Ichigo Umehara

In general, the first three months of 1999 has not been easy months. Many of our hotels encountered tough going and overall occupancies dropped 4.9% below the same period last year. However, some hotels did manage to improve on their performances last year, such as Singapore, Bangkok, Pangkor, San Francisco and Vancouver.

In March, Singapore achieved a GOP level of US$70,000 above budget whilst Vancouver achieved US$24,000 above their budget. In average room rate (ARR), we were generally close, just US$1.80 under the budget. In North America, all hotels fared better than their 1998 ARR whilst in Asia, all hotels with the exception of Dhaka had challenges with their ARR.

In general, the business trend has not been favourable to us, real focus is required and revenue management mindset is very necessary. We must practise revenue management everyday and apply the no regret policy always. We MUST be very flexible to the demands of the market place if we want to overcome the challenges and succeed.

We set a benchmark of 85% as target for our guest satisfaction scores. It has been over a year since we started this survey and for the first 3 months of this year, only 8 hotels exceeded the overall scores. Top on the list is Manila with a score of 93% followed by Kuala Lumpur 91%, San Francisco 91%, KLIA 88%, Palau, Singapore and Whistler with 87% and Yokohama with 86%. In 1988, the three top scores were from San Francisco with 92%, Manila and Whistler with 92%.

In general, the overall scores have not seen marked improvements. We all must put in more effort into improving our overall standards to be more competitive with other hotel companies. The key element for customer retention depends on guest satisfaction.

Although the scoring may not always be 100% reflective of the actual conditions, for example, Yokohama was awarded over 90% guest satisfaction by the JTB survey, one of only 6 hotels in Japan to achieve such a status, it is still a reflection of what our customers see and believe.

Achieving the set benchmark is a goal that all hotels have to reach, for those who have reached that goal, the next step is how to better on their own achievements. Guest needs are changing all the time, so we cannot afford to be complacent. We must always challenge ourselves to be better than before.

I recently did a review of KLIA with its GM Lloyd Daser. Before we opened the hotel, we hired many new associates who had not worked in the hospitality industry before. We hired them for having the right attitude and put them through a training and education programme. Although the hotel opening was delayed, we still experienced a chaotic opening. There was confusion, panic and chaos due to the sheer volume of people that the team had to handle, coupled with the inexperience of many of our associates.

Now I can see that things are beginning to settle and everyone is slowly adapting to the pace and needs of our guests, our new associates are better able to cope with the demands of our guests and the day to day pressure. Their personal growth is beginning to speed up and our associates are better able to handle their jobs with more and more confidence. I am confident that the service level will improve and one day achieve levels that Pan Pacific can be proud of.

In Manila, the guest satisfaction results show that The Pan Pacific way is the correct way to show our typical style of work. The flexibility and adaptability to various environments and people allows us to make our guests' stay indeed an experience they will remember.

Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts was recently given the honour of representing the tourism industry at the recent United Nations Commission Dialogue on Sustainable Development held in New York where the International Hotel and Restaurant Association had tabled the Youth Career Development programme (YCDP) as a topic for the discussion. Lyndall De Marco represented the company and the industry to share with the UN our activities.

I feel this honour is a result of Pan Pacific's commitment to education and our Bangkok hotel's initiative and achievement. It was also a result of our commitment and support to the IHR & A and to helping the local communities in every location where we have a hotel. This activity of endorsing this type of programme that related to community service and development also shows our dedication to our associates and their wellbeing and future development.

I recently attended the 48^th Annual PATA Conference that was held in Nagoya, Japan. My impression of the conference is that it is a reflection of the industry's mood today. The general atmosphere and outlook was downcast and very low-keyed.

Most companies, non-government organisations, tourism bodies who attended the conference showed a negative mood. I feel this is the time to show the point of difference and that everyone should be more positive and treat this current economic downturn as a challenge.

In March, the corporate task force worked with the team in KL, whilst in April, we concentrated on helping Jakarta. Each director paid a visit to the hotel to work with the team to analyse the current situation and develop proposals on short-term action steps.

An action plan was then put up by the hotel together with the corporate team, working on the "how to dos". The key point of the exercise is to instil the need for a sense of urgency in the team, Not only in KL and Jakarta but also for all our hotels.

The corporate team's role is to motivate the local teams to react with urgency to the current crisis that is facing many of our hotels and speed is of the essence. We are progressing with follow-ups on a monthly basis. We will continue to identify hotels, which require out attention from month to month.

Thank you.

Singapore -- Nine associates who are pursuing the Ngee Ann Polytechnic Diploma in Hotel Management presented their Quality Service Management project at the hotel training room. Two groups from each hotel - The Pan Pacific Singapore, The Oriental Singapore and Marina Mandarin - presented their ideas and suggestions on improvement of services. The Pan Pacific presented ‘Guest Arrival Experience’ and ‘Breakfast Experience’. The Oriental’s presentation focused on ‘Prevention of Guest Complaints’ and ‘How to Improve Taking Reservations for a Restaurant’ while Marina Mandarin featured ‘Check-in and Checkout Experience’ and ‘Housekeeping & Maintenance Procedures’.

