually perpetuate your ideals of success,” Libongco said.

And with the theme “Breakthrough 2022,” outgoing HSMA president Benjie Martinez said that this year’s winners are helping the industry break free from the pandemic by “embracing opportunities and relentlessly pursuing the business for [their] respective properties despite the challenges.” 

He added, “For fostering creativity and bringing in new perspectives and ideas that drive customer loyalty, and for taking pride in doing quality work regardless of the task, you are worthy of the Virtus Awards.”  

Also recognized at this year’s Virtus, which is now in its eighth year–its most auspicious, as Libongco pointed out–were the winners of 2020 and 2021, respectively: Okada Manila Events Executive Erika Denice Patajo and Hotel 101 Group MICE Sales Executive Ericka Joy Calamba (Outstanding Marketing Associates); El Nido Resorts Senior Sales Manager Pio Sanchez and JPark Island Resort & Waterpark Mactan, Cebu Marketing and Communications Manager Alexis John Aquino (Outstanding Marketing Managers); Conrad Manila Sales-FiT Director Bae Eun Joo and Robinsons Hotels and Resorts’ Sales and Marketing Group Director Joselina de Mesa (Outstanding Marketing Leader).

Started in 2015, the Virtus Awards is organized by HSMA with the support of Co-Presenters Department of Tourism, Tourism Promotions Board Philippines, Gold partners Atlantis and Okada Manila; Silver partners Dida Travel, Crimson Filinvest, and Media Meter; Bronze partners IDeaS, Maya Business, and Newport World Resorts; Wine & Snack Partner EDI (Barefoot, Harveys, and PikNik). 

Organized by the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association of the Philippines (HSMA), the event’s theme will be “Eat. Stay. Love,” an invitation for the traveling public to re-engage with the world and live a fuller life by rediscovering the joys of travel.  The online travel mart will showcase an array of hospitality packages, which include room stays, weekend getaways, rejuvenating spa experiences, enriching recreational offers such as packaged group tours, and delicious food and beverage deals.

Travelers can also look forward to planning more life milestones with the help of SOS, since the fair will also offer discounts on restaurants, meetings and conference packages, and banquet occasions, such as weddings, debuts, and engagement parties among many others. 

From the safety and comfort of home, travelers can browse the SOS website  https://www.hsma.org.ph/sos/ from September 1-30 without having to deal with the rush, panic, or crowds of your typical travel bazaars. “From a 15-day event in our first year, we’ve planned a month-long travel mart. We are also including the ancillary services of the properties such as restaurants, bars, banquet packages, spa, gym and pool, and other facilities of the hotel, making this year’s campaign more thrilling and inviting,” says Benjie Martinez, HSMA President and Area Director of Sales & Marketing for Bayleaf Hotels.

From Metro Manila to the Southern Tagalog region, to popular beach destinations in Boracay, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, and Davao, there’s a deal for everyone at this month-long travel fair that will showcase 78 resorts and hotels namely: In Manila, Bayview Park Hotel, Diamond Hotel Philippines, Hotel Lucky Chinatown, The Bayleaf Intramuros, and Winford Manila Resort and Casino; in Pasay and Parañaque, Belmont Hotel Manila, Conrad Manila, Golden Phoenix Hotel Manila, Holiday Inn Express Manila Newport City, Kingsford Hotel Manila, Midas Hotel and Casino, Okada Manila, Savoy Hotel Manila, and The Heritage Hotel Manila. 

In Makati, BGC, and Alabang, Acacia Hotel Manila, Dusit Thani Manila, F1 Hotel Manila, New World Makati Hotel, Seda BGC, Seda Residences Makati, and The Bellevue Manila; in Ortigas/Pasig, Ace Hotel and Suites, Astoria Plaza, Discovery Suites, Joy Nostalg Hotel & Suites Manila, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, Richmonde Hotel Ortigas, The Linden Suites; in Quezon City and Clark, Pampanga, B Hotel Quezon City, Clark Marriott Hotel, Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Park Inn by Radisson North EDSA, Quest Plus Conference Center Clark, and Seda Vertis North.

In the Southern Tagalog region (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Tagaytay), Acuatico Beach Resort & Hotel, Inc., Acuaverde Beach Resort and Hotel, Anya Resort Tagaytay, Pico Sands Hotel, Quest Hotel Tagaytay, Seda Nuvali, Summit Ridge Tagaytay, Taal Vista Hotel, The Bayleaf Cavite, Twin Lakes Hotel Inc.; in Boracay, Astoria Current, Belmont Hotel Boracay, Crimson Resort and Spa Boracay, Discovery Shores Boracay, Feliz Hotel Boracay, Le Soleil de Boracay, Savoy Hotel Boracay, and The Lind Boracay; in Cebu, bai Hotel Cebu, Best Western Plus The Ivywall Resort Panglao, Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort, Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort, El Mar Resort, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Savoy Hotel Mactan, Waterfront Airport Hotel & Casino, and Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino.

In Bohol, Leyte, and Iloilo, Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort, Mithi Resort and Spa, Modala Beach Resort, Richmonde Iloilo, The Bellevue Resort, The Oriental Leyte; and, finally, in Palawan and Davao, Astoria Palawan, Bacau Bay, Club Paradise Palawan, Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort, Dusit Thani Residence Davao, dusitD2 Davao, El Nido Resorts – Pangulasian Island, Huni Lio, Miniloc Island Resort, Seda Lio, and Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao.

All vouchers bought during the sale will have no expiry date. Last year’s SOS sold over 5,100 vouchers, or equivalent to P29.2 million in gross sales.

“We at the HSMA would like to send our deepest appreciation to all member hotels for all their participation,” says Martinez. “ The variety of packages on offer are compelling and creative and will definitely attract more buyers  who are eager to rediscover the joys of travel after being confined in their bubble in the last 24 months.“

Post-SOS, HSMA members can look forward to another major event: the annual Virtus Awards. Hosted by the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) Philippines, the Virtus Awards is a competition “designed to shift paradigms in hospitality excellence.” For the past seven years, it has offered a unique platform for hotel sales and marketing professionals in the country to tell their stories of success that resonate well beyond the hotel and resort industry. Since 2020, a special award—the Champions of Resilience Award for Covid-19 Response—has been given out to recognize the contributions of individuals and institutional team/s to protocols addressing the challenges of the pandemic.

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HSMA’s September Online Sale (SOS) will run from September 1- 30, 2022.  All purchased vouchers have no expiration date. Packages may be availed of through secured online payment platforms including Maya.

The September Online Sale is made possible by HSMA’s event partners: The Department of Tourism, the Tourism Promotions Board,  Atlantis, and Media Meter. The event is also powered by resources from exclusive sponsors Maya and Megaworld International. 

To stay updated on all things SOS, follow HSMA’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HSMAPH and Instagram account at @HSMAPhilippines.