16 TTG TRAVEL AWARDS 2018 SPECIAL EDITION
Travel Hall of Fame
Hertz
Asia Pacific Royal Cliff Hotels
Group SilkAir
Nicholas Waring
Director, franchise – Asia-Pacific,
The Hertz Corporation Vitanart Vathanakul
CEO,
Royal Cliff Hotels Group and PEACH W K Lim
Regional vice president, South-east Asia,
Singapore Airlines
How has your organisation stayed ahead of the
competition this year? How has your organisation stayed ahead of the
competition this year? How has your organisation stayed ahead of the
competition this year?
Hertz remained a leader in the car rental industry
this year, as it has for the past 100 years.
Hertz prides itself on consistent service quality
worldwide delivered by great staff; the people
who ensure every Hertz customer receives a
positive and caring rental experience. Our award-
winning Gold Plus Rewards loyalty program
offers our global customers exclusive benefits
including skipping the counter and the ability to
earn points and redeem for rental days.
Hertz continually offers innovative rental
solutions such as Ultimate Choice in the US, al-
lowing customers to choose the vehicle they want
to drive, and Hertz Connect in Europe – a port-
able free mobile Wi-Fi device, to enhance service
offerings and maintain a clear point of difference
to competitor brands. We started out this year by asking how we can be
better than the last year in terms of improving
guests’ experience and our quality of service. In
essence, our main competitor is ourselves.
Firstly, we invested extensively in recruitment
and training this year. Secondly, we also invested
in technology including a new messaging service,
faster Wi-Fi and a new AV system. For f&b, we
recruited a new executive chef. Finally, the largest
portion of our investment is still going towards
renovation and refurbishment this year. The year 2017 marked a significant milestone
for SilkAir with the arrival of its first Boeing 737
MAX 8 aircraft, offering customers an enhanced
onboard experience and paving the way for the
airline to access new longer haul routes in the
region. The MAX 8 planes come with thought-
ful refinements for the customer, including
enhanced seating and cabin design, refreshed
inflight entertainment and inflight meals.
With the arrival of the MAX 8, SilkAir
launched nonstop flights to Hiroshima, the first
Japanese destination in SilkAir’s network. As the
only direct flight between the two cities, SilkAir is
proud to be able to open up exciting opportuni-
ties for travellers between Japan and Singapore.
What three factors are critical in bringing your
organisation continually forward into the future?
People: Hertz employees are committed to deliv-
ering great customer experiences through respect,
care and support for our valued customers.
Fleet: our great range of vehicles means we
have a vehicle to satisfy our customer’s needs at
over 10,000 locations globally. Customers can
count on the quality and reliability of the Hertz
fleet to get them where they want to go.
Technology advancements: Hertz is com-
mitted to providing customers ease and value
with technological innovations and is continu-
ally improving technology to deliver a seamless
customer experience by enhancing the entire
customer journey from booking to returning
the vehicle.
What can your trade partners and customers look
forward to in doing business with you in 2019?
Hertz is committed to staying a leader in the
car rental industry and will continue to invest
in exceptional products and service value
for customers.
In 2019, Hertz plans to offer more choices for
customers, further expand its footprint in Asia,
continually upgrade its fleet and offer a car-class
mix that customers prefer. Hertz will continue
to focus on exceeding the expectations of trade
partners and customers, as well as developing
our employees for success. – Eoin MacNeill,
vice president
What three factors are critical in bringing your
organisation continually forward into the future?
At Royal Cliff, we place great importance on
getting the whole organisation aligned to our
culture. We remain on top of current trends us-
ing a modern style of management to enhance
our legacy of heritage and tradition.
The second factor is to differentiate ourselves
by aiming to be a luxury destination where
people see us as a place for magical holidays and
extraordinary events. The plethora of facilities
that we present our guests means that they never
have to leave our property.
Finally, we also work towards building a strong
relationship with our guests. We prioritise solv-
ing every problem as soon as it arises and ensure
our managers are chatting more with our guests.
What can your trade partners and customers look
forward to in doing business with you in 2019?
Our meeting rooms have been installed with
oxygen enhancer technology to ensure all del-
egates remain fresh and alert throughout events.
We have partnered with professional corporate
trainers to offer a complete teambuilding or
workshop experience. Our future packages will
include fortune tellers during coffee breaks, mas-
sages and much more so stay tuned.
Our renovations will be completed by this
year to reveal a new façade, lobby area, bar and
breakfast offerings. We will also be creating more
exciting events such as a comedy festival, sports
tournaments and themed parties.
In conclusion, we are working on a cardless
loyalty programme. With only their usernames
and passwords, guests will be able to unlock a
multitude of benefits when they book direct with
the hotel.
What three factors are critical in bringing your
organisation continually forward into the future?
Firstly, SilkAir believes in a customer-focused
approach. Onboard a SilkAir flight, customers
can expect to be treated with warmth and care
by the cabin crew and experience quality inflight
offerings with an attention to detail.
Secondly, SilkAir is committed to consistently
improving itself to ensure quality service and
offerings amid competition and changing land-
scapes. Improvements in SilkAir’s products and
services put the airline in a position to compete
effectively and meet ever-changing demands in
the region.
Finally, SilkAir continues to strive for
excellence in operational reliability and ef-
ficiency. SilkAir’s recent delivery of the MAX 8
is testament to its commitment in maintaining
a young and modern fleet, with its lower fuel
consumption, reduced carbon emissions and
noise footprint.
What can your trade partners and customers look
forward to in doing business with you in 2019?
The region’s consumers have ever-changing
demands and increasingly look to fly in comfort
and peace of mind, even on shorter-haul flights.
SilkAir is continuously working on its service
performance in order to make our customers’
journey a joy to fly. As an airline with one of
the youngest fleets in the Asian region, we
look forward to welcoming even more
MAX 8 aircraft in 2018-2019. – Foo Chai Woo,
chief executive