San Francisco -- Harassment training was provided for the management team to ensure that all were aware of the nuances of harassment, whether it be sexual, age, gender or religious and the ramifications to themselves as well as to the hotel and associates. . .A health fair was staged to kick-off the new benefit year. Representatives from each health provider were available to answer questions, massages were given as well as cholesterol and blood pressure checks and healthy snacks.

Pangkor -- Winner of the Heart of the House associate for March is Cik (Ms) Sharifah bt Hj Harun (Maintenance department) whilst Front of the House is Mr. Tanasagaran a/l Tangaveloo (Recreation department). . . Training sessions held included a talk on Absolute Care, English and grooming. . . The Management Training 1 programme on PPHR Culture and Absolute Care was successfully completed. The second session to be held will be an outdoor team building exercise for the management team. . . The Union agreement has been finalized and signed on the 29^th April. . . The WOW Guest Service champion comment card will feature rooms and F&B to obtain positive feedback from guests.

Manila -- Another Make-It-Happen afternoon was organized to welcome new Associates. The new members of the Dream Team family gave their best and most creative presentation through a fashion dance and a juggling act. Yasu Abe, an associate from Yokohama, gamely joined the fashion show by wearing a wedding gown and paraded around the Dream Team Café amid the cheers of the members of the Dream Team. . . A Team Building and Planning workshop with all the Operations Managers and Team Coordinators of the Operations Team was held. An offshoot of this activity is a goal setting workshop for the Operations Managers.

Whistler -- In appreciation for an amazing winter season, the management team treated all associates to dinner at one of Whistler's finest restaurants as well as a night horse drawn sleigh ride around Whistler Mountain.

Bangkok -- 14 departmental trainers from various departments attended a 2-day session to understand the importance of service, how to increase guest satisfaction, turning problems into opportunities and effective handling of guest complaints. . . 135 associates attended a 2-hour classroom training to understand the new Health Club product. . . Associates who have completed 3 years service attended a Re-orientation to refresh their knowledge about the hotel rules and regulations and also about PPHR. . . 6 associates attended a first aid workshop.

Johor Bahru -- Team Leader Training was conducted by the Hospitality Institute Puteri Pan Pacific. It aims to cultivate leadership quality among the associates as well as to prepare them for greater challenges as the hotel moves into the new Millenium.

Dhaka -- Training sessions included fire fighting and safety procedure, Medicare, English, Spirit of Hospitality, computer sessions and industrial attachment of trainees from the Travel and Tourism Institute of Bangladesh. . . The birthday celebration for March was held on March 24^th. . . Mr. Sirajul Islam (POMEC department) received a camera for encashment of required number of Star cards. . . Two auspicious occasions were celebrated, the Independence Day and the Eid-ul-Azha.

Mauna Lani -- Associates with five, ten and fifteen year service were honored at the annual Service Awards luncheon which served the prime rib meal in the award winning CanoeHouse restaurant.

Glenmarie -- The annual associate gathering had the theme of Festivals where all attendees were dressed in their respective national costumes. Service Award Pins were presented by Lisa Mosher (5-year service : 18 associates & 10-year service : 2 associates). The rest of the fun filled night included performances by various depts. and guest artistes and also the popular Lucky Draws. . .The 1st module of a 3-module program on 'Achieving Quality Service onwards through Personal Quality' was conducted by Marcia Nicholas, Director of Education, for all Managers and Assistant Managers (total of 50 persons).

Yokohama -- The hotel invited a guest speaker from the Ministry of Labour to give a lecture on Sexual Harassment on occasion of issue of new Labour law, " Equal Opportunity and Employment", which was effective on April 1. The session explained what the law is about, how to avoid it breaking it and to be aware of the regulation, also where to obtain help from. . . Over the period of 3 months, Mr. Kojima, the Fire Chief has conducted a series of training session on Fire and Safety Awareness which saw a total attendance of 500 associates. . . Ms. Nakagawa (Chief operator) gave a telephone conversation training using the actual conversation recorded in each restaurant's business hour to 11 associates.

KLIA -- Orientation was conducted for twenty new associates. . . The `News on Tree' newsletter was launched on 5th of April at the Tower Cafe. Pandy gave the first copy of the Newsletter to Grandpa followed by a surprise birthday party was arranged for Grandpa Lloyd Daser. . . CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and First Aid was conducted by external trainers. Attendees were trained on how to attend to emergencies and were tested on their capabilities. . . The Sports, Social and Recreation Club was recently launched to promote healthy and stress free environment for all associates through sports, social and recreation activities within the Hotel;

to ensure a pro-active environment exists within the organization and foster a closer relationship with all properties and other bodies through similar activities. . . The People Innovation department has put up a `Managers Merit Board' to recognize managers for a job well done with a Gold Star. These points will play a part in the annual evaluation as well as for pay increases, bonuses and promotions. . . A special deployment team called `SPUDT' (Special Project Utility Deployment) team consisting of Steering Committee members is charged to assist a team when they need extra people power e.g. delayed flight, set up, etc. This creates a good team spirit and has certainly assisted in creating a `Multi-Talented' workforce.

