Luxury hotel operator My Humble House Hospitality Management Consulting Co (寒舍餐旅) expects revenue to pick up next year following the completion of renovations at the Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel (台北喜來登大飯店), managing director Andrew Wong (黃世安) said yesterday.
Wong, who assumed the top management position in September, said the group might see revenue improve next year, as all of its facilities are now ready to serve guests.
The group also operates Le Meridien Taipei (台北寒舍艾美酒店) and Humble House Taipei (寒舍艾麗) in Taipei’s Xinyi District (信義), as well as the hot spring resort Mu Jiaosi Hotel (礁溪寒沐) in Yilan County.
In the first 10 months of this year, sales declined 5.45 percent annually to NT$3.52 billion (US$113.88 million), dragged primarily by renovations at the Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel near MRT Shandao Temple Station, he said.
The 37-year-old facility underwent a year of upgrades to its guest rooms, restaurants and banquet space to stay competitive against new and well-established rivals, said Wong, who formerly worked at several Hyatt Hotels Corp properties.
Wong has been tasked with better integrating the group’s resources and increasing the number of customers in Taiwan and abroad.
The group can work toward those goals by improving its service quality, employee training and food sales, Wong said.
My Humble House Hospitality said that it sold NT$140 million of restaurant coupons at the Taipei International Travel Fair, earning it the most popular award.
Southeast Asia and India have great business potential and the group should reach out to travelers in those markets, Wong said.
“We should gain a better understanding of their food preferences and adjust our menus accordingly,” he said.
The group should also make better use of online sales platforms to boost business, Wong said, adding that people in China can make any purchase via their smartphone.
Starting next month, the Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel is to collaborate with online food delivery service Honestbee (誠實蜜蜂) to sell beef noodles, pizzas and Thai cuisine via its app and have them delivered to designated locations, My Humble House Hospitality said.
The advent of new international hotel brands in Taiwan shows that there is still room for growth, Wong said, adding that the number of tourists from China might increase following last week’s nine-in-one elections.
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