Macao-based hospitality executive Ms. Macy Lam suggests hotel operators should adopt a “positive” approach and deal “constructively” with the challenges posed by Covid-19. “This is an unprecedented crisis and requires unprecedented approaches to tackle and to address it,” she says. In doing so, professionals can get some benefits, such as learning new things, the executive adds.
“When faced with challenges in life, normally there are 2 approaches to adopt,” says Ms. Lam.
“One is not to do anything, but let things happen, hoping everything will be just alright – a negative approach; or alternatively, turn on a ‘fighting mode’, take charge of the situation and try to take control – a constructive approach.”
The hotel executive adds: “Since Covid-19 is already a fact and is now impacting our daily life, perhaps we should bravely acknowledge that, and cope with it by changing the ‘old way of life’.”
“The world is constantly evolving,” she says. “If we are always hesitant to make moves when in a new situation/environment, it is the same as not progressing. We ought to move forward to evolve.”
Ms. Lam is Vice President and General Manager of Hotel Operations at the City of Dreams integrated resort in Macao’s Cotai district. She recently gave a guest lecture at IFTM, addressing Year 2 students enrolled on IFTM’s Tourism Retail and Marketing Management Evening Bachelor Degree Programme. The talk, themed “New Normal in Hospitality”, focused on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the hotel industry.
IFTM hosted the lecture via a videoconference, as most lectures at IFTM are still being given online because of precautions against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Developing a ‘new normal’
Ms. Lam says the Covid-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the hospitality industry, linked to significant travel bans or restrictions introduced by many countries, that have reduced tourism flows worldwide. Hotel operators understand the impact Covid-19 has on people’s health and overall life, and are acting rapidly to implement various measures to counter those effects, she adds.
During her guest lecture, Ms. Lam shared with students information on the steps that the hotels at City of Dreams have adopted under this new circumstance. The steps include, among others: (1) the introduction of social-distancing measures in hotel guest areas, with signs encouraging this practice; (2) sanitisation of all amenities before their use by guests; (3) measuring the body temperature of guests, and requiring them to present a personal health declaration through the Macao Health Code system; (4) enhanced cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces; (5) disinfection of guest rooms after each checkout process; and (6) the continuous updating and sharing of knowledge on Covid-19 with team members.
“The pandemic is having a ‘wake-up-call’ effect, leading the industry to review things that we might have neglected,” says Ms. Lam. “Under this new situation, we are not only changing to adapt, but gradually developing a ‘new normal’ of doing our job.”
The executive says the Covid-19 pandemic has alerted industry professionals to look into every fine detail in their respective job procedures. For instance, “the usual warm and friendly smile” staff use to welcome guests is now hidden behind a protective face mask, which poses a challenge. “As a result, we have to alter our gestures and approach when receiving and acknowledging our guests. We have to intensify the welcoming act with body gestures, and prompt and swift action,” Ms. Lam explains.
At the City of Dreams integrated resort, Ms. Lam oversees a total of 3 hotels, each property with its distinct target market. The staff at all the venues, however, share the same goal of providing memorable experiences to guests, she says. “This will never change” despite the Covid-19 crisis, the executive adds.
Ms. Lam reckons that the pandemic has altered the decision-making of contemporary travellers when they select a hotel. Safety, cleanliness, and comfort are now top of the list. That means operators have to focus on providing a “safe and clean environment” for everyone in their properties.
“We need to ensure our colleagues – front-line and back-of-the-house team members – obtain up-to-date information and correct knowledge” about Covid-19 in order to execute all the newly-implemented procedures to create and enhance a ‘safe, clean and comfortable environment’,” she says.
The seriousness of the pandemic has had at least one positive effect at the City of Dreams integrated resort, states the executive. This is the strengthening of team spirit, as staff members come together to tackle the health crisis as a group. “We have increased our training time on sharing information related to this new crisis, listened to the challenges the team is facing under this unprecedent situation, and together have been working out the best solutions to address” those challenges, Ms. Lam notes. “Communication between front-line staff and management has improved.”
IFTM praised for ‘down-to-earth’ approach
Ms. Lam’s IFTM guest lecture took place on 17 June and was at the invitation of IFTM Lecturer Dr. Vicky Chen. Despite the videoconference format, it featured lively exchanges between Ms. Lam and her audience.
The talk was part of a special series of guest lectures at IFTM by members of the senior management of integrated resort operator Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd. The firm is the owner of City of Dreams.
Ms. Lam praises the quality of education provided by IFTM. She says the Institute has a very “down-to-earth” approach to teaching and study: it does not focus solely on textbooks. IFTM regularly hosts seminars inviting hospitality and tourism executives to share with students information on the latest developments in the industry.
Based on her industry experience, the City of Dreams executive says IFTM fresh graduates tend to be better prepared for work in a hotel than other people starting their professional careers. She volunteers a reason for that. “Curriculum at IFTM provides students with appropriate training in every aspect of hospitality and tourism”, she says.
Ms. Lam states that the overall experience of studying at IFTM – with its courses on theory, local and overseas internship opportunities, and wide availability of exchange programmes – helps students to have a clear understanding of how to apply academic knowledge to real-life settings. She says that in the context of new tourism education institutions open around the world, Macao “should be proud” to be home to a well-established and top-quality education provider such as IFTM, one that has “earned unwavering accolade” such as being ranked as the second best higher education institution in Asia in the field of hospitality and leisure management, according to the “QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020”.