Vancouver -- The Calisthenics stretching exercises are being conducted daily.

KL -- All Associates participated in an Absolute Care and Branding talk to achieve a caring without compromise attitude for all associates. This is inculcated through the implementation of the 10-foot rule, usefulness of open communication and saying thank you throughout the hotel. Associates were also briefed on "The Shades" to foster our branding consciousness for our guests.

Malacca-- 2 PC workshops was conducted by William (MIS Manager) on how to back up data for each individual computer. He also gave a Y2K Briefing for all managers, elaborating on what Y2K is and how it would affect their own individual departments. They were later encouraged to come up with ideas on how to handle the millenium bug in their own departments. . . Azme Ahmad, Operations Manager - Business Development for the government sector advised The Legacy Team on how to address dignitaries and government officials. . . An internal round table of talents was held in the Straits Boardroom. A SWOT analysis of each department was prepared to be submitted to the GM, followed by education on absolute care to guests. . . PPLHM team associates gathered to celebrate their colleagues' birthdays for March and April. Mr. Daser was also in attendance to hand out the birthday gifts.

KLIA -- Associates from sister properties in Malacca, Glenmarie and Pangkor provided assistance during the Motorbike Grand Prix finals from the 12th till 19th April 1999.

Vancouver -- The hotel was pleased to welcome Michelle Edwards and John Bower who were graduates of the CDI Institute at the ex-Pan Pacific Gold Coast and subsequently worked in Yokohama. Both have joined the Room service department.

KL -- Kamarulzaman cross-trained in Engineering department to enhance his practical skills and to be multiskilled. . . Rosnah cross-trained in Housekeeping department to familiarise herself with the operations of that department. . . . Mohd Fauzi Mubarak spent time in the Care Agent program.

Yokohama -- Mr. Yasutoshi Abe(Bell/Door Person) is on an exchange program in Manila from March to September. The hotel is expecting to welcome Ms.Amber Egea from Manila and Ms. Koh Tian Nee from Singapore in May. Ms. Chika Inoue (Bell/Door Person, PPHY) will be on the cross-training program in Singapore for 6 months and Mr. Eiji Oshima (Restaurant Manager, Queen Alice) will be in San Francisco for one year.

Singapore -- Priscilla Chua joined the hotel as Director of Conference & Catering Services. She was previously Director of Catering with the Regent Hotel.

San Francisco -- Michael de Guzman who joins as Assistant Controller was formerly Controller with the Holiday Inn Financial District, the Ramada Hotel Oakland and Le Baron Hotel in San Jose. . . Marcia Muuwakkil, the new Room Service Manager was from the Hilton.

Yokohama -- Mr. Manabu Komatsu, former Director of Rooms, was newly assigned as Director of Sales whilst Mr. Tomohiro Ishiguro, was promoted from Reservation Manager to Director of Rooms.

Vancouver --Maicke Andreson and Sylvie Lau join as Night Managers whilst Haymond Ng has been promoted to Assistant Restaurant Manager and Hiroko Kojima is Team Leader, Guest Services (Service One).

Mauna Lani -- Sean Mullen is the new Director of Food & Beverage. He brings with him an extensive background in F&B in the hotel industry as well as the private free-standing restaurant operations.

Whistler -- Ryan Sauve has been promoted to Reservations Team Leader.

Vancouver -- General Manager Susan Gomez has been appointed the first woman President of the Vancouver Hotel Association.

Singapore -- Technopreneurship 21 Press Conference was held at the Pacific Ballroom. The press panel comprised Deputy Prime Minister Dr Tony Tan and Defence Minister; Brigadier General George Yeo, Minister of Information & Arts and Second Minister of Trade & Industry and Mr. Sim Wong Hoo, Chairman of Creative Technology. Topics of discussion included how the Singapore environment can be improved to attract foreign talents to assist in the growth of local technological companies. . . Korean Business Association held their Annual General Meeting at the Ballroom. The Korean Ambassador, Chung Kie Ok and corporate executives of major Korean companies like Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Korea Exchange Bank, Hyundai Electronics, Daewoo Singapore and Ssangyong Engineering & Construction, were present. . . The highest paid CEO of America 1997 with remuneration of US$66.75 million per year, Mr. Joe Castello stayed at the hotel. He presented the keynote address, "Technopreneurship In The Making, A Silicon Experience", at a dinner held at the Pacific Ballroom. The event was hosted by The Association of Small and Medium Enterprises.

Malacca -- KRU and crew were at the hotel for their nationwide concert entitled Jammin' the Nation, sponsored by Permanis. The brothers, Edry, Yusry and Norman Abdul Halim were the highlight of the Cocktail Party, which was held just before the concert at Pay Fong Highschool, which was attended by 3000 pax with The Chief Minister of Malacca and his family as guests of honour.

Manila -- Congratulations to General Manager Andrew McBurnie for being named the 1999 Philippines Executive of the Year by the Philippine Association of Secretaries. . . The Adriatico Square had a joyous Easter celebration. Easter Egg Hunt for the kids and Easter Scavenger Hunt for adults were held. Various prizes like rabbits and gift certificates were given away to winners. . . The hotel sponsored the opening cocktails for the Philippine Association of Secretaries. The event was well attended and the guests enjoyed the entertainment show put up by the Pan Pacific Butlers.

Johor Bahru -- Over 150 corporate clients and top Government Officials attended a sumptuous cocktail and dinner reception at the Permata Ballroom of the hotel. The function was to show appreciation to hotel patrons over the past eight years. Mr. Ichigo Umehara, President of PPHR and members of the corporate team were also present at hand to greet the guest.

Yokohama -- The hotel was recently inspected by The Leading Hotels of the World. The team stayed for 2 nights in the Executive Suite. Results are expected within two months. . . The lady's accommodation plan was introduced by three women who were chosen among viewers by TV Asahi for their nation-wide evening news program. These ladies stayed and dined at our hotel to report how enjoyable and refreshing time they spent using the plan. A dinner at Queen Alice French restaurant was an addition to the plan, and specially for this filming, Mr. Yutaka Ishinabe, Honorary Chef was also present to welcome them during the meal. After the broadcast, telephone reservations for the Queen Alice started pouring in, with more than 100 calls the first day.

Dhaka -- Mr. Li Peng, the Chairman of the Chinese National People's Congress paid a 2-day official visit to Bangladesh, on the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He and a group of 120 delegates stayed at the hotel. . . Other VIP visitors included Indian Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hedge, delegates to the South Asiam Association for Regional Cooperation and attendees to a cocktail reception for the Burmese Armed Forces by the Chief of Army Staff on Bangladesh and Ministers.

KLIA -- The Grand Prix Motorbike was a big success not only for Kenny Roberts Jr. but also for the hotel which had 100% occupancy for 5 days (on 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 April). New revenue records were set in many areas with the week’s revenue exceeding RM1, 250, 000. Everyone pitched in to assist during the week, associates and management alike. A Secretariat Table was set up at the Lobby area to assist with Grand Prix queries. Other activities created included daily screening of action movies on big screens in the Traveller’s Bar & Grill Restaurant (TBGR), performances by the "Alleycats" – a famous Malaysian band at TBGR, Pasta & Mee Restaurant offering 24 hours service and Japanese Buffet Breakfast at the Lobby Lounge. The hotel also catered for the Paddock Restaurant and the VIP corporate suites at the Sepang International Circuit. . . The Secretaries’ Day Luncheon was also a great success with about 500 guests gathering at the Ballroom. The main attraction was Siti Nurhaliza’s (Malaysians most famous female singer) performance. Three days before the event, Siti Nurhaliza won 3 best AIM awards.

San Francisco -- Celebrity guests included famous newscaster Walter Cronkite; Joan Kunden formerly from the Good Morning America show; Portland Trailblazer Basketball Team; singer Alanis Morrisette and Ambassadors Matsunaga and Armitage. . . Hotel newsmakers were the Reception Team with a month's up-selling of US$11,392 and year to date total of $43,691. The winner for March was Mayra Howay who gained additional revenue of $3410 from 22 guests.

KL -- Teppanyaki chef, Kar Satrin of Keyaki was awarded a Silver Medal in Teppanyaki Category during the 7th Penang International Salon Gastronomique held on April 16 to 18, 1999.

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Vancouver -- A 50/50 draw was held during the St.Patrick's Day celebrations in the associates' cafeteria with proceeds going to a local charity. . . A Risk Assessment survey was completed for all associates with specific emphasis on ergonomics and work environment. A team of associates them implemented an Ergonomics program utilising education, recommendations and follow-up from the survey.

KL -- Lisa Mosher gave a talk on the Pan Pacific Culture to all department heads and team leaders. The Pan Pacific Culture presentation was to provide an understanding on the direction we are taking to create "the scent, touch, feel and care" for our guests and fellow associates. . . As a communications tool for all PPHR associates, the hotel successfully put together its first TV Video called the Jurassic Park Newsroom which provided information of the hotel's performance, current promotions, future and past activities. The first production of the Jurassic Park Newsroom was shown to associates at the Staff Gathering held on March 25, 1999. The second videotape is currently in production and will be on a monthly basis. . . In line with our commitment to environment, about 50 associates and management staff of the hotel took part in a recent Gotong Royong session to clean up several hard-to-clean areas of the hotel including the car park, storage areas, underneath stairways and the hotel driveway. The four-hour cleaning session ended with a lunch specially catered for those who participated. . . . On April 14, 1999, the associates were served the same menu as the Selera Restaurant at the staff cafeteria. This is to show our appreciation to all associates for their commitment and dedication in March for the hotel exceeded our GOP last month. . . The hotel set up a Care Committee to encourage associates at all levels to work together as a team and to provide a "caring without compromise" culture amongst associates and the community. Members of the Care Committee are called Care Champions and are responsible to provide care for associates from pre-arrival to post departure with special emphasis during in-stay. To date, several positive changes have been made. . . In order to improve standards of care to associates, a survey was conducted to obtain feedback from associates on satisfaction Levels; changes which they wish to be implemented for the hotel; perceptions of the hotel's goals and what Absolute Care means to them. The results clearly showed that associates were looking at fairness, integrity, openness in communication, and respect amongst all levels. . . All associates are encouraged to participate in a logo designing competition to depict our branding of "The Look". The logo must incorporate their department functions and uses the Points of Difference mottoes. The selected drawings will be painted on the walls of our corridors in the heart of house.

Glenmarie -- Initiated by the Business Development team, the Planning Committee members now perform lobby duty from 5.30pm to 6.30pm daily, accompanied by a Business Development associate. This provided the opportunity for them to interact with guest check-in, departure or returning from work. Drinks were also served to guests while they fill up the registration form.

Yokohama -- Kinki Nippon Tourist, the major Japanese travel agency, made an annual customer survey among those stayed, rating all the hotels in Japan. The hotel gained 93 points for synthetic rating for 1998, ranking among the top 1- hotels in Japan. The average point was 80 and the district average was 82. . . Ms. Yuri Sugimoto (Bell counter), received a thank you letter from one of our guests, together with a photograph in appreciation of the excellent care she gave to the guests' baby.

Bangkok -- A shuttle bus service is now available to transport guests from the Bangkok International Airport to the hotel and vice versa. . . Coffee and tea makers have been placed in the guestrooms.

Vancouver -- A totally new F&B training programme has been developed with four individual modules, one of which is Absolute Care.

Pangkor -- A new TV channel NTV 7 has been installed in all rooms. . .A group photo of all associates will be used for the new Welcome/Departure sign at the Lumut jetty to improve the sense of welcome for guests. . .Aromatherapy massage is now available for the resort's lady guests. . . The building of the new Pacific Deck adjoining the Pacific Terrace Restaurant will begin soon and due to be completed by the middle of May.

San Francisco -- The upgraded version of Delphi booking system ahs been installed together with a new Fidelio Hotel Management System and new computers in every area of the hotel. Special thanks go to the management team who oversaw the training, especially Jami Entwistle (Director of Front Office operations), Rich Bologa (Controller), Carrick Ion (Senior Reception Manager), James Wardell (Reception Manager) and James Krider (MIS Manager).

Manila -- The Pan Pacific Manila prepared a Hawaiian Party exclusive for its Long Staying Guests. It was held at the pool deck overlooking the whole Manila area. The party started at 5:30 PM just in time to view the sunset.

Glenmarie -- Pool, Dart & Foosball Competitions are currently on going and have contributed a lot to the overall revenue of the Traveller's Palm Fun Pub. Outlet Manager, Kenneth Darshan & team are aggressively promoting these activities & working on several other joint promotions with suppliers & corporate companies.

Yokohama -- Power lunch, which was planned for the year of 1999, is served at Cafe Tosca till April 27, 1999 from Monday through Friday. Specially priced \1,999 including service charge and tax for lunch course give values to 250g grilled beef sirloin, salad, bread or rice, and tea or coffee.

KL -- Keyaki's Sunday Family buffet is back by popular demand, showcasing a magnificent spread of Japanese delicacies, priced at RM55 nett for adults. . . The All You Can Eat- Dim Sum offers RM31 nett per adult for dim sum served with a selection of noodles, fried rice and soups. This is available on weekends and public holidays only. . . Gift certificates worth RM345 were mailed to 3,000 HMC Card members. Each member will receive three gift certificates and each of these certificates are made up of a Weekend High Tea at Selera Restaurant worth RM29, a Weekend Dim Sum Brunch at Hai Tien Lo worth RM31 and a Sunday Buffet Lunch at Keyaki worth RM55. All are valid until June 30, 1999. The certificates are for members to present to their staff, friends or families to be redeemed for the meals stated when accompanied by at least one other full paying guest. When these certificates are utilised, each member is entered into a draw to win one of the following prizes : a Golf Weekend at Glenmarie valued at RM575 and a three day/two nights stay at Pangkor valued at RM614. . . The hotel launched its Chopsticks Club for regular customer to the Keyaki Japanese restaurant. To qualify for membership, one has to dine at Keyaki at least twice a month for three consecutive months. Each member receives a personalised set of chopsticks placed in a wooden case with their name engraved on it. These chopsticks are displayed in the cabinet inside Keyaki to be used when the member dines at the restaurant. A 20% discount is offered on purchase of sake or other liquor sold by the bottle plus special prices on Chef's Weekly Menu. About 130 guests were present to witness the launch with Mr Takahisa Ota from the IPM Group as guest of honour receiving his personalised chopsticks from Mr Christo Diamandopoulos. . . 30 members of the Explorer Club attended a Chinese cooking demonstration by Chef Chai Sing Kui and his assistant, Tan Yew Hong from Hai Tien Lo. Dishes prepared included Buttered Prawns, Szechuan Chicken, Japanese Beancurd with Mixed Vegetables, and Stir-fried Beef with Chinese Black Pepper Sauce.

Dhaka -- The Bengali New Year "Pohela Boishak" saw Café Bazar offering the best of Bangladeshi cuisine and also regional specialities. . .A Eat and Swim - Sizzling Barbecue was introduced at the pool from 10 am to 4 p.m. every Saturday. . . The Jharna Restaurant is now the only restaurant in Dhaka where guests can enjoy USDA prime rib.

Malacca -- Silk is offering a special Mother's Day set dinner menu at RM 488nett and RM688nett respectively on 8th - 9th May. Mothers can also expect to receive a Mystery Gift on that day. . . A new concept with a twist at Saffron allows guests to select from the various stations what they want to eat and pay for that station only. Guests can eat "ice kacang" for RM5.00nett, noodles or pasta at RM5.00nett, salad for RM7.00nett and dessert at RM7.00nett or a mixture of the above.

Whistler -- The Dublin Gate Pub was filled with Whistler residents wearing green and listening to live Celtic music till the early morning on St Patrick's Day.

Vancouver -- Two new hotels have opened: Westin Grand with 225 rooms and Sheraton Le Soleil with 125 rooms. . . The new secretaries' loyalty programme, The Diamond Club has just been launched. Points earned can be redeemed for rewards including a 7-day Alaska cruise.

Singapore -- To maintain close rapport with corporate clients, a Club 1 (hotel's secretary's club) workshop was organized on skincare using Clarins products. During the hands-on session, participants also received individual consultations and a gift voucher from Clarins.

Bangkok -- The UOB SuperSavers promotion offers a special benefit to UOB Travel customers who purchase a first or business class ticket. This is valid from 1 April to 30 June 1999.

Glenmarie -- Together with Glenmarie Golf & Country Club, a round of golf & lunch were

Hosted for Rex Garrat PR Consultant of Link-Us House UK & also to the Tourism Malaysia office in UK, Mohd Tardmizi - MTPB, Int'l Marketing and Ridza of Asian Overland Travel. The visit was to seek assistance from MTPB UK to help promote the World Cup Golf 1999 in November. . . A two week long sales blitz covered surrounding areas promoting the Secretaries Week event and an incentive package to those who book groups into the hotel. . . More than 200 fitness instructors & enthusiasts from Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines attended the 3rd Reebok Innovasia 1999 at the resort. The 2-day event, organized by RSH Malaysia, was a training workshop aimed at providing the latest exercise programmes developed by Reebok Int'l. . . Reebok University master trainers led the successful workshop held at the Ballroom and other function rooms. . . A total of 6 Sultans and Head of State (Yang DiPertua Negeri) played golf and later dined at the restaurant for a prize giving ceremony. The golf tournament was organized by a local association.

Yokohama -- Spring Invitation is offered for Tokyo American Club, a 6000 strong society for businessmen and business executives living in Tokyo area. This offer is effective every Friday from May 1, 1999 till June 30, 1999, inclusive with breakfast and dinner, and room will be assigned on the Pacific Floor. . . Spring Gourmet package with breakfast and dinner is offered from Monday through Thursday till May 31, 1999. Buffet breakfast at Cafe Tosca and dinner at one of the restaurants like Cafe Tosca, Turandot or Oshidori are available. . . Mr. Jose Carreras, one of the top three tenors, will give a concert at the Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall in November. A 1-night package including concert ticket together with opera glasses is available with a complimentary breakfast and a complimentary drink ticket. The rates are \60,000 per person for double occupancy and \55,500 per person for triple occupancy, including concert ticket valued \35,000.

Malacca -- Lye Pay Fang, Operations Manager - Business Development was in Singapore to attend the PATA Travel Mart. . . Azme Ahmad, Operations Manager - Business Development will be in KLIA for 3 consecutive days and then to MBD for another 3 days for sales and marketing training. Azme Ahmad is currently heading the Business Development Team of the hotel.

Mauna Lani -- The planning for the 10^th annual Cuisine of the Sun is well on the way. Guest chefs include Lidia Mattichio Bastianich of "Felldia Frico Becco" in New York; Todd English of "Olives" in Boston; Lee Hafter of "Spago" in Las Vegas; Michael Mina of "Aqua" from San Francisco and Las Vegas; Francois Payard of "Payard Patisserie & Bistro" of New York; CanoeHouse chef Patrick Salto; Jeremiah Tower of "Stars" of San Francisco, Seattle and Manila; Ming Tsai of "Blue Ginger" of Massachusetts; Alan Wong of "Alan Wong's Restaurant" of Oahu and Roy Yamaguchi of "Roy's Restaurant" of Hawaii, US Mainland, Japan and Guam. Beverage makers include Justin Vineyards, Au Bon Climat, Weingut Gunderlach and Billecart-Salmon. . . The hotel will host the Executive Cup II golf tournament for the second year which determines the best men and women player of all private golf clubs in the US. Coverage is in the Executive Golfer magazine, co-sponsor of the event with Wilson Sporting Goods. . . The new advertising campaign with the tagline "Awaken your passion….nourish your soul" ties into the new Romantic Interlude package which is well received.

KLIA -- Wedding packages being offered also fresh floral arrangements, superbly crafted ice carvings, a wedding cake of imposing design and even VIP parking spots. The extra privileges that might entice someone are the Special Slide Show presentation of the couple and live entertainment. . . The Malay Wedding Package is priced at RM40.00 nett per person for International Buffet or Malay Set, for Chinese and Christian Weddings each table of 10 is priced at RM500.00 nett for Chinese Set and RM50.00 nett per pax for International Buffet. . . The Last Day Package of RM290.00 nett is to encourage guests to stay at the hotel on day before their departure. This package is paired with a free transfer to the hotel. The guest will be chauffeur driven from the place they are staying (anywhere in Klang Valley) right to the hotel lobby if they choose to stay with us on the last day before their departure.

Dhaka -- The special Eid Plus package saw 64 room nites being sold.

Pangkor -- The Irish Food & Dance Festival weekend saw 50 room nights taken with about 80 diners. The Malaysian RTM television 2 crew will present an 8-minute piece on the resort and its special events, festivals and activities with an interview of GM Bill McNamara. . . The Purchasing Managers meeting between hotels around the region had resulted in cost savings for example in the area of transport. . . Paul Er attended the PATA Go-Between in Zurich (Switzerland), Amsterdam (Holland), ITB in Berlin and TUR in Gothenburg, Sweden. In addition to the trade shows, he also visited tour operators in Vienna (Austria), Manchester & London (UK), Stockholm (Sweden) and Paris.

Whistler -- The World Ski & Snowboard festival saw the best skiers and boarders from all over competing in two weeks of events. Activities included non-sporting ones like live music from some top rock bands. Rob Boyd of Vancouver won Couloir Race the 1999.

Singapore -- The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is spending more money and time to sell Singapore as a tourist destination to the growing Middle East market. Singapore welcomed a total of 76, 371 visitors from this region last year. It reflected a 13 per cent more visitors than in 1997. STB chief executive Yeo Khee Leng said that the key countries in this region are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran and Israel.

Malaysia -- Tourist arrivals in Peninsular Malaysia surged by 52.2% in the first quarter of the year compared with the corresponding period last year, the Culture, Arts & Tourism Minister said. For the first 2 months (Jan & Feb) arrivals totaled 914,063 with only 429,252 in 1998. Increase in tourist arrivals were from Singapore (167.9%), China (137.2%), India (80.1%) Japan (73.4%) the US (46.9%) and Australia (49.1%).

Malacca -- 1999 being a popular year for weddings, hotels in Malacca are holding Bridal Fairs to encourage banquet sales. However, public response has not been very encouraging at recent bridal fairs held at Riviera Bay Resort and A'Famosa Resort.

Manila -- Pre-approved Corporate Rates :

Executive Superior Room US$ 95.00++ Includes : Complimentary buffet breakfast and pre-dinner cocktails; 24- hour butler service.

Executive Deluxe Room US$ 115.00++ Includes : Complimentary buffet breakfast, pre-dinner cocktails and 2 pcs of laundry per day. 24- hour butler service.

Mauna Lani -- The Romantic Interlude package offers luxurious ocean front accommodation, lei greeting upon arrival, champagne & chocolate dipped strawberries in room upon arrival, rose petal turndown on first evening, candlelight dinner for two, daily breakfast in bed for two, an elegant picnic basket for two with special surprises and Hawaiian keepsake amenity at US$1665 per couple for three nights (minimum stay) inclusive of taxes and gratuities. Additional nights at $450 plus tax daily.

Pangkor -- The Happy Family package is tailored to entice the family segment offering benefits for children with a membership into the Pandy Panda Kids Club. . . The Secretaries Indulgence package of RM199 nett offers a Clarins body management session, high tea, use of fitness center and pool with a beach party over a weekend in May at the resort. This package is being marketed via various mediums, i.e. radio contests, direct mail, press releases etc.

Vancouver -- The Grand Millenium Eve package offers 2 nights with a gala dinner entertainment extravaganza and brunch on New Year's day for prices ranging from C$1999 to C$7199 per couple.

KL -- Look at the Savings , the Pacific Plus Package with rates starting from RM230 nett per night valid until December 31, 1999. Package includes full American breakfast, RM48

food credit per day (on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only) and late check out.

Malacca -- The Legacy School Holidays Package includes: - 1 luxurious Superior Guestroom

* American Breakfast for parents and Child (below 3 years) * Lunch * 1 Complimentary Kiddies' Set Meal and Gift Set * 2nd room at only RM100nett (inclusive of 1 Complimentary Kiddies' Gift Set). Early birds are entitled to a room upgrade free of charge (based upon room availability) The Legacy Family Package is available from 22nd May - 30th June 99.

Vancouver -- In 1998, the associates Charity Trust fund raised almost $5,000 through deductions from pay checks. Four different organizations received the proceeds of the fund. In memory of Dean Prince, one of the hotel's special associates, a portion was donated to the Bone Marrow Transplant Programme. Also, the Covenant House of Vancouver which helps homeless children and Literacy BC. The hotel will also adopt/sponsor four children from different countries through the World Vision organization.

Mauna Lani -- Pastry Chef Clyde Tobias and Sous Chef Yoshio Fukumitsu participated in Kealakehe High School's Food Service class with demonstrations for students interested in the culinary field.

KL -- In conjunction with Harian Metro's 8th Anniversary, The Pan Pacific Hotels Kuala Lumpur and KLIA presented an assortment of chocolate pralines to its editor, Mr Mohd Zian Johari. The chocolate pralines were filled in a drawer, positioned mid-way out of its compartment and on it, were a pair of sunflower glasses to reflect our branding. The drawer compartment and glasses were made of icing sugar. The impressive presentation stood out among the others and was well received by the Harian Metro team who organised a tea reception in conjunction with the occasion.

As mentioned before in our previous In-Touch there are two new developments in our hometown "SHIBUYA". One is the "TKT project" and the other is the "Shibuya Sakuragaoka-cho project". We are having challenges in Shibuya where the city has brown in such a way so that it now only attracts young people (teenagers and early 20’s). In order to break through this wall between the different generations and attract older generations to come to Shibuya, the two projects will play a big role.

The first project "TKT" stands for T=Tokyu, K=Keio and T=Teito who are all railway companies sharing the Shibuya station. TKT project is a joint venture of the above three companies. This project was organized to utilize the 14,420m2 land owned by the three companies effectively. Right above the Keio Railway "Shibuya" station they are building two multi-purpose towers with office space, a 408 room hotel and a shopping mall. The hotel will be "Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu" which will be managed by one of our domestic hotel-chain, the Tokyu Inn chain (Tokyu Inn chain is managed by the Hotel division in Tokyu Corporation). This multi-purpose town was recently named "SHIBUYA MARK CITY". The project will be completed around spring next year and will become a new face of the town.

The concept of this new town is,

1. High quality town for adults comfort
2. To create new culture amongst different generation
3. Multi-purpose and multi-functional town which will act as a platform for the city and people

In order to fill the needs of the above three concepts the city was named MARK. M stands for "Mall" which is the characteristic of the town. A is for "Access" and is used to emphasize the convenience of the town. R stands for "Railway" which is for the three railway companies that are involved in this project. Lastly, K is for "Key" meaning that this town will be the key point of Shibuya acting as the information center.

This project started in November 1997 to build a high-rise multi-purpose tower using the land where we used to have our head office. The size of the land is about 9,400m2 and the building is 41 stories high, (about 184 meters). There are not many tall buildings in Shibuya so the view will be magnificent. The lower part of the building will be office space and the higher part will be a 419-room hotel. Our domestic hotel chain, the Tokyu Hotel Chain, will manage the hotel. The expected completion date is spring of year 2001. The building was recently named "Cerulean Tower". Cerulean means "blue sky" and it was named with the desire to make the space refreshing and comfortable as the blue sky.

Other than the above two projects there is the QFRONT project developed by the Tokyu Department Store Group. QFRONT stands for Queen of the FRONT and it means to become the queen of the latest information and way of life. Its building concept is very unique which is "Building with no existence". The exterior of the building is covered all with glass and will use the latest technology to show "information" and "art" as though they are floating in the air.

This entire new project will enhance the good image of our Home Ground "SHIBUYA" and will reflect our company vision, which is "Towards a beautiful age"

If you would like to know anything about Tokyu Corporation please e-mail me at: